RCA - 55" Class (54-5/8" Diag.) - LED - 1080p - HDTV

This is a professional review. Ignore the 3-6% with defects, 5% who had bad buying experience, and 10% who rave about it without much experience. ______________________________________________ We've recently found RCA to be an inconsistent brand in terms of performance. But with very good high-definition picture quality, this lower-priced 55-inch 1080p LCD TV is among the company's better ones, especially for those not looking for many extra features. Sound was below average, though. The TV claims a 120Hz refresh rate, but it wasn't any more effective at reducing motion blur than many 60Hz models. Also, it only has two HDMI connections, which many not be enough high-def inputs for some users if they won't be using an A/V receiver to switch between devices. For about the same money or a bit more, you could do better with a recommended model. Highs • Very good color accuracy. Lows • Edge detail is slightly over enhanced • Slight backlight non-uniformity. • Limited viewing angle. • Visible blurring on our motion tests. • Screen surface more mirror-like than most. Detailed test results PICTURE QUALITY. This model had very good high-definition picture quality. It did a very good job displaying fine detail. Edges of objects in the image stood out too much because of over-enhancement. Color accuracy was very good, with images looking quite natural. Contrast--the difference between the darkest blacks and brightest whites--was good, so images showed some depth and dimension. In this respect, the TV was similar to most of the models we test. The brightness level was good, making it a suitable choice for most rooms. In scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas, such as a sky during sunset, the TV did an excellent job producing a smooth transition without distinct, coarse bands. Slight uneven brightness effect created cloudy areas most noticeable on very dark scenes. We routinely see this type of issue with many brands of LCD TVs, regardless of the type of backlight used (CCFL or LED#. Though it's generally not a significant problem, it can vary in degree from TV to TV. Film mode operation for HD film-based content was excellent, with no visible jaggies along the edges of objects during motion scenes. Deinterlacing on the other hand was only good, with some jaggies visible when converting 1080i content to the display's native resolution. VIEWING ANGLE. This RCA has a moderate viewing angle overall, decent, but not quite as good as the better-performing LCD sets we've tested. The optimal seating position for best picture quality is directly in front of the TV. If your family is seated in chairs off to the side of the TV, they'll see decent but compromised image quality. When we moved off to the sides the horizontal viewing angle was good; the picture showed a slight loss of color so flesh tones looked a bit washed out. Black levels brightened significantly, making dark scenes look hazy. When viewing the image from above or below eye level to the screen, the vertical viewing angle was good. The picture showed some change in color, contrast, and black level. MOTION BLUR. This RCA TV has only fair motion performance, with significant blurring on our motion tests. Though it claims to have a higher frame rate than 60Hz, a feature designed to reduce motion blur, it could not be found in the menu, and performance was worse than on models with an effective similar feature. On typical program content, the blurring effect is often fleeting and may not bother most people. However, keen-eyed viewers may detect the loss of texture and detail on scenes with movement, especially in high-quality video such as a Blu-ray movie. SCREEN REFLECTIVITY. Though not as mirror-like as on some LCDs, this screen surface is glossy and therefore susceptible to reflections from a nearby lamp or window. The screen is dark so it does a good job reducing glare from ambient light and maintains contrast even in a bright room. SOUND QUALITY. This TV's sound was only fair, acceptable for typical programming but shortcomings become obvious with movie soundtracks and music. It has a limited volume range, allowing the TV to play only adequately loud. At moderate volume settings the TV's sound had decent bass with lacking impact, and was moderately thin sounding. Also, there was very apparent dynamic volume compression active that keeps the sound from distorting, but this also limits clarity in audio content when there are peaks in loudness. If sound quality matters to you, you might want to add a soundbar or other external speaker system to this set. EASE OF USE. Overall, we found the set easy to use. Setting up the TV for the first time was very easy, as was access to features and controls you'll probably adjust only once. Ease of access to features you typically use