Review of Toshiba TF-55A810U21 55-inch Smart 4K UHD with Dolby Vision and DTS TruSurround TV - Fire TV Edition - Limited Version
Purchase Date: 29 MAY 2020
Initial Review Date: 4 JUN 2020
Initial Impressions
I had an older 49in TV which had a backlight failure, so I was looking for a TV of equal or slightly greater size. I found this TV on Amazon and took a shot on it. When it arrived, it was packaged quite well. I took it out of the box and plugged it in immediately after checking the screen with a flashlight for damage during shipment. The TV powered on and the screen was not broken; a good start. I mounted the TV (it includes the screws to do so and recommends an M6 screw on the back of the unit) and found out you cannot do this mounting on your own. I had to hold the TV while my son connected all the inputs into the back of it. This TV is bulky, weighing around 32lbs. I was afraid that I would break it trying to get it mounted. Thankfully, I didn’t.
Once mounted, we turned on the TV and began the initial setup. I plugged in an ethernet cable into the back of the TV (Ethernet still provides more stability and speed than Wi-Fi) and waited as it updated twice. I signed into my Amazon account and then began exploring the picture quality of the TV
Picture Quality
My old set was a 1080p 49in TV without HDR. Even without 4k content, HDR makes a remarkable difference in the quality of the image, even in resolutions as low as 720p. Without seeing it in person it’s hard to adequately describe, but there is a sense of life in the image that wasn’t there prior. Not being familiar with it, I started to get a little motion sick; but once acclimated I began to appreciate just how much more detail HDR actually gives to an image; even in older movies. Certain elements in the foreground seem to pop out, making the image look almost three-dimensional. It’s a really neat effect which is enhanced even more when 4k content is played.
Fire TV Software
I’m not a fan of Fire TV, having owned an original device I found that it lacks storage and it doesn’t seem to have as much polish as its competitors. However, the implantation on this TV isn’t that awful. The TV itself has 4.27GB of storage with around 2.02GB available after installing a couple of apps (YouTube TV, Disney+, Hulu, Fandango Now, Netflix). I don’t have a terrestrial antenna hooked up to the TV so I cannot comment on those features but there is a channel guide that pulls its information from Pluto TV, which I thought was a pretty cool add; especially since Pluto TV is free to use. I’d like to see more integration sources such as YouTube TV or Sling, but Pluto TV has a lot of content in and of itself. The channel guide and other quick settings can be summoned by holding down on the home button. This works when playing content or when just at the main screen of the TV. I enabled CEC so that my other devices could control the TV, but I found out that my particular model of soundbar, connected to the optical port of the TV, is unable to be controlled by the TV remote. Bummer. I’m hoping that could be addressed in a future software update, but maybe my naïveté is showing.
Conclusion
This TV is an excellent value for the price. Its picture quality is astounding and the Fire TV software is neat, but not anything to write home about. I’m disappointed I can’t control my soundbar with the TV remote but the picture quality of the TV more than makes up for that shortcoming.
| Brand Name | TOSHIBA |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 33.1 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 12.01 x 49.09 x 30.16 inches |
| Item model number | TF-55A810U21 |
| Batteries | 2 AAA batteries required. (included) |
| Color Name | Black |
| Special Features | Flat |
| Item Weight | 33.07 Pounds |
| Standing screen display size | 55 Inches |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
