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VIZIO M-Series (M65-F0) 4K HDR Smart TV review

REVIEW – I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a couch potato and next to my smartphone and MacBook, my wall-mounted TV is my most used “gadget”. Jeanne and I enjoy keeping up with our favorite TV shows and every weekend it’s our habit to make popcorn and watch several movies. Since we spend a lot of time in front of a TV, we both appreciate picture quality and special features that make TV time as enjoyable as possible. Today I want to share my review of the VIZIO M65-F0 4K HDR Smart TV which was provided by VIZIO for free in exchange for posting this review. Let’s get started.

What is it?

The VIZIO M65-F0 4K HDR Smart TV is a 65 inch TV that has smart features like a built-in Chromecast and various streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and more.

What’s in the box

VIZIO M65-F0 4K HDR Smart TV
Set of feet for table mounting the TV
Power cable
Remote control

Hardware specs

Class Size: 65″
Screen Size (Diag.): 64.50″ / 1638.30 mm
Panel Type: VA
Smart Platform: VIZIO SmartCast™ with Chromecast built-in
High Dynamic Range: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
Resolution: Ultra HD – 3840 x 2160
UHD Upscale Engine: Spacial Scaling Engine™
Display Processor: V8 Octa-Core Processor
Backlight Type: Full Array LED
Local Dimming Zones: 40
Clear Action™: 360
Effective Refresh Rate: 120Hz
Active Pixel Tuning™: Yes
Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 20M:1
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Viewable Angle (H/V): 178° /178°
Number of Colors: 1.07Billion
Built-in Wi-Fi: 802.11ac Dual Band
UHD Codec Support: VP9 and HEVC (H.265)
HDMI Ports: 4 (1 side / 3 bottom)
Component: 1 (side/shared with Composite)
Ethernet: 1 (bottom)
USB Ports: 1 (side)
TV Tuner: Yes
ARC: Yes
Speakers/Power Output: 15W x 2
Analog Audio Out: 1 (bottom)
Digital Audio Out (SPDIF): 1 (bottom)

Design and features

When it comes to the way the VIZIO M65-F0 looks, it is pretty much perfect in my opinion because it’s all screen. No gaudy chrome accents or huge bezels, just a big gorgeous display with thin bezels that you barely notice and a tiny status LED in the lower left corner.

I said that the VIZIO has thin bezels and I meant it. The sides and top bezels are only about a 1/8 of an inch wide and the bottom bezel with the VIZIO logo in the bottom right corner is only about half an inch wide. This TV has the thinnest bezels I’ve ever seen. They are almost non-existent.

The back of the Vizio M65-F0 TV has a black plastic panel with the AV inputs arranged in a recessed L shaped layout on the left bottom edge and a physical power button and volume buttons on the same side.

The side of the input panel has a USB port, component connections, and an HDMI port.

The bottom part of the input panel has 3 more HDMI ports (one with ARC), an optical audio out, audio out Left & Right, and an Ethernet port. But don’t worry, the set also has built-in WiFi so there’s no need to hardwire it into your network. The VIZIO M65-F0 also has a coax connector for an antenna and it has a built-in tuner. So you can cut the cord, hook up an OTA antenna and enjoy free content.

On the right side of the TV is the power port.

The port is recessed which is helpful if you plan to mount your TV on a wall like I do.

The VIZIO comes with a set of legs/feet if you want to use it on a table, but I don’t have a separate cabinet or entertainment system. I mount my TVs on the wall to get that home theater look and feel.

Installation

I was pretty excited when I first saw the back of the VIZIO with the VESA mount screws. Yes, I know that this it’s not unusual for TVs to have a VESA mount on the back. But upon first glance, I thought the screws in the back of the TV were the mounting screws.

I started to give kudos to VIZIO because I thought that they were nice enough to include screws for wall mounting. That’s until I removed them and realized they were just useless short place holder screws. Bummer! I was lucky that the screws in my previous TV were the same size/length needed for the Vizio but why can’t TV makers include the screws? I doubt that it would add more than a $1 to the price.

Here we see the M65-F0 mounted on the wall and ready for movie night!

Setting up the VIZIO M65-F0

It took only a few minutes to set up the VIZIO once it was mounted on my wall and connected to my Onkyo TX-SR608 AV receiver via an HDMI cable connected to the HDMI/ARC port on the back of the Vizio and a DirecTV receiver connected to the Onkyo.

The included remote has a good layout and includes dedicated buttons to launch the SmartCast menu and for the built-in SmartCast apps for VUDU, Netflix, Amazon, XUMO, Crackle, and iHeart Radio.

