Heron Fidelity

There are great deals right now for anyone's budget! The major TV manufacturers have dropped prices for the holiday season, and it's a great time to treat your eyes with lifelike color and contrast that exceeds our good old HD formats. The 55-inch TCL P607 remains the top budget choice for a 4K high dynamic range television, but only consider it when the price is right ($650 or less.)

For 55-inch and larger screens, LG's 2017 4K OLED TV's are pure eye candy that will make you smile everytime you gaze upon its pixels. The company's revamped B7A series does away with internal Dolby ATMOS decoding for increased affordability but otherwise provides the same display technology found in its more premium designs such as the picture-on-glass E7 and G7 series as well as its most desirable W7 'wallpaper' versions.

Pro tip: If you already know what you want, always do a price check and take advantage of free shipping when available!

• 65-inch LG E6 OLED TV
       OLED/3D/webOS 3/4 HDMI
       Glass-backed HDR + Lowest price!
• 75-inch Sony XBR 940E Ultra HD
       120Hz/Android TV/4 HDMI
       Awesome 4K + Lowest price!
• 75-inch Sony Z9D Ultra HD
       120Hz/Android TV/4 HDMI
       Brightest 4K HDR + Lowest price!
• Sony VPL-VW285ES 4K Projector
       3D/1500 lumens/3-chip
       True 4K projection + Lowest price!

Easy TV Picture Setup Guide

Quality 4K HDMI Cables

Look: Robert's Favorite Gear

Value big screen favorites right now

• 65-inch Sony X900E Series 4K TV
       120Hz/4 HDMI
       Android TV + 4K HDR Value!
• 65-inch Sony XBR X850E
       120Hz/Android TV/4 HDMI
       Low price + BIG 2016 UHD TV!
• Sony VPL-HW45ES 1080p Projector
       3D/1800 lumens/3-chip
       Amazing big screen color/detail!

Learn: How to Watch 4K

Favorite HDMI Gear

Excellent Wireless HDMI

More excellent deals for gear that I wholeheartedly recommend

You don't need to pay for an expensive subscription TV plan to enjoy live programming! A simple antenna enables any HDTV to receive local HD channels for free in crystal clear digital quality. Amazon's Ultra-Thin Indoor HDTV Antenna is a thin and flat design that's perfect for hanging in a nearby window or for easy concealment behind a wall mounted TV or nearby hanging picture. I use a similar antenna to receive local programming and I'm impressed with the sensitivity of this design and its ease of setup - connect the 15-foot coax cable to the RF input on a TV and run the DTV channel scan. This Amazon-branded antenna is made in the U.S.A., is reversible with black and white sides, and it's a terrific value!

Review: Channel Master DVR+

Save $$$: Cord Cutting Guide

Ditching an expensive subscription TV plan (aka cord cutting) doesn't mean you have to give up live programming! Connecting a simple antenna enables any HDTV to receive local HD channels for free in crystal clear digital quality. The all new HD Frequency Cable Cutter is designed and manufactured in the U.S.A. by a talented group of radio engineers and scientists who optimized its design to provide a bit of extra reception oomph! If the old 'rabbit ears' are missing a few local stations, this antenna is a solid upgrade.

     Learn about the benefits of 'cutting the cord'!

The BenQ HT2050 is a compact projector that features 1080p resolution, two HDMI ports, VGA, and component video input. The projector's 2,200 ANSI lumens of light output is paired with cinema-grade glass lens that produces a bright clear picture using single-chip DLP technology. The 2050's RGBRGB color wheel helps minimize color-breakup artifacts, and it's built-in 10 Watt speaker makes impromptu setup and use even easier - think movie night or console gaming on a 100-inch screen! The HT2050 is also ISF-certified so it has good picture quality right out of the box and it provides the necessary picture controls to fine tune its imagery to reference quality. The BenQ HT2050 is home theater bargain for affordable big screen HD enjoyment.

Review: RIVA Turbo X

Review: LG Portable LED Projector

The three-chip 2016 Sony VPL-HW45ES is perfect for enjoying a colorful and detailed big screen picture, and it won't generate distracting 'rainbow' artifacts like single-chip DLP projectors can when displaying highly-contrasted imagery. I've calibrated the 2015 40ES and the 2016 45ES projectors, and I remain impressed with its quiet operation and bright, detailed picture with superb color and grayscale accuracy. Compared to the 40ES, the 45ES brings a bit more brightness at lower inital pricing. It also carries on great basics like horizontal/vertical lens-shift, 3D support, and a sweet backlit remote. The Sony VPL-HW45ES is a favorite of mine, and its an easy recommendation for great looking 1080p projection technology at an affordable price.

