Black Friday brought me a tablet and 65" UHD TV

[RV_]

I finally caved and bought a new last model Surface 3 Pro. 128GB SSD, i5, 64 bit, 4GB RAM. It is sweet. Battery lasts as long as listed.

 

I got it new and it had Windows 8.1 So I did 136 updates, a firmware update, told it to configure it like my current tablet, and even though blank, it had all my settings, favorites in IE and the new Edge browser. I then ordered it to upgrade to Windows 10. No problem and with my now 100mbs cable broadband, all of thru updates and the upgrade to 10 took a couple of hours tops.

 

No issues, no problems, very happy.

 

Tomorrow I load Office Home and Biz 2010, that is if I don't just start over with a factory restore because I went along with all the new programs as the defaults. I'll decide tomorrow but in any event I'll be done by tomorrow night. The new TV, a Visio m65 UHD comes in on Wednesday. I've gotten all my large screen TVs online three counting the last one, a Panasonic 60" with the best 1080p picture of all save one other plasma until now. 4k UHD blows it away. It's got HDCP2.2 And the HDMI 2.2 ports to support that. Full array LED and 32 zones of dimming with UHD upscaling engines behind a 6 core processor built in computer and built in dual band 1900ac WiFi. And more! I ordered the new Fire TV to go with it as it was Black Friday sale priced at $79.99. It is specifically made for UHD sets capable of the streaming HDCP 2.2 and the ports and cables for it. Can't stream much of the 4k without it as the compression systems now used won't work with just a 4k set.

 

Good haul this year!

 

Reviews later, 3:30 gotta sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[StarDreamers.us]

Interesting Read! Thanks for sharing!

 

Safe Travels!

[RV_]

YW!

This was a first. When I ordered it on Amazon they asked me to pick a three hour time block to have my TV delivered next Wednesday. I picked 12-3pm.

 

I got this email yesterday:

 

"Pilot Freight Services is scheduled to deliver the VIZIO M65-C1 65-INCH you recently ordered from MENLO 3PL FORT WORTH, TX

We have scheduled an appointment for this delivery on:
Wednesday, 12/02/2015 between 12:00 PM - 15:00 PM

 

The address we have for this delivery is :

 

( I deleted my full name, address, and phone number here)

 

This delivery will require an adult's signature to complete.

 

No response is necessary to receive this delivery as scheduled above.

 

Your Pilot Tracking number for this shipment is XXXXXXX0X.
You may track your shipment online using the following link:
http://www.I_changed_this_link_to_not_be_real.org

 

If you need to change this delivery contact Pilot National Customer Service at HIPILOT@pilotdelivers.com or call 877-549-0160.

If your shipment consists of a TV, your delivery will be completed by a representative of Pilot Freight Services. Here is what the service entails:
1. A two-man team will deliver your TV into room of choice.
2. They will remove the TV from its packaging.
3. Assembly of the base of the TV.
4. Placement of the TV on an existing stand, table or entertainment center.
5. They will test the TV for power and blue screen.
6. Removal of all packaging material for the TV.

 

Pilot Freight Services is not authorized to perform the following services:
1. Hooking the TV up to your cable box for you; 2. Mounting the TV or assemble any wall unit or stand; 3. Moving furniture to gain access to the power outlet. The Pilot representative must have clear access to the power outlet to check if the TV powers up properly.

 

While the Pilot representative is placing your TV in the designated area, this would be a good time to install the batteries in the remote control so you can verify that the remote control is operable. The Pilot representative is not responsible for the set-up of the remote control.

We recommend keeping the box in case you need to return the TV. However, the Pilot Freight Services representative will take the packaging away unless you tell them you would like to keep it.

 

You should not accept delivery of the TV if it does not have power or blue screen; if the remote control is inoperable; or if you see any physical damage to the TV of any kind.

 

Do not reply to this message, this message was sent from a send-only account.
Replies to this message will not be responded to.

For any questions regarding this delivery contact Pilot National Customer Service at HIPILOT@pilotdelivers.com or call 877-549-0160

 

Holy Moly things have changed, for the better.

[BooneDocks]

I would be interested in your evaluation of its upscaling performance.

[RV_]

I will BD,

That was one of the reasons I chose it. Going to the AVS forums they did not think much of the Samsungs or Panasonics this year as well as nothing good or bad about the LGs. In Vizio it used to be the P series that was tops but I believe they are going with D as their bottom line, E as their midline and the M like mine the top tier. I learned about HDCP and HDMI 2.2 compatibility as being essential because you have to have the hardware to stream real 4K later as more content becomes available. IT also has 32 dimming zones with a full array LRD backlight instead of edge lit. Many of the Samsungs and lower models with 4K are equipped to only dim 14 zones. This Vizio also has 5 HDMI. I am stuck with it as I saw no real values in UHD with top specs. They also have the same specs in a 60" and 55" M series. But the sale items were IMHO junk. It was also rated as the Best value of 2015 by CNET reviewers. Just a few years ago this would cost, in a 65 inch like mine more than $3k.

