Cutting the Cord: TCL's thrifty and smart Roku TV
How you get streaming video onto your TV usually depends on where you start from.
Video game systems such as a Microsoft Xbox or Sony PlayStation were preferred by 28% of connected video streamers, according to a recent survey by The Diffusion Group, a Plano, Texas-based research firm. Smart TVs that use apps were the choice of 23%, while set-top boxes from makers such as Apple and Roku were preferred by 12%. Others had no preference or used other methods, such as connecting a Blu-ray Disc player, computer or other device.
Smart TVs will likely find their way into more than 80% of consumer homes within 10 years, says Michael Greeson, Diffusion's founder and director of research. "Their prominence in the connected home will only grow stronger," he said, noting that owners of smart TVs in the survey reported a significant year-over-year increase in streaming time.
The main drawback of buying a smart TV is that, at some point, the TV maker may no longer support updates of the on-board software, Greeson says. On the other hand, set-top boxes, he says, "are quite liberal when it comes to new video apps, as well as inherently possessing the power to support upgrades from app vendors."
Should you be shopping for a smart TV, Chinese-based TV maker TCL has come up with a thrifty compromise. Its Roku TVs have the streaming video product maker's software built into the display. That makes the product a good option for a dorm room, apartment or a clutter-free second or third TV in a larger home.
The choice also lets TCL streamline its operating system. "As content changes, Roku is the first one to add new services and stay on the forefront of what consumers demand, a vision that TCL shares," says Chris Larson, vice president of sales and marketing. Though TCL is based in China, it has a U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles and a lab in Silicon Valley.
TCL's first Roku TVs came out last year, and since then Hisense, Sharp and Best Buy's Insignia brands have begun offering Roku TVs. TCL's latest line of HD displays, now available, run from $230 to $700 and range in size from 32 inches to 55 inches.
I tested the 40-inch $339 display (model 40FS3800), which connected wirelessly to my home network (it has no ethernet jack). After signing into Roku and linking the TV to my account all my current apps — Amazon Video, Hulu, Netflix and Sling TV appeared. I added the new Showtime stand-alone app, too.
You can rearrange the home screen to give prominent placement to your favorite Roku channels and connected devices — this display has three HDMI inputs and a coaxial input to connect pay TV or an antenna — making it easy to navigate to your viewing destination. And the Roku app lets you use your Android or iOS smartphone as a remote.
For Wimbledon action on Sling TV and the Women's World Cup final via antenna, the TCL display delivered fine video. While it isn't the best TV in my home, at this price, I wouldn't expect that.
What it does do is provide an uncluttered, no-frills display for streaming video lovers.
Cutting the Cord is a regular column covering Net TV and ways to get it. If you have suggestions or questions, contact Mike Snider via e-mail at msnider@usatoday.com. And follow him on Twitter: @MikeSnider.