The Floor Of HDR: Just How Good Is It?

[PGHammer]

We are now seeing $300USD (and sub-$300USD on sale) HDTVs that support both 4K and HDR from the Usual Suspects (Samsung, TCL, Sharp, Toshiba); the question is how good are these low-end TVs with HDR and/or 4K (especially native content - not consoles)? (Toshiba is a newcomer to those Usual Suspects with their new FireTV Edition line, powered by Amazon's FireOS - it has my inside track for exactly this reason; I do like the FireTV UI and UX; further, it will obviate my FireTV stick without forcing me to replace it - I simply move my account to the TV from the stick).  I don't hate TCL (or RokuTV - we have one in the sunroom in 32"); however, how much of the love for both is based on price? (Toshiba's FireTV Edition is, in fact, priced identically to the TCL and Sharp Roku-powered models; does Roku actually outperform FireTV with all else being equal?)  I am looking at 43" (a size upgrade from 40") in terms of the Toshiba - I have not seen either Roku-powered model in 43" (they do have them in 40").

 

Still, I wonder - how well does the floor perform?

[dead.cell]

Supposedly, the HDR on the Toshiba is mediocre, but I find it curious that some of the models it gets compared to are $200+ in price (TCL 6 series), which makes it a hard comparison. I bought the 50" Toshiba FireTV and I love it for all that it is. One thing particularly that I like is navigating menus is a breeze. From the time it turns on to the time I'm back in my show is incredibly minimal, instead of having this laggy navigation.

 

Here are some reviews from maybe better sources. Obviously I love mine, but I'm not a TV head if I'm honest.

 

https://www.pcmag.com/review/362254/toshiba-43-inch-fire-tv-edition-43lf621u19

https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/toshiba/amazon-fire-tv-2018

 

In fact, the only thing that made me mad about my TV was seeing it on sale during Prime Day for $289 for the 50"...  

[PGHammer]

On 8/7/2018 at 5:53 PM, dead.cell said:

Supposedly, the HDR on the Toshiba is mediocre, but I find it curious that some of the models it gets compared to are $200+ in price (TCL 6 series), which makes it a hard comparison. I bought the 50" Toshiba FireTV and I love it for all that it is. One thing particularly that I like is navigating menus is a breeze. From the time it turns on to the time I'm back in my show is incredibly minimal, instead of having this laggy navigation.

 

Here are some reviews from maybe better sources. Obviously I love mine, but I'm not a TV head if I'm honest.

 

https://www.pcmag.com/review/362254/toshiba-43-inch-fire-tv-edition-43lf621u19

https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/toshiba/amazon-fire-tv-2018

 

In fact, the only thing that made me mad about my TV was seeing it on sale during Prime Day for $289 for the 50"...  

dead.cell- I LOATHE those sorts of comparisons; it reminds me of "upselling" (typically done if you sell on commission).

I still have not seen a Toshiba FireTV Ediiton on display yet; however, the Samsung NU6900 that my mom bought for herself (and I set up) is a very pleasant surprise for a low-end 4K HDTV.

 

Pluses: supports HDR and 4K on both HDMI inputs, supports 5 GHz N wireless networking, supports Samsung SmartThings, Tizen-based SmartHub can be configured via SmartThings.

 

Minuses: not enough HDMI inputs for console owners (it has just two).  (So far, that is the only minus.)

 

Samsung SmartThings: Wireless-based IoT for compatible hardware (including some non-Samsung hardware).  It can be controlled via Samsung smartphones and tablets back at least two years (I use my S7 for this - so you don't need a new smartphone from Samsung. It merely has to be running Nougat or later.)  You can also configure SmartHub apps on these HDTVs via SmartThings - I exported my YouTube channel settings this way to the YouTube app of the TV.  YouTube is my only source of 4K or HDR other than Amazon Prime for the TV currently (in YouTube's case, it is the HDR Channel).

 

HDR picture quality - if your network meets the standards for 4K HDR, once you get an eyeful, you will hate going back to SDR - I can say that with a straight face.

[DevTech]

8 hours ago, PGHammer said:

dead.cell- I LOATHE those sorts of comparisons; it reminds me of "upselling" (typically done if you sell on commission).

I still have not seen a Toshiba FireTV Ediiton on display yet; however, the Samsung NU6900 that my mom bought for herself (and I set up) is a very pleasant surprise for a low-end 4K HDTV.

 

Pluses: supports HDR and 4K on both HDMI inputs, supports 5 GHz N wireless networking, supports Samsung SmartThings, Tizen-based SmartHub can be configured via SmartThings.

 

Minuses: not enough HDMI inputs for console owners (it has just two).  (So far, that is the only minus.)

 

Samsung SmartThings: Wireless-based IoT for compatible hardware (including some non-Samsung hardware).  It can be controlled via Samsung smartphones and tablets back at least two years (I use my S7 for this - so you don't need a new smartphone from Samsung. It merely has to be running Nougat or later.)  You can also configure SmartHub apps on these HDTVs via SmartThings - I exported my YouTube channel settings this way to the YouTube app of the TV.  YouTube is my only source of 4K or HDR other than Amazon Prime for the TV currently (in YouTube's case, it is the HDR Channel).

 

HDR picture quality - if your network meets the standards for 4K HDR, once you get an eyeful, you will hate going back to SDR - I can say that with a straight face.

I'd be curious to know if that has a input config setting for PC and if it has mouse lag or not - any chance you have a laptop you could plug into it?

 

 

[Daniel F. Administrators]

it all comes down to the "nits" or brightness if you will. To get vivid vibrant colour you need brightness.