 

I'll do a review later but give me some time as we are only OTA Broadcast TV and I am still using a small indoor antenna. But my broadband will let me play with the YouTube 4k content. I have a bunch of them bookmarked. This one is a three minute one about Costa Rica in 4k that is stunning even with a 1080 HD screen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNJdPyoqt8U Actually my 27" desktop touch screen is quad HD, 2,560-by-1,440. So I can see the 4k streams downscaled and they are breathtaking. I can't wait. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2422239,00.asp

[RV_]

BD,

Just got the Cyber Monday ads for Dell and they have the 50" M series Vizio for $599 as a door buster at 8 am tomorrow: http://deals.dell.com/productdetail/vm50c1sn

[BooneDocks]

I am holding off on 4k after I had read the Consumer Reports article. Gave a 50 inch Panasonic plasma to my son which I will borrow back and wait at least another year on UHD.

[RV_]

(Edited to clarify the first line)

The short version:

 

BD, we've been watching an inexpensive Emerson 40 " TV that we bought for the 5th wheel for the last month since selling the Panny plasma set, and it has been fine. My non 1080p ASUS T200 was fine. But before they become worthless as an XP computer today, I move up at the point where I can still get half of what I paid, and add half or more to get the good not best with new features. See the prices come down and I have half the cost of the new tech. No one NEEDS UHD on their TV,or USB3, and quad HD on their computer or tablet. Our Venue 11 Pro tablet cost us $235 Dell factory refurb'd on eBay with a one year warranty, which I have renewed. I can sell it today for what I paid. Our Plasma cost $935 or some such weird price just under $1k, Black Friday or Cyber Monday many moons ago, and we got $450 for it because it was pristine as new.

End short version

 

I loved my Panny plasma too. Back ten years ago, from a foot away, it was so much better than LED sets, the now that much difference in the Plasma and the UHD sets. The article I liked best which pretty much summed up my research was from my favorite AV reference forums and review site, AVS forums. http://www.avsforum.com/2015-avs-holiday-gift-guide-flat-panel-tvs/ It legitimized Vizio brand for me and gave me the mid range position and why of my set. They came out with the reference series and blew away the competition. I am not in the MINO state of mind (Money Is No Object) for either $6000 TV or $10 k speakers.

 

Today for a MIno the Vizio reference series is the best this year. For my modest budget it was either a 1080 OLED screen like my Windows phone has, or the Vizio M series if it dropped some from its ~$1700 range, which it did. Apparently lots of others agreed because they sold out on Dell's presale immediately, then I missed them at TigerDirect, and felt lucky to find the $1299 price at Amazon. So I didn't wait again. Next year the price will be less, and new tech will come out, and our plain jane 40" LED set is fine. 15 years ago its 1080p picture, three HDMI inputs, and digital audio ports, would have been stunning and too expensive.

 

Like computers, I feel the decision is not wait until the tech is perfect, but when the feature/s I want mature/s and is there, along with the corresponding economies of scale kicking in, making it affordable, Otherwise, as I have seen many times, people can wait forever for the perfect system and miss years of enjoying the new state of the art. Then there are folks who don't care. They are happy, so are we. Some of the non techies here spend way more on their Tournament Bass Boats and Hunting equipment and leases including 4 wheelers etc. My friends like watching my TV when here, and I like going for rides on their ATVs when we visit them. Even though I no longer hunt, due to lumbar issues, and even a bit of not wanting to sit in a tree in the bitter cold, hoping a large mammal comes along for my table. And I never turn down some venison from my BIL who can process and ice locker them perfectly. We are all different and happy. They don't feel the need to rain on my parade nor I theirs. When I do get a comment about spending too much on my toys I ask them how much they paid for their new for their new two-seater ATV, and my friends grin and say yeah, good point. Maybe after I get my surgery

 

I am not a MINO. The plasma made it difficult to use a computer or listen to Pandora without setting up a screen saver. Plasma screens can burn in, unlike LED screens, regardless of the screen shake settings. My 60" set drew a lot of power as well, as costing double in energy as it generated lots of heat to add to the A/C load here in summer. I just got into TV computers again with the little Voyo micro mini. As well I ordered the Fire TV that was on sale to replace my old Fire TV without 4K HDCP 2.2 support. My old Fire TV will move here to my quad HD desktop, replacing my old Roku 3 which does not do voice search.

 

Plasma gave me the best blacks, which over time get a bit grayer, 7 years ago. Today, OLED has the best color saturations and blacks, that can make 1080p rival the feeling of all but the best full array UHD LED screens. But I will not pay the current price of OLED UHD, and feel, at least for me, that the Vizio M series makes a good mid level entry for us into 4kUHD. Besides, every year my vision gets a bit worse and my prescription changes. I hope to have 20 more years or more here at 63. Genetically I should, but few of my family other than my dad who died at a young 70, were exposed to the airborne lead and JP4 fumes and assorted other toxins, solvents, oils and that go along with daily weapons training.

 

So I too am waiting and know what my next TV will be, as the price will inevitably go down. A full array OLED UHD 4k with 128 fields of dimming. Way beyond what I will pay today, or tomorrow. The Vizio will tide me over fine. Your Plasma is ten steps above the Emerson we've made do with for the last month or so living in the house, and two months living in the rig. It'll tide you over even better.

 

Safe travels!