Technology: A smart choice for a 4K TV

Lately there has been a lot of talk about 4K TVs In fact recently one of the top DTH service providers launched a set top box offering 4K content making this Ultra High Definition UHD a reality However prices of 4KTVs are still very high Though several of the top players have reduced the prices of their 4K TVs to between 15 lakh2 lakh for most of us it might still be over budgetIf you are looking for an option in the 1 lakh range you might want to check out the offerings from VU TVs We took their first 4K UHD model the 55inch LED55XT780 3D Smart TV for a spinoff and heres what we foundWhat we likedAccessories The LED 55XT780 is a stunner with its metallic edges and slim body with the shining VU logo at the bottom Apart from the TV set the package includes the necessary manuals and guidebook audio and video cables remote with two 3AAA batteries and two 3D glasses with four tablet batteries to get you by your 3D needs We are told each battery would last for almost a yearDisplay The 3840 pixels wide by2160 tall display is impressive offering perfect blacks and whites mdash we found no missing pixels During our review we tested several videos of different resolution qualities and brightness levels but not once did we feel a need to adjust the colour or brightness level This takes us to the brain behind the display of the VU LED 55XT780 mdash a quad core display scaling engine which makes even 480p videos look great on screen The refresh rate stands at 120Hz which is slightly above some of the popular models The viewing angle is also decent at 178 degrees offering a good view from anywhere in the roomAudio The 10watt10watt speakers do a good job at offering a theatrelike experience but a 51 channel is advised to make the most of it Audio output is possible both in the form digital optical as well as analogue mdash 35inch Auxout for headphones as well as regular audio connectors for a 51 channelConnectivity This device comes with WiFi support You can also install apps like Skype but you will require a Web camera for video chats It also supports DLNA which means it can access all shared content on your home network be it on your phone laptop computer or tablet There are plenty of input as well as output ports including three USB ports four HDMI ports one each of VGA input port component in RGB port AV input as well as RF connectivity input3D viewing The display engine also does a pretty good job of displaying 3D content with the option to change settings like depth of field The 3D glasses are easy to use and require a slight push to pair with the device Also from what we know you can also install 500GB storage space in the device at an extra cost And if your smartphone allows wireless display you can project your phones screen on the TV as wellWhat we didnt likeThe inbuilt video player seems to have a few issues While it shows videoaudio codec error while playing a video via DLNA the same video plays fine when connected using a USB Then again this can be fixed easily via an overtheair update What we also didnt like is VU isnt very clear about the supported video formats leaving consumers a tad sceptical We ordered a highres 3D film only to realise later that the format was not supported Also we found that the connecting ports placed in the back were very difficult to reachThe graphic engine struggles when it comes to converting 2D to 3D and viewing such content is not advised Besides you may require adjusting the motion jitter compensation MJC to get the right feel while playing videos on USB something that would be a bit too technical for most buyers Perhaps a smart switch or an explanation could workVU has managed to pack most of the features found in 4K TVs offered by some of Indias top brands at almost half the price and is worth checking out However if R1 lakh is still too steep you might want to take a look at its smaller 4K display unitsAvailable on Flipkartcom