HD PICTURE QUALITY. HD picture quality falls short, mainly due to some notable image processing quirks. First of all, selecting the preferred "warm" color temperature setting yields an image with problematic greenish shadow tones. Switching to the "normal" mode remedies the problem but the color temperature now leans to a much cooler, "bluer" image, a preferred compromise. But the bigger issue is that the image has a color clipping (or banding) problem whose severity varies with the color control setting. When set to the preferred saturation level, color contouring, or blotchy patches of color, can be seen on certain facial shadows and other content that tend toward a reddish or orange tone. The higher the color setting, the larger the patches. We hope this issue can be resolved with a firmware update. On the positive side, reproduction of fine HD image detail is excellent, but adjusting the picture settings for best detail is not a straightforward process (see ease of use). Contrast—the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites—is good, so images have some depth. Black levels are acceptable, though not the deepest, so dark scenes won't look hazy (though quality does degrade as you move to the sides - see viewing angle). Image brightness is very good (with the backlight control turned up), so the picture is well suited for a brighter room. A lower setting is recommended for a dimmer viewing environment. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the model does a very good job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. There is slight display non-uniformity that creates brighter cloudy areas most noticeable on very dark scenes (or in the black bars of a letterboxed movie). Severity can vary from model to model. Film mode operation for HD film-based content is only good with visible jaggies along the edges of objects during motion scenes on movies. Deinterlacing on the other hand have excellent performance with no visible jaggies when converting 1080i video content to the display's native resolution.
4K UHD PICTURE QUALITY. 4K UHD picture quality is decent. All native 4K content (non HDR) we played on this model, including movies and test videos, shows generally very good detail when played back via the TV's HDMI input, but falls short of the better performers. For color, contrast and black level, the TV performs similarly to its HD picture quality.
HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE (HDR) PERFORMANCE. HDR performance has very limited effectiveness. The display's lack of high peak brightness capability (by HDR standards) limits its ability to show the benefits of HDR on 4K content. There is no significant contrast revealed between moderately bright and very bright highlights within a scene, while the brightness levels in the mid-to-lower tones, like those in an indoor scene, are preserved. It does a good job reproducing a greater range of nuanced shadow detail from black to white, with no obvious banding on areas of the image that have subtle shade variations, but some loss of detail within the highlights of the brightest areas is noted. Brighter colored objects remain nicely saturated.
VIEWING ANGLE. This Westinghouse has a narrow viewing angle overall, below-average performance among TVs for this attribute. Only those seated directly in front of the screen will see the best picture quality. When we view the TV from the sides image quality degrades significantly. The picture shows a strong loss of color, so flesh tones look very washed out. Black levels visibly brighten, reducing contrast especially on dark scenes. When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle is good. The picture shows only a slight change in color, contrast, and black level.
MOTION BLUR. This Westinghouse TV has good motion performance, with some blurring on our motion tests. This model does not include a blur reduction feature.
SOUND QUALITY. This model's sound quality falls short with below average performance. It's acceptable for typical programming, but shortcomings become obvious with movie soundtracks and music. Bass is lacking in depth and a bit in definition, and treble lacks detail, while the overall sound is closed in. The speakers produce a good volume range so this model should play sufficiently loud in typical room environments and without obvious distortion. If sound quality matters to you, you might want to add a soundbar or other external speaker system.
EASE OF USE. On first power up there is an on-screen guide that helps you through setting up the TV. The HD picture has aggressive noise reduction processing turned ON by default (UHD picture was fine), a feature we could not access in the settings menu with the supplied remote. However, via a Roku app downloaded to your personal mobile device you can adjust both the noise reduction and gamma settings. Noise reduction should be set to OFF by default. The remote has a simplified design with a reduced set of buttons that support on-screen navigation. It also provides convenient direct button access to streaming services including Netflix, ESPN+, Hulu, and Roku Channel. Consider the TV's stand is 47 inches wide when choosing a table top to place it on.
INTERNET FEATURES. This Smart TV provides Internet functionality via its "Roku TV" portal with access to a library of applications. Movie streaming services that can be downloaded to this TV, or are built-in, include Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and HBO Now. Claimed support for external voice assistants (not built in to the TV) include: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant.
CONNECTIONS. This model has three HDMI inputs—one supports ARC (Audio Return Channel), one composite input, and no component input. It also has one USB port, an optical digital audio out, a headphone out, an Ethernet port, WiFi wireless networking; DLNA, to access files within your home network; Casting, which allows you to send streaming content from your mobile device to the TV via your home network; Screen mirroring, where the image on your smartphone or other compatible device can also appear on the TV.
WHAT'S INCLUDED. A quick start guide. An electronic user guide via the TV's menu. A remote control with batteries. No printed manual is included.