One cool thing about the VIZIO is that you can control it using your voice control from Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa-enabled devices. I don’t currently have an Amazon Echo or a Google Home to test it but according to what I’ve read you can use your voice to power the set on or off, adjust volume, and other basic commands. I can see this as a useful feature if you are a true couch potato and are eating in front of the TV and don’t want to use your greasy fingers to change the volume using the remote when you can just use your voice.

During setup, you’re prompted connect the TV to your wireless network so it can install any needed firmware updates. From there you can explore the menus that will let you customize the settings which you will definitely want to do because the default picture color settings out of the box didn’t impress me.

The M65-F0 has 6 picture modes to choose from: Standard, Calibrated, Calibrated Dark, Vivid, Game, and Computer. All of the modes except for Vivid looked washed and blah to me while the Vivid mode made people’s faces look too red or orange. I was a little worried by this during the beginning stages of my testing, but after some tweaks to the color settings, I got everything dialed in and looking great to my eyes. The TV has 6 custom memories to use for your own adjustments and you can save them with your own custom name like “Julie’s Daytime Settings; etc…”.

Blacks and whites on this set are deeper with more levels and the whites are brighter than my previous TVs which is a good thing but sometimes the whites are almost too bright which is where the Calibrated Dark mode is useful. Especially if you like to watch TV in the dark.

I do most of my TV watching through DirecTV, which isn’t exactly a great source of UHD programming to highlight the strengths of this set.

That said, DirecTV HD content looks sharp and the colors are vibrant. The M65-F0 has pretty good viewing angles too. You’re going to want to be directly in front of the screen for optimal sharpness and color, but off angle isn’t too bad.

If you’re a cord cutter, you’ll love the VIZIO M65-F0’s SmartCast features. You might remember that I reviewed the Vizio M50-D1 back in 2016. That set came with a 6-inch Android tablet that could be used as the TV remote and a SmartCast app device. This 2018 VIZIO set doesn’t come with a tablet, but you don’t need one because it has the apps right on the TV or you can use your smartphone with the SmartCast app.

The SmartCast apps on the TV allow you to connect to your Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, VUDU, YouTube, and other streaming services including VIZIO’s own WatchFree free content app that makes cord cutting a breeze. But the built-in apps don’t include some big names like HBO, DirecTV Now, ESPN, etc and from what I can tell, there’s no way to add them at this time. But, firmware updates might change that at some point. But it’s not a big deal since you can use the SmartCast app on your phone or tablet with any Chromecast-enabled app like HBO Go, DirecTV Now, and many more.

VIZIO’s SmartCast app is cool because it offers a bunch of apps all in one place, provides content recommendations and will let you search across apps so that you don’t have to search from them individually. But you can still go to other apps like Netflix, or HBO Go, or Vudu directly to find content.

One of my favorite features of this VIZIO TV is the built-in Chromecast which allows me to unplug the 2nd generation Chromecast that has been hanging off my AV receiver for the past year.

I love Chromecast and do a lot of content casting mainly from the Netflix app from my Pixel 2 XL. Using the VIZIO’s built-in Chromecast works exactly like the regular Chromecast I was using, so there was no learning curve. It just works. Actually, it works BETTER than the Chromecast that I was using before because the VIZIO’s built-in Chromecast is like a Chromecast Ultra which can stream UHD with HDR content from apps that support it.

During my testing of this TV, I’ve used it to watch content from DirecTV, BluRay DVDs, Netflix, Hulu, and VUDU through the built-in SmartCast apps and from my phone. The UHD content looks fantastic to my eyes even though my Onkyo AV receiver is around 8 years old and doesn’t support 4K or UHD. It does have a passthrough feature which is what I used.

I do plan to upgrade my AV receiver in the next couple of weeks and will update this review if I notice any big changes to the picture quality. I am looking forward to updating the receiver because the VIZIO was unable to use HDMI CEC feature to automatically power on/off the AV receiver and switch inputs as needed for audio. So until I update, I’m back to using 2 remotes. One for the TV/DirecTV and one for the AV receiver. This is a little annoying but it’s obviously not a deal breaker because this TV is a nice improvement over the one I was using.

What I like

  • Gorgeous picture
  • Almost no bezels
  • Built-in Chromcast
  • Built-in tuner
  • Voice controllable via Alexia or Google assistant

What needs to be improved

  • Screws included in the VESA mounts are useless
  • HDMI CEC wouldn’t work with my Onkyo AV receiver

Final thoughts

If you’re shopping for a new 4K UHD TV, the VIZIO M-Series (M65-F0) 4K HDR Smart TV will not disappoint with its rich blacks, bright whites, vibrant color, and sharp picture. It’s enjoyable to watch all my favorite shows and movies on this set and it’s earned a well-deserved place on my wall.

