Which is a better Midrange LCD/LED TV?

[Marakk]

Yes sir, did think about these. With so much of content to read and specs to worry about - we at times over estimate our needs may be. My current Sony TV got 400nits of brightness and I had never an issue with its brightness levels. It was set at 60% years ago and still running at that.

So I feel comfortable that 550 nits will cut me in. I don't have lot of confidence in H8G in India as yet. Hisense supplies panels to VU and while they are good, I am not willing to go that way for a TV which lasts 6-7yrs for me. So, even if I get the super bright 1200nits from 950G, I may run it with 30% brightness

Viewing angle does seem concerning. I read in this spec sheet that 50in and lower don't have wide viewing angle, bit higher ones do. Attaching the spec sheet.

Also, very few online video reviews exist. One from Michael Fisher of Mr Mobile shot the TV from multiple angles and I found them good enough. These are still not conclusive I believe. Hoping to see this TV in person before making a judgement.
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Head over to Rtings. They have the viewing angle on a video. You can play the video to see the gradual change, and also, switch between the two by pausing and see the difference.

Moreover, viewing off-axis makes blooming and zone changes more apparent. So H8G will be good, if you sit in front and watch. In my case, dad usually sits way off axis. Thankfully with OLED now, he still gets a fantastic picture.

The high brightness isn't for SDR content. It's needed for HDR content. Like I have mentioned multiple times and in my magic of OLEDs thread too, more often than not, it's small areas that need to pumped to high levels of brightness, and pumping small areas to max is the one thing FALDs stutter with. Even at 2% that Rtings measures, you'll see a drop in measurements. 2% is still a big area. Make it 0.5%, and it'll be either another big dip or blooming. Samsung dips the brightness and crushes blacks; Sony and Hisense too seem let blooming happen and not crush blacks.

Flatpanelshd measures 1%, and guess what, Q70R, that can touch 800 nits on a 10% window, measured only 200 nits on 1%. That's not HDR territory. This is the reason you'll see OLEDs being the best TV pick, especially for HDR, by Flatpanelshd, Rtings and more.

Here, read their review: https://www.flatpanelshd.com/review.php?subaction=showfull&id=1560322947#5

I find them to be the most thorough. They also highlighted Samsung's wide angle filter smudging details a bit, which is something harshly anyone else noticed.

 

[rksingh1]

viewing angle on a video

Yes, but they don't say which TV size that video is shot at. Plus, whatever size it is, in the videos, upto 30 degrees, the viewing is good. That gives me a 60 degree field of view - totally works for my living room where even a 40 degrees would have worked.

Also, like I mentioned - as per specs, 50in and lower don't have wide angle. I don't fully trust this spec sheet. I don't fully trust any online material anyway. Plan is to see it in person and figure out if my eyes like it. I still can't differentiate between 8-bit and 10-bit color depth in a blind test. I am sure many can. I understand the technicalities, but to me, practically, many of the them don't really matter. Most of my viewing anyway isn't dynamic HDR. Also, I am yet to develop a taste for HDRs i guess.

Top image is Frame 2020 HDR and below one is from Q80T. I like the Frame more than Q80. But the reviewer was like - Q80 is so much better. Well, he might have been right. Need to see it in person to believe it.

 

[harryneopotter]

Yes sir, did think about these. With so much of content to read and specs to worry about - we at times over estimate our needs may be. My current Sony TV got 400nits of brightness and I had never an issue with its brightness levels. It was set at 60% years ago and still running at that.

So I feel comfortable that 550 nits will cut me in. I don't have lot of confidence in H8G in India as yet. Hisense supplies panels to VU and while they are good, I am not willing to go that way for a TV which lasts 6-7yrs for me. So, even if I get the super bright 1200nits from 950G, I may run it with 30% brightness

Viewing angle does seem concerning. I read in this spec sheet that 50in and lower don't have wide viewing angle, bit higher ones do. Attaching the spec sheet.

Also, very few online video reviews exist. One from Michael Fisher of Mr Mobile shot the TV from multiple angles and I found them good enough. These are still not conclusive I believe. Hoping to see this TV in person before making a judgement.
View attachment 46872

As said above, the brightness comes into the picture (no pun intended, I swear) when watching HDR content or when you are watching in a brightly lit room (like living rooms). With higher peak brightness, the TV should perform better with HDR content in the living room and provide better contrast (combined with local dimming).

As for viewing angles, both the Frame and H8G should fare the same as they both have VA panels with no wide angle filter. Check this video from 5.48 mins onwards to see how bad it can get and if you can live with it:

If you have only used IPS panels so far, then you wont like it (personal experience).

 

[OM_2K19]

@rksingh1 - I probably spent few months researching on TV before going for Q80R. At the end I realised that the top tier TV for Big 3 perform quite similar. After all we purchase the TV to enjoy it , not for editing VFX for Star Wars. If your budget permits, go for 950G or Q80R and you won't regret.

 

[Marakk]

Yes, but they don't say which TV size that video is shot at. Plus, whatever size it is, in the videos, upto 30 degrees, the viewing is good. That gives me a 60 degree field of view - totally works for my living room where even a 40 degrees would have worked.

Also, like I mentioned - as per specs, 50in and lower don't have wide angle. I don't fully trust this spec sheet. I don't fully trust any online material anyway. Plan is to see it in person and figure out if my eyes like it. I still can't differentiate between 8-bit and 10-bit color depth in a blind test. I am sure many can. I understand the technicalities, but to me, practically, many of the them don't really matter. Most of my viewing anyway isn't dynamic HDR. Also, I am yet to develop a taste for HDRs i guess.

