ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Telly guarantees a free TV in return in your knowledge and a few commercials.
- The adverts weren’t practically as intrusive as I believed they might be, and the audio and video high quality have been wonderful.
- A built-in digital camera not solely provides helpful options but in addition affords some enjoyable, new methods to work together.
Once I first heard in regards to the Telly program — which affords a totally free 55-inch tv in the event you’re keen to view some adverts — I used to be decidedly uninterested. When an honest sufficient 55-inch good tv could be had for under $400, why trouble with one which’s going to drown me with adverts?
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The attract of a free TV and easy curiosity bought the higher of me although and I utilized for this system in June. I had largely forgotten about it till mid-December after I bought an e-mail asking me to finish my order as a result of I might been accepted into the beta program.
And now, after greater than a month with Telly, I do not remorse signing up in any respect.
Earlier than we get into the technical half, I need to level out that that is the heaviest TV I’ve encountered in a very long time. It was the one TV I’ve ever had delivered by two individuals. However, that is sensible given the addition of a second display screen. The underside display screen additionally means it is a good bit taller than all different TVs — virtually 40 inches — so you will want a decrease stand.
Once I first fired up my set, an advert for a credit score app performed on the principle display screen. The underside display screen confirmed the climate, NFL scores, a information article, a scrolling information ticker, and an commercial for an area hospital. The commercial took up a few fifth of the underside display screen.
My first thought was “That is it?”
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The adverts weren’t practically as intrusive as I anticipated. The advert on the underside does often stretch to replenish the entire second display screen, however it’s not typically. And Telly understands what you are watching — say, an NFL recreation, and shows related adverts.
I used to be rapidly capable of navigate to the place I wished to on the principle display screen, and the rotating advert on the underside display screen match properly beside the remainder of the data… data I began to search out helpful.
The underside display screen shows a number of widgets you could activate or off (I opted out of the inventory costs widget). On my setup, one widget displayed the native climate, one confirmed NFL scores, and one provided information headlines from the sources I selected. There’s additionally a scrolling information ticker on the underside after which a small advert to the precise.
Once I fired up my first content material, I discovered that the second display screen wasn’t distracting in any respect. In reality, I loved it. Seeing NFL scores with out checking my telephone was handy, and I noticed a number of information tales that prompted me to hunt out extra information. Telly wasn’t inundating me with adverts like I believed; as a substitute, it was offering helpful data tailor-made to my pursuits.
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A small draw back is that Telly is not a wise TV. It comes with some apps preinstalled like Zoom and Spotify, however you may’t add any extra. All your streaming content material is accessed via an Android dongle that plugs into the HDMI port. It is nonetheless completely accessible; it simply requires an additional step and a second distant.
The TV has the same old inputs on the again — a pair of USBs, three HDMI 2.1 ports (certainly one of which is eARC for a sound bar), two audio out, and a cable/antenna in. There are additionally built-in LED lights on the again. The settings menu enables you to change them to certainly one of 9 colours, management the brightness, or disable them fully. I do have third-party LED backlights on my predominant TV, and I appreciated the choice to regulate Telly’s straight from the settings.
There’s a digital camera on Telly, which I attempted out with a Zoom call. The digital camera high quality the opposite particular person noticed wasn’t wonderful, however it was completely fantastic for that function. There’s a promise of extra content material that makes use of the digital camera like health, gaming, and even watch events the place you see your folks on the second display screen as you all view the identical factor, however these aren’t out there but. The digital camera is roofed by a bodily shutter when it is not in use.
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This TV additionally comes with a group of video games, together with some which are performed on the principle display screen and a few that may be performed on the decrease display screen whereas watching content material on the principle. The video games are managed by the TV distant and embrace classics like Asteroids, Breakout, Centipede, Crossy Street, Deal or No Deal, Trivia Crack and extra. Telly guarantees that motion-controlled video games are on the best way.
So how does this TV look and sound? Higher than I anticipated.
By way of precise specs, Telly has stored issues fairly secret relating to the show. It does have 4K functionality with 60Hz refresh fee and HDR and HDR10+ assist, however no VRR assist. Image settings embrace your primary brightness and distinction sliders together with an “superior” menu that features a colour tuner plus a toggle for noise discount and movie mode.
I discovered the image high quality to be proper on par with most units I see, and whereas this set would not seem to have native dimming, the distinction was good. I watch TV in a brilliant atmosphere with plenty of pure gentle, however Telly dealt with it fantastic. The set brightness routinely adjusted to the room.
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The audio on this set stunned me, as most value-oriented televisions have sound that is subpar. However not Telly. After all, the sound is not technically coming from the TV as there is a built-in Dolby Atmos soundbar that sits between the 2 screens. However the audio is lots loud, reaching a most degree I might by no means use, and the audio system offered a reasonably respectable bass rumble throughout motion scenes. Dialogue got here via crisp and clear, one thing I discover many TVs wrestle with.
A small downside is that there are zero sound settings if you would like to fine-tune issues — not even sound profiles to select from. However I discovered the usual settings fantastic for the whole lot I attempted. Once I plugged in my PS5, I bought precisely what I anticipated — an honest show that dealt with each recreation I attempted with no blurring or stuttering. There aren’t fancy gaming choices or settings like different TVs have, however I used to be completely content material gaming on this set.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
It is true {that a} portion of Telly’s options — a built-in digital camera, a voice assistant, and even the built-in backlights, aren’t distinctive. The second display screen is the novelty right here. Provided that Telly’s premise is basically “each tv is promoting your knowledge, why should not the shopper get one thing in return?” I used to be anticipating that second display screen to be a barrage of blatant promoting. As a substitute, I bought a refined nudge to test my credit score rating and to purchase some sneakers.
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Like all televisions, I am sure that Telly is taking knowledge about what exhibits I watch and sending it to who is aware of the place. However, in the event you’re keen to cope with that truth (which you are in the event you personal virtually any good TV), Telly is a fairly good likelihood to scoop up not simply an modern TV, however a free one.
This set is not going to win any awards for its video high quality and it would not have fancy choices for players, however it’s completely fantastic for the overwhelming majority of customers — myself included.