TCL 4k 60hz panel with 120hz CMI vs PC gaming

[Tristerin]

Needed a TV, wife wanted to pick it out so I just left her to it.  Arrived yesterday and checked out what she got, and saw 120hz  and was like whooooaaaaa she got a good deal but then it was followed by CMI.

 

Google returned the results so it makes sense, its a simulated 120hz refresh rate (basically) and while Im not sure how that's EXACTLY achieved (backlighting and software?) - what does that mean for gaming?

 

[jaslion]

That you realllllly want to turn of the motion smoothing and everything it does to simulate the 120hz or you are going to have so much inputlag.

[LukeSavenije]

it means it's basically a placebo effect created with some kind of algoritm

 

though i should say, i personally have a p64, and I can just set a custom resolution to 1440p 144hz and have it natively

[Tristerin]

Yeah I don't buy into its mumbo jumbo personally as the refresh rate is physically restrained by the actual limitations of the hardware.  Makes sense about the input lag due to this software algorithm that likely has to finish first before input is accepted.

 

Ill have to look into the custom resolution stuff on TCL.  The panels colors are better than my previous 4k TV (my youngest decided to head butt the panel.  Second TV down in 2 years lol) in the living room so that's nice.  It "looks" smoother but doesn't feel right at the same time (CMI)

[jones177]

Years ago I bought a Samsung TV with fake 120hz for one of the bedrooms. It was a disaster as a monitor and as a TV. It is still in a bedroom but I think it has not been used for years. 

 

I watched TV for years in my bedroom on a 4k monitor while my big TV on a stand in front of a sofa sat idle.  Now I have thrown out the TV, stand and sofa and replaced them with 2  black 6ft X 30" tables with gaming chairs. One of the tables has a 55" G-sync compatible OLED TV on it. Now I am using my living room again. 

 

I still have my 4k monitor setup in the bedroom but I will be replacing it with a small OLED sometime this year along with the unused Samsung.

It took G-sync compatibility to get TVs back in favor again for me.  Now the days are numbered for my monitors. 

[Tristerin]

1 minute ago, jones177 said:

Years ago I bought a Samsung TV with fake 120hz for one of the bedrooms. It was a disaster as a monitor and as a TV. It is still in a bedroom but I think it has not been used for years. 

 

I watched TV for years in my bedroom on a 4k monitor while my big TV on a stand in front of a sofa sat idle.  Now I have thrown out the TV, stand and sofa and replaced them with 2  black 6ft X 30" tables with gaming chairs. One of the tables has a 55" G-sync compatible OLED TV on it. Now I am using my living room again. 

 

I still have my 4k monitor setup in the bedroom but I will be replacing it with a small OLED sometime this year along with the unused Samsung.

It took G-sync compatibility to get TVs back in favor again for me.  Now the days are numbered for my monitors. 

 

 

Even the remote feels sluggish in response.  Maybe this fake 120hz thing is the problem. 

[jones177]

7 minutes ago, Tristerin said:

 

 

Even the remote feels sluggish in response.  Maybe this fake 120hz thing is the problem. 

Could be but it could have a cheap processor in it.

 

My LG B9 has an older, slower, less expensive processor than the C9 that is $200 more. They both share the same screen and I could not see a difference in the image quality.  If I was using it as a traditional TV I would have bought the C9 since is has quicker smart menus, but since it is hooked up to a computer I only use the remote to turn it off and on and press the Netflix button.    

 

Manufactures may be keeping their less expensive TVs slow so their expensive TVs feel better. 

[Tristerin]

3 minutes ago, jones177 said:

Could be but it could have a cheap processor in it.

 

My LG B9 has an older, slower, less expensive processor than the C9 that is $200 more. They both share the same screen and I could not see a difference in the image quality.  If I was using it as a traditional TV I would have bought the C9 since is has quicker smart menus, but since it is hooked up to a computer I only use the remote to turn it off and on and press the Netflix button.    

 

Manufactures may be keeping their less expensive TVs slow so their expensive TVs feel better. 

Yeah, I am going to test this with the rig that sits in the living room (its not exactly what I would call 4k capable lol) and see how Windows 10 feels before I decide

 

Either way for the price its not a bad TV (so far, no real time with it yet lol) just curious about this CMI tech stuff (and now have noticed there are consumer lawsuits piling up against this type of advertisement lol)

[jones177]

TVs and lawsuits are not new to me. My $3500 55" Sony Bravia I bought in 2006 was advertised at 1080p but it was only 1080i. I got an extra years warranty out of that one. Then it was supposed to be PC ready and it was not so they had to come out to switch out hardware.

  

After the Samsung with the fake 120hz I gave up on TVs for gaming until I saw a LTT video on LG's G-sync compatible OLED TVs .