more often was very good. Also, the remote is satisfactory, and the on-screen menu is very easy to navigate. Lacks the ability to add custom labels to different input sources. STAND ASSEMBLY. Mounting the TV to the included support stand is easy, though the stand requires the assembly of two parts before mounting. INTERNET FEATURES. This TV does not have access to the Internet. CONNECTIONS. This TV includes two HDMI inputs, one shared connection between the component and composite inputs #which means you can only use one type or the other at a time#, coaxial digital audio out, and one USB port. This TV has no type of wireless connectivity. The cable connections on the rear panel are recessed with side or bottom-facing ports, so wires don't protrude beyond the display's depth. INCLUDED IN THE BOX. The TV comes with: a printed user manual, an electronic manual in the TV's menu, a quick start guide, and a remote with batteries. OPTIMIZED PICTURE SETTINGS. Our expert TV testers recommend the following settings for the RCA LED55C55R120Q to get your image looking like the rated picture quality we saw in our lab. Accessing the picture controls is simple; press the menu button on your remote and navigate to the picture settings menu where you'll see most of the controls. To find some other controls you may additionally have to enter the "advanced settings" or the "picture options" sub menus #na#e may vary depending on model## Don't worry about making any "mistakes," you can always reset the picture settings to factory default if necessary# Consult your user manual for additional guidance# PICTURE SETTINGS# Picture Mode: User Contrast #Picture#: 41 Brightness: 55 Color: 43 Tint: 0 Sharpness: 0 Color Temperature: Warm Backlight: NA Aspect Ratio: Full 100% Miscellaneous: Film Mode = On, All else off or 0 SPECIAL NOTE: Because this TV lacks a backlight control typically available on LCD TVs, we had to use the contrast control setting to reduce the overall screen brightness. TV FIRMWARE. All TVs are evaluated using the latest firmware version available at the time of testing. Firmware version for RCA LED55C55R120Q is: Not Stated To optimize the image we typically turn off #or turn down# the settings from features that can often degrade performance, including; power saving modes #which often dim the image#, sharpness, noise reduction #also known as DNR, a feature that can degrade image detail#, and "motion smoothing", if present #an effect that can give movie film content a soap opera, video-like appearance#. Optimal settings for your TV may vary a bit from ours due to slight variations between similar TV samples, or the firmware version of the TV's software. ABOUT CR'S TV VIEWING CONDITIONS: Our picture settings are optimized for a dimmer home viewing environment. If the settings we recommend don't suit your taste or your environment, use the picture controls to achieve an image you consider "just right." ABOUT FIRMWARE VERSION: Our test results and picture settings are valid for the version of firmware indicated. If your TV's firmware differs from the one shown you either have an older or a newer version of firmware. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the TV's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware upgrades may be downloadable directly to your TV via a wired or wireless network #if internet capable#, USB port, or memory card, depending on your TV's capability. You can check your TV's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by pressing the menu button on your remote and navigating to the appropriate submenu, typically under settings. Consult the user manual or manufacturer's website if further guidance is needed. The RCA LED55C55R120Q is a 55-inch LCD HDTV with a native resolution of 1920x1080 #1080p#. It has LED backlighting, a more energy-efficient type of backlighting. Rather than the basic 60Hz, it has a faster 120Hz frame rate, a feature designed to reduce motion blur. There are 3 HD-capable inputs: 2 HDMI and 1 component-video, which doubles as a composite-video input. It also has a USB port, which may be used to play media--photos, videos, and music--stored on a flash drive or memory card reader on the TV. The RCA LED55C55R120Q measures 31.7 inches high by 49.8 inches wide by 10.6 inches deep, including its base. The panel itself is 4.2 inches thick including any protrusions, and the screen has a glossy finish. The bezel framing the screen is gloss black. The warranty on this TV covers parts/labor for 12/12 months, respectively. About This Brand RCA is a trademarked line of TVs distributed in the U.S. by ON Corporation, a Korea-based global consumer electronics manufacturer. RCA offers value-based LCD TVs and TV/DVD Combos. Its TVs range in size from 19 inches up to 70 inches, and are available from Sears, Walmart, Kmart, Best Buy, and online.

