VIZIO M50-E1 SmartCast 4K HDR Display Review: An Amazing Picture for an Amazing Price

Posted on 26/09/2017 by Paul Strauss

I’ve been a fan of VIZIO displays for a number of years, and have had several of their big screen TVs in my house. Currently, my living room sports a first-generation 70″ P-Series 4K display which has served us well for a few years now, offering up very good image quality, and great reliability. When VIZIO reached out to me to test their latest M-Series display, I figured that it would offer a lesser image quality than my high end 2014 P-Series, but to my shock, this sub-$600 display looks even better than the screen I spent about four times as much on a few years back. Now I know it’s unfair to compare a 70″ display to a 50″ display, but for sheer image quality, it’s amazing how much VIZIO’s latest displays have taken things since 4K UHD first hit the scene.

The M-Series 50″ display I tested was the M50-E1, which is currently on sale from VIZIO for just $579.99(USD), including free shipping. For that money, you get a razor-sharp, local-dimming 4K display with built-in apps, Dolby Vision HDR, Chromecast support, and much more.

Unpacking and setup is easy, and takes less than 10 minutes, including attaching the chrome leg stands, connecting to your home network, updating to the latest firmware, and configuring a smartphone if you want to take advantage of Chromecast streaming. The display has 4 HDMI and a 1 component video input for attaching cable boxes, DVRs, game consoles, etc, but is also more than capable of serving as a standalone entertainment system – as long as you have a high-speed internet connection.

Once set up, it became immediately apparent that image quality has reached such a point that even an inexpensive display like this can look stellar. Gone are the days of patchy, grey LED backlighting, replaced by rich, inky blacks, amazing contrast, and brilliant, almost hyperreal color. The photos below are only about 1/4 resolution, so they don’t do it justice, but definitely click to zoom in to get a little better idea of how good the image is. Also, ignore that vertical line on the top left of the display – it’s just a reflection from a window in the room.

Thanks to a robust suite of built-in apps, I was able to start viewing some amazing 4K and Dolby Vision HDR encoded content in minutes. Right out of the box, you get apps for Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Crackle, iHeartRadio, Vudu, xumo, Pluto, HaystackTV, and Fandango Now. Not all of these providers offer UHD or HDR content, but I tested out some 4K content from Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, and it all looked amazingly sharp on the VIZIO.

The display offers something VIZIO calls “XHDR Plus” which is a fancy way of saying that its high dynamic range is better than others on the market, with richer color depth, and more extreme contrast. Since I didn’t have another HDR display to run alongside the M-Series, I can’t say if that’s the case, but the picture quality sure is impressive to my eyes. Everything pops off the screen, with rich colors, and the ability to push out some impressive brightness while still maintaining contrast and detail.

Black levels are amazingly good for an LED backlit display, thanks to a 32-zone local dimming array, and VIZIO’s proprietary Xtreme Black Engine Plus. Even challenging content like the white text on a black background in closing credits is well defined, and with none of the blooming effect that earlier full-array local dimming sets displayed. Also, off-angle viewing is surprisingly good, with little drop-off in contrast or color until you’re at a really extreme angle.

The built in app interface is easy to use with the basic remote that comes with the display, and is fast and responsive. There’s also support for using your iOS or Android smartphone as an interface for streaming content via Chromecast. This technology has continued to improve and support more apps than ever before. Simply load up any Chromecast-compatible app, and you can use your phone to control the stream running on the big screen. One thing I did notice with Chromecast was that it took maybe 10 seconds more for the resolution to bump up to the full 4K, versus a near instantaneous 4K stream on the VIZIO’s built-in apps.

Right now, there are literally thousands of apps with Chromecast support, including everything from HBOGo to Google Play to Playstation Vue, and many more. There’s a full list available over on the Google Chromecast website. Of course you can hook up set top boxes and other video sources, and the M-Series does a great job with that content as well.

