TCL L40FHDF12TA On Sale 2012

I purchased this TV on sale in Dec. 2011 for under $300. It's an updated model of TCL L40FHDF11TA. It's put in a master bedroom. I'll rate each category in Amazon's system of 1 to 5 stars. My ratings are relative to how this TV stacks up against other TVs in its price range.

SETUP *** (3 stars)
For wall mounting, you need a VESA 400x400mm compliant mount such as this, this, or this. I used the glass stand. If you're trying to fit it into a shelf, the dimensions with stand are 38.5" x 27" x 9". The power cord doesn't have a power brick attached which is a plus. I'm using a learning universal remote which did find codes for this TV. Try 'RCA' if 'TCL' didn't work for you. I suggest using an universal remote since it's much easier to replace than to replace the original remote if you break it.
Some remote codes gathered for reference:
DirecTV: 11447
Comcast: 11447
Dish Network: 503
AT&T U-Verse: 1000
There might be a problem with the "TV powering on unexpectedly." If your 'SW Version' reads V8-0RSC801-LF1V041, you're OK. Otherwise, download the firmware update at TCL's website onto any FAT-formatted device (I used my phone.) Remember to wait at least 10 seconds after it says "Completed" before unplugging the USB cord (I waited 30 seconds to be safe.) I'm guessing this is where some people might have messed up and broke the TV.

PICTURE ***** (5 stars)
The LCD panel is made by Samsung with their logo visible in the back (picture posted.) As with most LCD TVs these days, the screen is glossy and not matte, so you do have to watch out for glare. After powering up the TV which took about 15 seconds, I changed the preset picture setting from the default 'ECO' to 'Cinematic'. Cinematic/Movie mode is usually the setting that comes closest to a professional calibration. (If you're interested in doing your own TV calibration, check out the Disney WOW blu-ray, search "AVS HD 709" for a free one, or try my "quick picture calibration" below.) It has 5 zoom modes, with 'No Overscan' being preferred. If it isn't available, choose 'Full' for the least amount of cropping. I watched the TV from an Amazon recommended distance of about 7 to 8 feet. After hooking up my video source with HDMI (not included) and making sure it's 1080p, I tried watching some dark movies as a stress test. I didn't notice any obvious picture defects. The viewing angle is very good for an LCD. The contrast is good, with listed 4000:1 contrast ratio. I compared it to my living room LED with 10 million:1 contrast ratio. The LED has slightly better contrast with deeper blacks, though definitely not 2500 times better, so I wouldn't read too much into contrast ratios when shopping for TVs. There are a few nitpicks. There's a slight motion blurring due to its slightly-slow 8 ms response time and 60 hz refresh rate. There's a slight uniformity problem in the upper corners, noticeable in an all black picture. The yellow color is a little off. None of these are major problems; I've seen alot worse at this price range, so no stars are deducted.

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