TCL 65R617 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV (2018 Model)

I’m seriously impressed with this TV. I was excited for the 6-Series and ordered it as soon as it became available, and I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed. First, its design is ridiculous. Brushed metal, very masculine. Even the power button has this cool blue glow.

I got rid of cable long ago, so having one of TCL’s Roku TVs makes everything really convenient. All my apps are easily within reach and the simple remote even has voice control. This is a very smart TV indeed that makes it quick to access anything I want, even different inputs, with just my voice.

Of course the best thing about this TV is how it performs! It supports both Dolby Vision and generic HDR movies and TV shows and it looks amazing. Color and contrast is stunning. Can’t wait to test it out in depth with my Xbox One X.

I can say with certainty that this TCL lives up to the hype.

Hi all. Full disclosure before I go into the review - getting this TV from Amazon was a huge drama. There were shipping issues along with once I got the two 65” models I ordered one of them had some dead pixels and some power management issues (turned off by itself). Truth is, I did set it up to return both of these on the 10th of May and went with a single 65” OLED instead. That said, if I didn’t get the OLED on sale I would have exchanged the defective model I got and bought another of these. I didn’t even open the second one I bought (was supposed to replace my 55” OLED in the bedroom) because of the QA issues and drama I dealt with getting these shipped. Amazon was WONDERFUL in their entire process and I can’t thank their team enough for the hard work they did to get these to me as quickly as possible. They also provided fantastic return service as well. You may read this review and say, “Well, why are you returning these then?!” I got a great deal on a 65” OLED on eBay, brand new, so I couldn’t pass it up. I decided to keep the 55” OLED in the bedroom and just get one 65” OLED for the living room. Bottom line is this - I posted an honest review below on AVSForum and wanted to share it with you guys that may be thinking about getting this TV. In TL;DR fashion, the TV is fantastic if you keep your expectations realistic. That said, here is my take on the TV and the review I wrote prior to deciding to ship these back and stick with OLED:

Ok folks, I've had some time to play around with the new 65" 6 Series and here are my basic impressions - again, I need a ton more time with this thing to really determine what it is capable of. That said, for reference, the TV that this replaced was a 2015 Vizio M70-C3 series TV, 4K NON HDR.

HARDWARE

* The TV is truly all metal save for a small part on the lower back of the television that houses most of the components. It looks sleek and svelte.

* The power button on the front is not distracting at all (the flashing blue/white light). It is small on the 65 inch, so do not expect it to be distracting or in your face or anything like that.

* All of the hook ups for everything (except the power cord - that's on the left) are on the right side of the TV (as you are facing it) and are extremely easy to get to. This is a huge plus so you can hook things up after it's been wall mounted relatively easily.

* Viewing angles are not amazing. They are ok. Looking at the TV dead on the center, the picture is like O_O wow. Going 30 or so degrees in either direction... colors get washed out a bit. This is prevelant with movies and games. Sitting on a couch, three people can easily enjoy the picture, but anything more than that or wider angle... yeah no. Granted, we have to reposition this TV tonight on the wall mount and lower it about 12-18 inches as it is way too high on the wall. This may make a difference, but for right now I can't say the viewing angles are great. The Vizio M70-C3 seemed to be about the same. The OLED I have upstairs, of course, has perfect viewing angles and looks amazing no matter where you sit.

* My unit came with zero dead pixels, good screen uniformity, no banding issues as others have stated (which leads me to believe if you exchange it you should be good if you are experiencing these issues). The only thing about the screen I'm not a huge fan of is that in the very top and bottom of the corners it is a tad dark. It's not distracting, but it is there. Other than that, it's great.

* I got the Amazon unit with the enhanced voice remote. It works well, is local WiFi based so you don't need to point it at the TV. No headphone jack (which is a bummer), but the app on my phone does the exact same thing, works perfectly with headphones, tested today.

* Was able to set it up with a VESA wall mount and mount it - had a slight issue with needing to install a spacer as the way the TV is designed they make it just shy of a perfect fit. Putting in spacers fixed the problem so yes, you can wall mount without issue.

* 3 HDMI Ports (people say HDMI 3 has lowest lag, but honestly we use a PS4 Pro on HDMI 1 with Game Mode and Dynamic Contrast set to on/high and it is perfect - I am feeling zero lag when I play games).

* Ethernet port works fine for streaming - was worried with it being 10/100 it would be slow, but I used both the 802.11ac WiFi and the Ethernet to test - both seem relatively equal in terms of speed. Content loads quickly.

* HDMI ports all come with their settings set to AUTO. When I spoke to TCL they said I should change this to HDMI 2.0 if I am going to be using 4K HDR sources. I updated all of them to reflect this in the TV menu.

* Connecting a soundbar was a bit confusing, even through HDMI-ARC. I had to call TCL and even they couldn't figure it out. In the menu under System there is a section about CEC. You need to scan your equipment once it is plugged in to the HDMI-ARC port and it will find the soundbar. Once it does that, everything is gravy. Just don't go to the Audio menu and beat your head against the table figuring out why the soundbar doesn't work. It will work, you just need to run the scan for it under System --> CEC.