Price: $999.99
Where to buy: Best Buy, Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by VIZIO.

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VIZIO M-Series (M65-F0) 4K HDR Smart TV review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 8, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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LG’s new 4K projector is its first and most expensive

4K projectors are becoming more versatile these days, and LG’s HU80KA is no exception. It won a Best of Innovation award at CES earlier this year and will be available at retailers in the US later this week.

Brighter is better

In addition to being LG’s first 4K projector, it will also be its brightest yet at 2500 lumens. But it will also be the brands most expensive costing $3000.

The HU80KA has a unique upright box shape and is capable of outputting a 4K picture up to 150-inches onto a wall or ceiling.

There’s a lid on top of the projector that opens when you want to use it.

Its design also makes it incredibly versatile. You can set it on the floor, tabletop or hang it from the ceiling. Its built-in handle and cord reel make it easy to carry from room to room.

It features support for industry-standard HDR10, wireless connection for external devices, Bluetooth, two built-in 7W speakers, as well as HDMI and optical audio.

The HU80KA also has LG’s webOS Smart TV software, so you’ll have access to all your favorite streaming platforms.

If you’re interested in buying the LG HU80KA be sure to check out their website for a list of retailers that will stock it.

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LG’s new 4K projector is its first and most expensive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 6, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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OmiCam 4K VR action cam review


What is it?

OMICAM is a versatile wearable VR action camera with built-in auto horizon and image stabilization, along with supporting features that include editing and streaming.

What’s in the box

Package contents:

1x OMI Camera
1x OMI Stand with Quick Release
1x 360 degree Quick Release Clip
1x Quick Release Set (Flat Mount, Screw Mount, 3x Tape)
1x Carrying Bag
1x Micro USC Charging Cable
1x Screw Driver
1 x Instruction booklet

Design and features

The OMICAM VR action camera is a small, compact, water resistant action camera that records video in 4K, and has the ability to provide stabilization on both horizontal and vertical planes even with rigorous movement. At the top of the camera, there is the lens in a circular encasement, and on the front, there is a shutter button.

On the bottom there is a ¼”-20 female threaded mount.


On the left is the power button and Wi-Fi button as one button, the micro SD card port, and the USB port.

On the top at the back there is the Lifelog button which allows you to switch the selection between photo and video. The camera and video icons light green when the camera is on and in ready mode, and the video icon lights red when recording video. The camera icon flashes blue when the shutter button is depressed to take a picture.

The rest of the back has the mounting holes for the various mounts.

This action camera has a lens that is able to capture footage at a 240 degree angle, which provides a nice perspective when moving up or down or side to side. When I viewed the video, looking at the footage from that VR 240 degree perspective was strange. The camera recorded both video and audio, and for every one minute, it took up 108MB of space on my micro SD card. It has a 12 Megapixel Sensor for capturing great images,  records up to 80 minutes in continuous video mode,  2 1/2 hours of video in lifelog mode, and 15 hours of video when filming in long period Lifelog mode. It records 4K video at 30 frames per second. In Lifelog mode, the OMI Camera uses a smart algorithm to record up to 15 hours of film. It does this by turning off for 3 minutes and then waking up for 5 seconds to record video. It continuously repeats the cycle. It can also take snapshots/photos at intervals.

Once you download the app, it connects to the OMI Camera via the Wi-Fi built in to the camera. When you open the app you see the main screen.


From the app you can go into the recording screen and choose photo mode or video mode, and either take a picture or start and stop the video recording. The camera records in one minute files that are 108MB in size. When you are done with your recordings, they can be viewed and edited by going to the edit tab.


Once you select a video to edit, you can play it, choose to add or remove stabilization, and/or make a square video for mobile upload or sharing. You can also save it to an album. You can also take snapshots with this camera and process them via the mobile or desktop app.


On the top right hand corner, there is an icon to download the video. When that icon is selected, the next screen gives you the option to download as a VR story in different resolutions, or save as the original video.


There is also a settings screen that allows you to set up the operational basics of the camera. This screen also has a link to FAQs, the Privacy Policy, the Terms of Service, and the usual “About” information.


There is also a desktop version of the software for both PC and MAC. Once downloaded and installed, you can create a VR Story, or process a single video, or batch them together.

