Random Tech thread.

[Texas Ace]

I see. Yeah, the TV I was looking at was the TCL QM8. It's a little more affordable and CNET says its their best TV of 2024. But I guess that's why it's more affordable, it has cut a corner on it's HDMI ports. Only two of the four support 4k 120hz. And specifically the (e)ARC port is only 4k 60hz.

So that TV is out for me then.

Yeah it seems like the LG is gonna be the way to go.

And I actually want a 75" I think, if not an 85". I suspect I'm gonna have to go over $2000 when I wanted to spend about $1500, dammit.

I have a 55" now and it's way too small. The wall in the room is huge. A 55" looks tiny. I suspect a 65" wouldn't be much better. I need at least 75" if not 85".

Thanks for the recommendations.

That's how you do it!

I got the 77 C1 a few years back and it's been great.

I have the 65 C4 now that I keep in my office/gaming/tech dungeon, and it's significantly brighter now than the C1 thanks to advancements in OLED tech.

You won't be disappointed.

 

[Texas Ace]

This is the 55”. Yeah I think I need at least 75”, lol.

Please excuse my ghetto-ass racing wheel setup connected to a tiny end table, and the kids room Christmas tree that hasn't been taken down yet.

Also you can see my Rant-sent Phillip Rivers signed mini helmet on the left side stand there, its behind a hockey puck though.

Nice.

What racing wheel do you have?

I have the Thrustmaster T300 RS.

 

[Smitty]

Nice.

What racing wheel do you have?

I have the Thrustmaster T300 RS.

Logitech G920, it's the Xbox version, not the PS5 version (the PS5 version is the G29 I think).

I got it for my son for christmas hoping it would be easier for him to do driving and racing games. Little did I realize

(1) It's just as hard with the racing wheel as with a controller, even though the immersion of the wheel is definitely more intense and fun, and
(2) most racing games are not compatible at all with a racing wheel, which is mind blowing to me.

For example, I don't have a switch but the kids love Mario Kart when they go to friends houses and such. I read up and found that there is an Xbox kart racer called Garfield Kart, and the kids love Garfield on TV, so I figured I'd buy that and they get a Mario Kart clone that's Garfield themed.

The fucking thing doesn't support the racing wheel. You have to use a controller.

So then I looked at Hot Wheels Unleashed, another kid-friendly racer. Same, doesn't support the wheel.

Madness.

I didn't realize till after I bought the wheel that its supported by like, the Forza and Forza Horizon series games... and like a handful of others, but that's it. Dirt, Assetto Corsa, but like, not even the Need for Speed games are wheel supported. WTF.

 

[Texas Ace]

For example, I don't have a switch but the kids love Mario Kart when they go to friends houses and such. I read up and found that there is an Xbox kart racer called Garfield Kart, and the kids love Garfield on TV, so I figured I'd buy that and they get a Mario Kart clone that's Garfield themed.

The fucking thing doesn't support the racing wheel. You have to use a controller.

You got a steering for THAT?!

Dude, the steering wheels are meant for simulation racing games like Forza, Gran Turismo, F1, etc.

Not for arcade races and certainly not for goofy childish ones like the ones you got for your kids!

 

[Cowboysrock55]

You got a steering for THAT?!

Dude, the steering wheels are meant for simulation racing games like Forza, Gran Turismo, F1, etc.

Not for arcade races and certainly not for goofy childish ones like the ones you got for your kids!

When you're a kid life is different. Feeling like you're in a car is life.

 

[UncleMilti]

Hey Smitty I’m just seeing this. Yes, in order to run 4K/120 hz your TV will need to accept that connection at a port/input (eARC or other). You can get around that by running a TOSLINK along with another dedicated video cable but obviously the easiest way is the have the input accept the 4K/120hz signal.

 

[Texas Ace]

When you're a kid life is different. Feeling like you're in a car is life.

I can't believe it took me so long to actually get into this.

Driving cars in Gran Turismo with a realistic steering setup is amazing.

It's very addicting too, so I have to force myself not to play some days.

 

[Smitty]

You got a steering for THAT?!

Dude, the steering wheels are meant for simulation racing games like Forza, Gran Turismo, F1, etc.

Not for arcade races and certainly not for goofy childish ones like the ones you got for your kids!

It was part of the calculus. I figured all racing games would support steering wheels.

I do have Forza Horizon 3/4 and Forza Motorsport 7 though, so it works with those.

Even if you are designing a goofy childish kart racer, why wouldn't you make it steering wheel compatible?

