Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Having read reviews that mentioned issues with shipping damage, l was hesitant to order online. However, the tv arrived in perfect condition. At first l couldn't insert the HDMI and did not want to force it. Thinking the HDMI cable was out of date, l initially hooked up using the coaxial cable. As coaxial, l found out, cannot pipe HD, the picture quality wasn't great. I went back to the HDMI and pushing harder was able to insert it. Once l did, the picture quality improved quite a bit, yet the input info still said only 720p. Researching further l learned that my cable box has a hidden menu to enable setting the output to 1080i or native. I set it to 1080i and picture improved further. The picture quality is stunning when looking fairly directly, but loses quality quickly as you move to the side. Typical of LED TVs. How livable to you depends on how much you want to pay. For specs that say the speakers are only 8-10w, the sound quality is great! My preference is the theatre setting. It's getting hard to find anything but a 4k TV, which most people will be watching in 1080 anyway. I have gone to my local big box store and see no difference in the 4k picture quality at 1080 or this TV at 1080. 49" is big enough. The distance between the leg stands is 37" It is costly to purchase a TV stand for a larger TV. Some as much as the TV. The Roku and other free offerings are many. There are commercials when watching free content, but that's to be expected. For the price, size and quality, this TV is a homerun! After owning for almost 6 months, l downgraded my review to 3 stars because the TCL tv has started making a rumbling and crackling noise when l stop, start or ff a recorded program watched from my DVR. It also occasionally makes the same sound when scene changes while watching regular tv. Instead of a digital tv it sounds as if l have a mechanical tv with an electric motor. I called TCL. They had me boot up a couple of steaming channels that do not make that noise. Therefore they said, it is my cable provider. Only l have other brand TV's that do not make this noise. Because of that, my cable service says its the TCL tv. As TCL blames my cable service, l am stuck with this annoying noise. The picture is great and tv is great otherwise, but this remains unresolved. Update: I determined the problem was that I changed the volume setting to "level" With that off, the tv no longer makes tha noise. I haven't contacted TLC about yet. Other than the noise, with or without volume leveling, I notice little difference. Otherwise it's still a great tv and value.