Top image is Frame 2020 HDR and below one is from Q80T. I like the Frame more than Q80. But the reviewer was like - Q80 is so much better. Well, he might have been right. Need to see it in person to believe it.

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You can't truly judge HDR from SDR images, as the latter can't capture the entire dynamic range. Only when the reviewer is using manual camera and mentions whether it's being exposed for highlights to reveal differences there or for shadows to reveal differences there, can you compare.

Frame does have the advantage of high native contrast, which will show itself in mixed lighting scenes too, such as outdoor shots, where small dark areas, for example showdowns between leaves in trees and shrubs, will be darker on Framebecause of the better contrast ratio. That said, Q80 does get brighter and will be more impactful in many other scenes where FALD will allow it to pull ahead. Plus, if you're in a bright room or in daylight, Q80 can compensate better for the ambient light.

Rtings does mention what TV they are testing. It's highlighted in in BOLD under check price. So fro H8G, they tested 55" model. Check this video:

Switch from 0 to 30°, and you'll see a big difference. I have a VA panel at home in a 40" iffalcon TV, and have had a Panasonic TV with a VA panel before that too. Even at 20°, there's an angle difference between one edge of TV and the other, and I can see a transition from it being brighter on the edge closer to me and then darker on the other one. It's distracting especially when watching sports.

 

[moh1t]

Yup, how are you buddy? And yes, I am looking for a 55/65". Waiting for H8G and then will decide between H8G65 or 55C9/Q80R/950G.

If you can compromise on size, 55C9 should be an excellent deal at 110-120kish.

need a 65 inch Tv for sure. Q80R and 950g, both will be 2L+

I guess no option but to wait for Hisense to launch

 

[harryneopotter]

need a 65 inch Tv for sure. Q80R and 950g, both will be 2L+

I guess no option but to wait for Hisense to launch

950G can be had for 1.6l from what I have read on these forums. Q80R should be 1.75ish

 

[moh1t]

950G can be had for 1.6l from what I have read on these forums. Q80R should be 1.75ish

1.6L too much of a stretch for me. thanks for the price update though

 

[harryneopotter]

1.6L too much of a stretch for me. thanks for the price update though

Then the only options that remain are H8G, TCL C815, TCL C8, Motorola 65. What is your usage like? and room size/conditions?

 

[Marakk]

Then the only options that remain are H8G, TCL C815, TCL C8, Motorola 65. What is your usage like? and room size/conditions?

Don't forget Frame 2020.

Unless H8G cuts it in price, it's the only step-up model that gives a decent upgrade in PQ.

 

[harryneopotter]

Don't forget Frame 2020.

Unless H8G cuts it in price, it's the only step-up model that gives a decent upgrade in PQ.

Frame 2020 is 1.4l for 65 Inch (he needs 65). And I will be damned if H8G does NOT cut it in price. I am expecting it to launch for <100k. if not between 80-90k

 

[moh1t]

Then the only options that remain are H8G, TCL C815, TCL C8, Motorola 65. What is your usage like? and room size/conditions?

This will go in the living room which is fairly big, so anything less than 65 inch will look small. Usage is mostly Netflix/other streaming services, PS4 and local Plex streaming.

I have a 5.1 decent Polk audio home theatre and I usually turn off lights while watching tv, even during the day

 

[harryneopotter]

This will go in the living room which is fairly big, so anything less than 65 inch will look small. Usage is mostly Netflix/other streaming services, PS4 and local Plex streaming.

I have a 5.1 decent Polk audio home theatre and I usually turn off lights while watching tv, even during the day

How wide is it? Viewing angles? Coz all the options (except for Motorola 65) are VA panels and not sutaible for indirect viewing. Moto being an IPS panel will be better for angles but will suffer with no so deep blacks and low contrast, specially in dim lighting.

 

[moh1t]

How wide is it? Viewing angles? Coz all the options (except for Motorola 65) are VA panels and not sutaible for indirect viewing. Moto being an IPS panel will be better for angles but will suffer with no so deep blacks and low contrast, specially in dim lighting.

There Is a 3 sweater recliner in front of it, and we’re not hosting people anytime soon so viewing angles should not be an issue.

I saw Panasonic 65 gx800d selling for about 1L. Is that a good deal? I know it doesn’t have android OS so will use a 4K android box with it. I also can’t figure if it has local dimming or not. I read in another thread gx800d is a rebadged 730d, but the specs page does mention 4K local dimming here - https://www.panasonic.com/in/consumer/home-entertainment/televisions/4K-TV/th-65gx800dx.html

Also the TV only supports HDMI 1.4 and HDCP 2.2, unsure if this will impact Dolby vision or other HDR playback.

What do you guys think?

 

[shaiju_o_thomas]

Also the TV only supports HDMI 1.4 and HDCP 2.2, unsure if this will impact Dolby vision or other HDR playback.

What do you guys think?

GX800 supports 4K 60/50p with HDCP2.2 over HDMI. HDR10 and DoVi are supported.

Only the full HD and HD models are limited.

 

[Yogesh]

1. Website doesn't give specific info on local dimming.

2. This is not QLED I guess.

3. One more thing, Does it have eARC?

4. Pana has also Android TVs, Any input on them?

Pana doesn't give detailed specs!

 

[harryneopotter]

Website doesn't give specific info on local dimming. Also, this is not QLED I guess.

One more thing, Does it have eARC?

I don't think it does. There is no hdmi 2.1 ports