You Asked: streaming inequality, Dragon showdown, and holy grail TVs

1 month ago

You Asked is our bid wherever our Tv master Caleb Denison answers your often asked aliases insightful questions that we deliberation tin thief a batch of our readership. In this installment, we research if it matters what you usage to watercourse Netflix (or immoderate different streaming service) and whether we’re successful a clip erstwhile you should really conscionable hold to bargain a caller TV. What astir Hisense U8K versus TCL Q7? And will location beryllium much Nakamichi Dragon comparisons?

Let’s get to it.

Quality streams

The app action connected nan location surface of Apple TV 4K.

John Golla writes: Does it matter which portion of instrumentality 1 uses to watch a streaming work specified arsenic Netflix? I person a fibre optic TV service, a Panasonic 4K BluRay player, and LG C3 TV. All connection Netflix. The sound is fed to a Denon AVR. Would nan image and sound value beryllium nan aforesaid regardless? Does it only dangle connected nan net speed?

Thanks, John. I’m gladsome you asked. The timing of your mobility could not beryllium better. Our caller Sony X95L versus TCL QM8 comparison addresses this issue. In it, I show really nan Max app connected nan Sony TV seems to beryllium problematic, and nan YouTube app connected nan TCL TV seems to beryllium problematic, some successful position of image quality.

But that’s really conscionable nan extremity of nan iceberg. Something I person been learning slow complete nan past mates of years is that many, if not all, of nan astir celebrated streaming apps behave wildly otherwise from level to platform. So, nan Netflix app connected LG’s webOS, for example, whitethorn behave dramatically otherwise from nan Netflix App connected Roku, which is different than Netflix connected Google TVs aliases Chromecast pinch Google TV, and truthful connected and truthful on.

I don’t moreover cognize astir each nan issues, but immoderate see definite platforms limiting colour spot extent to 4:2:0 – which intends much colour banding conscionable because you are watching connected that platform. It’s besides existent that immoderate platforms garbage to let buffering successful favour of amended image quality, truthful moreover though you pay for 4K, you mightiness not beryllium getting it because nan net relationship is excessively slow. Some platforms whitethorn coming 24 frames-per-second (fps) contented astatine 30 fps without you having immoderate opportunity successful it.

The rumor is wide-ranging, and location isn’t a azygous streaming level aliases instrumentality that is perfect. They each person issues. And, no, I person not created a database to way aliases cross-reference each this, but that’s a bully idea.

What I tin show you is that I person decided to settee connected Apple TV 4K arsenic my personal, preferred streaming OS and streaming device. It’s nan 1 pinch nan slightest magnitude of questions and conscionable capable control. It besides comes pinch nan fewest number of headaches, and for that, I’m consenting to salary extra. It’s not perfect, but it is nan slightest flawed, and, sadly, I deliberation that’s wherever we’re astatine pinch streaming correct now. Pick nan lesser evil. And for me, that is Apple TV 4K. I for illustration utilizing Google TV, but it seems for illustration I can’t spot it.

TV recommendations

A position of a Japansese courtyard looking from wrong a location displayed connected a Hisense U8K.

Next is simply a mobility from Tyler Creador, who wrote: I’m successful nan mediate of nan roadworthy of choosing either nan Hisense 55-inch U8K aliases nan TCL 55-inchQ7. I watch TV mostly astatine dinnertime and much connected nan weekends. We for illustration to watch Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Paramount Plus, and ESPN + for softball and cornhole. Our viewing perspective isn’t consecutive on, but 6 to 10 feet distant from nan TV that is wall-mounted. I person a Samsung Model Code: UN55H6350 pinch a 2.1 soundbar and subwoofer combo from Samsung. The TV is successful a room pinch a ample model that only gets nan sun erstwhile it’s mounting successful nan sky. I americium besides looking into getting nan Nintendo Switch OLED to hook up to arsenic well. I usage nan Xfinity Flexbox and nan Roku Ultra container for streaming.

Given this use, I’m inclined to opportunity spell for nan Hisense U8K. In position of image value and, to a lesser degree, sound, It’s nan better-performing TV among nan 2 you listed. And since you won’t beryllium utilizing nan onboard Google TV interface for overmuch different than selecting your desired input for your Roku aliases Xfinity Box, I’m comfortable pinch that suggestion. My main gripe is that Hisense’s OS slows down aft a mates of years of updates. That whitethorn beryllium changing, but I haven’t had a chance to trial it. So until I do, that’s nan 1 point I support successful mind.

An aerial position of a skyline astatine nighttime connected a Sony A95L.

Along akin lines, Basim Obeida wrote: If fund is not a concern, which TV exemplary is amended to bargain considering nan usage of it is streaming contented (Netflix, Disney+, etc.) and casual console playing (PlayStation 5 to beryllium exact)? Please statement that nan abstraction allows for 65 aliases 75 inches maximum. The video value is important, but I americium not a “nit-nerd” and nan room is semi-dark truthful brightness is not an issue. I conscionable watched Episode 6 of You Asked, and pursuing your advice, this is nan astir magnitude of accusation I was capable to supply to thief you thief me.

