Entries in LCD (28)
Update: Vizio P-Series Ultra HD
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 4:44PM Originally posted on August 21, 2014
Updated on April 15, 2015: clarified specs and testing details (see Testing notes)
The wait is over! Retail listings for the new Vizio P-Series Ultra HD TVs have finally surfaced and its value appears strong.
2014 Vizio P-Series Setup Notes
Amazon is listing P-Series screen sizes of 50-inches, 55-inches, 60-inches, 65-inches, and 70-inches.
The critical specs of the P-Series include:
- 3840 x 2160p screen resolution
- Full-array local dimming LED backlight system
- ~64 active dimming zones
- 70-inch model has 72 zones
- ~64 active dimming zones
- 120Hz refresh rate with backlight scanning
- 50-inch model is 60Hz
- Quad-core GPU + Dual-core CPU
- 802.11ac WiFi
- HEVC H.265 codec
- HDMI 2.0 + HDCP 2.2
- HDMI 1, 2, and 5 are HDCP 2.2
- HDMI 5 is HDMI 2.0 (others are 1.4b)
- Smart TV features with UHD streaming options
Testing notes
Update 1/13/2015: Vizio has released a new P-Series firmware update (v1.1.14) that has mostly corrected the stuck sharpness algorithm noted below. This update also added new 4K video streaming options from Amazon, Toon Goggles, and UltraFlix. Testing the new firmware revealed no improvement for the observed clipping and loss of fine color (chroma) detail with component-encoded video sources. Vizio claims the new update also added new picture quality enhancements to the TV's full-array local dimming (FALD) backlight system and improved sharpness and motion controls for a wider range of video and film-based sources.
How to update
Internet connected Vizio televisions perform regular checks for software updates and should require no user interaction. However, if a P-Series owner wishes to check for software updates, follow this procedure:
Go to MENU > System > System Information > Service Check > press 'OK' > select 'Yes' to perform update check. Then turn TV off and wait at least 20 minutes for the update cycle to complete.
Readers have commented that while it is possible to check for a software update, a serial number system used by Vizio determines when a particular TV receives the updated software.
Hands-on
The P-Series has five HDMI ports that are compatible with 4K input: ports 1-4 accept 4K UHD video at up to 30Hz and HDMI 5 allows 4K input at 60Hz - confirmed with DVDO AVLab TPG (read review). HDMI ports 1, 2, and 5 are HDCP 2.2-enabled for use with copy protected 4K sources like the Sony FMP-X10 Media Player (read my review). However, the FMP-X10's 60Hz output would require the use of HDMI 5 for full output format compatibility. Also, HDMI 5 provides no video processing for common video formats like 480i, 720p, or 1080i resulting in reduced picture quality compared to the use of other HDMI inputs on the TV; the TV does warn the user to change inputs if an attempt is made to use this port with sub-4K video sources. For P-Series owners who prefer to feed the display though a single HDMI connection, use of HDMI 5 would require a capable AVR or external scaler to perform 4K upconversion. Otherwise, use of multiple HDMI inputs on the TV are needed to properly handle common SD/HD formats and 4K60 input.
IPS vs VA
Also, it has been reported and confirmed by Vizio that the P-series LCD panel technology varies with screen size. The 55 inch version features an IPS panel whereas the other screen sizes in the series feature VA panel technology that produces deeper black levels for improved picture contrast and apparent color saturation. For optimal picture performance with the P-series televisions, screen sizes of 60-inches, 65-inches, and 70-inches are the recommended options as they would provide a VA panel with a greater number of zones of local dimming.
"Photoshopped" picture quality
A test session with a 50-inch P-series TV confirmed that its original firmware suffered from mediocre 1080i video processing and a broken sharpness control that added harsh edge enhancements to the picture. This "stuck" sharpness filter added virtual detail not present in the original video signal, and it was clearly evident in all examined content including still images, Blu-ray movies, and 4K video.
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear
Update 1/13/2015: Both images below show the Vizio P-Series running the updated v1.1.14 firmware with TV's sharpness setting at 0 (off). The ringing artifacts in image on the right appeared when feeding the P-Series a 4K UHD source and remained visible when switching to HD formats like 720p or 1080i on the same input. The ringing artifacts would vanish again if the sharpness setting was adjusted at all. Thankfully, use of TV's 4K UHD video streaming apps didn't trigger the reappearance of the sharpness artifacts, and only users who are switching between 4K UHD and HD video formats on the same HDMI input are likely to encounter this issue.