SOFTWARE

* Newest Roku OS Platform. If you've used Roku's OS then you know what you're getting. Works fine, but be advised it is not as fluid as the newest Roku Ultra. It is very similar to the Roku Streaming Stick+ in terms of how it moves, navigates, etc. Relatively smooth, but definitely can lag up a bit (not a lot, but it is there).

* As another reviewer said, the apps themselves all look a bit pixelated when navigating them. NOTE - The CONTENT looks fine - but the app navigation, etc. especially up close looks pixelated. Be aware of this as you are using the Roku OS. I have not tested if I use a different box (like a Roku Ultra) if it looks better/worse/etc. I can confirm it does not look as smooth as it could be. Perhaps a content patch could be dropped that updates the OS to always be in HDR (like Apple TV 4K does).

* Gaming - Honestly, I believe this to be the TV's strongest feature. WOW. I was blown away by God of War with HDR turned on. I tried FarCry 5, Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart, Assassin's Creed, Final Fantasy XV, and a bunch of others. All around, gorgeous, no input lag, etc. NOTE - Be sure to turn Game Mode ON and Dynamic Contrast to high (local dimming). Huge difference in picture quality/fluid motion/etc.

* Movie streaming in 4K HDR - in one word, stunning. Truly stunning. It's gorgeous. I've tried 4K/4K HDR content from Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, Fandango, 4K Spotlight, and YouTube. Every source looked beautiful. Blacks are DEEP, contrast is very well done. People were saying that it isn't bright enough - um, are you sure? Watching the movie "Bright" (ironic, I know) on Netflix I found in scenes where it was dark and all of a sudden flashlights came on or a huge explosion happened I squinted because it was so bright. I find it is very acceptable. My one callout is as this is a FALD TV, the black letterbox top and bottom can get a tad cloudy when a lot of white contrast shows up on the movie you are watching. It's subtle, but it's there. Light years better than the Vizio M70-C3, but it is not an OLED where it is always black in the letterbox top/bottom.

* Movie streaming in 1080p (HDX) - I streamed Wonder Woman in HDX on Vudu and felt it looked very good. Is it as crisp as 4K? No, it's not. Will I buy the film again in 4K? I mean, maybe, but I tried like six different 1080p movies and it looked like I was watching a regular HD movie. It was the same as on other sets to be honest.

* Movie streaming lower than 1080p - I have not tested this yet, and honestly I don't really watch content that is less than 1080p for movies so I can't really comment on that.

* The Roku mobile app - A necessity for this TV. Unlocks many of the special TV features (like setting gamma, etc.) so be sure you download it. Simple, easy set up, and can use private listening/voice/etc. with it.

* Television streaming through YouTube TV and Philo - This is the one I was a bit surprised by. Maybe it's the engine that upscales, but I found the quality was not as good as my Vizio M70-C3 or my LG55 curved OLED. It looks acceptable, but definitely not as smooth, a bit more jagged in places, etc. I watch a LOT of streaming TV so this may be something to consider. I am going to buy another Roku Ultra box or Nvidia Shield and see if this holds true when watching through a different source. It may be the Roku OS itself, but I need to test further. This shouldn't dissuade you from buying the TV as the apps work fine - just not quite as smooth.

* Television streaming through Hulu Plus - Mixed - kind of like I said for YouTube TV and Philo, it looks not quite as smooth, but for some programs it looks awesome (like Bob's Burgers, for example, it looks perfect).

* I connected a 4K HDR switcher to HDMI 2 for my XBox One X, Nintendo Switch, Super NES Classic, NES Classic and all worked just fine. No degradation of picture whatsoever, 4K HDR worked fine w/ the XBox. I have my PS4 Pro in HDMI 1 and Soundbar in HDMI 3-ARC.

WHO IS THIS TV FOR? Guys, be realistic in your expecations. This TV is a very large, very capable 4K Dolby Vision/HDR10/HLG television for $999 (in some cases with a Best Buy coupon 10% less, or if you experienced shipping issues from Amazon, possibly even less if Customer Service takes pity on you). This TV for $999 is an absolute steal if you understand it's not perfect. It's very CAPABLE, but not perfect. Is it better than an OLED? No. It's just not. Some films look very similar, gaming looks great on both, etc. but for upscaling of TV content, etc. an OLED or a more expensive LED will be a better way to go. If you can get past those things, and are within a specific budget, you cannot go wrong with this TV.

WILL I BE KEEPING THE TWO I BOUGHT? At this point, I am not sure if I'm being totally honest. I was going to sell my 55 OLED in the bedroom for the 65" TCL 6 that I bought, but as of today I am not sure. I need to play around with the TV I have hooked up for the weekend and decide. The Vizio P-Series Quantum is probably what I am going to ultimately get for the living room later on in the year. If I find a 65 OLED for below $2000 then I may consider putting that in the living room (Massdrop had one recently but I was waiting for this one to come out so I hesitated). At the end of the day, what is most important to you? If an amazing deal with all flavors of HDR is most important, then GET THIS TV. You will NOT be dissapointed. If you are more like me, and are spoiled by OLED already, you may find it difficult to go back to LED, even with FALD. Ultimately, you need to determine what is best for you.

