In this episode of You Asked, we address three frequently asked questions about home entertainment. First, we’ll analyze whether all-in-one soundbars are worth buying, especially for smaller rooms and simpler setups. Next, we recommend TVs that can withstand heavy daily use, with an emphasis on durability, gaming performance, and long-term utility over flashy features.
Finally, we explore the challenges of finding an accessible TV setup for blind users, including the limitations of smart TV phrasebooks and possible alternatives.
Are all-in-one soundbars worth it?
@vinayshsureshram277 asks: Are all-in-one soundbars worth it? Since they don’t have a subwoofer or satellite speakers
I think they are definitely worth it for the right person with the right setup. The biggest benefit you’ll notice with a soundbar is the clarity of the dialogue. Since most modern TV speakers are located on the back or sides of the TV, the sound needs to bounce off something to reach you. When you place the soundbar in front of the TV, it is already physically in a better place to project sound clearly at you.
So if you’re someone who just wants to hear better what you’re watching, an all-in-one soundbar is already worth it.
They are also worthwhile for viewing in a smaller room. There’s no shortage of soundbars that feature Dolby Atmos capabilities for accurate, immersive sound. Will it be as good as a setup with a subwoofer and satellite speakers? Probably not. But in a small room, an all-in-one soundbar may be all you need to get close enough to a good Dolby Atmos experience.
Not to mention, that same person in a small room may not have the space or desire for additional audio hardware.
Then there is the price. You’ll save a lot of money if you choose an all-in-one soundbar instead of a larger setup. So if you’ve been on the fence about whether to buy one, I think it’s definitely worth the effort. Larger systems with multiple speakers tend to get the attention, but I’ve watched more than a few movies with a single soundbar and the experience was great.
A television for intensive daily use
@vishizzy asks: I drive my TV super hard. Nine hours a day. What is your recommendation?
I don’t have much information about what you do with the TV for nine hours a day, but I’m assuming you play a lot of games. In my Call of Duty heyday, nine hours was a good working day. For this reason, I would recommend staying away from OLED, especially because of the higher risk of burn-in from static elements like maps, head-up displays, and logos that tend to stay in the same areas of the screen.
From personal experience, I still love the Samsung QN90C Mini LED TV that I have at home. I don’t leave it on for nine hours a day, but I often leave it on for hours during the day and evening to watch sports or shows with my wife. When everyone else is in bed, I usually watch a movie if I have the living room to myself.
The image quality and backlight performance are just as bright and responsive as the first time, and the operating system is still just as fast. For you, I would say the QN90F would be a good choice. It’s a newer version of the QN90C with better reflection processing and a few other improvements. One of these upgrades is an anti-reflective, matte screen surface. So if that’s not your thing, I’d recommend the Hisense U8QG instead.
It typically costs a little less, but still offers everything you’d expect from a premium mini LED TV. It’s actually slightly brighter than the Samsung and also supports Dolby Vision.
I should add that both TVs are great for gaming, with a native refresh rate of 165 Hertz and variable refresh rate support in gaming mode.
Since you care enough to ask the question, I suspect you have concerns about spending a lot of money on a TV that will see heavy use. If you want a cheaper option, take a look at the TCL QM6K. It’s not as bright as the other two, but it’s still a solid TV with many of the same or similar features.
A “dumb” TV with voice guidance for a blind user
@ThatWhichISee asks: I’m looking for a stupid TV for my completely blind father. All it requires is a simple antenna connection. The problem I’m running into is that his old flat screen had a voice assistant. The channel number would be there. Turning on WiFi and watching a simple TV is not a solution. Too many floors to maneuver. I found a simple remote control for the elderly that only has channel, volume and power connections.
That’s a great question and I’ve been thinking about it for a few weeks.
First, I wanted to suggest focusing on smart features. Many voice assistants can open apps and navigate to channels. But when I tested this myself I encountered the same problem you described. Too many buttons. I can tell my TV to open YouTube TV and it does, but then I’m immediately presented with a profile selection screen.
You can navigate beyond that, but when I say “Go to the USA Channel,” I don’t go there directly. I still have to make another selection. This is not a good experience for your father.
I found that Samsung’s Voice Guide does a good job of telling you where you are on the screen and what options are available. However, apps like YouTube TV are still too complex. Sometimes it would show me how much time was left in a show, but not the actual channel or show unless I was on the program screen, which requires a lot of navigation.
I’d lean on the community a bit at this point, because I imagine the same issues I’m seeing with Samsung’s Voice Guide will appear on other TVs once you start using apps.
I don’t currently have one on hand to test, but Apple TV and Roku both offer solid voice guidance that reads the screen. I would imagine that a dedicated streaming box whose primary function is to serve apps would support screen reading more effectively.
Still, I would greatly appreciate additional input from others who may have first-hand experience with such a setup.