Update 2/26/2015
Vizio released another firmware update (v1.1.19) for the P-Series that is reported to fix the sharpness setting so that it doesn't reset under the conditions I found with firmware v1.1.14 (described above). This update is also reported to stabilize color with HDMI 5 when configured with certain picture presets.
Unresolved items
Another oddity noted during picture setup was that component-encoded video sources (YCbCr) like a Blu-ray player or the DVDO AVLab TPG (read my review) fed to the P-Series resulted in crushed dark detail below digital level 16 and clipped peak bright detail above level 235. Reducing the TV's color control revealed levels in the 242-243 range but resulted in an unacceptably desaturated picture. Full RGB input (0-254) appeared to be properly displayed.
Not so factory calibrated
The P-Series features two factory calibrated presets: Calibrated and Calibrated Dark. The latter of these otherwise similar presets defaults to a reduced backlight level and slightly increased gamma (2.1 vs 2.2) that's better suited for viewing in a dimly lit environment. Grayscale measurements revealed overly blue hues compared to the more neutral D65 standard used in film and video production. The P-Series adds an 11-point grayscale setup in addition to the 2-point tools that many TVs provide. These controls proved effective at taming the bluish grays.
Color management needed
The menu used for grayscale calibration also features 6-color controls for adjusting hue, saturation, and brightness. I've had the opportunity to spend more time with the P-Series color management setup, and fine tuning the display via careful calibration can greatly improve its color accuracy. However, some fully-saturated colors (blue in particular) were uncorrectably out of spec.
Almost there
The Vizio P-Series Ultra HD television isn't videophile-grade, but the latest update barely nudged it into a value 4K UHD recommendation. Calibration benefits any TV, and it's a must for the Vizio P-Series to fully realize its picture potential. Vizio has (mostly) corrected my biggest image quality complaint about the P-Series, and I look forward to seeing what other improvements can be achieved with future updates. Also, the P-Series' 4K file support includes H.265/HEVC but not 4K video files encoded into the H.264/AVC format like those produced by the new GoPro HERO4 Black. Vizio was hesitant to provide a firm answer as to if or when we can expect 4K H.264/AVC file support to be added to the P-Series. Stay tuned!
2015 CES: Home Theater and TVs
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 6:39PM Updated April 5, 2015: added Vizio product information
It's that time of the year again, and the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has consumed the city of Las Vegas, Nevada. This is a major show for display manufacturers and here the notable announcements so far:
Vizio
Technology
This article will be updated as information is gathered at the 2015 CES.
2015 Sony 4K UHD TVs
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 4:56PM Updated on May 25, 2015: added new images, hardware information, and pricing details
Sony's 2014 4K ultra high-definition (UHD) televisions rank as some of the very best I've tested to date, and the company's 2015 lineup is looking to expand upon its premium offerings with new models in its XBR family of LCD TVs.
The new XBR televisions are scheduled to arrive in the spring time frame, and all will feature the following specs:
- 4K UHD screen resolution (3840x2160 pixels)
- "4K Processor X1" to "improve color accuracy, contrast, and clarity" of HD/UHD video
- Support for HEVC and VP9 codecs
- Google Android TV operating system for voice search, access to Google Play, and Google Cast
- PlayStation Now game streaming
Sony's most affordable XBR series covers the smaller sized screen options that are ideal for closer viewing distance or for supersized PC display use.
- Screen sizes: 43-inches, 49-inches
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Backlight system: edge-lit LED
- 4 HDMI, 3 USB
- Audio power: 10W + 10W
- Speakers: 2-channel (30mm x 80mm drivers)
Similar to the X830C series but with larger screen size options and enhanced color capabilities.
- Screen sizes: 55-inches, 65-inches, 75-inches
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Backlight system: edge-lit LED
- 4 HDMI, 3 USB
- Active 3D display technology
- TRILUMINOS display technology for expanded color palette and accuracy
- Audio power: 10W + 10W
- Speakers: 2-channel two-way (30mm tweeters, 40x100mm woofers)
XBR-X900C/X910C Series
The X900C/X910C series televisions bring Sony's 4K UHD technology to ultra slim TV designs that measure 4.9mm at its thinnest part (55-inch and 65-inch models). These TVs also minimize the bezel to "virtually frameless" widths for an even more impressive visual experience.