 

[Smitty]

Hey Smitty I’m just seeing this. Yes, in order to run 4K/120 hz your TV will need to accept that connection at a port/input (eARC or other). You can get around that by running a TOSLINK along with another dedicated video cable but obviously the easiest way is the have the input accept the 4K/120hz signal.

So the reason I was thinking I had to use the (e)ARC port (which is only 4k 60hz on the TCL QM8) was because I wanted the native apps (Netflix, Youtube TV, Apple TV, etc) to playback through the receiver utilizing the surround sound. But to do that the HDMI port needs to be an (e)ARC.

Someone else just told me, hey dummy, buy a $100 Roku or Apple TV set top and connect that to the receiver. Then the HDMI from receiver to TV can be plugged into the 4k 120hz HDMI port. Instead of streaming apps from the TV, stream them from the separate Roku or Apple TV or whatever.

Duh.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Someone else just told me, hey dummy, buy a $100 Roku or Apple TV set top and connect that to the receiver. Then the HDMI from receiver to TV can be plugged into the 4k 120hz HDMI port. Instead of streaming apps from the TV, stream them from the separate Roku or Apple TV or whatever.

Yep, without the native apps you can use the receiver like the native app. Just run everything through the receiver.

 

[UncleMilti]

So the reason I was thinking I had to use the (e)ARC port (which is only 4k 60hz on the TCL QM8) was because I wanted the native apps (Netflix, Youtube TV, Apple TV, etc) to playback through the receiver utilizing the surround sound. But to do that the HDMI port needs to be an (e)ARC.

Someone else just told me, hey dummy, buy a $100 Roku or Apple TV set top and connect that to the receiver. Then the HDMI from receiver to TV can be plugged into the 4k 120hz HDMI port. Instead of streaming apps from the TV, stream them from the separate Roku or Apple TV or whatever.

Duh.

The Ruku is the way to go. The apps picture clarity is noticeably softer than the Ruku so that alone makes it worth the investment.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

The Ruku is the way to go. The apps picture clarity is noticeably softer than the Ruku so that alone makes it worth the investment.

?

 

[Smitty]

?

yeah I was slightly lost. Is he saying Roku better than Apple TV?

 

[UncleMilti]

yeah I was slightly lost. Is he saying Roku better than Apple TV?

Yeah, I should have clarified the Ruku has an upscaler in it that delivers better clarity than running it thru the native apps on your TV.
For instance, I have a true 4K projector in my HT room and I used to run apps like Apple TV, Amazon Prime etc natively out of the projector for movies. I then went and bought the Ruku, and its internal scaler has a much sharper cleaner picture thru the same projector. I also noticed it on our 85” TV in the family room.
Now, it could be that because my TV is 85” and the projector is 200” it simply shows up because my stuff is so big. Maybe it doesn’t matter on a 65” tv. But from what I’ve read, most people see a difference in picture quality.

 

[Smitty]

@Texas Ace @UncleMilti

I think I'm back to the TCL QM8. It scores very, very highly. As I discussed earlier, I realized if I buy an Apple TV or Roku I can just plug that into the receiver and I don't need the (e)ARC HDMI port, which was the big downside I didn't like since that port was limited to 60hz. I can plug the receiver into the 4k 144hz port and then the Roku or Apple TV into the receiver and utilize the surround sound that way.

The biggest thing is that my couch is somewhere between 12-14 feet from the TV wall. At that distance I need at least a 75", more likely an 85" to be proper, or a 98".

98 is out. But for the TCL I can get the QM8 as an 85" for $1997 but the 83" LG C4 is $3800!! That's nuts. Even the 75" LG C4 is $2500.

Hard to justify an 10" smaller TV for $500 more. Especially when, given the size of the room, I really need the larger screen size for proper viewing.

 

[UncleMilti]

@Texas Ace @UncleMilti

I think I'm back to the TCL QM8. It scores very, very highly. As I discussed earlier, I realized if I buy an Apple TV or Roku I can just plug that into the receiver and I don't need the (e)ARC HDMI port, which was the big downside I didn't like since that port was limited to 60hz. I can plug the receiver into the 4k 144hz port and then the Roku or Apple TV into the receiver and utilize the surround sound that way.

The biggest thing is that my couch is somewhere between 12-14 feet from the TV wall. At that distance I need at least a 75", more likely an 85" to be proper, or a 98".

98 is out. But for the TCL I can get the QM8 as an 85" for $1997 but the 83" LG C4 is $3800!! That's nuts. Even the 75" LG C4 is $2500.

Hard to justify an 10" smaller TV for $500 more. Especially when, given the size of the room, I really need the larger screen size for proper viewing.

The TCL has gotten killer reviews. I think the panel is made by the same company who makes the Samsung panels.