TCL Mini LED TV coming to UK later in 2020

And they’ll get even slimmer

by Andy Bassett

TCL has revealed its TV release plans for the UK market in 2020 and it looks like a busy year of launches culminating in Mini LED models. 

During an interview at CES, the company revealed to AVForums its planned UK release schedule for its 2020 TV range which could include the much anticipated Mini LED display technology coming to these shores in the second half of the year, if everything goes to plan.

First though will be the UK launch schedule for the company’s affordable Android based TV’s before moving on to the C715K QLED model. These TVs are not just bound for the UK but will have a wider European release and once these have been successfully rolled out, TCL strongly suggested the second half of the year could see Min LED TVs following on in the UK.  

The Chinese electronic giant seems intent on following up its strong 2019 growth in Europe - which saw sales increase by 26 percent over the previous year - with a gradual ramping up of its models.

Starting in Q1 with the EP658 and EC788 4K UHD TVs which will run Android Pie, the EC788 series will consist of the 55EC780 and 65EC780 models and feature both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ dynamic metadata HDR formats. 

The Quantum Dot based C715K will follow thereafter and will also support Dolby Vision and HDR10+ while some territories will also get Dolby Atmos support too. Powered by Android 9, the C715K models will come with Freeview Play and Google Assistant for hands free control of TV settings and content searches. 

TCL revealed to AVForums that the company’s first target was to get its Android TVs fully available in Europe following hold ups which revolved around Freeview Play only previously being available on Linux based devices up until last year.

If the UK and European introduction of these TVs rollout goes to plan, the next part of the release schedule could see TCL’s Mini LED based TVs making their way to the UK in the second half of the year. No information on the model numbers was given but the X10 which was announced at IFA 2019 seems a likely candidate.

TCL Mini LED TV coming to UK later in 2020

The flagship Quantum Dot X10 series is being touted as one of the slimmest Direct LED TVs in the world and features a Mini LED backlight made up of 15,000 ultra-slim LEDs split into 768 dimmable zones in the 65-inch version.

Now that markets such as the US already have TCL Mini LED TVs, and other markets have them in the launch pipeline, TCL are in a position to really start to push the technology and the company explained the difference between the earlier and later versions of the technology.

The first generation of Mini LEDs were based on a passive matrix approach and could pack in up to 15,000 miniature LEDs in groups of 20 into the backlight plane. The company’s latest iteration of the technology sees the brand name Vidrian emerge as a reference to the Mini LEDs being directly applied to the glass to minimise the filters between the backlight and the LCD. The latest 8-Series 8K, 75-inch TV that sports Vidrian, features 25,000 mini LEDs in clusters of 5 to produce 5,000 dimming zones. Vidrian also incorporates a switch from passive matrix to active matrix technology which allows more energy to be delivered, resulting in higher brightness, better contrast and higher screen uniformity.

TCL Mini LED TV coming to UK later in 2020
TCL concept Mini LED TV at CES 2020

TCL also had a TV running a concept version of Mini LED that AVForums saw and this managed to reduce the overall thickness of the TV from 1cm in the Vidrian TVs to around 5mm. This is achieved by combining the mini LED layer, quantum dot film and Open Cell element of the LCD panel.

With extremely thin panels and the other advantages of high brightness, 100 percent colour DCI P3 volume and zero screen burn it’s easy to see why TCL are backing Mini LED as an effective and affordable display rival to OLED

Are you looking forward to TCL’s 4K TV introduction and the eventual rollout of its more premium Mini LED models? Why not let others know in the discussion thread if Mini LED is a display technology you plan on buying and why?

Source: AVForums interview
Image Source: TCL

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