You gave maine conscionable capable accusation to reply there. You are looking astatine a 65- aliases 75-inch TV, costs is nary object, you watercourse Netflix and possibly play immoderate PS5, and monolithic brightness is not an issue.

Given those considerations, particularly nan cost-no-object thing? I’m going to spell retired connected a limb present and opportunity that nan Sony A95L is astir apt going to beryllium nan champion TV to bargain successful position of image value and wide performance. Now, please understand that I person not yet reviewed that TV. I will soon, Sony assures maine of that. So, if you want to hold for that reappraisal conscionable to beryllium sure, that is surely nan safe, smart play. But, unless Sony really, really screws thing up, which it does not person a history of doing, past year’s A95K is simply a bully denotation that nan A95L is going to beryllium an perfectly outstanding TV, and conscionable somewhat amended successful immoderate mini ways than nan A95K. If you could still get an A95K, though? I would astir apt conscionable get that and prevention immoderate money. That is IF and only IF you don’t mind going 65-inch. If you want to agelong a spot and get a 77-inch, past you would request to hold for nan A95L to travel out.

I would besides powerfully see nan LG G3 OLED aliases nan Samsung S95C QD-OLED, arsenic some are very beardown TVs arsenic well, each pinch its ain small advantages. But, yeah, if you’re going to pin maine down to conscionable 1 and show maine nan costs is nary object, I’d opportunity get a 77-inch Sony A95L erstwhile it comes out. That has each nan makings of nan champion TV of nan year.

Nakamichi Dragon vs. Sony A9 showdown?

The soundbar constituent of nan Nakamichi Dragon Surround System.

Mohammad Arafat says: Hello Caleb. Love from India. (Love correct backmost astatine ya!) Can we person a Dragon versus Sonos 300 versus Sony A9- SW5 comparison?

I’m sorry to opportunity that nan reply to that is, for now, no. I really americium sorry. I deliberation that’s a awesome idea. And if I had nan Sony HT-A9 present to do comparisons, I would person done that already. But Sony needed their HT-A9 back, truthful I returned it erstwhile I was done pinch nan review. Perhaps I should person pressed harder to support it. That’s my mistake. But, not only do I not person an HT-A9 from Sony, moreover if I did get them to nonstop maine 1 again, I besides don’t person nan Nakamichi Dragon anymore. I had to nonstop that backmost to Nakamichi, which was benignant of a bummer. But also, it was immense and dense and I didn’t really person room for it to instrumentality astir truthful … it’s bittersweet. If I had to do a basking return connected that, though? I’d opportunity Nakamichi for nan movies and Sony for nan music, and nan SW5 is OK, but it can’t clasp a candle to nan dual Nakamichi subs. That’s conscionable based connected memory.

Holy Grail TV FOMO

The LG G3 OLED TV connected a stand, showing a upland segment connected nan screen.

John Sprecher writes: It feels for illustration location is truthful overmuch invention connected nan horizon. [That includes] brighter-than-G3 OLEDs, mini-LED/Quantum colour [going] from bully to great, and moreover larger big-screen formats adjacent year. If you’re a multi-big-screen household, does it consciousness to you for illustration a bad clip to put successful a beatified grail TV for nan main viewing area of a home?

Well, John, I dream it helps you to cognize that you are not unsocial pinch these feelings retired there. I get this mobility each nan clip because this interest ever exists. But there’s your reply successful a way: This interest will ne'er spell away. There will ever beryllium a interest pinch user tech that nan adjacent caller type correct astir nan area is gonna beryllium importantly amended capable that waiting to bargain is smart. Because nan interest is that what you bargain now would beryllium obsolete, right?

Here’s nan thing. I don’t deliberation I tin callback a twelvemonth successful which immoderate caller type of a TV made nan 1 earlier it obsolete. Or moreover that overmuch little desirable! The preamble of QD-OLED was 1 of nan bigger moments successful TV tech, and while it was caller and impressive, it didn’t render OLED earlier it obsolete. Same pinch nan LG G3 — MLA made things brighter, and that’s exciting, but really basal is it for astir folks? It isn’t. The G3 didn’t make thing obsolete either. Heck, immoderate thought mini-LED was going to make regular LED obsolete and that intelligibly hasn’t happened either.

So, you’re not going to tally into obsolescence. What’s really happening is you are worried you aren’t going to person nan latest and greatest. And I get that. But that will ever beryllium true. There will ever beryllium small upgrades complete nan anterior year. So, don’t effort to hold things retired for stabilizing – because they will ever beryllium successful flux. Buy erstwhile you want to buy. Buy erstwhile you tin buy. And do what you tin to garbage your mind nan impulse to acquisition FOMO.

Editors' Recommendations

You Asked: Sonos setups, 5,000 nits, and dumb TVs
You Asked: Why we don’t bargain nan TVs we review
You Asked: How to adhd a subwooofer to Apple Homepods, Hisense UX reappraisal question
You Asked: champion TVs for agleam rooms, erstwhile to usage eARC, and more
The ‘streaming wars’ aren’t what you think