TCL LE50FHDE3010 50-Inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV (Black)

What else do you wan for the price?, June 25, 2013

I recently purchased this television on sale for $300 to serve as an extra TV for my man cave bar. Here’s a quick rundown of some important points:

– These TCL televisions are cheap, but don’t seem to be of poor quality. The television itself is sleek and thin and other than the location of the control buttons on the TV itself (they are arranged behind the front bezel on the right side), everything else is laid out well. This TV comes with a two year warranty and unless I’m mistaken, they use Samsung screens.

– Out of the box, the picture is clear and crisp. Colors are bright and blacks are dark. I noticed a little bit of a red tinge to the skin of some people, but with a little tweaking that went away easily. In fact, it was so mundane and the factory settings were so good that I had to force myself to change it. The brightness of the TV seems to have quite a range, but it wasn’t difficult to find the right lighting for the room I have it in.

– I was worried when I purchased this that it only had a 60Hz refresh rate, but the other positive aspects outweighed this one concern (40″, 1080p, LED, $300, etc…). I have watched nearly every sport that ESPN airs on this television, and the only blur that I could notice was immediately after someone struck a tennis ball or punted a soccer ball across the field. Even then, I could only notice it if I was looking for it and really paying attention. I watched the O’s game on it last night and I couldn’t notice any blur whatsoever. They lost, but looked great doing it.

– The sound is absolutely fine for a TV this size. I’ve read quite a few television reviews, and someone always seems to complain about the sound, no matter what make or model. If you desire 7.1 surround quality from this (or any) television, buy the appropriate audio equipment. Otherwise, in my opinion, the sound that this thing produces is perfectly fine.

If you want a large screen for a cheap price, stop here. This TV might not have all of the bells and whistles that Samsung or Sony offer, but you also are not paying anywhere near those prices, either. This TV offers a great picture at a great price (at 40″), and for my money that is all that I really care about.

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Awesome TV for the price, but a little research required., June 21, 2013

I did a lot of extensive research before purchasing this TV. I narrowed it down to TCL and VIZIO. I finally decided on this 58″ TCL TV because my entertainment center was too small for a 60″ and I wanted something bigger than a 55″. I liked the reviews I read and the 2-year warranty was better than any other TV I was considering. Also, I was not interested in 3D or a smart TV (I have a network BluRay player) and so did not want to pay for those features. I recommend anyone considering this TV to check the TCL website for authorized service locations since they are not in every city and you might be stuck paying shipping if you need warranty work. Also, be advised that TCL makes two models of 58″ TV’s. The 3000X model only comes with 2 HDMI inputs and is less a few other minor features and costs about the same as the 3010 series.

I’ll say that I first purchased this same TV from Tiger Direct thru Amazon Marketplace. They used a carrier I never heard of (AIT Worldwide) and the TV arrived broken. There was corner of the box which was visibly pushed in and the foam inside the box was cracked. When I turned on the TV, the screen did not work and one could see visual internal cracks. Also, the AIT guys did not offer to help me unpack or check the TV. They just dropped it off and left. I called Tiger Direct and they would only offer a refund, not a replacement. I had the AIT guys pick it up and 2 weeks later I’m still waiting for my refund. My advice, order direct from Amazon and avoid Tiger Direct.

The TV I have now I ordered directly from Amazon and comes with free Enhanced Delivery. It arrived via CEVA shipping company and the driver brought it in the house and helped me set it up to confirm it worked properly. Well worth it IMHO.
If you have done your research then you will know that there is a firmware update for this TV. The update and instructions can be downloaded from the TCL website. It is very easy to install just so long as you have a USB flash drive.

If you are using a universal remote then you may discover (as I did) that none of the listed TCL codes work for this TV. I have a Bose remote which I use for my LifeStyle system (bought in 2009) and none of the TCL codes worked. However, I remember reading that TCL made TV’s for RCA and discovered that the RCA code 1447 worked for this TV. If you have the same problem, try the RCA codes. Also, TCL has a list of codes that work for various makers of remote controls here: https://tcl-django.s3.amazonaws.com/medialibrary/2013/06/TCL_Remote_Control_Code.pdf

I am no videophile, but I would say that the picture quality is outstanding. I read somewhere that TCL uses Samsung panels but have not confirmed this WRT this model. I had a 46″ JVC Procision before which was top of the line in 2008, but the picture quality on the TCL is far superior. LCD-LED TV’s have come a long way in a few years. The refresh rate, contrast ratio, and number of colors on this TV are way better than my JVC. All the specs are listed on the TCL website. There is a MEMC (motion enhancement) function on this TV which when set to high gives a strong “soap opera” effect. I recommend setting it to low or off unless you are watching sports.

The screen is not matte, but not a full glossy either. I would call it a semi-gloss. If you have a lot of windows in your viewing room then you may get some annoying reflections. Just something to consider.

I didn’t test the sound features much since I send everything through the Bose sound system. BTW, there is a coaxial digital audio output, but no optical output (like my old TV) so you may need to purchase a coaxial digital audio cable if you intend to use this feature.

On a last note, I would recommend you register your TV on the TCL website in case you ever need service. You will need the serial number and date of purchase. The packing slip is hidden behind the shipping label and the serial number is on the UPC label next to the model number. Be sure to save this paperwork if you ever want to be able to use your 2-year warranty. TCL also maintains a Facebook page where you can ask questions and share notes: http://www.facebook.com/TCLUSA

All in all I am very happy with this TV. The upgrade in size makes all the difference and the price can’t be beat. If you are just looking for a big “dumb” TV with a great picture then I highly recommend this TCL.

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