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To try to better understand how long a TV should last, we're running 100 TVs through an accelerated longevity test for the next two years. We've just posted our 1-year video update with our latest findings on temporary image retention, burn-in, and more!
  1. Home
  2. TV
  3. Test Bench 1.1
  1. Table of Contents
  2. Intro
  3. Tests
    1. Picture Quality
    2. Motion
    3. Sound
    4. Smart Features
  4. Usage ratings
  5. Notable changes
  6. Completed Updates
  7. Comments

Test Bench 1.1
Changelog

Updated

See previous 1.0 changelog.

See next 1.2 changelog

Tests

Picture Quality

  • Added new test for 'Automatic Brightness Limiter' (ABL)
  • Changed peak brightness scoring curve to expand range to 4000 nit TVs
  • Changed color volume to use ICtCp color space
  • Changed black uniformity scoring curve to reduce scores
  • Changed local dimming scoring curve to penalize poor local dimming
  • Added contrast ratio with local dimming in contrast ratio score
  • Added black uniformity with local dimming in black uniformity score
  • Changed color accuracy scoring curve
  • Changed HDR peak brightness to score 0 for SDR TVs
  • Changed gradient scoring

Motion

  • Changed the way Response Time is calculated to better align with perception
  • Changed image flicker scoring, to penalize TVs when the flicker frequency isn't a multiple of the content frequency
  • Added a test for backlight level at which PWM dimming appears
  • Changed weighting of motion interpolation box (70% 30 fps interpolation, 30% 60 fps interpolation)

Sound

  • Changed target frequency response from 'flat in-room' to Harman Reference Listening Room's response
  • Added test for Dynamic Range Compression
  • Renamed 'Low-end Cutoff' to 'Low-Frequency Extension'
  • Added test for Intermodulation Distortion
  • Renamed 'Total Harmonic Distortion' box to 'Distortion' (due to the addition of Intermodulation Distortion)
  • Renamed 'Distortion @' to 'Weighted THD @'
  • Changed Weighted THD's weighting filter
  • Increased the weight of Frequency Response box from 67% to 75% of 'Sound'
  • Reduced the weight of Distortion box from 33% to 25% of 'Sound'
  • Added dynamic graphs

Smart Features

  • Added 'Remote App' box with common capabilities as text fields
  • Added 'Interface' box with fields such as ease of use and smoothness
  • Added fields to other smart features boxes, containing things that were previously often mentioned in the box text
  • Added subjective scores to five smart features boxes
  • Changed the smart features score from subjective to calculated from its new sub-scores

Usage ratings

  • Reduced significance of low quality sources (480p and 720p)
  • Added 'curved' as a bonus to PC monitor score
  • Added 'Color Volume' to HDR scores
  • Changed other usage weightings to better align with experience and feedback

Notable changes

  • PC Monitor score of OLED TVs (LG C7, Sony A1E) reduced due to image retention
  • HDR Movies score of IPS TVs (such as UJ7700 and Sony X800E) reduced significantly due to poor native contrast
  • TV Shows rating of Samsung high-end TVs (MU9000, Q7F, Q9F) increased due to excellent reflection handling
  • Movies and HDR movies scores of some TVs (LG SJ8500, Samsung Q7F) reduced due to poor local dimming

27 TVs Updated

We have retested popular models. The test results for the following models have been converted to the new testing methodology. However, the text might be inconsistent with the new results.