Comparison Xiaomi Mi TV 4S 43 43 " vs Xiaomi Mi TV 4A 43 43 "

The type of matrix used in the TV. Among them, OLED, QLED, QD-OLED and NanoCell deserve the most attention, which are found in TVs of the relevant price category. Now more about each of them and other more classic options:

— OLED. TVs with screens that use organic light-emitting diodes — OLED. Such LEDs can be used both to illuminate a traditional LCD matrix, and as elements from which a screen is built. In the first case, the advantages of OLED over traditional LED are compactness, extremely low power consumption, backlight uniformity, as well as excellent brightness and contrast ratios. And in matrices, consisting entirely of OLED, these advantages are even more pronounced. The main disadvantages of OLED TVs are the high price (which, however, is constantly decreasing as the technology develops and improves), as well as the susceptibility of organic pixels to burn-in during long-term broadcast of static images or pictures with static elements (TV channel logo, information panel, etc.).

— QLED. TVs with screens using "quantum dot" technology — QLED. Such screens differ from conventional LED matrices in the design of the backlight: multilayer colour filters in such a backlight are replaced with a thin-film light-transmitting coating based on nanoparticles, and traditional white LEDs are replaced with blue...ones. This allows to achieve a significant increase in brightness and colour saturation at the same time as improving the quality of colour reproduction, besides, it reduces the thickness and reduces the power consumption of the screen. The disadvantage of QLED matrices is traditional — the high price.

— QD-OLED. A kind of hybrid version of matrices that combine “quantum dots” (Quantum Dot) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) in one bottle. The QD-OLED modification was introduced by Samsung at the end of 2021 in response to advanced OLED panels from LG. The technology takes the best from QLED and OLED: it is based on blue LEDs, self-luminous pixels (instead of external backlighting) and “quantum dots”, which play the role of colour filters, but at the same time practically do not attenuate the light (unlike traditional filters) . Thanks to the use of a number of advanced solutions, the creators managed to achieve very impressive characteristics, significantly superior to many other OLED matrices. Among them are high peak brightness from 1000 nits (cd/m²), excellent contrast and black depth, as well as colour coverage of over 90% according to the BT.2020 standard and more than 120% according to DCI-P3. Such matrices are found mainly in flagship TV panels.

— IPS. A type of matrix originally designed for high quality colour rendering. Indeed, IPS screens produce bright and rich colors, have a good colour gamut, and demonstrate wide viewing angles. The initial disadvantage of this technology was the low response time, but in modern modifications of IPS this point has been practically eliminated. Matrices of this type are very popular in the advanced budget and mid-price segment of TV panels.

— *VA. In this case, we mean one of the varieties of VA (Vertical Alignment) type matrices - MVA, PVA, Super PVA, etc. Specific varieties may vary slightly in properties, but they all have common features. In fact, *VA matrices are a more affordable alternative to IPS panels: they are relatively inexpensive, provide fairly good colour reproduction and viewing angles of up to 178°. The main disadvantage of such screens is the long response time, but in modern models this has been practically eliminated thanks to the constant improvement of technology. *VA matrices are used in TVs that are positioned as functional and at the same time affordable models.

— PLS. In fact, it is one of the varieties of the IPS matrices described above, developed by Samsung. According to the manufacturer, in such matrices it was possible to achieve higher brightness and contrast than in traditional IPS, as well as to slightly reduce the cost.

— NanoCell. Matrix based on quantum dots. This type of matrix is used in LG TVs and was first introduced in 2017. NanoCell matrices use the structure of classic LCD displays. But unlike the latter, they use so-called quantum dots instead of the classic general backlight, which provide monochromatic light. NanoCell technology reduces power consumption while increasing colour gamut and viewing angle. It is worth noting separately that NanoCell matrices are not the only ones using quantum dot technology. Similar solutions are offered by: Samsung (QLED matrix), Sony (Triluminos matrix), Hisense (ULED).

Screen resolution - its size in pixels horizontally and vertically. Other things being equal, a higher resolution provides better image quality, but such a screen costs more and requires relevant content.

The set of resolutions found in modern TVs is quite extensive, but they can be roughly divided into several groups: HD, Full HD, Ultra HD 4K, Ultra HD 5K and Ultra HD 8K. Here are the main features of each option:

— HD. Screens designed for HD 720p. The standard frame size in such a video is 1280x720, however, for a number of reasons, most HD TVs have somewhat larger sizes — 1366x768. In addition, this category usually includes models with resolutions from 1280x768 to 1680x1050, as well as 1024x768 screens. In general, HD 720p resolutions are mostly found on low-cost TVs with relatively small screens.

— Full HD. TVs designed for Full HD 1080p video, with a frame size of 1920x1080. Most models from this category have exactly this screen resolution — 1920x1080; other options are noticeably less common — in particular, 1920x1200 and 2560x1080. In general, Full HD screens provide good detail at a relatively low cost, making them extremely popular in mid-range models and inexpensive large-format TVs.