If you are coming from a 1080p set, or a set that just had 4K but no HDR, this set will blow you away. If you have a solid 4K HDR TV already (like the X900E or an OLED), you may not be too keen to switch. Whatever choice you make, be sure it fits in your budget and you keep your expectations in line with your wallet :-).

NOTE: After I started having hardware issues with the TV I wrote this addendum to my review on AVSForum. It is listed below:

I wrote a review a few days ago on this TV and that was before I noticed any of the issues it had. Just because I had issues, or others on here had issues, that should NOT take away from the fact that this TV is, for lack of a better term, badass. It truly is. There are some nit picky things I know I didn’t love with it, but that’s with any TV. The truth is, I game a lot and this TV absolutely has the chops to compete against something like an OLED. The dynamic contrast truly does look that good. 4K movies, 4K content, etc. look BRILLIANT on this TV. Like wow brilliant. Truth is, my favorite kind of TV is an OLED TV and, I am sure most would agree, if you could afford one you would probably get that. That is the main reason why I returned these TVs and decided to keep my existing OLED and upgrade the living room to a 65 inch OLED. If I was unable to find that sale for the 65 inch for $1799 shipped and tax free, I would never have returned these and just exchanged it / hooked up the other one, etc. For me, the main gripe was with the way non 4K content looked, and honestly if what the other person posted fixes the issue with pixelization (turning off the noise reduction), then I will report back and let you guys know.

Right now I am watching my spouse play God of War as I’m sitting at the dining room table and the TV is all the way across the room. I can make out every single thing going on and it looks truly brilliant. Do not let a handful of people saying they had issues stop you from getting this TV. It is simply an amazing television value for what you get for the price. Go out and buy this TV :-). Sure, maybe your are in the 1% like us that have some issues, but TCL is quick to get things fixed. Yes, Amazon had some massive problems with shipping for many people - this is true - and already frustrated many people. I can say from personal experience, though, after taking my time, reaching out to them, emailing my complaints, etc. they completely resolved the issues I had and then some. They atoned for what happened and that’s the mark of a great company.

Basically, what I am trying to get at here is simply this: The TCL 65 inch (can’t speak for the 55) 6 series is an amazing piece of tech. If you can get past the little bit slower Roku interface (coming from the Ultra), the slightly pixelated menus / Live TV streams (again, may be remedied with a simple interface update in the Roku mobile app, changing gamma to 2.2 and turning noise reduction from HIGH to OFF), you cannot go wrong with this TV - you just can’t. Those were my gripes, all hardware issues aside (e.g. dead pixels, panel uniformity, dark spots in the corners, shipping damage, etc.). Taking all that out of the mix, when you get a panel that is awesome, it cannot be beat. So, what are you waiting for - stop seesawing and go buy this lol . Enjoy!

I picked up my TCL 55R617 from my local UPS Customer Center last night, and so far I'm blown away by it. Its picture quality puts that of my LG 43UH6500 to shame and demonstrates what I've been missing. First off, imagery on it is much more detailed relative to my 43UH6500, due to its larger screen and its traditional RGB sub-pixel structure (rather than the RGBw sub-pixel structure of the LG 43UH6500, in which a white sub-pixel is positioned in place of either a red, green, or blue sub-pixel for every third pixel, which means that even though it has a total of 3840 x 2160 pixels, it has less colored sub-pixels than 4K TVs with the traditional RGB sub-pixel layout and subsequently less vibrant colors and less detailed imagery). Furthermore and most importantly, the 55R617 produces much deeper blacks and has a much higher peak brightness - and can exhibit these two traits simultaneously due to its amazing contrast (thanks to its 96 dimming zones). Subsequently, day-time scenes are as bright as the day can be in real life, night-time scenes are realistically dark, and scenes which contain both dark elements and bright highlights really pop due to the TV's aforementioned amazing contrast.

I sampled my 4K-UHD copy of BvS, and I was quite impressed with the specular highlights of the glowing eyes of Batman's armor, Doomsday's heat vision, and the fire of the various explosions in the film. The film really comes to life on the 55R617. The first scene that blew me away was that of the opening, in which a young Bruce Wayne and his parents are walking away from a theater at night; the bright lights of the theater's marquee shined much more intensely than I had ever seen before, all the while the overall darkness of the night was maintained with very inky blacks. The scene simply never looked as good on my LG 43UH6500 and immediately conveyed to me that I had been experiencing a sub-par HDR experience.

Let me start by thanking the seller for answering all of my questions, and doing so on the cheaper version of this TV. You didn't know if I was a serious buyer or not....but yet you took the time to answer in detail every question I had....and that definitely influenced my purchasing decision.

I'm a perfectionist who is very rarely happy with any product. There is only a handful of products I've reviewed on Amazon....out of the thousands of products I purchase on the site each year...and this is one of them. I'm picky to the extreme in most cases. If the color is not perfect, it is not bright enough, there is any glowing/bleeding, or less than ideal input lag I'm either selling the TV/Monitor or returning it. Over the past year....I've owned a 55" LG OLED55C7P, 55" Sony X930E, a 49" Sony X900E, Sony X720E, 49" Samsung MU7000, 43" Samsung MU6300, 32" Acer Predator XB321HK, 27" Acer Predator XB271HU, 27" Dell Gaming S2716DGR, and a 34" Dell Alienware AW3418DW....and several other less well known monitors and TV's not really worth mentioning on here. My point is that you get the idea of the quality of products I'm used to buying. The TCL is on par with all of those screens in terms of quality and speed.