I was snared by the price on this TV. You can't beat $499 for a 55" TV but unfortunately it didn't work for me. However, it may work for you. I'll start with the good. The price and size are great. The picture is bright and crisp, it looks amazing after having a 40" Sony Bravia for 3 years. The sound was on average for TVs these days. The remote is well laid out and the menu was easy to navigate. The internal digital antennae picked up 7 channels more than our Sony does. GAMERS** I did not experience any lag from the 120hz picture processing while playing online with FORZA or Battlefield on my XBOX ONE on a Friday night, though once I did have a large section of the screen's shading and texturing go black where there was a lot of graphic detail going on with blowing and burning debris on BF4. I only got in about 2 hours of game play before I packed the TV back up and returned it so I would need more time before I gave the TV a thumbs up for gamers. Now for the bad and why I am returning this TV. I was already overlooking the fact that it only has 2 HDMI ports but the deal breaker was that I was unable to connect my Vizio sound bar. And I tried everything. I read the manual and the troubleshooting tips, I bought a 1 Male to 2 Female RCA Adapter, I adjusted the digital sound settings from within the menu, I adjusted the settings on my sound bar and tried each variation with it plugged in both with and without the adapter. After hours of tinkering and buying an adapter I still was unable to get sound through my sound bar. On another note regarding the port section: the space is pretty cramped. Since most people will be using every port available you will need a skinny fingered accomplice. I have included pictures with my review. Before we went to pick this TV up I had spent some time reading reviews and looking for info on it. I was unable to find pictures for the back plug-in port area so I am doing you all a favor and providing them for the next researching consumer who comes along. ;)

Let me start this review by saying that I am not particularly difficult to please when it comes to a TV. I just want a good picture, sound doesn't concern me as much since I use a surround sound system. It's also worth mentioning that we have 2 other lcd models in our home that have worked perfectly for several years, so it's not like we are hard on our TVs. But this RCA model.... We bought this model as a Christmas gift for the family in December 2013. Within 3 days of opening it, we began to notice pixels that were bright blue all the time. It started out as one or two, and within a couple of days, it was more like thirty. We took it back to Best Buy, and they exchanged it. No problem. This one lasted a little longer, and we had no problems with it until it failed completely. In June of 2014,the picture began to sporadically jump all over, with horizontal lines through the picture, making the TV completely unwatchable. At first it only happened occasionally, then more frequently until we couldn't watch it at all. We called RCA (Oncorp), and they sent a technician out within a week to take a look at it. He said that it couldn't be repaired, and that the manufacturer would contact us with further details. They called a few days later, and arranged for an exchange at Best Buy under the warranty. So now we are on the third TV of this model in under 7 months. This one was never right from the beginning. I was happy with the picture on the first two (although the sound was pretty bad if you're not using external speakers), but on this third one, I could never get the picture to look as good as on the other two, no matter how I adjusted the settings. Motion is very choppy, blacks and other dark colors look pixilated and rough. I was so unhappy with the picture, that I was almost relieved when this TV also failed. In November of 2014 ,only 5 months after replacement, the screen began to develop dark blotches around the edges, which in a matter of days began to get much larger. Again, we called Oncorp, and again they sent a technician, and again he said that it could not be repaired. Within a few days, Oncorp called (AGAIN) to let us know that they would arrange for us to exchange the TV at Best Buy. i explained to them that this was already our third one of this model in less than a year, and that we did not want a fourth. Surprisingly, they immediately offered a refund instead. So, in short, we have obviously had a pretty bad experience with this TV, and I would not recommend that anyone purchase this model, ever. However.... Oncorp's customer service and warranty coverage have been spectacular. They had no problem replacing the TV and then refunding me the entire purchase price (plus tax) as soon as I asked. The warranty and exchange process could not have been easier.

