The TV (model UN65TU7000FXZA) was very easy to setup. In fact, when powering it on, the TV played some soothing music while walking me through the process… nice touch! The process involved installing the SmartThings app, which unfortunately requires setting up a Samsung account (minor gripe). The app automatically detected my TV over Bluetooth and allowed me to easily setup the Wifi and basic settings through my phone.

Unfortunately, the TV only has 2 HDMI inputs. For most people, this should cover their cable box (or streaming box) and a game console, but for me, I needed a 3rd input for my BluRay player as well.

Picture Quality

From the early reviews for this TV, I see some owners had an issue with the picture quality. From what I gathered, Samsung has addressed this issue in a firmware update that didn’t become available until after the product launched. I’ve installed the latest version of the firmware and have not noticed any issues. This can be done by pressing the small “Settings” button near the bottom of the remote, then navigating to Support > Software Update.

I’ve owned a couple Samsung TVs and have always been impressed with their picture quality. The 7-series for 2020 does not disappoint. Colors are vibrant and the picture is very clear.

I found the TV’s default “Standard” setting to be a little to washed out. Here are the settings I like, which doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily like them, but they’re here for anyone that wants to try them:

Press the Settings button towards the bottom of the remote, and navigate to Picture > Expert Settings.

• Brightness: 45
• Contrast: 50
• Color: 40
• Tint: 0
• Apply Picture Settings: All Sources
• Picture Clarity Settings: Auto
• Contrast Enhancer: High (can make some scenes look washed out; sometimes I prefer it Off)
• Film Mode: Off
• Color Tone: Standard
• … the rest of the settings I left at default

Also, go to Settings > General > Eco Solution and bring up the “minimum brightness” to about 25. I found the TV got too dim at times on the default setting (it adjusts based on the ambient lighting in the room).

Almost every Samsung TV I’ve owned has an issue with the 120mHz “motion smoothing” feature, particularly when watching programs on ABC (I’m not sure why) where the picture randomly jerks harshly. I’m happy to say that I have not noticed this behavior on this TV.

Gamers: don’t forget to enable “Game Mode” in the settings. The “Auto” setting has worked well at detecting when I switch between my Nintendo Switch and my Apple TV box.

Apple TV 4K owners: Samsung seems to go into a different picture mode whenever HDR is enabled, which I find annoying as it ignores all of my settings above (this also happened on my previous Samsung TV). In the Apple TV settings, I usually set the Display Mode to 4K SDR 60Hz (which turns off the HDR output).

Apps

As a “cord cutter,” I really appreciate the work Samsung has done implementing a free streaming service they call Samsung TV Plus (which is esentially a rebranded version of Pluto TV). Samsung TV Plus is directly integrated with the TV’s built-in guide (which is also free) and shows free streaming channels after your antennae’s local broadcast channels. So you can go channel surfing seamless between Over-the-Air stations and streaming Internet stations. The TV also highlights available on-demand movies and TV shows that are also free. So kudos to Samsung for creating and integrating a free streaming service that doesn’t require yet another subscription!

I rely on apps heavily, in particular Netflix and YouTube TV. Netflix works on about every Smart TV known to man, but YouTube TV is hit or miss. I was happy to find that YouTube TV is available on this Samsung TV! Therefore, I can use YouTube TV without needing to switch inputs to my Apple TV box (but I find the Apple TV box to be faster and more responsive than the built-in apps).

Other apps I noticed available in the TV’s app section include Disney+, Apple TV service, Hulu, HBO, Sirius XM and more. Of course, these services are not free and require a subscription.

If you have an iPhone or iPad, you’ll also be happy to know that this TV supports AirPlay 2, so you can mirror or “cast” videos and photos from your iPhone directly to this TV. Previously, this could only be done if you owned an Apple TV box, but this is something new that Apple’s partners are offering.

Sometimes while using the built-in apps, I have found the TV to get laggy and takes awhile to “catch up” with key presses. Usually power cycling the TV helps… I have not resorted to pulling the plug from the outlet yet, but that’s my backup plan. Hopefully this can be addressed in a future firmware update. If you are using a streaming box like Apple TV or a Roku and simply just using the TV to switch inputs, this probably won’t affect you.