LG Portable LED Projector with Smart TV 

The LG Portable LED Projector (PF1500W) impressed me with its design and functionality. This 1080p projector weights in at 3.3-pounds and features a standard tripod mounting hole for even easier setup and use. My favorite specs of the PF1500 include its LED lamp module that provides up to 10x longer life than regular projector lamp modules and its built-in ATSC digital tuner that had excellent sensitivity for receiving free local HD broadcasts. The PF1500 has WiFi and Ethernet networking for accessing multimedia files over the local network or for enjoying premium streaming apps like Netflix and MLB.tv. The PF1500 offers all of the common input options including two HDMI ports, component video, and composite.

     Read my review of the LG PF1500 LED Projector!

Epson 5040UBe 1080p Projector

The Epson Home Cinema 5040UBe is one of the best values for a quality video projector. The 5040UB's light engine uses three LCD panels for artifact-free imagery at up to 2500 lumens of brightness, and its optics feature horizontal and vertical lens shift for greater placement options without compromising image quality. The 5040's support for 4K input and "4K enhancement technology" also claim complete HD and DCI color space coverage for more natural-looking, saturated colors - especially with HDR sources. The otherwise identical Epson 5040UB (without the 'e') costs a little less, but it lacks the UBe's 60GHz wireless video link with a convenient 5-port HDMI transmitter/switch.

     Updated May 1, 2016: HDMI 2.0a + 10-bit panel

Long live the Vizio P-Series! Vizio has announced an update to the 2014 P-Series televisions that brought affordable full array local dimming (FALD) backlight technology that improves picture contrast by dynamically controlling light output across individual zones based on video content. The new 2016 Vizio SmartCast P-Series brings many visual improvements including ultra high-definition (UHD) resolution, high dynamic range (HDR), and expanded color support via Dolby Vision. 

The new SmartCast TVs include a P-Series Tablet Remote with its 6-inch 1080p screen that promises to make finding the content you want to watch not only easier but less interruptive to the viewing experience. The Android tablet uses its Wi-Fi (over LAN) link to the TV for control, and it can fall back to a direct Bluetooth connection if necessary.

Best 2016 TVs + Tech

Specs for the new SmartCast P-Series TVs

One item of note missing from the new P-Series compared to most HD/UHD TVs is an ATSC tuner for over-the-air (OTA) digital reception. The single tuner hardware in most TVs is effectively useless without DVR functionality, so the lack of a OTA tuner in this "home theater display" won't be a deal-breaker for most people.

Screen sizes and prices for the new Vizio SmartCast P-Series UHD TVs

Panel type
The Vizio P-Series use VA-type LCD panels for improved contrast with poorer off-axis viewing compared to IPS-type panels. The exception in the P-Series is the 55-inch model that utilizes an IPS-type panel. Also, the P-Series TVs have an LCD refresh rate of 120Hz except for the 50-inch version that operates at 60Hz.

Wide color gamut (WCG)
The 2016 Vizio P-Series achieves its claimed 96% of DCI-P3 color gamut coverage through the use of phosphor-enhanced LEDs - typically blue LEDs coated with green/red (yellow) phosphor material. While this approach is different than the 65-inch R-Series that uses a quantum dot impregnated film for even greater color coverage, it is similar to the 120-inch R-Series' LED technology.

Unfinished business
The P-Series is an incomplete 2016 UHD TV until it receives an update that adds HDMI 2.0a - the update is expected by the end of June. Until then, P-Series owners only have VUDU for experiencing HDR/WCG content in the Dolby Vision format. There is no UHD Blu-ray player support without HDMI 2.0a, and it seems that it goes hand in hand with the P-Series' lack of HDR10 support. Given the connected nature of the P-Series TVs, these issues are expected to be addressed.

Recommendation
My recommendation is to stick with the 65-inch and 75-inch models for the best image quality. The 50-inch model is a 60Hz display and the 55-inch's IPS panel make them the oddballs in Vizio's P-Series lineup.

The new Vizio SmartCast P-Series TVs are available for order on the Vizio website.

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Updated August 9, 2016: images, specs, and availability

LG is in a unique position with its OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display technology - OLED produces epic picture contrast and color saturation in a design that can be a scant few millimeters thin. Critically, LG is the only company currently shipping OLED TVs to consumers - Panasonic will join the OLED ranks later in 2016 starting with European customers.

