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CES 2021: TCL to Release More 8K TVs and 'Roku TV Ready' Sound Bars With AirPlay 2 This Year

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Chinese brand TCL today at the all-digital CES 2021 announced that all of its 2021 6-Series Roku TVs will feature 8K resolution, up from 4K, with the lineup set to begin rolling out later this year. As with TCL's other recent Roku TVs, these 8K models should support AirPlay 2 for wirelessly streaming audio and video to the TV from Apple devices like an iPhone or iPad, as well as HomeKit for controlling the TV with Siri and the Home app.

tcl-8k-tv-ces-2021.jpg

TCL also plans to releases its first 85-inch Roku TVs this year, including two 4K models that should support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit. Exact pricing, availability, and specifications have yet to be disclosed for any of the TVs.

In the home audio department, TCL is teaming up with Roku to launch new "Roku TV Ready" sound bars this year, including wired and wireless options, with advantages being TV and sound bar control with one remote, automatic software updates, consolidated on-screen sound settings, and optimized audio/video synchronization.

tcl-roku-tv-ready-sound-bar-airplay-2.jpg

One of TCL's new sound bars will be the Alto 82i with Dolby Atmos surround sound, dual built-in subwoofers, and support for AirPlay 2, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant, set to launch in the third quarter of 2021.


TCL has more details about its CES 2021 announcements on its website.

Article Link: CES 2021: TCL to Release More 8K TVs and 'Roku TV Ready' Sound Bars With AirPlay 2 This Year
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/01/11/tcl-roku-tv-ready-sound-bars-airplay-2/
macduke

macduke

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,308
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Ugh. Nobody needs 8K TVs at these display sizes (unless you're sitting close up in front of them because otherwise you can't tell the difference, even with 20/20 vision). I could only kind of tell a difference in resolution on my 65" LG C9, but I got a sturdy ass mount that extends it out from the wall about 2ft closer. I use that when watching 4K movies and it makes the display size a lot bigger than the apparent size of 77" stuck to the wall. By moving it closer, I can really see the increase in resolution.

But here is the big downside to all these 8K TVs: They'll start only putting the new display technology that matters (better color, dynamic range, panel technology, refresh rate, etc into 8K displays instead of 4K, much like they did with 1080p and 4K back in the day. And this will only serve to keep the prices of TVs very high as 4K TVs drop in price with outdated specs. This is probably a good year to jump on 4K OLED if you haven't already. I did last year and it's great and will hopefully last me for a while. I bought my LG C9 after the CX was announced and saved a lot. I recommend others to do the same with the CX this year if you can afford it. Great TVs.

85" 8K TVs don't really make any sense to me. A 36-42" 8K desktop display makes some sense to me, as you sit a lot closer. But 85"? For most living rooms, 4K would do just as well. For 8K you need like over 120" for it to be worthwhile for most setups, and by that point you're talking about needing a second mortgage. You can probably start to see some benefit around 100" from a typical viewing distance. I guess if you have a tiny apartment and are sitting 5ft from the TV then this might be worth it, but then you have other factors to consider: Do you have enough wall space in a tiny apartment? Will you feel comfortable sitting only 4-5ft from a giant TV display? Will the HDR scorch your retinas from that distance? Are you likely to find much 8K content in the coming years? Many TV streaming services are still only 1080p. I think Fox was the only app I found streaming 4K NFL Playoffs this weekend. As slow as they move I expect it to be another 10 years before 8K starts to come online.

It just seems like the display resolution to screen size to amount of space it takes up is reaching a point of imbalance with extremely diminishing returns. But someone always comes on here and says I'm a luddite or something, even though we're talking about exceeding human vision at this point. There will probably never be enough processing power, but display resolution? Definitely hitting a wall on that.
 
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HarryWild

HarryWild

macrumors 68020
Oct 27, 2012
2,045
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Looks like all the 4K/8K manufacturers has left the 32”, 40+” size to Samsung!
 
C

CIA

macrumors 6502a
Jun 17, 2003
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Of course there's going to be a ton of know it alls yelling from the rooftop that "NO ONE NEEDS 8K!!!!!"

Well, kinda. But at the same time, moving to 8K will make 4K that much cheaper, and eventually will lead to 16k. Do we NEED it? Naw, not really, but at the same time did we really "need" 1080i HDTV? I mean regular TV looked fine if you sat far enough back.

The point is, what seems outlandish and unnecessary will become normal. It will bring up the quality, and bring down the cost. No one is going to push hard in the graphics card world if we all settle on 1080p. No one needs gigabit internet connections? Well it sure is nice to be able to work from home as a TV video editor when all the footage is on a server at the station.

No one needs 18TB hard drives? (see above video editing comment)

Just because you don't need it, doesn't mean it has no place in this world.
 
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yurc

yurc

macrumors 6502a
Aug 12, 2016
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The only point I can see in 8K, maybe just for rendering 4K resolution @2x (HiDPI) for 32-40 inch monitor, seems viable option, like current scene of majority 4K display (24~27") are meant for scaling instead of native 1:1 resolution.
 
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imola.zhp

imola.zhp

macrumors 65816
Jun 1, 2010
1,328
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Mud Island (Memphis), TN
This is why the traditional TV market is doomed. 8K's coming out with extremely limited 8K content, but they have to keep improving year after year after year to keep prices inflated and their stock holders happy.

Its a market ripe for some kind of shakeup. If only we could see it coming and invest heavily in it.
 
FaustsHausUK

FaustsHausUK

Contributor
Mar 11, 2010
609
1,292
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I have last year's 55" 6-series 4K TV in my lounge and I love it. I was lucky enough to land a launch window PlayStation 5; games and movies alike look stunning. I don't have anything that justifies 8K, so no buyer's remorse here, but I recommend their Roku TVs to anyone in the market for a new panel.
 
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