- Screen sizes: 55-inches (X900C), 65-inches (X900C), 75-inches (X910C)
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Backlight system: edge-lit LED
- 4 HDMI, 3 USB
- TRILUMINOS display technology for expanded color palette and accuracy
If you are wondering how one goes about wall mounting a TV as thin as the X900C, Sony has created a custom U-shaped bracket that slips into slots on the backside of the chassis providing a hang point for a smallish bracket that fastens to the wall. The thicker lower portion of the TV's chassis that would make contact with a wall surface is vented along the top and bottom edges for adequate cooling. Also, HDMI ports are located so that cables stay out of the way in a wall mount configuration.
2015 Vizio M-Series 4K UHD TV Preview
The X930C and X940C televisions are similarly specced save for screen size and backlight technology. The X940C receives Sony's X-tended Dymanic Range Pro local dimming backlight system while the X930C gets the non-Pro version. Local dimming enhances contrast by adjusting backlight brightness across a fixed number of zones based on video content. Sony typically reserves the "pro" level of its backlight control naming scheme for full-array LED local dimming while the non-pro moniker goes to televisions equipped with edge-lit LED local dimming.
- Screen sizes: 65-inches (X930C), 75-inches (X940C)
- TRILUMINOS display technology for expanded color palette and accuracy
- Fixed magnetic fluid speakers
The 75-inch XBR75X940C pictured above marks the continuation of Sony's fixed side-speaker design with magnetic fluid suspension technology that trumps the audio quality of most soundbars.
This article will be updated as information is gathered at the 2015 CES.
2015 Samsung 4K UHD LCD TVs
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 2:00PM Updated on September 10, 2015: added pricing, availability, and specs
Samsung brought its best 4K ultra high-definition (UHD) TVs to the 2015 CES in the form of three series that tempt the eyes of discerning videophiles with new technology to enhance perceived color and contrast.
One of Samsung's earlier announcements was that all of its 2015 smart TVs will feature a newly redesigned Smart Hub that's built around the Linux-based, "open source", Tizen operating system.
The use of the Tizen OS will likely enable easier integration and interaction with mobile devices, particularly Samsung products, for content sharing and control using WiFi Direct and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) wireless technologies. The new Tizen-powered TVs will also enable the viewing of live TV on compatible mobile devices anywhere within a home network even when the TVs are powered off.
The updated 2015 Smart Platform will also include new entertainment experiences:
- Samsung Sports Live: watch live games and view team/player stats
- PlayStation Now: enjoy cloud-streamed PlayStation 3 games using a DualShock 4 wireless controller
- More 4K UHD sources: Amazon, Comcast, DirecTV, Netflix, and a new UHD movie download service in partnership with M-GO
- Briefing on TV: 2015 Samsung Smart TVs can act as an alarm clock that display time, weather, and other pertinent information
Bring the SUHD
Samsung reserves its "S" identification for its flagship products, and the company's best 4K UHD TVs for 2015 are branded into the new "SUHD" TV lineup.
The SUHD TV lineup includes three model series with screen sizes ranging from 48-inches to 88-inches, and all feature new Samsung display technologies that enhance picture color and contrast:
- 10-bit LCD panel technology
- High Dynamic Range (HDR) metadata support
- "Re-mastering" picture quality engine: claims to automatically analyze on-screen imagery to enhance picture contrast with darker black levels and increased brightness while minimizing power consumption
- Quantum color: enhanced color and energy efficiency through the use of quantum dot (QD) nano-crystal technology to achieve a color gamut like that featured in commercial digital cinema.
- HDMI 2.0a (via update) for use with external source devices that support high dynamic range (HDR)
The newly formed UHD Alliance whose membership includes Netflix, Disney, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Dolby Vision, Technicolor, Samsung, Panasonic, and others moves us closer to the access and enjoyment of enhanced UHD video on display devices that can accurately render video encoded with an expanded color palette and HDR detail.