The following are links to 2 videos that I recorded with the OMICAM during my daily commute:

Here is a snapshot that I  took from above in my truck:

What I like

I like that this action camera can capture clean video footage in 4K and that it has versatile mounting capabilities. It also includes the ability to mount a tripod plate, or the numerous other ¼”-20 available rig options. The audio is also quite clear for anything audible in relatively close proximity.

What can be improved

The two major aspects that can be improved are the access to the micro SD card slot, and the cover that slides on to protect the ports and the front bottom half of the camera. The micro SD slot is indented and I guess because of my “big” fingers, I had to use a paper clip to fully insert the card. To remove the card, I once again had to use a paper clip to press it in to engage the spring loaded mechanism, and once it popped out, I was still unable to pull it out by hand. I had to use tweezers squeezed tightly to get the card out the rest of the way.

When I first examined the front cover that protects the ports, I felt that it did not click into place securely, and that it could be easily lost. Sometime during my third recording outing and just as I suspected, it fell off and was lost.

Final Thoughts

The Omicam 4k VR action camera is a nice action camera for someone that enjoys capturing and watching footage from that 240 degree perspective. It is quite different from a conventional video camera, and even different from the famous GoPro action camera. Whatever footage that you capture with this camera will be very good. I do believe that in scenes such as kayaking through waves that pass over you, or in adventurous places like caves in mountains, etc, it would provide amazing footage. In my opinion, while it is unlikely to be an everyday mainstream action camera for many, it will be very popular for people seeking the specific perspective that it offers. On the other hand, the very effective built-in horizontal and vertical stabilization may very well make it a major contender against some of the more popular action cameras on the market today, as long as the front cover issue is resolved.

Price: $249.99
Where to buy: Omicam and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Omicam.

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OmiCam 4K VR action cam review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 8, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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The BenQ BL2711U 27″ 16:9 4K UHD IPS Monitor is a feature packed display for a bargain price


Since I recently wrote a news story about an amazing BenQ 4K monitor that would work great for photographers and videographers, I decided to write about another BenQ monitor that is also great, but without the price tag of the one in my previous article. While there are many great 4K monitors on the market today, I have always been a fan of the quality of BenQ monitors, so I am taking this time to highlight a few.

The BenQ BL2711U 27″ 16:9 4K UHD IPS Monitor offers a 3840 x 2160 resolution, and 178 degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles. Additional features include a 16:9 aspect ratio, 300 cd/m² brightness rating, 1000:1 contrast ratio, and a 4 ms response time. It also supports up to 1.07 billion colors.

This monitor has a CAD/CAM Mode for “clearly distinguished details in complicated object wireframes”, an Animation Mode “to make distinguishing detailed textures in darkened areas easier”, and a ten-level animation mode that offers “10 levels of display brightness adjustment to reveal details in darkened areas for a precise design”.

There is also Picture-in-Picture (PIP) “for enhanced convenience and productivity”, and BenQ’s proprietary Flicker-free Technology which eliminates any screen flickering.

If you would like to take a closer look at the feature packed monitor, or if you would like to purchase it, head over the Amazon or B&H Photo Video. It has a purchase price of $449.

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The BenQ BL2711U 27″ 16:9 4K UHD IPS Monitor is a feature packed display for a bargain price originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 4, 2018 at 8:02 am.

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Vizio’s new P-Series Quantum TV produces the purest blacks and brightest brights

On Tuesday Vizio unveiled their new 2018 flagship TV, the P-Series Quantum. The 65″ P-Series Quantum 4K HDR Smart TV is billed as Vizio’s brightest TV so far, with 2,000 nits of peak brightness.

Quantum Dot technology makes this display capable of producing over one billion colors with “cinematic color intensity”.

Purest black levels

Vizio’s Active Full Array Max backlight with 192 local dimming zones produces pure deep blacks with stunning contrast.

A 240Hz effective refresh rate creates a significantly smoother, consistent and more natural picture.

The display also comes with built-in Google Chromecast, Vizio’s SmartCast OS featuring apps like Netflix, Vudu, and Prime Video and voice control with Amazon Alexa and Google enabled devices.

The updated look of the new P-series features both an immersive bezel-less screen and minimalist polished legs.

I own a 2016 P-series, and it has the best picture quality of any TV I’ve ever owned. With its 2,000 nits of peak brightness, Quantum Dots, and deeper blacks the P-Series Quantum just might be a worthy upgrade.

Vizio’s 2018 P-Series Quantum priced at $2,199 will be available later this summer.

To learn more about Vizio’s 2108 flagship display head over to their website.

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Vizio’s new P-Series Quantum TV produces the purest blacks and brightest brights originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 12, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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