— Ultra HD 4K. This format provides different options in resolutions, however, for TVs, the...actual standard is 3840x2160, other options are almost never found. In general, this is a fairly high resolution, which is typical mainly for premium models; a common feature of such models is the large size — from 40" and more.

— Ultra HD 5K. The Ultra HD image format is more advanced than 4K, but it is extremely rare in TVs — these are mainly ultra-wide models with a resolution of 5120x2160.

— Ultra HD 8K. A standard that assumes a size of about 8K pixels horizontally; one of the options for this resolution, found in TVs — 7680x4320. Thus, UHD 8K is twice the size of 4K on each side and four times the total number of pixels, resulting in extremely sharp and detailed images. On the other hand, such screens are very expensive, despite the fact that nowadays even 4K is already considered a very advanced standard. Plus, there are not many video devices and content that meet this standard. Therefore, 8K TVs are still extremely rare, they include mostly high-end flagship models with a size of at least 65".

The level of static contrast provided by the TV screen.

Contrast in a general sense is the ratio in brightness between the brightest whites and the darkest blacks that the screen can produce. Other things being equal, the higher the screen contrast, the better the quality of colour reproduction and detail, the lower the likelihood that it will be impossible to see details in too bright or too dark areas of the image. Static contrast, on the other hand, describes the maximum difference in brightness that can be achieved within one frame without changing the brightness of the image — this is its difference from dynamic contrast (see below).

The values of static contrast are much lower than those of dynamic, but this characteristic is the most "honest". It is on it that the properties of the image seen on the screen at a particular moment depend, it is describes the basic properties of the screen, without taking into account the software tricks provided by the manufacturer in the hardware of the TV.

The response time can be described as the maximum time required for each pixel of the screen to change brightness, in other words, the longest time from the receipt of a control signal to the pixel until it switches to the specified mode. The actual switching time may be less — if the brightness changes slightly, it can be calculated in microseconds. However, it is the longest time that matters — it describes the guaranteed response speed of each pixel.

First of all, the frame rate is directly related to the response time (see the relevant paragraph): the lower the response time, the higher the frame rate can be provided on this sensor. However, the actual frame rate may be less than the theoretical maximum, it all depends on the TV. Also note that the overall image quality in dynamic scenes depends primarily on the frame rate. Therefore, we can say that the response time is an auxiliary parameter: the average user rarely needs this data, and in the specifications they are given mainly for advertising purposes.

A decoder can be broadly described as a standard in which digital audio (often multi-channel) is recorded. For normal playback of such sound, it is necessary that the corresponding decoder is supported by the device. Dolby Digital and DTS were the first in multi-channel decoding, gradually improving and introducing new features. The final stage for 2020 is Dolby Atmos and DTS X decoders.

– Dolby Atmos. A decoder that uses not a rigid distribution of sound across channels, but the processing of audio objects, due to which it can be used with almost any number of channels on a reproducing system — the sound will be divided between channels so that each audio object is heard as close as possible to its proper place. When using Dolby Atmos, ceiling speakers (or speakers facing the ceiling) are highly desirable. However, in extreme cases, you can do without them.

— DTS X. An analogue of the Dolby Atmos described above, when the sound is distributed not through individual channels, but through audio objects. The digital signal contains information about where (according to the director's intention) the object audible to the user should be and how it should move, and the processor of the reproducing device processes this information and determines exactly how the sound should be distributed over the available channels in order to achieve the required localization. Thanks to this, DTS X is not tied to a specific number of a...udio channels — there can be as many as you like, the system will automatically divide the sound into them, achieving the desired sound. Also note that this decoder allows you to separately adjust the volume of dialogues.

File formats that the TV can play from external media (such as a USB flash drive) via a USB port. Modern televisions, usually, can work with a fairly extensive set of formats, including video, audio, pictures, and even text documents. At the same time, we note that within the same format, different encoding methods can be used, and some files may turn out to be unreadable even if they formally match in format. This is especially true for inexpensive and outdated TVs.

The TV's connectivity is based not only on wireless technologies (described above), but also on a wired connection. In particular, video transmission can be carried out through VGA, Component, Composite, SCART connectors. Some of them also provide sound transmission, in addition to which there may be a mini-Jack (3.5 mm). and other ports for interconnection with external devices. More about them:

— USB. Connector for connecting external peripheral devices. The presence of USB means at least that the TV is capable of playing content from flash drives and other external USB media. In addition, there may be other ways to use this input: recording TV programs to external media, connecting a WEB camera (see same paragraph), keyboard and mouse to use the built-in browser and other software, etc. The specific set of options depends on the functionality of the TV, it should be specified separately in each case.