I plugged this in to my PC to start off, and I must say that the picture looked great. It also automatically adjusted itself with an HDMI connection. Often with PC-HDMI connections to TV's you need to over/underscan the resolution to properly fit the screen. DVDs and blu-rays look great and flow smoothly. I tested the built-in speakers, they're pretty quiet and don't have much "oomph" even after adjusting the audio settings, so make sure you have a soundbar or other speakers. Here's the BIG catch for me and all gamers, but it won't be for everybody. With my Xbox 360 plugged into HDMI (tested with RGB component cables as well) Halo 4 (splitscreen 4 player) had about 200-400 milliseconds of input delay, Fable 3 had about 100 ms. To clarify, input delay/lag is the time it takes to show the results on your screen after pressing a button or moving a thumbstick on your controller. (or other input device, such as a keyboard) To someone who doesn't game, 0.2 seconds of delay may not seem a lot, but it makes just about any game completely unplayable. I was able to locate the video processing settings on the TV (under advanced picture settings) and turn them all off, which almost halved the input lag. Unfortunately, it is still impossible to play most games competitively. Note that the delay will not show itself if you are watching TV or playing games where much less video processing is happening. In summary: If you have external speakers, are into watching movies/tv/sports, and KNOW you will NOT be gaming, then this is the 50-60" TV for you. You will not find a bigger bang for you buck.

Pt 1, 10/28/15: Poor picture quality, awful tuner sensitivity, loose jack panel, 60 hz refresh rate (motion is slightly unnatural) & various "glitches". Shares remote codes with my Iview outboard d/a tuner box, which limits use of the box's remote. I've never seen that before with any 2 components. Picture issues include tons of digital grain, poor contrast, an appearance similar to low video bit rate (remember in the early days of Windows when a video card driver didn't load? Other then bright portions of a film, that's about what this set looks like from my Blu-ray player. It does look much better with over the air Television broadcasts) , unnatural motion & all films look like they were shot on video (regardless of source). The sales rep called what I described as a "Soap Opera" appearance; I would have to agree with her. It also has an issue with my outboard tuner box running in HDMI; it causes the set to malfunction (the picture basically looks like it's on drugs on all inputs) , so I have to run the over the air tuner box with a component connection. Source is a $1,000 Oppo blu-ray player through a quality 12' HDMI cable running at 1080p. I have spent considerable time tweaking the settings. Going back for an exchange for a different brand. Addition: One thing I have discovered; I don't know why this helps but it makes a SIGNIFICANT difference: If playing a dvd, set your blu-ray player's output for 480p, & dvd's become watchable (though not great). Blu's are also mediocre; but SLIGHTLY better than playing a DVD at 480, & much better than playing a DVD at 1080. My blu-ray player is a $1k Oppo BDP95, & has an excellent picture. I don't know what I'm going to do. There are very few 55" models under $600 (I need a 55, because I watch alot of full screen). AFAIK, the main players are Sharp & Toshiba, which both are considered low quality like this RCA; & a Vizio I had planned on getting; but the Vizio has legs on the outside corners, rather then a base in the middle (STOOPID) & in my case that would limit my choice to sitting it directly on a carpeted floor; & for several reasons I have some real discomfort with that (safety, comfort & enjoyment). I have 3 days to decide. The frightening thing is I may keep this, as much as I dislike it. Oh, & this set does not allow for meaningful calibration; it doesn't have the settings. Pt 2: 11/1/15: I've discovered the RCA's main issue: it just can't handle 1080. Broadcast TV needs to be 720, & DVD 480 to look decent. In fact, DVD can look quite good at 480. Blu-ray looks mediocre at all resolutions, but is better at 720 then 1080. Your source needs to be able to set/change the native resolution, as the TV will show everything at the source's output resolution. I don't know how to dial down the built in tuner to 720; I am using an outboard box. The box automatically outputs 720 with the component connection, & 1080 with the HDMI. If you can live with the above (blu's look mediocre, & nothing looks good at 1080; upsampled or not), it's actually not that bad (I paid $409). I decided I can't live with it, it's been exchanged for the equivalent Vizio. The Vizio is better; it's also significantly more expensive.