Overall, VIZIO has knocked it out of the park with the M50-E1 SmartCast 4K HDR Home Theater Display. Its picture quality, app flexibility, and great pricing makes it a fantastic choice if you’re looking for a new television for any room. For those interested in other sizes, VIZIO makes its M-Series displays in 50″, 55″, 65″, 70″ and 75″ sizes, with list prices ranging from $599.99 to $2499.99.

FTC Disclaimer: Technabob was provided with the hardware tested in this review by VIZIO at no cost. However, all reviews on Technabob are the unbiased opinions of our authors, and in no way represent the views of the product manufacturers represented here.

Samsung 88-inch QLED Display Is Ridiculously Large

Posted on 08/09/2017 by Paul Strauss

Back when I was a kid, a 27-inch TV was considered HUGE. Boy, have things changed. These days, anything less than 55 inches is considered a “small” TV screen. I’ve got a 70-inch display in my living room now, and that’s big enough for me, but for some people bigger is always better. I suppose if I had a larger room (and deeper pockets) I’d go for the 88-inch diagonal Samsung Q9F QLED TV.

To put things in perspective, this enormous TV is larger than FOUR 43-inch TV sets combined, and at about 6-1/2 feet wide, it’s way bigger than average human if they laid down next to it.

These sets are mighty impressive in the technical department too, with full 4K resolution, HDR, vibrant color reproduction, and outstanding contrast thanks to full-array local dimming. The only thing holding me back is the price tag. The current top-of-the-line model, the Samsung QN88Q9FAMFXZA, will set you back $19,997.99(USD) over on Amazon right now.

Fortunately, you can get into an 82″ Samsung 4K display for just about $3,800, so the way I figure it, I could buy four of those and join them together for a massive display, and still have a little cash left over.

From iPad to iTheatre

Posted on 22/08/2017 by Sarang Sheth

The iPad is the ultimate consumer media machine. Even with Apple issuing ‘Pro’ versions of the world’s favorite tablet, it still is primarily used for watching content on its big screen (between sending mails). However, it wasn’t built with that sole intent. It has single-direction speakers (no stereo) which aren’t particularly rich in audio output, lending to a rather bland multimedia experience. The immediate solution? Fire up an external speaker via bluetooth or aux. The better solution? Simulate the cinema experience with a home-theater dock for the iPad.

The OIO Amp puts two incredibly sleek speakers on either side of your iPad in a format that seems like a TV and Home Theater set-up, but made portable. Unlike every external wireless speaker that is designed as an independent unit, the OIO Amp was built to integrate with the tablet, becoming a singular unit that can be opened out anywhere, and then folded and stored away for another Netflix binge-watching session.

Virtually as slim as the iPad it docks (it was built for the iPad Air and Pro 9.7″), the OIO Amp opens out into a docking space for the iPad that instantly pairs the device and speakers the moment it docks. The two flaps that open outwards are in fact electromagnetic speakers and vibrating acoustic panels (allowing them to be slim yet produce sound that is a literal “bang for its buck”). The speaker flaps go the extra mile by being covered with a microfiber cloth that doesn’t scratch the iPad screen, but rather cleans it, because the last thing you want is to try to watch a movie through fingerprint smudges.

The OIO Amp is built with a 900mAh battery, designed to give it 7 hours of playtime (that’s enough for half a season of Game of Thrones). While the Amp was created to uplift the iPad’s multimedia experience (bringing great sound and a great display together), it works with all Bluetooth enabled devices too, becoming a fold-to-open external speaker. And if you’re more of an iPad for work kinda guy, the Amp allows you to have the most audible conference calls on a 9.7 inch tablet. Me? I’ve just found the perfect mini-cinema that I can carry around with me, so color me satisfied!