Most people do not know what input lag is. It is the time it takes between pressing a button a button on a controller/device....and when the action occurs on the screen. The average TV has an input lag of around +40ms. The average gaming monitor has an input lag of around -5ms. This is why most gamers do not buy TV's to play games on. However, the TCL has an input lag of around 15ms. The TCL TV's input lag is so insanely low for a TV....that it makes it almost as good as a monitor to play games on. *** I DO NOT understand why TCL does not market their extremely low input lag to gamers. Seriously guys/gals you need to put on the top of your TV's something like "LOWEST INPUT LAG FOR A TV EVER CREATED". You do not understand how many gamers are DEMANDING a low input lag. Market to those people!....The TCL 55R617 is no exception. This TV runs games flawlessly. It also has a really good peak brightness! I do not have the numbers in front of me....but I would compare the peak brightness of the TCL 55R617 to that of the X900E. The only thing brighter would be the Sony X930E that was so bright I had to turn down the brightness. I do not like dark TV's like the ones Samsung makes....but this is NOT a dark TV at all. It is very well lit. Also, this is a BACK-LIT TV and not an EDGE-LIT TV....so they did not cut corners there and you will notice the quality of the image.

Audio? The audio is on par with the Sony X900E, Sony X930E, and LG OLED557CP. The audio is very good...and I did not even feel the need to hook up my sound bar.

Picture quality? The quality of the picture is on par with that of the Sony X900E. You might not get the OLED realistic blacks....but the blacks are VERY good! Why anyone would buy an OLED is beyond me....when OLED TV's are famous for images burning onto the screen. How realistic will your blacks look with a logo burned in on top of them?

60 FPS vs 120 FPS. I've played on monitors that are 240 FPS. Here's the deal guys/gals....you cannot find a monitor on the market that plays 4K at 120 FPS with an HDMI 2.0 port. You will only find monitors that play games at 2K at 120+ FPS using a HDMI 1.4. The difference between HDMI 1.4 and HDMI 2.0 is that 1.4 can only play 4K at 30 FPS. To get around this most monitors are manufactured to support 2K at 120+ FPS instead of 4K at 120+ FPS. I can buy any monitor I want on the market...and I promise you guys....the 4K 120+ FPS monitor is a myth....you will not find it! I tried! So your next best option is 4K at 60 FPS. Here's the difference between 60 FPS and 120 FPS....people will tell you it is a smoother experience. Which "can" be true....but often times it is not true. When you play a game locked at 60 FPS it will not make much of a difference....but if you play an unlocked game at 60 FPS and the frames drop by 20 FPS....you will notice the drop. On the other hand on a 120 FPS monitor when the frames drop by 20 FPS....you will not notice anything. That in a nutshell is the difference between the 2. So "most" of the time you will not notice a difference. Sony TV's can run at 120+ FPS....the problem is that the input lag is around 35-40ms. Which means that even though a Sony TV can run a 100+ FPS image on the screen.....your experience overall would actually be FAR SUPERIOR on a TCL TV running at an input lag of 15ms at 60 FPS. For this reason....and the OLED burn in reason....I believe TCL TV's are by far the best TV on the market. I don't mean "best TV for your money"...I literally mean the best TV for gaming...period. Why TCL does not market their low input lag on boxes and on Amazon is beyond me. TCL used to put things like 100+ hz on their screen which confused customers who thought 100+ hz meant 100+ FPS which it does not. However, they do not do that anymore. But when they have a huge advantage over their competition in input lag....they don't market it. I don't get it. If I was TCL I'd take a picture showing the input lag for all of the TV's on the market compared to ours and at the top of the picture type "BEST TV FOR GAMING!". TCL is really missing out on the gaming market...and forcing gamers to have to do a ton of research before realizing that TCL TV's are their best option.

The TCL 6-Series 55R617 is the first 4K HDTV I've purchased. I purchased it from Amazon, having not seen it on display anywhere. Rarely do I buy a product that exceeds my expectations to the level this one has! It has the look in build quality and materials (the gun metal gray bezel oozes elegance) I'd expect to see on a much more premium set. After powering it up and going through a relatively painless setup, I was in business.

I was really surprised to see how close the out of the box settings were to my stringent requirements. I was amazed at how much "pop" the display had with default values. The sharpness is the only parameter that I found to be in need of a heavy tweak. At "50", it's a bit too heavy and yields a crystalline appearance that doesn't look nearly as organic as what is delivered by a setting in the 6 to 15 range. I'm an avid gamer and I've got an XBox One X connected to my 6-Series and a sharpness setting of 6 to 8 yields an outstanding image quality on native 4K games.

