Televisions are advancing rapidly. More and more technical features and resolutions are appearing on the market, making it difficult to know which TV to choose. What is the difference between QLED and OLED? What is the best 4K TV? Which screen size should I go for? There are so many types of TVs available!
To answer these questions, it’s important to know more about these technologies and their advantages and disadvantages.
To help you decide, Fillion’s expert advisors explain how to choose a TV. Read our buying guide to find the perfect TV for you!
Which type of TV should I choose?
Today’s technologies can greatly influence your television’s image quality. Some have more advantages than others. It’s important to consider your needs and regular TV use so you can find the TV that is best suited to you.
LED televisions
The majority of televisions on the market today use LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology. This process is an evolution of LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) technology, which was developed in the early 70s, but was not used in consumer products until the late 90s.
How it works
The LED (and LCD) process involves filtering light projected from behind a panel of liquid crystals, which are oriented when supplied with an electric current. They are also able to modify the polarization of the light.
The LED panel therefore consists of a layer of liquid crystals placed between electrodes. Polarizing filters control light horizontally and vertically. Light will come from the back of the liquid crystal panel, which we call backlighting. When the electrodes are not sending an electrical charge to the liquid crystals, the vertical polarizing filters will remain oriented (or “closed”) so that no light can pass through. Pixels then remain black. Horizontal polarizing filters will determine the inclination of the liquid crystals, controlling the intensity of the light passing through, so that grayscale hues can be reproduced - from the darkest blacks to the brightest whites. Colors are displayed by controlling three separate cells associated with each of the primary colors. These cells (or “sub-pixels”) contain liquid crystals that let through only the light required to reproduce the color to be obtained.
Fillion’s advice: If you are looking to buy an inexpensive TV, an LED will be your best bet! Its low manufacturing costs make it more affordable.
What is a QLED television?
QLED TVs are the latest generation of Samsung’s Quantum Dot series, which are also used by a growing number of other manufacturer. The acronym QLED, stands for Quantum-dot Light Emitting Diode. QLED TVs are more advanced than LED TVs.
A standard LED TV uses white backlighting. Each pixel contains three sub-pixels in the primary colours that let through the necessary colours to reproduce the desired image. However, this technology unfortunately isn’t sophisticated enough to recreate every colour perceivable to the human eye.
QLED TVs, on the other hand, integrate a quantum box between a blue LED backlight and the TV panel. Cadmium selenide nanocrystals are then stimulated by the blue light and emit light at a wavelength determined by their shape and size. Colours that are more difficult for a standard LED TV to reproduce, such as greens and reds, are then overexposed to achieve additional brilliance.
Advantages of a QLED TV
The quantum box in QLED TVs improves backlight efficiency, which greatly increases the overall brightness of the TV. These high-contrast TVs can therefore cover almost the entire range of colours visible to humans and 100% of the DCI-P3 colour band used for shooting and processing (post-production) of digital cinema films.
Additionally, all QLED TVs possess a quantum dot filter, which is effective at passing light through, at the same time as limiting unwanted light reflections. This provides viewers with an enhanced TV experience, better than what you would receive with a traditional LED TV. No matter what angle you are watching the TV from, with a QLED television, you will still be able to benefit from all its rich colours, notably deeper black levels, and its high picture quality.
OLED or QLED TVs: which is best?
The major difference between QLED and OLED televisions lies in how they manage light. QLED TVs are effective at reproducing excellent brightness and vivid colours, regardless of the ambient light in the room. An OLED TV offers a rendering of absolute black thanks to its independent diodes.
We recommend OLED TVs for movie lovers who enjoy watching TV series and movies at home, as the deep blacks provided by these TVs offer an immersive viewing experience. However, if you are a gamer or sports fan and value colours, a QLED TV will be more suitable.
Regarding their lifespans, the TV manufacturers estimate that an OLED TV will last for 100,000 hours and a QLED TVs’ lifespan will be between 40,000 and 90,000 hours. These numbers are both still extremely high!
Has this information helped you understand more about today’s TV technologies? If you now have a preference, it's time to look at the different TV resolutions on the market!
How to choose between 4K and Ultra HD TVs
What is a 4K television? When it comes to TVs, 4K resolution is the same as Ultra HD. The quality of a 4K television will essentially be four times better than that of a conventional 1080p HDTV.
Choosing the best resolution for your TV will depend on your needs. 4K is becoming the norm and getting more and more affordable. It’s not a bad idea to invest in a 4K television, since most of today’s TV series and movies are available to watch in 4K. The 4K viewing experience is known to be truly immersive and exciting!
If you’re considering 8K, it’s down to whether you want to be ahead of the curve or not. Be aware though that since 8K resolution is still very new and not widely used at the moment in the movie world, it is rare and expensive.
The High Dynamic Range (HDR)
HDR stands for High Dynamic Range imaging. HDR helps to enhance the depth and vibrancy of the displayed picture by adjusting the light contrast as best as possible.
This technology is compatible with previous TV generations. We recommend choosing a QLED HDR TV to get the most accurate rendering. Samsung QLED TVs have a good reputation and are HDR certified.
What are the best TV brands?
It's impossible not to mention Samsung when it comes to talking about the best TV brands. Samsung has a wide range of TVs and even created the term QLED. Samsung QLED TVs are high in quality and always advancing, constantly in pursuit of technological innovations.
Another well-known brand in the TV industry is Sony. Known for their incredible sound quality, Sony OLED TVs never disappoint. If you're looking for complete sound immersion, you should definitely check out what this brand has to offer.
How to choose the size of your TV
When deciding on the size of a TV, you should consider the following factors:
-The size of the wall where you want to place your TV
-The size of your TV stand to avoid your TV sticking out and getting damaged
-The maximum screen dimensions you can have according to the size of the room
-Your desire to be immersed in the viewing experience - a larger screen provides a more cinematic atmosphere
Here are the screen size dimensions we recommend (diagonal measurements):
| Recommended space for TV | HD Television | Ultra HF 4K Television |
| -2 metres | -40 inches | -50 inches |
| 2-3 metres | 40-55 inches | 50-65 inches |
| 3+ metres | 55+ inches | 65+ inches |
A screen will always seem smaller in the store than in your home: your room will generally be smaller in size so it is better to focus on finding a high resolution TV with outstanding picture quality and a manageable screen size. Try not to go overboard if your home won’t be able to accommodate a large screen!
Check the compatibility of your smart TV
Today, most televisions produced are smart TVs so it’s no wonder that they are all over the market. The “smart” feature of these TVs means that they can connect to the internet and give you access to a host of content and applications.
To learn more about what a smart TV is, take a look at our article "features and advantages of smart TVs”.
Ensure that the port connections are suitable
Nowadays, TVs can support all HD and standard sources. However, note that some 4K TV models only have HDMI ports so are unable to connect to sources with analog connections (VHS, DVD players, old video game consoles).
However, when choosing a good flat screen TV that perfectly suits your needs, always check beforehand that it’s able to connect to your other electronic equipment without hassle.
Can I connect a pair of headphones to my TV?
Very few smart TV models will have a headphone audio output for a pair of wired headphones, but all TVs have an optical digital audio output for connecting a wireless TV headphone system.
Choose a TV with Fillion
To find yourself the perfect TV, you need to start by identifying your requirements. It also helps to educate yourself about the different types of TVs and the different features on offer.
It’s normal to hesitate before making a purchase. At Fillion, we strive to help our customers choose the best products for them. That’s we are always available to advise you on the different TV models on sale, and anything else you want to know.
Contact us now! Feel free to come into our store in Montreal today! Our team is here to welcome you and evaluate your needs to ensure you make the right choice!