Designer: Gregg Davis

BUY NOW

Sony LSPX-P1 Short Throw Projector Review: Brighten Up Any Space

Posted on 28/07/2017 by Paul Strauss

Looking for a cool way to change up your empty walls? Instead of putting up a painting or a poster, why not do something a little different? The Sony LSPX-P1 projector is a great way to take advantage of an open stretch of wall, and can throw images from just a few inches away onto any flat surface.

While there are projectors on the market designed for watching movies on a big screen, those must typically be placed on the other side of the room, and usually need you to run cables from your video source. Not so with the LSPX-P1. This nifty little box can operate right up against your wall, and can project an image from 22″ up to 80″ diagonal, depending on how far back you pull it from the wall.

Measuring in at just 3-1/4″ x 5-1/4″ x 5-1/4″ the compact projector is small enough to carry around in a backpack, and has a built in rechargeable battery, which lets it run for up to 2 hours on a charge. Of course, you can plug it into the wall if you want to run it without time constraints. In terms of signal sources, you can feed it with video or photos on your iOS or Android smartphone, or send content from any HDMI source using the included wireless HDMI adapter box (shown below on the left):

Keep in mind, this little projector isn’t for home theater buffs or video snobs. It’s designed first and foremost for projecting ambient imagery and setting a mood. With that in mind, the companion smartphone app comes pre-loaded with several sets of “posters,” which include slideshows of nature scenery, windows, and a cool weather mode which shows a scene that corresponds to the current weather. You can create and project slideshows of your own images as well.

The projector uses a 1366×768 SXRD chip, along with a bright laser diode, and some impressive optics to work its magic. Overall, image quality is punchy, colorful, and offers very good contrast for a projector. While you’ll get the most authentic color reproduction and brightness on a white wall or screen, it performs surprisingly well on color painted walls too. Since there’s not a single white wall in my house, every wall image sample you see here was shot against colored paint. I tested it using a folding projector screen too, but the short throw makes it quite susceptible to wavy distortion on soft screens. That said, a totally flat surface is your best bet.

One of my favorite uses for the LSPX-P1 is its ability to work as a clock. You can choose from several analog and digital clock styles in the smartphone app, and project the time onto any wall. Of course, if all you’re going to do is use this as a clock, the $999.99 pricetag is more than a bit extravagant.

While most of us watch movies on flat LCD or OLED TV screen these days, it’s neat to be able to watch video wherever you want too. Since there’s a pair of built in speakers and an amp, you don’t need any extra gear to listen to your content either. The speakers are by no means loud, but they’re on-par with what you might get from a good laptop. For more volume, the wireless HDMI dock has an HDMI out port which you can connect to your soundbar or other audio system.

Thanks to its super short-throw optics, you can use the LSPX-P1 to project images on a tabletop or on the floor too. This is a fun way to play video games, or if you lay down some poster board, you can let the kids doodle right on their movie screen. In my case, I played some arcade games on the side of a cardboard box. Neat!

Being able to project images from such a close distance, and with such a small device really does let you be creative, and that’s where the Sony LSPX-P1 projector really shines. It’s great for projecting images on a wall, a table, or any other surface you’d like. You can buy one now from the Sony website for $999.99(USD).

[FTC Disclaimer: Technabob was provided with the hardware tested in this review by Sony at no cost. However, all reviews on Technabob are the unbiased opinions of our authors, and in no way represent the views of the product manufacturers represented here.]

Q Acoustics M3 Soundbar Review: An Easy and Affordable Home Theater Speaker

Posted on 25/04/2017 by Paul Strauss

So you bought yourself a fancy flatscreen TV so you can enjoy movies, sports and games on the big screen. But you plug it in and are quickly disappointed that the tiny little speakers they crammed in there do nothing to complement the awesome picture. What you want is a home theater sound system. While you could buy a big multispeaker setup, that means wires everywhere, multiple boxes, and generally something that’s not particularly living room-friendly. You need a soundbar.

One of the newer entries into the soundbar market here in the US is Q Acoustics. This popular UK hi-fi brand has recently started to sell their gear here in the states. They sent me over one of their M3 Soundbars for testing, and overall, I think it’s a very solid entry into the space, with an exceptionally good price for its quality.