As a gaming display, the TCL 6-Series paired with the XBox One X is a match made in gaming heaven. With the "Game" mode enabled in the advanced image settings, the controller input lag is virtually imperceptible @ 17.6 ms. I gained a quick appreciation for what this means, coming from a Toshiba 2010 vintage LCD display that had a 58 ms input lag. Game mode reportedly causes a slight reduction in image quality, but honestly, I couldn't detect any loss there. The XBox One X works well with the TCL in delivering streaming media and Blu-ray disks. I turn "Game" mode off for watching media, via the XBox One X, as it opens a few motion processing options up to you when you do. OTOH, I found that the judder and/or loss of contrast/brightness that are side effects of the motion control are generally not worth it.

The optimum viewing angles are limited to about 15 degrees off center. If you walk off to either side by more than that, you're going to start getting an unacceptable amount of washout. I knew this from reading professional reviews and it's only a problem with one seat in my elongated rec-room.

I can heartily recommend this set to anyone looking for an affordable 4K HDR capable display, but I recognize that the quality control has not been one of its strong suites, in the early going. There have been an inordinate number of reports of banding, dead-pixels, dark corners, light bleed, and even cracked screens. I've had none of the above with my set and I've put it through every test possible to expose issues of that sort. My delivery experience with this set was easily the worst experience I've ever had with an Amazon purchase. It took 10 days for it to get from Perris, California to Charlotte, North Carolina... four days of that to go 39 miles from Perris to Ontario, California. It was three days past my scheduled delivery date, and that was with me driving 15 miles to Charlotte, NC to pick up the set at the Pilot Freight terminal myself. In the end, I got a pristine product which has more than delivered what I expected!

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Feature Product

• Dimensions (w x H x D): TV without stand: 57.1" x 32.9" x 3", TV with stand: 57.1" x 35.7" x10.7"
• Smart Functionality offers access to thousands of streaming channels featuring more than 500, 000 movies and TV episodes via Roku TV
• Pairs 4K Ultra HD picture clarity with the contrast, color, and detail of Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR) for the most lifelike picture
• LED backlighting with contrast control Zones produce Deep blacks and excellent picture quality. Stand Separation Distance-55.5 inch
• Inputs: 3 HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2 (one with HDMI ARC), 1 USB (media player), RF, Composite, Headphone Jack, Optical audio Out, Ethernet
• Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant

Description

TCL's 6-Series combines stunning 4K HDR picture performance and the award-winning Roku TV smart platform in a bold, brushed metal design for a superior TV experience. Dolby Vision delivers greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors. TCL’s Contrast Control Zone technology individually optimizes the image across up to 120 zones to yield striking contrast between light and dark areas. The 6-Series models’ iPQ Engine provides precise color replication while HDR Pro Gamma significantly improves HDR performance in any setting. Powerful picture performance is complemented by the Roku OS, providing seamless access your cable box, Blu-ray player, gaming console, and other devices without flipping through inputs or complicated menus. An enhanced remote makes it easy to find movie titles, launch or change channels, and even switch inputs, all with your voice. The minimum bandwidth requirements to stream 4K content vary by content provider. For example, Netflix and Youtube state their recommended minimum speed is 25Mbps. Vudu states its minimum is 11Mbps, Amazon recommends a minimum speed of 15Mbps. We recommend that you check with your preferred 4K content provider to see what their requirements are, as they may change from time to time. HDMI Ports: 3 HDMI 2.0 w/HDCP 2.2 (1 ARC); Resolution: 3840 x 2160; USB Ports: 1 USB 2.0

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I will admit we've had this TV for all of two weeks :) but I'm pretty good about updating my reviews so even if you see this same review years later assume we're still happy with the TV :)

I purchased this TV based on the recommendation in "the wirecutter" website (super useful website that has never steered me wrong, google it along with whatever product you're interested in, they explain why they're qualified to give an expert opinion too ) ... and they were right , the TV does have a gorgeous picture... almost TOO good to the point where it's going to take some getting used to.

Your TV shows will definitely look different than what you're used to, you see... the characters look like they're going to "pop" right out of the screen, colors on their clothing are more vivid (referring to television shows here provided by your local television provider direct TV or dish or comcast or what not) ... you're going to have to play with the color controls (we ended up making the picture darker , default was too bright for our opinion).. so expect to put some serious time in there with the adjustments, you're just going to have to keep tweaking it until you get a result you're happy with and then just give yourself some time to get used to the TV's new higher quality picture...

The remote control will take some getting used to as well but you'll get the hang of it :) ... keep track of which devices are plugged into which HDMI ports... for example if your television equipment is plugged into HDMI one slot, you'll have to turn the TV equipment on then select HDMI one .. simple enough. I did notice that sometimes the TV has some difficulties "catching" the picture on the TV equipment but the solution is easy enough, just turn the TV equipment off and back on (I don't mean unplug it, just hit the "power" button on the TV equipment remote then hit the power button again while the TV is on).

It is very easy to accidentally hit the mute/unmute button on the side of the remote so keep that in mind too especially if you have a soundbar attached to the TV like we do (the TV speakers are okay but from what I've been told you will eventually blow the TV speakers on any flat screen TV if you rely on those alone so a soundbar is a good investment - fortunately the TV has both HDMI inputs and an optical cable input .. I would go with a soundbar with an optical cable input to free up the HDMI ports personally).

