Vizio

Scott Wilkinson on Home Theater

Episode 1255

A caller can't seem to find the Vizio Reference series TV. He's looked everywhere. Scott says that the Vizio Reference series is their top of the line, using quantum dots to get a higher dynamic range and color gamut, and also supporting Dolby Vision. Leo says that Vizio has traditionally been a second tier value brand, but the Reference series shows that they can play with the 1st tier boys. The 65" is about $6,000. But where can you buy it? Scott says to go to Vizio.com and sign up for a special order.

Dick DeBartolo, The Giz Wiz

Episode 1235

Dick just got a 43" 4K M Series TV from Vizio, and he connected it to his Bose Soundlink Mini. But the remote does not control the volume of the sound going to the Bose Mini. His old Olivia TV had variable audio out, but the Vizio doesn't. When he went on Google, a lot of TVs no longer do that. Scott is using the RCA jacks to hook it up, so its an analog connection. Scott recommends looking in the TV's audio menu to specify whether he wants the volume to be fixed or variable.

What's better: the Vizio Reference Series or the LG OLED?

Episode 1235

Richard from Torrance, CA

Richard has looked at the Vizio Reference Series and the LG 65" OLED. How do they compare? For absolute picture quality, Scott says that the OLED wins, but both produce a gorgeous picture. The Vizio Reference series used LED backlighting with Quantum dots that has an amazingly wide color gamut and it's the first to use Dolby Vision dynamic range. OLEDs have a benefit though that over time the image won't degrade. Can the LG mount a sound bar with it? Scott doesn't know, but the Vizio comes with a sound bar built in.

What's a good midrange TV?

VIZIO M55-C2 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV

Episode 1235

Bill from Yucca Valley, CA

Bill is looking to buy a midrange TV around Black Friday. He's thinking about Hitachi's 1080p 55 inch TV. Scott says that Hitachi got out of the TV business awhile ago, so chances are it will be an old model, and Scott would be hesitant about that.

Scott says that for a high quality, low cost TV, he recommends Vizio -- especially from the M-Series and up. The M Series is terrific if he can stretch his budget a tad beyond $400.

Scott Wilkinson on Home Theater

Episode 1221

Scott says that the AVSForum has been redesigned so that it's easier to get the editorial content. Scott also says that there's a lot of HDR movies coming in theater including The Martian, PAN, and the Maze Runner Scorch Trials. Scott's really looking forward to The Martian. The book is fantastic, and according to reviews from the Toronto Film Festival, the film is really faithful to the book.

What budget HDTV should I buy?

Episode 1215

Terri from Laguna Nigel, CA

Terri is ready to buy a new HDTV, what's a good affordable one? Leo says that the Vizio E series is a very good buy. She'll want to get a larger screen than she thinks. For 10 feet away, a minimum size is 55". Make sure it's LED Backlit with local dimming. To watch Netflix and Amazon, get the smart TV and Vizio makes the best smart TV apps. When she gets it home, she should put it into movie mode. It'll look better. She'll also want to consider getting a home theater in a box or sound bar.

What's a good 40" LCD TV?

Episode 1202

Brian from Irvine, CA

Brian and other employees want to chip in and buy a 40" HDTV for their boss. Is Insignia a good option? Leo says that Insignia is Best Buy's house brand. He wouldn't choose that over Vizio. That's where Leo would go. They offer tremendous value for the money.

Should he go larger than 40? Leo says maybe, if he can afford it. Samsung? Leo says yes, Samsung is great, as is LG, Sharp, and Sony. But Vizio is the best bang for Brian's buck.

What 70" Smart HDTV should I buy?

Episode 1191

Elan from Northridge, CA

Elan needs to buy a new TV and he likes Samsung Smart TVs. He's not married to that, though. What TV should he get? First off, Leo says to get the largest TV he can afford, and a 70" TV is a good option. Leo says that Samsung makes great HDTVs, but he shouldn't hesitate to look at a high-end Vizio. The price/performance ratio on Vizio is really good, and the P Series is very impressive. Leo likes Vizio's smart TV OS as well. It'll give him the best bang for the buck. A 70" will cost him $2300 for the 4K P Series, while the 70" 1080p M Series is $1599.

Scott Wilkinson

Episode 1179

Scott returns from NAB this week, after spending a week walking the halls and seeing the latest in broadcast and film technology. Leo says that it's become more and more about that, rather than the inside technology of engineers. There's a lot more focus on streaming media. Scott agrees, and says that TWiT is ahead of that curve, blazing the trail. Scott says he likes to go to NAB because seeing what broadcasters are working on points the way to what consumers will go with. And 4K was everywhere.

What 40" TV is best for displaying photos with accurate color reproduction?

Episode 1171

Tim from La Crescenta, CA

Tim wants to know what 40" TV is best for color reproduction with photography. Leo says that the Sony Grand Vega was the top of the line back in the analog days. Leo says that he'd go bigger if he can. Bigger is always more immersive and more realistic. But in the 40" range, he can get one for under $300.