Impressive picture quality and features, limited app support- Technology News, DD Freedishnews

Ameya DalviNov 13, 2020 12:25:50 IST

Total Score: 4/5

Value: Rs 32,990

Toshiba returns to the TV phase in India after a reasonably lengthy hiatus. Their TV enterprise is now owned by Hisense, who by the way debuted in India this yr as effectively. Whereas I can see a definite Hisense affect on this Toshiba Sensible TV mannequin we’ve for assessment, it appears to carve a brand new id for itself by way of its proprietary platform — Vidaa OS. So let see the place this TV stands compared with different TVs on this phase, and the way Vidaa OS compares with the preferred sensible TV platform, Android TV.

Toshiba 50U5050 4K Sensible TV – Design and Connectivity: 8/10

The design of Toshiba’s 50U collection TVs is kind of much like that of Hisense A71 Tvs, with extraordinarily slim bezels on three sides and a not-so-thick backside bezel with the corporate brand on the left. What’s completely different are the table-top stands; the skinny plastic ones are changed by thick metallic stands that truly look higher and really feel much more reassuring. The facility LED and IR receiver are positioned on a tiny chin on the centre of the underside bezel. The TV isn’t too cumbersome and could be wall-mounted utilizing the screws and mounts supplied within the package deal.

A wi-fi distant management and a pair of AAA batteries are additionally current. Within the connectivity division, you get three HDMI ports – considered one of which helps ARC, two USB 2.0 ports, optical audio, 3.5 mm Aux out and a LAN port — all alongside the left fringe of the centre module, whereas AV enter ports are positioned in the back of the TV. All of the ports are positioned loads additional inside from the sting, making them arduous to succeed in when you wall-mount the TV — a typical design flaw seen in a number of TVs. Ideally, the ports shouldn’t be positioned greater than 6 inches away from the sting. Wi-fi connectivity choices embrace Bluetooth and a couple of.4 GHz WiFi.

Toshiba 50U5050 4K Sensible TV – Options and specs: 8.5/10

This Toshiba 50U5050 TV has a 50-inch VA panel with an Extremely HD decision of 3840 x 2160 pixels and a 60 Hz refresh price. It’s powered by a quad-core processor with Cortex A53 cores and Mali 470MP GPU. You get 1.5 GB of RAM and 4 GB of inner storage. The TV can also be compliant with well-liked HDR requirements akin to Dolby Imaginative and prescient and HDR10. The 30-Watt RMS audio system boast of Dolby Atmos help. Extra on that within the audio efficiency. The TV has built-in WiFi with help for b/g/n requirements at 2.4 GHz. There is no such thing as a help for five GHz wi-fi networks, typical of funds sensible TVs.

Since this isn’t an official Android TV, it doesn’t have Chromecast built-in, however enables you to mirror content material out of your telephone or pill utilizing Miracast. The bundled distant is much like the one you get with the Hisense A56E collection of TVs, and helps IR and Bluetooth each. The facility button on the distant communicates with the TV utilizing IR, and the whole lot else operates over Bluetooth as soon as paired. The voice-enabled distant is effectively constructed and has hotkeys for Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube, amongst a cluster of different buttons. The TV has Alexa built-in, and you need to use the distant to challenge voice instructions to seek for content material, play music or management appropriate sensible units.

Toshiba 50U5050 4K Sensible TV – OS and Consumer Interface: 7.5/10

This TV runs Toshiba’s Vidaa OS. It’s pretty simple to function with a easy, icon-based consumer interface and logical menus. You possibly can flick through the UI utilizing the D-pad and choose an choice utilizing the OK button. The UI is easy, clean, lag-free and it’s simple to find the specified menu choice. There’s a media participant to play content material from USB drives which helps all well-liked codecs; it performed just about the whole lot I threw at it.

There are a superb quantity of audio and video settings to tinker with which might be simply accessible. Even higher, they are often accessed on the fly in any app or enter mode. In different phrases, you’ll be able to tweak the image or sound in actual time, regardless of whether or not you’re watching one thing on an app like Netflix or via an HDMI supply like DTH; one thing a number of Android TVs nonetheless don’t allow you to do. The TV boots in underneath 15 seconds, which is twice as fast because the quickest Android TV I’ve examined until date. The Amazon Prime Video and Netflix apps load sooner than standard too, and likewise present Extremely HD output with HDR10 and Dolby Imaginative and prescient respectively.

It’s usually clean crusing in Vidaa OS, however it does have a few minor bugs that may be simply mounted with an OTA replace. For instance, the TV at all times boots into HDMI enter mode even when no HDMI system is linked. It might have booted to the Residence display screen as an alternative. Additionally, when you join the TV to a soundbar via HDMI ARC, the sound output retains leaping to HDMI ARC even when you select TV audio system. It occurs whenever you change between apps and even when you simply play the following video on YouTube.