Here's where amazon's amazing customer service comes in... amazon relies on various carriers, UPS, Federal Express, US Post Office and unfortunately you'll never know if a disgruntled or simply uncaring person is handling your delivery (heck for all I know maybe it was someone at the amazon warehouse or even the manufacturer themselves who broke the TV).. we had this mysterious web-like design spreading over the screen after removing the stickers and we foolishly thought there was a sticker on the front of the TV we could not peel off.. hours of wasted time later we finally realized that the screen was cracked ! Something we would have realized immediately if we had simply plugged the TV in right away .. so do that first. Called TCL (the manufacturer) technical support and found them to be friendly but not terribly helpful or informed though they did offer to send a tech to service it , we just chose to have amazon replace the TV instead. So make sure the first thing you do is plug the TV in to check it out. As it turns out btw there IS no sticker on front of the TV like we thought, the protective fabric "shroud" over the TV is expected to preserve the screen from scratches I believe.

For our troubles amazon gave us a significant promotional credit (okay you can only use it for products sold directly by amazon LLC but there's a LOT of stuff sold directly by amazon LLC, trust me we'll find a use for it) and shipped the replacement to us as quickly as possible, 2 days.

Roku stick works great, captures youtube off our wifi network (and honestly most homes this day have an internet setup with wireless internet so you should be fine there) effortlessly and the youtube videos look great.

We were nervous given the "banding" problem people have reported with their TV's but so far no banding with our own.. if I don't update this review accordingly to reflect banding problems even years later assume the TV is still going strong with no difficulties.

Final thoughts ... don't be foolish like we were especially if you live in an area with lots of thunderstorms like Florida (which we do)... invest in a whole home surge protector and follow the wirecutter's recommendations as far as a good surge protector to attach your TV too.. our faithful panasonic viera cast TV would have lasted us for even more than the 9 years we had it if we had only taken the necessary precautions. The wirecutter recommends the Tripp Lite TLP1008TEL and they had an electrical engineer go over it extensively - I like how the surge protector shuts off when it no longer provides protection, forcing you to get a new one - but that's a lot better than forgetting you have a surge protector over a decade old that no longer provides protection (they DO deteriorate over time, something most people are not aware of) and your expensive flat screen TV ends up getting fried as a result. In the years to come the wirecutter may end up recommending different surge protectors but that feature where it shuts off automatically when it doesn't provide protection anymore - that's a good one, you know beyond the shadow of a doubt your precious equipment is no longer protected and it's time to get a new surge protector.

This TV is fantastic. Personally, my priorities are picture quality and the overall aesthetic/look of the TV. Both of which are top notch considering the price point. I recently went through a defective Sony XBR49X900E with audio issues as well as the 2017 P-Series TCL (which also had an audio issue...go figure). Anyway, even though this resulted in me being TV-less for a couple weeks, I am very happy the delay allowed me the opportunity to pick up this 2018 model TCL. The picture quality feels like a refinement on the 2017 model (which was already great) and is right there or better than the Sony, which is impressive. I have a PS4 pro which looks unreal on this TV. Just amazing at this price point and I sometimes have trouble pulling myself away because it all is so pleasing to look at. I am also much happier with the new "brushed metal" finish of this 2018 model. It just feels like a more premium product and looks much nicer in my living room. I really don't care about the voice recognition on the remote, but it seems to work well and I'm glad I have the option. Another note is the stand...I was at first disappointed because the new spacing of the legs on the TV are too wide for my recently purchased entertainment center. However, one of the answered questions here on Amazon recommended searching for a VESA mounted Pedestal stand. This completely solved my problem and I feel looks nicer and is more sturdy. I found one for around $30 on Amazon. Hope this info helps you pick your new TV!

This is a review of the "TCL 55R617 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV (2018 Model)". And believe it or not, this TV really is the best blend of great technology and incredible performance. And I'm a visual oriented person, who is not easily pleased with mediocre visual performance.

Why read this review?

I am somewhat visually impaired (legally blind in one eye and significantly reduced vision in the other), so surprisingly my impressions actually are based on the need for better picture quality. If the picture quality doesn't support my vision, I can definitely see it. I also have a very strong visual orientation and great color discrimination.

Second, I have a strong technical background. But I spent my career helping others understand technology. So, I hope I can help you understand what's important and what you can ignore.

The short answer

Wowser! This TV is simply incredible. I *HIGHLY* recommend it. If you do a search of reviews throughout the internet, you will find that it garners excellent reviews from many sources. I definitely agree. If you are debating between this TV and another, this one will perform better than most other units in almost every situation.

Yes. Some of the TVs suffer from the vertical banding. Yes some seem to have mottled screens (lots of darker areas). But it seems as if most of us don't have problems. I tested my screen and did find a little bit of vertical banding. But it's so minimal that it simply doesn't matter, regardless of what I watch. So, it seems your mileage may vary. Check it out but remember that most of us will never see the impact of minor visual issues.

Why did I buy this unit?