-10%

Samsung - 65" Class - 7 Series - 4K UHD TV - Smart - LED - with HDR

$449.99 $499.99

BUY NOW

Best Buy U.S

Last update was on: October 6, 2023 1:13 am

2160p (4K) resolution with HDRSmart TV, Tizen OSMotion Rate 120

The post Samsung 65″ 7 Series 4K UHD TV (2020 version) Review appeared first on Technically Well.

Netflix

• The Christmas Chronicles
• A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby
• Klaus
• Holiday in the Wild
• The Knight Before Christmas

Hulu

• Bigfoot
• Polar Express
• Christmas Perfection
• A Very Brady Christmas

Amazon Prime Video

• It’s a Wonderful Life
• The Man Who Invented Christmas
• Christmas For a Dollar

Disney+

• Beauty and The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas
• The Ultimate Christmas Present
• The Nightmare Before Christmas
• The Santa Clause

Pluto TV

This totally free streaming service has added several holiday-themed “channels” to its lineup.

• Pluto TV Christmas (Ch 102)
• Pluto TV Mistletoe (Ch 103)
• Fireplace (Ch 104)
• Holiday Lights (Ch 105)

The post Christmas Movies Available for Streaming 2019 appeared first on Technically Well.

PROs

• Android on the big screen: You probably already know that there are plenty of streaming video apps for Android, like Netflix. So instead of watching them on your phone’s small screen, you can now enjoy them on your main TV thanks to this box. It’s basically an Android phone without a built-in screen. Instead, it has an HDMI out to connect to your TV.
• TV-friendly interface: The box boots into a large interface suitable for the TV screen. You can customize the entertainment and music apps that appear in this interface. There is also a link to the Google Play store that allows you to install additional apps.
• Entertainment-centric: This box has its own menu system which makes it easy to navigate on a TV screen. The included remote control allows you to explore the different options and many entertainment apps are already loaded, such as Kodi (XBMC) and Netflix.
• Game controller: I have the unit that includes a game controller, and this opens up a large library of entertainment. The included “Eagle Games” app directs you to compatible games with a built-in directory organized by category (like Action and RPG). Upon first use of Eagle Games, the on-screen instructions guide you through the pairing process (although it did take me a couple attempts to get it linked up). The controller uses a standard Micro USB to recharge.
• HDMI cable included: I was surprised to find an HDMI cord is included with this box (that wasn’t the case with my Apple TV).

CONs

• App crashes: I did experience some random app crashes, especially with the Eagle Games app.

TIP

• USB Keyboard: I was able to connect a USB keyboard I had laying around to one of the USB ports on the box, which made logging in and typing passwords much easier.

Overall, this is a great way to enjoy some of your Android video and game apps on your TV screen. While there are some bugs, I did find the interface to be responsive and app loading times were fairly quick.

— Sample provided for review

The post SmartBB S805 Streaming Android TV Box Review appeared first on Technically Well.

The Fox Entertainment Group launched the FXX network on September 2 and moved many of its highly rated FX network shows to the new FXX network.  With It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The League’s new seasons premiering just a couple days after the switch, many paying cable subscribers who were expecting to automatically receive the new station found out that was not the case.

Many Verizon FIOS subscribers found that they must subscribe to one of the top-tier packages in order to receive the FXX station.  Comcast, Charter, and many other cable companies around the country also required higher prices in order to watch the network, as evident from the many angry tweets from last night.  Here is a small sampling:

• @MattwRoyer: @FXXNetwork @VerizonFiOS  thanks for nothing #Fios channels can’t watch #SunnyFXX with prime package. #greed #moneygrab
• @holagrave: @CharterCom Thanks for putting @FXXNetwork on a sports tier that we have to pay $10/month extra to get in SD!! This company is a joke!!
• @RodeoKnits: Still peeved at @Suddenlink for putting @FXXNetwork in the sports package that I refuse to pay for even if svc rep says network’s choice.
• @becka31523: @FXXNetwork It’d be nice if @VerizonFiOS would carry you in Prime HD package Used to be a soccer channel & they won’t change the pkg it’s in
• @brelynkirk: really p***ed that I don’t get @FXXNetwork and had to miss @theleaguefxx. Thanks @VerizonFiOS
• @bmentlik: @FXXNetwork @VerizonFiOS #fail Thanks for pointlessly making FXX a premium channel…just lost a loyal @alwayssunny and @theleaguefxx viewer
• @narfle: @FXXNetwork I’d rather just quit watching @alwayssunny and @theleaguefxx than pay an extra $10 a month for your useless network, FXX.

What options do you have?  You can cut cable, of course.  Sadly, It’s Always Sunny isn’t available for streaming on Hulu any more, but you can purchase the season pass on Amazon Instant Video and get each episode at a small discount ($1.89/episode), which may be cheaper than subscribing to a higher-tier service.  Until cable companies give consumers what they really want (a la carte pricing), we can bet that cable customers will continue to be disappointed by their providers.

The post The New FXX Network Leaves Many Paying Cable Customers Angry appeared first on Technically Well.

Unveiled earlier this summer, Google Chromecast promises to allow you to easily enjoy your online content on your TV.  And “easy” is just what we need!  A frequent complaint from cord cutters is the difficulty in setting up something to stream to your TV.  And even though my Sony TV has built-in widgets and video services, the user interface is slow and clunky to navigate, and loading up a Netflix stream can sometimes take longer than getting up and popping in a DVD.

For the few supported apps at launch, simplicity is definitely achieved!  I can easily start a video on Netflix or Youtube with my iPhone, tap an icon, and send it to the Chromecast.  My TV then automagically changes inputs to the Chromecast and starts the video, but I’m guessing this auto-tuning feature will vary from TV to TV.  At first, I worried that streaming a couple episodes of Psych from my phone would drain it no time.  However, I was pleased to find out that Netflix and Youtube streaming actually happens from the cloud, so you can start doing something else on your phone and not worry about battery drain from the streaming video.

From your computer, you can also “mirror” whatever tab you have opened in Chrome to your TV.  While this works fine for showing web sites to friends, streaming video gets choppy and rough to watch (to be fair, my Macbook is a few years old and may not meet the minimum requirements for this feature).  Unlike Netflix and YouTube, the Chrome browser mirroring comes directly from your computer, taking up bandwidth on your home router and battery life on your laptop.    Surprisingly, Hulu.com isn’t blocked from this mirroring… yet.

PROs

• Easily control YouTube and Netflix video from your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android phone, Android tablet, Mac, or PC.
• Includes 3 months of Netflix, which can be applied to existing accounts. (Update: The Netflix promotion is unfortunately over.)
• Low cost: $35 for the device – $24 Netflix coupon code = $11 !  (Update: The Netflix promotion is over, but $35 still isn’t a bad deal for this device!)
• Streaming of supported apps happens from the cloud, saving battery life on your device.
• This sleek device connects easily to the back of your TV without taking up shelf space.
• Setup was a breeze: you can use a computer, iOS, and Android device to easily configure the Chromecast

CONs

• Supported apps are limited right now (only YouTube and Netflix at launch).  However, Netflix and YouTube for iOS have already been updated and include the Chromecast function, so no need to worry about app store approvals.
• Streaming video using the tab mirroring function can be choppy depending on your computer specs.  Currently it is only supported from your computer, so you won’t be able to mirror tabs from your phone or tablet.
• The Chromecast requires a small power supply (which you typically don’t see in pictures of the device).  Happily, the USB port built into my TV provides enough juice for the Chromecast.

Google has also released an SDK for developers, so hopefully we will see many more apps in the coming weeks.  If you currently have a “dumb” TV that you want to make “smart”, or just want an easier way to jump into Netflix, you can’t go wrong with the Chromecast’s low price!

Check out Chromecast on Amazon

The post Hands On: Google Chromecast Review appeared first on Technically Well.