After a mint of thought , I ’ve derive to a decision : It ’s time to exchange how we doTV reviews .
It ’s easy to get stuck in our ways , especially when we find something that work , and many expression reinforce this mindset . “ If it ai n’t broke , do n’t fix it . ” “ Do n’t mess with succeeder . ” “ leave behind well enough alone . ” And my personal front-runner : “ ne plus ultra is the enemy of good . ”
However , just as many axiom peak in the other direction . “ If you ’re not move forwards , you ’re falling behind . ” “ Progress always demands change . ” “ The good can always be well . ” And perhaps the coarse of all : “ If you ’re not innovating , you ’re cash in one’s chips . ” ( This last one has always fray me the improper way because it sounds like something you ’d hear from the caricature of a technical school bro in Silicon Valley . )
I guess the truth experience somewhere in the middle . confessedly , for eld I ’ve had this shrewish impression that TV followup — both my own and the industry ’s as a whole — require to be good . So I ’ve resolve to do something about it .
Going forward , my TV review will be a little different . My goal is n’t to reinvent the wheel — it ’s to make a respectable one . Here are the changes I ’ll be making and why I believe they ’re necessary .
The little things matter more
Now , more than ever , the small things matter . Sometimes they count the most .
drug user experience has always been important to me , but with TVs being what they are now , it is even more significant . I think the decision between two TVs will arrive down to what it ’s like tolivewith those sets .
Imagine two similarly pricedOLED boob tube with amazing scene quality — similar brightness , black levels , color accuracy , upscaling capabilities — side - by - side . Why choose one over the other ? I think the user experience becomes the fundamental differentiator .
If one TV is slow to start up or has sluggish menu navigation , a remote control that ’s super frustrating to use , and profound quality that makes duologue hard to understand , or it takes forever to give apps ( and if every meter I launch an app , I have to sit through an update ) ? Even with its awesome picture quality , I ’m probably not opt that TV .
If the other idiot box has just as good a moving picture and the same Leontyne Price rag , but has liquid pilotage , a snappy remote control , and no frustrative delays ? I ’m probably choosing that TV . I ’ll pick the one that I actuallyenjoy using .
I think remote control design is overlooked . The remote control alone can make or demote a user experience . I once review a high-pitched - death TV where the remote was so poorly designed , it mat up like a last - arcminute afterthought . Meanwhile , a more budget - favorable model had a remote that just made sense — well - laid - out buttons , quick reaction , and sluttish - to - use . This will factor out into my recommendations pass forward .
By focalise on these piffling things and shining a bright light on them , I hope to use whatever influence I have to encourage TV manufacturers to take these fine touchpoints more in earnest . Hopefully that results in better product for everyone .
Measurements mean less than ever
objectiveness is so authoritative in brushup — I ca n’t stress that enough . information is meaningful and knock-down , but it can also be deceptive . As I ’m coming to sympathise , there are increasing instance in which data point , look on how you get it , can be totally meaningless .
goggle box processing splintering have pull ahead tremendously , and AI now plays a significant role in picture sweetening . That being the case , traditional examination methods — using color slideway and run form — are becoming less dependable in determining real - world boob tube operation .
I ’ve seen tv set that nail the test patterns but sputter with actual movies and shows . On more than one occasion I ’ve tested a TV that put out incrediblebrightnessnumbers off the exam slides , but when I watched an exalt movie , the specular highlights were sluggish . That ’s because AI - driven processing is plan to care dynamic content other than than test design , and in some cases manufacturing business have optimize their chips to “ ace the exam ” rather than deliver the best actual - world experience .
This means that subjective evaluation — through the eye of an expert — has never been more important . I ’ll still take measurements , but they wo n’t be the exclusive make up one’s mind factor in my judgement . actual - world content performance will take precedency over number , especially when unexampled backlighting technologies are involved . Take Hisense ’s RGB mini - conduce backlight system — it ’s entirely possible it will sail through the color slides when all it has to do is produce one coloration . However the real proof comes when there are multiple colors on the sieve , and color cross - talking is visible .
It ’s potential that new examination approach pattern may shortly take in up to raw goggle box technologies , but until they do , my reviews will be aware of any disparate solution between measurements and actual motion picture .
It’s time to start a database
The good newsworthiness : I ’m reviewing more boob tube each year than ever . The bad news : That ’s a lot of data to keep track of .
I ’m committing to creating a database that holds crucial measurement data point and observational notes so that I can make near comparisons and summate deeper insight to my reviews . For lesson , while testing theTCL QM6 K , I start wondering about sure performance look of the 2024 TCL QM7 and I had a hard metre fag up that entropy quickly . That ’s not good enough .
In one illustration I desire to liken two OLED panels from different years to see how much progress had been made , but I had to piece together my Federal Reserve note from different reviews . That ’s not effective .
By organizing this valuable information , I can make a more comprehensive noesis al-Qaeda — one that might even develop into a publicly accessible resource for other reviewers and partizan .
Reviewing more TVs that more people can buy
I make out cover the top - tier model — the flagship OLEDs , the high - close mini - light-emitting diode . However , with TV Leontyne Price coming down and performance run up , even at mid - range price points , I need to be reviewing more idiot box that the modal buyer — not just the fancier — can afford .
I ’ll never bury the time I reexamine a $ 500 telecasting that totally blew my outlook out of the H2O . I thought I ’d be nitpick every lilliputian flaw , but instead , I found myself genuinely impressed by how much value it offered . That ’s the variety of TV a lot of people are looking for , and I need to be covering more of them .
To be clear-cut , I ’m not going to take my foot off the gasoline when it comes to reviewing the top models and partizan favorite . However , I do need to up my secret plan , expand my coverage , and increase my efficiency so I can examine more TVs across more cost point .
Moving forward
So far , these are the changes I ’m making to TV reviews . I ’m undecided to hearing what others think is important or valuable — allow me know .
Just remember : This is n’t about forsake the core principles of secure TV reviewing . It ’s about evolve the reviews to better chew over today ’s television receiver landscape painting . My finish is to help people make the best TV purchase determination potential , while also encouraging manufacturing business to refine their products in way that truly matter .
It ’s prison term to change how TV review are done . I hope others in the industry follow suit . If I can fiddle a function in pushing this forward , that ’s a change worth clear .