1. HDMI standards

My previous Samsung LCD TV (an LNT4665F) used the HDMI 1.3 standard. Unfortunately, more current HDMI devices could not communicate with the Samsung TV. For example, my Roku Ultra box could not be recognized on that TV. And about one half of the time I tried my Chromecast device was not recognized by the Samsung TV. Surpassingly, DVDs that changed the picture resolution (such as from 720p to 1080p) in the same video stream would invariably fail.

Don't get me wrong. The Samsung TV was exceptional for when it was manufactured. It was reasonably priced at the time and provided an exceptional video quality.

However, this TCL Roku TV with its use of the HDMI 2.0 standard completely eliminates HDMI compatibility problems. It recognizes all my devices.

2. Need for a larger screen

Unfortunately, as I've aged my vision continues to deteriorate. I can no longer read subtitles. I sit about 10 feet away from the TV at a slight angle (15 degrees or so) left from dead center. This TCL Roku TV helps. It doesn't completely eliminate this issue. But it definitely helps. I can read some of the subtitles, but they are just at the edge of what I can read.

3.. Need to prepare for cord cutting

Finally, I am *very* sick of paying more and more for poor service. It's time for me to consider replacing cable/satellite service with an online video service. My Samsung TV, with the problems it had recognizing HDMI devices, was not adequate for this change in video provider. Once again the TCL Roku TV addresses that issue.

Does 4K make sense?

The shift from HD to 4K UHD is not as stark as the change from the SD to HD standards. But I found that it definitely increases the clarity and sharpness of the visual image. Even at 10 feet away from the screen, the TV provides a noticably sharper image. Between the larger size and the increased image resolution, the TV provides a sharper and better image.

Does HDR make sense?

Is HDR just another marketing term to attempt to separate you from your money? No! Though I fully admit that it can be used that way, the difference depends on how the TV implements HDR. With this TCL Roku TV the increased color contrast and depth of black the HDR video is substantially and noticably better than without it. For example I watched Doctor Strange on both my old Samsung TV and this TCL Roku TV. The image on the TCL Roku TV simply jumps out and provided a stunning visual experience. It is much closer to the visual experience that we see at the theater than what we expect for a TV.

Yes. It makes a difference. I expect that both 4K UHD and HDR are here to stay. With the upcoming implementation of the ATSC 3.0 over the air broadcast standard, more broadcasters and shows will implement 4K and HDR in their shows.

Does Roku TV make sense?

The first assumed question is "Does a Smart TV make sense?". Whether it does or not may be immaterial, since most new TVs incorporate some Smart TV interface. But in fact, it's important to know if it makes sense. And I think it does. Why? Well, a Smart TV interface simplifies the use of features on the TV. For example instead of having to choose the input source on a remote control, you only have to choose the input source on the Smart TV visual interface. I titled the video inputs so they make sense for others. HDMI1 doesn't make as much sense as "Blu-ray". Nor does HDMI2 make as much sense as "DirecTV". So, a Smart TV allows the average, non-technical user to better interact and use the TV.

But what about Roku? There are some major advantages of the Roku interface. First, it's the dominant player in the online video interfaces. This means you can find just about everything you might want. It also has years of making the interface as usable and as stable as is possible.

Yet there is a downside of using the Roku interface. It's not fancy. It gets the job done, but doesn't provide a visually stunning interface. Other Smart TVs do a better job at this.

Still, in short, I vote for functional over visual every time. It doesn't matter if it looks wonderful. It matters that it's easy to use. I can and do love technical challenges. But my wife doesn't. Simple beats complex EVERY time.

My impressions of the video image

One simple word: Stunning! As I mentioned, I watched Doctor Strange on both my old Samsung TV and this new TCL Roku TV. There's is no doubt that the video presented on the TCL Roku TV is visually awe inspiring. It felt much more like being in a movie theater than older Samsung TV. The colors were brighter. The blacks were deeper. Yet dark scenes remained easy to vote, rather than feeling murky. In a word .. stunning!

My impression of the Roku TV

The Roku TV interface was a pleasant surprise for me. It's not a very sophisticated interface. But its simplicity hides it's greatest strength. You can easily use it to get the job done.

When you plug in a device the Roku TV presents a set of questions to allow you to identify what the device is and to make it if you want. It also allows you to associate an icon with the input device. As I've mentioned, you can name an input as something that makes sense to average issues. No need to decide what HDMI3 is. Just select DVD as the input. Poof! Your done.

If you have a modern device you can even control it through the HDMI interface. Suddenly that simple Roku TV remote becomes the control for the Blu-ray player.

Yes. It's not very sophisticated. But then I don't want to spend my time trying to understand the interface. I want to get onto the job of watching the TV.

Surprises

Pause Live TV -- I'm sure that I read that this TV includes the optional feature of pausing live TV. But I must admit, it was a very pleasant surprise to see just how easy it is to implement it. Plug a 16GB thumb drive into the USB port, answer a question (Yes, I want to use it to implement Pause Live TV), and you're done. Slick!

Optical Audio Output -- Again, while I read this, I had not realized that this would be so helpful. With my previous TV, output over the optical output was for audio that only originated in the TV (essentially from the TV tuner). This TV outputs any and all audio signals that it receives. So, select a source, if it includes an audio signal, it outputs j that signal over the audio optical output. This, if my DVD player outputs to the TV, my TV outputs the sound to my receiver, and voila ... I no longer must change the input source in my receiver. Just set it to my TV and get the sound. Stereo or Dolby surround sound. Yes!!