For 2016, LG brings a new generation of 4K OLED TVs under its Signature line of premium products. LG's 2016 4K OLED TVs and its new LG SUPER UHD LCDs support all current formats of high dynamic range (HDR) video including HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The 2016 4K OLEDs have also received "Ultra HD Premium" certification under the requirements of the UHD Alliance (UHDA) that specify minimum brightness and black levels, input capabilities, and HDR format support - this certification will be the label to look for when shopping for the most future-proof 2016 TVs. The only 1080p OLED model in LG's 2016 lineup will be the EG9100 carried over from 2015.

Best 2016 TVs + Tech

Best 2016 LCDs: LG Electronics

Additional features common to all 2016 LG 4K OLED TVs:

• 10-bit panel
• 10-bit processing
• RGBW sub-pixel structure
• BT.2020 gamut support
• 14% wider gamut than 2015 OLED
• Forward-firing speakers (G6/E6)
• Crystal back cover (G6/E6)
• 2.57mm thin
• webOS 3.0

The LG G6 OLED TV (pictured above) is the company's flagship TV for 2016. It's difficult to express in words how important black level is for impressive video reproduction, and the ability for LG's new OLEDs to achieve a nearly imperceptible measurement of 0.0008-nits is clearly appreciated when viewing in dimly lit environments where the eye is most sensitive to light. OLED's superb black level also has the added benefit of making colors appear more richly saturated - the Helmholtz-Kohlrausch effect.

All of LG's 2016 OLED TVs continue to feature a RGBW (RGB+white) subpixel structure comprised of white OLED material topped with a color filter. The use of a white-only OLED material simplifies manufacturing (compared to discrete RGB OLED pixels) while enabling increased brightness. The G6 will be available in screen sizes of 65-inches and 77-inches. LG failed to deliver a 77-inch OLED in 2015, so the G6 will likely be the first to break the 65-inch retail barrier.

One clever design touch with the G6's harman/kardon-enhanced AV base is the ability to fold back and out of the way for a wall mount installation. With the base in its standard position for table top use, the speakers are front-firing for improved audio performance. The back cover of the G6 and E6 TVs is a glass sheet that the ultra thin OLED panels are attached to. This durable "crystal" back can be further enhanced with static artwork as was demonstrated (below), however, LG provided no time frame for when or if this adornment would be made available to potential owners.

Review: LG Portable LED Projector

Signature E6
LG's new E6 OLED TV (pictured below) brings similar harman/kardon audio enhancements and translucent glass back cover as the G6. Screen size options with the E6 series include 55-inches and 65-inches. Like the G6 series, the E6 is also a flat screen design.

Sources of HDR UHD content continue to grow, and LG highlighted content from YouTube, Amazon, and over-the-air via ATSC 3.0 technology. Below is a short clip of the new E6 series 4K OLED TV in action - pardon the funky background music, but I felt it sounded better than the loud mess of a crowded show floor.

Curved OLED
Of course, there has to be a curved 4K OLED option in LG's 2016 lineup, and the LG C6 OLED TV series is it. Also available in 55- and 65-inch screen sizes, the C6's "blade slim" curved design will appeal to fans of the curved shape, and I find curved TVs are better at minimizing distracting room light reflections.

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If you are looking for the best flat screen OLED deal in LG's 2016 lineup, then the LG B6 OLED TV is for you. Available in 55-inch and 65-inch screen sizes, this "blade slim" flat design isn't scheduled to appear until later this year, and it should prove to be a very popular option going into the Summer season. Given the minor grumbling about the above-average video lag with LG's 2015 OLED TVs (~50ms), it will be interesting to see if the new designs can cut that in half or more.

OLED Signage
LG's display division also demonstrated a variety of advanced OLED designs including prototypes with plastic substrates that enabled flexible display designs that could be (gently) rolled up. Dual-sided (and very slim) OLED displays were also demonstrated, and convex/concave signage demonstrations using several OLED panels tiled together proved very eye-pleasing (below).

Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear

Updated: Great TV Deals

     This article will be updated as new information becomes available

Updated December 8, 2015: Charter subscribers report success with similar hardware and technique

If you subscribe to Comcast/Xfinity cable TV service, chances are you have a set top box from the company connected to your television using an HDMI cable. Too many times I've encountered these boxes in a misconfigured state that negatively affected picture quality. Given how expensive a year's worth of HD cable TV service costs, it's worth spending 5-minutes checking some basic settings in that box's 'hidden' menu.

Note: this information applies to regular Comcast/Xfinity set top boxes and not the newer X1 hardware.

Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear

For this operation, you will need the Comcast/Xfinity remote control and the remote control for your TV. If you haven't already, easily configure your Comcast/Xfinity remote to control your TV and other home theater gear!

