Discussion Best budget upgrade from a TCL 55R616 Roku TV?

[hbenthow]

I have a 55R617 Roku 4K HDR television.

In most ways, the picture looks excellent to me. However, with certain images, there is banding in multiple areas, and the local dimming has a side effect that causes images with a lot of sky or other light colored areas and a 4x3 aspect ratio to have very dark, distracting bands near the sides of the image (about an inch from the black bars). I think that this is because of the particular way that the dimming zones are arranged on this model.

I'm looking for an upgrade. I want a 55 inch 4K television with HDR, better local dimming than the one that I have, and ideally although not necessarily built in Roku. I also need it to be as affordable as possible within those parameters. Ideally, I'd like to find one that can be found for $400 or less on sale or on eBay.

It doesn't have to be top of the line television. It just needs to be as good as the one that I already have, but without the pesky banding issues (especially the dark bands that show up by the sides when the image is light due to the way the dimming zones are arranged).

 

[jeremyj_83]

I have a 55R617 Roku 4K HDR television.

In most ways, the picture looks excellent to me. However, with certain images, there is banding in multiple areas, and the local dimming has a side effect that causes images with a lot of sky or other light colored areas and a 4x3 aspect ratio to have very dark, distracting bands near the sides of the image (about an inch from the black bars). I think that this is because of the particular way that the dimming zones are arranged on this model.

I'm looking for an upgrade. I want a 55 inch 4K television with HDR, better local dimming than the one that I have, and ideally although not necessarily built in Roku. I also need it to be as affordable as possible within those parameters. Ideally, I'd like to find one that can be found for $400 or less on sale or on eBay.

It doesn't have to be top of the line television. It just needs to be as good as the one that I already have, but without the pesky banding issues (especially the dark bands that show up by the sides when the image is light due to the way the dimming zones are arranged).

The TCL 6 series is one of the best budget TVs you can get. If you were to up your budget to $650 you could get the Hisense 55U8H which is well reviewed.

 

[hbenthow]

The TCL 6 series is one of the best budget TVs you can get. If you were to up your budget to $650 you could get the Hisense 55U8H which is well reviewed.

I can't afford over $400, unfortunately.

My current television is a TCL 6 series, but there are others in that series, including some newer ones (mine is from 2019). Do you know if any of those within my price range would be an improvement over my current one?

 

[jeremyj_83]

I can't afford over $400, unfortunately.

My current television is a TCL 6 series, but there are others in that series, including some newer ones (mine is from 2019). Do you know if any of those within my price range would be an improvement over my current one?

Your best bet would be the 2022 TCL 5 series but that feels like a lateral move and not an upgrade. You can find that new for just over $400. However, the local dimming zones are large so you will have quite a bit of blooming like you already do on your 6 series. When it comes to used TVs, probably would need a Vizio P Quantum to be an upgrade over your current TV.

 

[hbenthow]

Your best bet would be the 2022 TCL 5 series but that feels like a lateral move and not an upgrade. You can find that new for just over $400. However, the local dimming zones are large so you will have quite a bit of blooming like you already do on your 6 series.

I thought that QLED TVs had individual LEDs rather than zones in order to have pinpoint dimming. Apparently, I was wrong.

When it comes to used TVs, probably would need a Vizio P Quantum to be an upgrade over your current TV.

I can't find any within my budget.

 

[jeremyj_83]

I thought that QLED TVs had individual LEDs rather than zones in order to have pinpoint dimming. Apparently, I was wrong.

QLED = Quantum Dot LED. The Quantum Dots are a micro filiment over the LEDs that increase brightness and color saturation. This still has zones setup for your local dimming. Now on high end TVs that could be 500+ zones over 1300in2 on a 55" TV.

Mini LED backlighting can have individual LEDs shutoff. That gives you per pixel zones like you would have with Plasma or OLED.

 

[jeremyj_83]

I can't find any within my budget.

If you are willing to go down to 1080p you can always see about getting a Panasonic ST60. My secondary TV is a 55" Panasonic ST50 from 2012. When I went shopping for my curent TV, I was talking to the sales person and said I had a plasma. He said the only thing that they had that would be better than my, at then 7 year old in 2019, plasma is the OLED. For reference the ST60 is the 2013 version and has deeper blacks than the ST50. I can say that overall the plasma I have from 2012 has aged quite well and is still nice in 2023 despite only being 1080p.

 

[hbenthow]

If you are willing to go down to 1080p you can always see about getting a Panasonic ST60. My secondary TV is a 55" Panasonic ST50 from 2012. When I went shopping for my curent TV, I was talking to the sales person and said I had a plasma. He said the only thing that they had that would be better than my, at then 7 year old in 2019, plasma is the OLED. For reference the ST60 is the 2013 version and has deeper blacks than the ST50. I can say that overall the plasma I have from 2012 has aged quite well and is still nice in 2023 despite only being 1080p.

Interesting. I think that I prefer to stick to 4K, but I'll keep that suggestion in mind if I'm ever in the market for a 1080p television.

Mini LED backlighting can have individual LEDs shutoff. That gives you per pixel zones like you would have with Plasma or OLED.

I think some of the TCL 6 series have mini LED backlighting, but those models seem to all be in the $600 range.