HDMI with ARC -- If your receiver includes the ability to handle an audio return channel, you can use just an HDMI cable between to TV and the receiver. It drops the need for even the audio optical cable.

CEC and Roku remote -- You can also set the options to allow your TV to control and be controlled by other devices. As an example, if I put a Blu-ray or DVD disc into my Blu-ray player and close the tray, it causes the TV to turn on, switch to the Blu-ray input source and away we go. I don't have to do anything with the TV or the TV remote to start watching the disc. I love it when it gets easier to use!!

Tuner -- The TV tuner is stronger than my previous TVs. I receive more channels. I'm certain this is just improvements in the timer technology that occurred during the past ten years. Still, while TCL may not have engineered this improvement they did take advantage of the better technology.

Streaming integration -- One feature that I really like is the integration of the streaming technologies into the TV. It's just one more input. Select the Roku "channel" and away you go. Simple and effective.

Roku app -- Along with the Roku environment we also get the Roku app for either an Apple or Android smart phone. This allows me to use my smart phone as a remote for my TCL Roku TV. And that means my Bluetooth wireless headset can be issued to privately listen to the TV.

Private listening -- This one should be emphasized more by TCL. Being able to listen to the game without bothering your partner. Priceless. I'm a real night owl. With the Roku app an my headphones I no longer drive my wife up the wall at night.

Tablo DVR -- Finally, using a Tablo OTA DVR, I can watch recorded OTA shows. With ATSC broadcasts, many TV stations now show many more movies and series. Of course, friend Murphy guarantees that the shows I want to watch are not on when I want to watch them. But with a Tablo OTA DVR, I just select the Tablo "channel" and then watch to my heart's content.

I read countless conflicting reviews. On one hand, this TV seemed to offer the most bang-for-buck, outcompeting units at over twice it's price. But on the other hand, countless reviews highlighted quality control issues from the factory - people complaining of "dirty screen effect" and banding. I ordered anyway, but fully expected I might have to return the TV multiple times.

The TV arrived, and thanks to Amazon delivery, two guys removed it from the box and tested it before leaving. Immediately I was BLOWN AWAY by the incredible richness of backlight, color, and 4k sharpness - and this was just from the TV screens of the setup process!

The delivery guys left and I began going through the setup process, after which I loaded up Netflix and immediately pulled up some Ultra HD titles. WOW is all I can say. Sure, the TV needed some slight calibration based on the lighting in my specific room, but it didn't take more than a few seconds to realize the incredibly rich quality of picture this TV is capable of.

Moving on - I pulled up a white screen test on YouTube. Dirty screen effect? Banding? Maybe? Kind of? Not really? Eyes playing tricks on me?

I'll tell you this much - whatever I was seeing was likely more from a preconceived notion of what to expect vs an actual problem. I mean perhaps there's more consistency from pixel to pixel on an expensive OLED, but c'mon... when the hell are you watching an all white screen, and staring at it long enough to detect some kind of color anomoly?

I'm sure there are people getting defective units with legitimate issues. And I'm sure some of those people have returned them multiple times, only to continue recieving defective units. But lucky for me, I wasn't one of them.

And I won't lie... I'd be PISSED if I continued to received defective units over and over again, forced to give up and purchase a different brand. I'd write up long, horrible reviews of TCL and post them everywhere I could!

But that's the thing... people are much more apt to leave a "complaint" after having a horrible experience, than leave a good review after a good experience. I never leave good reviews, but after being stressed out a bit on this purchase decision I decided to leave one to hopefully make it a little easier for someone else.

Honestly, I'd suspect the chance of receiving a defective unit is actually quite low. But, knowing what I know about this TV (I've owned it for 3 months as of the date of this review)... If I were to purchase another today and receive a defective unit? I would return it 10 times to get a good one. Why? Because for the price, this TV really is THAT GOOD.

Best of luck on your search for a TV!

This tv is fantastic, and I'm not saying that lightly. Even regarding the value price it can contend with TVs that are hundreds of dollars more. It has deep blacks, vibrant colors, great contrast, above average motion performance, decent brightness, rather impressive build quality, and acceptable sound quality. The addition of motion interpretation was a much needed feature, and I'm glad to see it on this tv.

Connected to the Xbox One X - games play with ridiculously low input lag and have rather decent motion performance. This is the TV to purchase if you want to save some cash and get a spectacular gaming experience in 4k HDR.

The only cons I have about the TCL 6 Series is it has a small amount of DSE (Dirty Screen Effect) and my panel has one tiny dead pixel in the very far top left of the panel (practically unnoticeable). Overall, it's nothing you should worry about and I won't be returning the TV for these small nitpicks.

Edit - I've noticed that the full array local dimming is a bit aggressive, and during scenes with very high contrasting blacks and whites the whites will flicker occasionally as the brightness (or something similar) adjusts seemingly at random. It isn't TOO noticable, but it's still there. I've overlooked it at this point. I'm wondering if an update to the FALD algorithm would alleviate this issue.