Step #1
Turn your TV ON and make sure the Comcast/Xfinity box is OFF.

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Step #2
Press the MENU button on the Comcast/Xfinity remote.

At this point, the front of the set top box should display the current video aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3).

The TV screen should now display the 'hidden' setup menu.

If for some reason the TV Type setting is anything other than 16:9, change it to 16:9 to match the shape of widescreen televisions. Next, I would verify the settings under the Additional HDMI Settings menu.

The configuration pictured above is my recommended setup for all modern HD and UHD televisions. Next, Return to Main Menu and configure HDMI/YPbPr Output to Native or 1080i.

The Native output setting passes the video signal to the TV unaltered. Use of the Native setting enables a sub-menu of Native Mode Settings that needs some attention.

In the menu pictured above, select all video formats that the TV supports. Most modern televisions will accept all of the above listed video formats, but some TVs balk at receiving a 480i video signal over HDMI (leave unchecked if this is the case). An alternative to using the set top box's Native video mode is to configure it for 1080i output. Use of the 1080i output option will have the set top box convert all standard and high definition channels into the 1080i video format. The 1080i format is the maximum resolution currently used by broadcasters, and today's TVs are quite good at processing this video format resulting in terrific picture quality. Not only does 1080i convert almost perfectly into the 1080p format, a 1080i signal containing content originally captured at 24 frames-per-second (most movies and primetime TV shows) is easily processed to recreate the source material's natural film-like look.

DIY: TV Picture Setup Guide

Best 2016 TVs + Tech

Step #3
You are done! Press the Comcast/Xfinity remote's Menu button again to exit. If you decided to use the box's Native video mode, confirm that your TV is configured to eliminate overscan with 720p and 1080i channels. Often, a TV's overscan setting (aka Picture Size) is custom for all video formats so eliminating overscan with 1080i channels like NBC and PBS doesn't automatically eliminate overscan with 720p channels like Fox and ESPN.

For more information about TV settings related to optimal picture quality, I've created a short video that will help clarify what needs to be done.

What is video calibration?
Video calibration is the process of precisely measuring a display's color characteristics and adjusting its picture controls in order to produce the most accurate output possible. Video production for movies and TV conforms to an industry specification that defines a very specific color pallet and detail levels.

tl;dr Robert brings tens of thousands of dollars worth of test equipment, software, and know-how to a location and perfects picture quality.

Any video display device (LCD, OLED, plasma, projector) that hasn't been properly calibrated isn't showing you the intended vision of the content's creator, and no consumer display produces accurate imagery right out of the box!

Why calibrate?
There are several benefits of having your TV or projector professionally calibrated:

• Accurate color - a display's depiction of color should accurately represent the information contained within a video signal. Finding and properly adjusting the appropriate picture settings to exacting broadcast and film production standards will result in faithful video reproduction.


Which picture setup is correct? Image credit: Samsung

• Revealing picture detail - an improperly configured television or projector often sacrifices bright and dark details that should otherwise be visible to the audience.


Is your display sacrificing detail?

• Consistent color mixing - Almost all televisions and projectors generate color by mixing red, green, and blue (aka the primary colors in additive color mixing). With these display systems, the color white is generated by mixing the three primaries together. Shades of gray, like those depicted in the picture above, are created by collectively reducing the brightness of the primaries until there is no light (aka black). The signals in our video sources are often encoded as high resolution grayscale pictures with relatively low resolution color information that is combined to form the imagery that we see. A critical aspect of professional video calibration is to fine tune a display's depiction of grayscale information to be neutral-colored so as not to negatively influence the color information in the video signal.
• Minimizing artificial enhancements - most televisions and projectors are factory configured to produce as bright of a picture as possible regardless of color or detail accuracy. Many LCDs also enable a motion resolution enhancement that unnaturally smooths the appearance of movies to the point that it appears as if they were recorded on a camcorder. Professional video calibration minimizes these unwanted artifacts resulting in a more eye-pleasing picture!
• Efficiency - while we strive for optimal picture performance, a side-effect of professional video calibration is often a display device that also consumes less electricity.

Today's televisions and projectors are capable of producing some of the finest imagery yet seen, however, variances in manufacturing along with the myriad of picture adjustment options mean that even the best models from top manufacturers leave room for improvement.

Robert uses CalMAN calibration software from Portrait Displays

Contact
Robert is a THX/ISF trained calibrator based in Northern California/Bay Area, and he welcomes project requests from anywhere in the world!

For more information, questions, or to schedule an appointment, please contact Robert directly.