Help! Upgrading my 4K TV...

[Surge92]

I switched over to 4K September of last year and bought a Vizio V series 50" set. I was new to 4K at the time and didn't do thorough research before buying (I thought all I needed was Dolby Vision), so my TV was missing a few crucial features necessary for getting the full effect (full-array local dimming, WCG, high nit brightness). Anyway, fast-forward to the present, and I'm all set to upgrade next week. I initially planned to stick with Vizio, but the M7 series didn't present enough of an upgrade, and the P series is too expensive. After doing some research, I finally settled on a Hisense H9G 55", which has just about all the features I want, has gotten great reviews and supposedly has excellent picture quality. The only problem is it doesn't have eARC, which my current Vizio does.

So my question is, if I decide to upgrade to a Dolby Atmos soundbar (I currently use an old Samsung soundbar) in the future, does that mean I won't be able to get lossless sound or the full benefit because my TV doesn't have eARC? I care about picture quality way more than I do about sound, but I don't want to have to upgrade my TV again in a year or two.

The alternative would be a TLC 6 series, which does have eARC and is a great TV in its own right, but the picture quality isn't as good as that of the H9G in comparison reviews I've seen. Your thoughts?

[samlop10]

If you stick with the H9G and only have ARC, it would depend on the type of sound bar that you get. Most higher-end sound bars have one or two HDMI inputs that allow lossless Dolby Atmos.

If you plan on using the TV's smart features to stream content, you should be fine with plain ARC as so far there are no streaming services that provide lossless D Atmos. And plain ARC should allow for lossy Dolby Atmos to get sent to the sound bar.

So you could get both types of Dolby Atmos (lossless and lossy) with the H9G if you make sure to get a sound bar that has at least one HDMI input that can handle 4K/HDR and lossless Dolby Atmos.

As far as I can see the TCL 6 series, besides eARC, also has more gaming features. But if you don't care about gaming with the TV I would stick with H9G.

[Surge92]

Thanks. I was trying not to spend more money, but after researching a little more, I decided that my best bet might probably be to get the Hisense U8G 55", which replaced the H9G. Based on reviews, the picture quality is surprisingly a tad below the HG9's, but it does have eARC. I'm just trying to avoid having to upgrade again after a year or two.

[recS-12]

Are you locked into 55” due to budget or space? My thinking is if it’s budget, continue saving money until you can satisfy all your needs in one TV. Otherwise, I always find myself being bothered by the one “I wish I had it had x feature”

[Surge92]

Originally Posted by recS-12

Are you locked into 55” due to budget or space? My thinking is if it’s budget, continue saving money until you can satisfy all your needs in one TV. Otherwise, I always find myself being bothered by the one “I wish I had it had x feature”

It's space. I'd love to have the 65" version of the Hisense U8G because it has almost three times as many local dimming zones, but it wouldn't fit in my wall unit. My current Vizio set is 50", but I do have room to fit 55" without blocking my speakers. I think I'll be good for a few years with the 55" U8G. It has all the crucial features I need.

[Surge92]

By the way, I'm obviously going to have to unload my Vizio once I get the Hisense. It's just a little over a year old and in excellent condition. I prefer to sell it than to give it away, but I've never sold a television set before. What's the best and quickest way to go about doing it? I thought about maybe posting it on OfferUp or something. Any suggestions?

[recS-12]

I’ve always sold to friends/family. My asking price is always a little less than what it’s worth, for the convenience of not having to deal w/strangers. Personally for me, it’s a good trade off.