However the greatest disadvantage right here is the meagre app library. Amongst well-liked OTT providers, you solely have Netflix, Prime Video, Zee5 and YouTube. There are not any apps for Disney+ Hotstar, Sony Liv, Voot and so forth. The one option to entry these platforms is both by loading the app in your telephone or pill and mirroring it on the TVscreen, or by plugging a streaming system like Amazon Fireplace TV Stick or Mi TV Field.

All in all, Vidaa OS is effectively thought out and holds nice potential. I fairly appreciated its brisk nature and ease, however not the scant app help. If the corporate can iron out the tiny flaws, and extra importantly present apps for hottest OTT providers in India, it may be an excellent various to Android TV.

Toshiba 50U5050 4K Sensible TV – Image high quality: 8.5/10

I used to be fairly impressed with the image high quality of this TV, particularly the color copy. The colors really feel vibrant, but pure for probably the most half, with out a lot tweaking. The 4K panel is pretty shiny with good distinction, and particulars in darkish areas in excessive distinction scenes had been clearly seen. The black ranges are surprisingly deep for a funds LED TV; one other massive plus. You get a superb quantity of image changes like brightness, distinction, sharpness, color and so forth. to fine-tune it to your liking. As well as, you additionally get choices for adjusting color temperature, adaptive distinction (greatest set to low), digital and MPEG noise discount and extra.

This TV helps HDR10 and Dolby Imaginative and prescient, and 4K HDR content material encoded in that format appears sharp and vibrant on this display screen. There was no backlight bleeding across the edges both in my assessment unit. The TV doesn’t flash a HDR10 or Dolby Imaginative and prescient brand when taking part in the corresponding content material, however the image presets get HDR prefix when taking part in the previous, and also you get Dolby Imaginative and prescient Vivid, Darkish and Customized choices when taking part in the latter. The distinction is noticeably higher throughout HDR playback, however a tad aggressive.

4K SDR content material appears sharp on this TV too with correct colors and ample element. 1080p Full HD content material is upscaled very well and truly appears nearly as good as 4K; it’s typically arduous to distinguish between the 2 on YouTube. 720p movies had been completely watchable too, however weren’t upscaled as effectively. Something decrease than 720p appears a bit too mushy, which is the case with most 4K TVs. The viewing angles are fairly good, with solely a marginal color shift when watching the TV from sharp angles; not many would complain.

Toshiba 50U5050 4K Sensible TV – Audio high quality: 7.5/10

The TV has a pair of stereo audio system that ship a complete rated output of 30 Watts RMS. The audio system produce crisp audio (particularly vocals) with respectable heat. They’re completely audible at 50 p.c quantity stage normally. The TV supplies you with a bunch of sound settings to tweak additional, if obligatory. Whereas the sound high quality is ok for common objective viewing, it isn’t in the identical league as that of Nokia 50TAUHDN and even the Hisense A71 collection.

It’s satisfactory for watching sports activities, information, soaps or the odd film/net collection, however lacks the punch that somewhat further bass can present. The audio system are Dolby Atmos compliant, and also you do get barely higher soundstage when listening to an Atmos stream, however don’t anticipate miracles. Should you crave higher sound, there are numerous audio out choices out there to plug in a soundbar or different audio system, to reinforce the audio.

Toshiba 50U5050 4K Sensible TV – Total efficiency: 8/10

I used to be fairly happy with the Toshiba 50U5050’s general efficiency, quick boot instances and apps loading sooner than standard. The file format help via USB is superb, and the participant itself is fairly good. The TV didn’t give me purpose to complain besides one — the shortage of a superb app library. Should you simply watch Netflix, Prime Video, Zee5 and YouTube, the TV has you coated. For the remainder of the OTT providers, you’ll have to make investments extra money in a video streaming system.

Toshiba 50U5050 4K Sensible TV – Value and verdict

The Toshiba 50U5050 is priced at Rs 32,990 and is roofed underneath a one yr guarantee. For that worth, you get a sensible TV with among the many greatest image high quality on this phase. Add to that help for Dolby Imaginative and prescient, quick boot/load instances, and greater than respectable connectivity choices. If Toshiba can someway enhance the app help, this is usually a nice all-round product.

Its greatest competitor on this worth bracket, by the way, hails from its father or mother firm. The equally priced Hisense 50A71 has comparable image high quality, a lot better sound output and broad app help, because of the Android TV platform. Should you just like the virtues of this Toshiba TV, and are prepared to pay further for an Android-based or Fireplace TV media streamer, or already personal one, be at liberty to go for this TV and not using a concern.