Priced at $349(USD), the M3 is designed to be the only piece of audio equipment you need in your living room. It sits underneath your TV, inside a cabinet, or on your wall, and features a clean, modern, and minimal design. One thing that’s really nice about it is that if you do chose to mount it on the wall, its base transforms into a wall mount, and they include a template in the box for drilling your wall anchors. A wall mount is often an extra cost with other soundbars.

The speaker measures 39.37″ wide x 5″ deep x 3.54″ high, making it the perfect height to sit in front of almost any display 45″ diagonal or larger. It will stick out just an inch or so on each side with a 40″ display.

Setup is easy. First flip the EQ switch on back to say whether you’re mounting the speaker on the wall, on a cabinet, or in a cabinet. That optimizes the sound quality to match your setup. Then plug in the included HDMI cable to your TV’s HDMI ARC out port, and you’re all set. If you don’t have an ARC port, you can connect it to your TV’s optical output, but you’ll need to buy a cable for that. After that, you go into your TV’s audio menu and make sure to turn of the internal speakers. That’s it. You’re all set.

In addition to being able to connect to your TV, the M3 also has Bluetooth support built in, as well as NFC-pairing if your phone supports it. Connecting to other Bluetooth devices is as simple as switching to that input, and pairing while the blue light is blinking. There are also a pair of analog line in jacks if you need them.

Once connected to my TV, the audio quality was dramatically better with the M3 than with the built-in speakers. It’s capable of pushing out room-filling volume levels, and is especially adept in the mids and highs. Since it doesn’t have an external subwoofer, don’t expect room-shaking bass, but there’s enough low end for a satisfying movie watching experience. If there’s any complaint at all, it’s that the low end does distort just a little bit at higher volume levels. For instance, when a big star destroyer passed overhead during The Force Awakens, there was a little unwanted woofer reverberation in the deepest tones. Dialogue is especially crisp and clear on the M3, but rather than focused in the center, it’s smoothly distributed across the soundstage, which is very pleasing to the ear.

When watching movies, I highly recommend enabling the MovieEQ feature on the remote. I’m not sure of its exact processing algorithm, but it seems to dramatically increase dynamic range as well as the perceived size of the soundstage. I can see no reason to leave this off when watching movies or TV shows, but you’ll want to leave it off when listening to music for the purest imaging. Music in movies and played from a smartphone via Bluetooth sound great too, so this can definitely double as a stereo system.

Overall, the Q Acoustics M3 would be a welcome addition to any living room in need of a bigger, louder sound but without clutter, and without breaking the bank. The M3 is available in the US and Canada from QAcoustics.com for $349.99 or in the UK for £299 from QAcoustics.co.uk.

Vizio Reveals 2017 M-Series and P-Series Display Lineup

Posted on 25/04/2017 by Paul Strauss

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading to a 4K HDR display, there’s no better time than the present – especially now that Vizio has launched their new 2017 models. I’ve been a big fan of Vizio’s displays for years, and I have the first-generation P-Series 4K display in my living room. I still love it, but I’m really tempted to upgrade to the latest P-Series model, which packs all kinds of improvements since my 2014 model.

The 2017 SmartCast P-Series is a full 4K UHD display, with support for HDR content in Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats. It’s got 128 local dimming zones for impressive levels of contrast, and deep, dark blacks, backlight scanning and a 240Hz refresh rate for smooth action. They’ve also coined a few new branded buzzwords, including “XLED Pro,” “XHDR Pro,” and “Xtreme Black Engine Pro,” all of which I assume are supposed to make their tech sound better than Samsung’s QLED. Bottom line, from my experience, Vizio’s full-array local dimming is enough to do that all on its own.