— Card reader. A device for working with memory cards, most often in SD format. The main use of the card reader is to play content from such cards on a TV; such an opportunity is especially convenient for viewing materials from photo and video cameras — it is in such devices...that memory cards are widely used. There may be other ways to use this function — for example, recording from the broadcast or even exchanging files between the card and the TV's storage. It is worth bearing in mind that SD cards have several subtypes — original SD, SD HC and SD XC, and not all of them may be supported by the card reader.

— LAN. Standard connector for wired connection to computer networks (both local and the Internet). Mostly found in models with Smart TV support (including Android TV devices; see related paragraphs). A wired connection is less convenient than Wi-Fi, not as aesthetically pleasing, so manufacturers place more emphasis on a wireless connection, as a result of which the speed indicators of the LAN connector are not indicated, and in some cases may be unacceptable for 4K broadcasts.

— VGA. Analogue video input, also known as D-sub 15 pin. Initially, the VGA interface was developed for computers, but due to the emergence of more advanced standards like HDMI (see below) and technical limitations (the maximum resolution is only 1280x1024, the inability to transmit sound), it is considered obsolete and is used less and less. So it makes sense to specifically look for a TV with such a connector mainly in cases where it is planned to be used as a monitor for an outdated computer or laptop.

— Component. Video interface with 3 connectors, each of which is responsible for its part of the video signal. This separation provides high bandwidth and noise reduction, making the component input the most advanced analogue video interface available today. So, it is capable of working with HD, and in terms of image quality it significantly surpasses S-Video and composite connector, closely approaching HDMI (see below).

— Composite. Combined analogue audio/video interface, it is this connector that is usually called the A/V input. Actually, there are usually three connectors in the composite interface — separately for video and the left/right channel of stereo sound (on TVs with one speaker that do not support stereo, one of the audio connectors is missing). The image quality when working through such an input is not high, and HD formats are not supported at all; on the other hand, the composite interface is extremely widespread not only in modern, but also in outdated equipment like VHS video recorders.

— SCART. The large universal multimedia connector, the largest connector used in today's consumer-grade video equipment. Works mainly with an analogue signal, which is why it is considered obsolete; however, still not falling into disuse. One of the reasons for this "longevity" is versatility: SCART does not have its "own" signal format, this standard only describes the connector. In fact, having the appropriate cables, you can connect different types of incoming signals to such an input — composite, S-Video, etc. Moreover, it is technically possible for such a connector to work as an output (for the same signal types). However the specifications of SCART connectors in different TVs may be different, so a specific list of compatible interfaces needs to be specified separately.

— COM port (RS-232). A connector originally developed for computer technology. It is used as a control on TVs: by connecting the device to a computer, you can control TV parameters and various settings, sometimes quite specific and inaccessible when using a conventional remote control.

— Mini-Jack (3.5 mm). A connector most commonly used as an analogue audio (line) input. One of the options for using such a connector is to connect audio for a video signal transmitted via VGA, S-Video (see above) or another interface that does not support audio transmission. However, with the appropriate cable, any audio source can be connected to the 3.5 mm mini-Jack port, including a mobile device like a smartphone or a pocket player. In this case, the sound can be played both through the speakers of the TV, and on external speakers connected to it. Another option for using this input is to connect a microphone for chatting via Skype.

About the interface itself, see above, and its different versions differ in maximum resolution and other features. Here are the options found in modern TVs:

— v 1.4. The oldest of the current versions, released in 2009. However, it supports 3D video, capable of working with resolutions up to 4096x2160 at 24 fps, and in Full HD resolution, the frame rate can reach 120 fps. In addition to the original v.1.4, there are also improved modifications — v.1.4a and v.1.4b; they are similar in terms of basic features, in both cases the improvements affected mainly work with 3D content.

– v 2.0. Significant update to HDMI introduced in 2013. In this version, the maximum frame rate in 4K has increased to 60 fps, and the audio bandwidth has increased to 32 channels and 4 separate streams simultaneously. Also from the innovations, we can mention support for the ultra-wide format 21:9. In the v.2.0a update HDR support was added to the interface capabilities, in v.2.0b this feature was improved and expanded.

— v 2.1. Despite the similarity in name to v.2.0, this version, released in 2017, was a very large-scale update. In particular, it added support for 8K and even 10K at speeds up to 120 fps, as well as even more expanded features for working with HDR. Under this version, its own cable was released — HDMI Ultra High Speed, all HDMI 2.1 features are available only when using cables of this standard, although basic func...tions can be used with simpler cords.

The amount of random access memory (RAM) installed in the TV.

In general, this volume is selected by the manufacturer in such a way that the device can normally cope with the tasks that are claimed for it. On the other hand, all else being equal, more RAM ( 3 GB, 4 GB or more) usually means faster performance. This parameter is especially important if the TV runs on Android: such firmware allows the installation of additional applications that may have rather high requirements for RAM. However, TVs with 2 GB of RAM and below can also not be discounted — they just can't pull high-demanding applications. But do not forget that this is a TV, not a laptop.