 

Dull HDR is rubbish checkout most first gen HDR sets and baseline HDR400 compatibility . LCD will always be limited in what they can achieve and is why for the best HDR experience you need OLED technology and with VESA spec 1000 nits  brightness.

 

That being said i have a Phillips '16 model tv with HDR400 and although the colour vibrance is better i find it underwhelming. 

 

i have seen demo's of the latest gen HDR1000 sets and there is improvement but for really good HDR the cost is quite high.  

[PGHammer]

On 1/9/2019 at 1:31 AM, DevTech said:

I'd be curious to know if that has a input config setting for PC and if it has mouse lag or not - any chance you have a laptop you could plug into it?

 

 

If you connect a PC, you should use the PC's own settings - I connected my desktop PC to a 32" Samsung D-series HDTV via HDMI; the same would be just as true with laptops or notebooks.  (This is whether the TV supports 4K or not.)

[DevTech]

1 hour ago, PGHammer said:

If you connect a PC, you should use the PC's own settings - I connected my desktop PC to a 32" Samsung D-series HDTV via HDMI; the same would be just as true with laptops or notebooks.  (This is whether the TV supports 4K or not.)

HUH?

 

TV's have lag. The lag increases with motion processing designed to make hockey pucks and stuff look better, but desktop mouse pointers look like you need new glasses!

 

So, TV's usually have a Game or PC input to turn off a certain amount of pixel processing.

 

And in many TVs the full native removal of ALL processing only happens when you use the "Rename" feature on the TV to label that input with two letters "PC"

 

Crazy and stupid? I didn't invent the system. Just read too many manuals when I started using LCD TVs and was amazed at how extremely reluctant the manufacturers were about giving up their beloved "super secret sauce video processing which makes out brand the best"

 

 

 

 

[PGHammer]

On 1/9/2019 at 1:31 AM, DevTech said:

I'd be curious to know if that has a input config setting for PC and if it has mouse lag or not - any chance you have a laptop you could plug into it?

 

 

Use HDMI-in with PCs - like you would ANY display.  Connect keyboards, mice, etc. to the PC - not the display; it doesn't matter whether it supports HDR or not.  (When I found myself having to move upstairs due to cancer, I brought my desktop PC with me, and connected it to the TV via HDMI.  The keyboard and mouse were already wireless; so they connected *as usual*.

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

1 hour ago, PGHammer said:

Use HDMI-in with PCs - like you would ANY display.  Connect keyboards, mice, etc. to the PC - not the display; it doesn't matter whether it supports HDR or not.  (When I found myself having to move upstairs due to cancer, I brought my desktop PC with me, and connected it to the TV via HDMI.  The keyboard and mouse were already wireless; so they connected *as usual*.

You are good at finding old threads, aren't you?

[Jim K Global Moderator]

...besides, DevTech was talking about lag (ghosting) on the panel ... not hooking up keyboards and mice to the TV to control the PC (not sure how that is possible anyway).

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

30 minutes ago, Jim K said:

...besides, DevTech was talking about lag (ghosting) on the panel ... not hooking up keyboards and mice to the TV to control the PC (not sure how that is possible anyway).

Some TV/monitors have a USB hub on them.

[Jim K Global Moderator]

5 minutes ago, Mindovermaster said:

Some TV/monitors have a USB hub on them.

What TVs have a USB hub?? Ports, of course, but a hub?

 

Not that is what DevTech was referring to anyway.

[PGHammer]

On 5/24/2020 at 7:45 PM, Jim K said:

What TVs have a USB hub?? Ports, of course, but a hub?

 

Not that is what DevTech was referring to anyway.

Panel ghosting is why you  let the PC's connection determine the settings; the display (like that for a console) may have options that fit the display's options better; like consoles, such settings can be fine-tuned or tweaked; it is why I prefer HDMI over any other option when connecting a PC to a TV, even at sub-1080p, as is the case now.

[PGHammer]

On 5/24/2020 at 6:49 PM, Mindovermaster said:

You are good at finding old threads, aren't you?

Mindovermaster; in case you haven't noticed, I was the Neowinian that  kicked off the thread - and I did so because I am quite aware that HDR had dropped into the *seriously affordable* range when I kicked it off - and not everybody is rich.  (If anything, Covid-19 has further disrupted the HDR display picture - for HDTVs, smartphones, etc.; remember, the Pixel 3a supports 1080p - and HDR - by default

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

22 minutes ago, PGHammer said:

Mindovermaster; in case you haven't noticed, I was the Neowinian that  kicked off the thread - and I did so because I am quite aware that HDR had dropped into the *seriously affordable* range when I kicked it off - and not everybody is rich.  (If anything, Covid-19 has further disrupted the HDR display picture - for HDTVs, smartphones, etc.; remember, the Pixel 3a supports 1080p - and HDR - by default

Yes, yes. I've seen you jump other threads, even though you aren't the OP. What I said goes for all the posts you made in the last ~2 weeks, not preferably only this post...

[PGHammer]

20 hours ago, Mindovermaster said:

Yes, yes. I've seen you jump other threads, even though you aren't the OP. What I said goes for all the posts you made in the last ~2 weeks, not preferably only this post...

However, you seem to think that I should create a new post - when an older one addresses the issue I have.  If an older (but unclosed) post addresses an issue, I'll post in it, rather than create an extra thread.  If a moderator thinks a post is too old, they are perfectly within their rights to close the thread; that leaves me no choice BUT to create a new thread.  Otherwise, if an unclosed thread deals with an issue I want to address, I'll post in it.