The SmartCast P-Series comes in 55″, 65″, and 75″ versions, priced at $1299.99, $1999.99, and $3,499.99 respectively. If you’re looking to save a little bit of money, or want a different size display, you should also consider the latest SmartCast M-Series. The M-Series supports 4K and HDR, but only offers “XHDR Plus,” another fairly meaningless buzzword. In technical terms, it supports 32 local dimming zones, and a 120Hz refresh rate, so it won’t be quite as precise with its contrast as the P-Series, and you might see a little more flicker in action scenes. Still, if it’s anything like last year’s M-Series displays, it’ll still be excellent.

The SmartCast M-Series comes in 50″, 55″, 65″, 70″ and 75″ versions, priced at $799.99, $999.99, $1499.99, $1999.99, and $2999.95 respectively.

Both the P-Series and M-Series feature Chromecast built-in, so you can view content from the numerous Chromecast-enabled apps, even 4K and HDR content from Netflix and Vudu. You can even start up your TV using the Cast button on your phone or the remote, and the display will automatically turn on and start playing the content you selected.

Guy Builds Millennium Falcon Movie Theater for His Kids

Posted on 17/04/2017 by Conner Flynn

Check out this nerdy and cool project made Donovan aka “The Beardless Man.” He wanted to make a cool theater so he could enjoy watching movies with his kids. Can you think of a better place to watch Star Wars movie than inside the Millennium Falcon itself?

He built an awesome wooden structure that looks like part of the Falcon, and mounted a tablet inside of it so he and his kids can watch movies while lying on their backs. It is pretty darn adorable to see the kids in this thing watching a movie.

It looks like a fun project that a handy person could do without much trouble. And when you are done, you have a cool little tablet theater to escape into.

Have you ever started a project thinking "hey, this will be quick, and easy, and fun" but then it turns out to be anything but quick or easy?… just me?… still fun though #thebeardlessman #woodworking #starwars

A post shared by @iamthebeardlessman on Mar 25, 2017 at 8:47am PDT

[via Nerd Approved]

SevenHugs Smart Remote Hits Kickstarter

Posted on 11/11/2016 by Shane McGlaun

Back in January we talked a bit about the Smart Remote by SevenHugs. It sounded pretty cool, even if our man Lambert would prefer an app. I wouldn’t. I don’t want to futz with my phone while watching TV. The device was expected to turn up on Kickstarter back in February and it seems that never happened. It is now on Kickstarter and has already blown through its fundraising goal with more than a month to go.

The compact touchscreen remote is designed to control pretty much anything you point it at. If you aim it at a spot with multiple devices, a carousel on the screen lets you choose which you want. It works with TVs, home theater stuff, game consoles, thermostats, lighting systems, and other items. It also integrates with 3rd party services, so you can do something like aim at the window to hail an Uber.

Its makers say it will work with over 25,000 devices via Bluetooth, IR, and Wi-Fi, with more being added. You can order the Smart Remote for $149 or more over on Kickstarter. Delivery is estimated to begin in June 2017.

The Best Soundbar for your New LED TV

Posted on 19/10/2016 by Gadget Review

Sound bars aren’t just about augmenting your TV’s tiny little speakers: No, these days sound bars are essentially a way of providing surround sound in small spaces or areas where you can’t position a lot of speakers. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the best soundbars of 2016 and see just what they can do for your awesome new LED TV.

Sonos Playbar TV – $700

If you are looking for a single-unit sound bar with high-fidelity sound that can dominate a room, this Sonos model is sure to impress. But fortunately, the speaker setup is just the beginning. This model offers a total of nine different speakers inside a single high-end speaker bar, and although they are all close together they can still provide 5.1 surround sound to a surprising degree of accuracy, ideal for those who want lots of sound but don’t have the space (or authorization) to set up multiple speakers.