JS8500 Series
- Flat screen design
- Backlight: edge-lit LED w/local dimming
- 2.2-channel 40W speaker system
- Brushed silver T-shaped base
- Quad-core processor
- Screen sizes: 48-inches, 55-inches, 65-inches
2015 Vizio M-Series 4K UHD TVs
Vizio 5.1 Sound Bar System Review
The JS9000 returns to the aesthetically pleasing curved screen design, and the series features the the widest range of screen sizes in the new SUHD lineup. Even the back of the JS9000 was enhanced with a "soft, textured Shirring design" to provide a stylish view even when checking out its rear. As Samsung's most affordable curved screen design in its premium JS series, it will be interesting to see how the 9000's edge-lit backlight technology compares to the more expensive JS9500 and its full-array backlight unit (BLU).
- Curved screen design
- Backlight: edge-lit LED w/local dimming
- 2.2-channel 60W speaker system
- Brushed dark silver Y-shaped base
- Octa-core processor
- Screen szes: 48-inches, 55-inches, 65-inches, 78-inches (JS9100)
The flagship JS9500 will feature Samsung's "chamfer bezel design" to frame the LCD's screen with a hint of increased depth and make it look more like a piece of art when wall-mounted. For LCD enthusiasts, the words "full-array local dimming" (FALD) represent the pinnacle of backlight unit (BLU) technology that can improve picture contrast and uniformity compared to LCDs with edge-lit BLUs. The JS9500 represents Samsung's return to FALD after transitioning all of its LCDs to edge-lit designs several years ago. Perhaps in 2016 we'll see Samsung spread FALD beyond the its flagship model.
- Curved screen design
- Backlight: full-array LED w/local dimming
- Retractable 1080p camera w/ built-in stereo microphones
- 2.2-channel 60W speaker system
- Brushed silver Y-shaped base
- Octa-core processor
- Screen sizes: 65-inches, 78-inches, 88-inches
Read my review of the Samsung JS9500 Series 4K UHD TV
Read more about the latest 2015 TVs and display technologies.
2015 Sharp: Prototype Eye Candy
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 9:00AM Updated on January 11, 2015: added images and additional details
It wouldn't be CES without Sharp showing off some drool-worthy prototype LCDs, and its 2015 demonstrations on the show floor included what will likely become featured consumer products within the next few years.
Sharp 85" 8K LCD prototype
Sharp has had an 85" 8K LCD prototype on display at its CES booth for a few years now, but with 8K test broadcasts expected to begin in Japan next year, a 4x jump in resolution compared to today's 4K screens seems slightly more plausible. Note the window-like imagery made possible with a high resolution screen at this size.
With this year's 8K demo, the specs were a bit more detailed:
- 7680x4320 screen resolution
- 103.67 PPI
- 85% of Rec. 2020 gamut
- RGB LED backlight system
- 120Hz refresh rate
- 12-bit per pixel panel technology
Rec. 2020 is a relatively gigantic color space to cover using LCD technology. Current LCD designs have struggled to cover the much smaller HDTV color space (rec. 709), and approaching rec. 2020 coverage will require advanced backlight and color filter designs. This prototype panel claimed to cover 85% of the Rec. 2020 color gamut through the use of an RGB LED backlight similar to that featured in the Sony XBR8 television circa 2005.
Super Slim 4K UHD
Sharp is also demonstrating a prototype 70" 4K UHD LCD TV that has an overall depth of less than half an inch. The slim TV uses a new glass light plate to more evenly and efficiently distribute light across the LCD panel.
Sharp 120" 4K Ultra HD Commercial Display
Although positioned for commercial display use, Sharp's 120" 4K UHD LCD prototype highlights the company's ability to craft very large displays. This 120" LCD is the equivalent of four 60" 1080p screens tiled together.
- 3840x2160
- 36.72 PPI
- Direct LED backlight
- 8.7 feet x 4.9 feet active display area
- (2657.28mm x 1494.72mm)
Gen 10 glass
Sharp jointly manages Sakai Display Products (SDP) and its 10th generation LCD manufacturing facility in Sakai, Japan. The SDP facility can process LCD glass substrates as large as 123.23" x 113.39" (3130mm x 2880mm) dwarfing a king sized bed that averages 80" x 76".
SDP could in theory produce a 140" (~141" max) LCD with a 16:9 aspect ratio from a single 10G substrate leaving some glass left over for carving out a few smaller sized screens. Safely transporting an LCD that size is another matter; hence the facility's shoreline location and tight on-site component manufacturing and integration.
Read more about the latest 2015 TVs and display technologies.