It’s also ultra-easy to install. There are two cords, power and optical. The built-in Wi-Fi can communicate with your network and download everything it needs to operate, include updates. The Sonos app allows you to wireless play music from a variety of apps straight from your tablet or phone. If you decide to get more Sonos speakers in the future, you can link them together in a fuller surround sound system, so there’s also a lot of flexibility here. The speaker can even connect with your current remote so that you can turn it on at the same time as your TV or receiver, and control sound just as easily.

The only issue for some may be the price. Yes, this is one of the best single-unit sound solutions out there, but paying more than you did for your last game console may not sound like that great of a deal. For those of you who shake your head at a $700 price, take a look at our next pick!

View on Amazon

Vizio SB4051-C0 – $338

At only around $340, this sound bar is in the price range of those looking for better budget deals…and it doesn’t come alone. There’s also a subwoofer and two rear speakers, a great setup for those of you who want a little bit of surround sound to go with your sound bar. There are also wireless and Bluetooth features built into this system, so connecting your smartphone music playlist or downloading updates is a snap. The wall mount allows you more freedom when it comes to positioning, while the simple HDMI interface allows you to hook the speakers to your current system within minutes. It also supports both Dolby and DTS surround sound formats, so don’t worry about the inputs!

The only notable addition we’ve got is that you are skipping out on a lot of the high-end features with the decreased price. You’ll have an extra remote to juggle, for instance, instead of handy remote-learning capabilities. But those are minor quibbles for a sound bar that offers great fidelity at a more affordable price.

View on Amazon

Definitive Technology W Studio – $1,000

All right: Here’s the best of the best for those of you who are really interested in the high end. It includes a sound bar and powerful subwoofer for basic but extremely effective sound. The W Studio is also ideal for more complex entertainment setups, with three HDMI inputs and one digital optical input to work with – as well as a Wi-Fi connection for updates and streaming.

The bar includes three tweets and three woofers for 5.1 surround sound, and the 8-inch subwoofer (that’s the driver, not the total size) makes for a complete and impressive sound ecosystem. You don’t even need to attach the subwoofer and bar, allowing for more flexible placement.

This minimalistic, aluminum sound bar has awesome base, high fidelity, and tons of style…but that price should help you make up your mind. Do you want to pay a lot for extra class, or back down from a $1,000 sound bar?

View on Amazon

Tour a $1.5-million Star Trek Home Theater

Posted on 25/08/2016 by Conner Flynn

Think your man cave is cool? Check out Marc and Jennifer Bell’s Star Trek themed home theater and bar. It was a labor of love that took four years and $1.5-million to complete, and puts other home theaters to shame.

Photo: Alexia Fodere for The Wall Street Journal

The theater itself is modeled after the USS Enterprise’s bridge from The Next Generation. The doors even open like real turbolift doors. There is also an estimated $1-million of Star Trek memorabilia here, including original models and costumes, Spock’s ear prosthetics included. Most of the chairs recline, just in case you want to fall asleep – which is likely to happen if you’re watching the JJ Abrams Trek movies.

I know it’s TNG era, but those seats really should have some tribble cushions.

[via Geekologie]

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Tag Archives: home theater

VIZIO M50-E1 SmartCast 4K HDR Display Review: An Amazing Picture for an Amazing Price

Samsung 88-inch QLED Display Is Ridiculously Large

From iPad to iTheatre

BUY NOW

BUY NOW

Sony LSPX-P1 Short Throw Projector Review: Brighten Up Any Space

Q Acoustics M3 Soundbar Review: An Easy and Affordable Home Theater Speaker

Vizio Reveals 2017 M-Series and P-Series Display Lineup

Guy Builds Millennium Falcon Movie Theater for His Kids

SevenHugs Smart Remote Hits Kickstarter

The Best Soundbar for your New LED TV

Sonos Playbar TV – $700

Vizio SB4051-C0 – $338

Definitive Technology W Studio – $1,000

Tour a $1.5-million Star Trek Home Theater

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Sonos Playbar TV – $700

Vizio SB4051-C0 – $338

Definitive Technology W Studio – $1,000