Sat on this review for a week to make sure it was an in use review not a what I think review. Purchased to replace an old 50" 720 Sony DLP. Was concerned with the lack of jacks but decided to go with it as the 55" was increase and the size was kind of necessary for visibility in the opposite side of the room. Using Comcast at the moment so the use of a TV tuner is kind of mute as they have compressed everything past the point of being able to do that. 2 HDMI and a shared composite input (yellow ) and Component Video Input (red blue green- one set the specifications say three )- Contrary to the information from the salesperson who told me the Component Video Input shared with an HDMI slot. Stand went together in a couple minutes making sure to do the lug nut theory of starting all the screws first as the screws did not want to start easily into the TV back. Stand seemed sturdy enough and did not wobble at all while I installed all the inputs and turned it on. First negative is a hardwired power cable. Really? I have longer cable from other sets that would have been better for me to use. Second negative is the remote sensor is set to the left side of the TV and has a very narrow field of view. The manual shows you only have 30 degrees off center of the left side to get the sensor to pick up and they are not kidding. The remote itself is garbage. Many unused buttons and the arrow OK circle pad at the top is picky. Of course "your remote may vary" (standard disclaimer from RCA....) Setup was pointless as using a cable tuner not the TV tuner eliminated most of what it did and if I accidentally roll to a channel instead of input the set wants me to do it again. Unfortunately I can't delete channels that were not set up. Some sets will eliminate this problem but not this RCA. Some issues with getting the colors to look right depending on your input (cable versus blue ray) but the defaults you can pick from are pretty acceptable. Some blurry pixelation occurred even on some commercials with a HD cable box but I blame Comcast compression on that front. Replaced the box with the X-One and that seemed to eliminate almost all of it. Picture is beautiful but replacing that 720 resolution tv has a lot to do with that opinion. Have yet to get a 120 hz to show up as an input (cable box is configured correctly for 1080p) but the inputs determine that. Speakers.... go ahead and make sure you have a sound bar that uses Coaxial digital input or a surround system before you leave the store or you will not be happy as the speakers in the back of the unit sound atrocious. I ended up using the headphone jack temporarily to go to RCA (red white) inputs on an old Sony surround sound Dream System for an acceptable workaround till I decide on keeping it and getting a sound bar that works. Finding a low enough one to not block the remote sensor may be an issue so I will hopefully find one that the stand will sit on since the set is very light. The TV was the right price with a price match to a competitor as I prefer black tie warranty over most all other competitors. Hopefully it will meet your specific needs

Ok, so I went to my local Best Buy to get the LG 55LN5100 which was advertised for $499, but when I arrived there, there were at least a thousand people waiting on line. I went back home and returned after two hours. No more line and noticed a lot of people getting out of the store empty handed, so I wasn't expecting to get a good deal at all. I went straight to the TV department and saw two boxes of this TV. I was skeptical at first considering I haven't tried an RCA brand before and after a quick research online, there were some reviews telling this is not a good TV for gaming, which I will be using 60% of the time. Having said that, I took the risk and bought the TV. Installation was easy since it's much lighter than my 42" Samsung. Take note that there were no screws included for wall mounting. Luckily, I found the right kind of screws on my toolbox. It was perfectly installed to my wall in 20 minutes. I fired up my PS4 and played KillZone Shadow Fall and Assassin's Creed: IV Black Flag. I couldn't be happier on what I've seen and experienced. For those people here who submitted a review telling that this model is not good for gaming, I think yours might be defective. I've been playing on a $1000 Samsung 42" LED 120hz before I purchased this and I haven't seen much difference. The picture quality is similar and the refresh rate is only a little bit better on the Samsung. Only thing I don't like on this TV is the sound quality, which is fine since I'm using a receiver. It would be also nice to have at least three (3) HDMI inputs, instead of two. Overall, for $549, I think you cannot beat this deal especially for a 55" LED 120hz category.

Summary It is a great budget tv. No frills but good picture and sound once calibrated. Been using it for a month now. Transport: This tv fits in my honda Crv with the back seats folded down. I had it lying flat. Drove slow and avoid pot holes. Picture: Out of the box, it was bad, not average, but bad. I spent about 2 hours calibrating it with a DVD, then with my eyes to get the desired settings. Most of the settings need to be lowered. I don't remember them off hand now. The refresh rate is fine to my eyes. Maybe some blurring during very fast camera pans like in hockey. But I'm sitting 8 feet away. So that's pretty close. Sound Yes, this sounds like a tin can out of the box. Go to the sound settings and turn the bass all the way up. I think it's 15. And then play with the EQ to fine tune. I usually have the tv at a very low volume, like between 10-20 for watching news and sports. But if I want a cinema experience, I turn on my amp and totem speakers. Gaming: I don't really play first person shooters. I play games like mass effect and it works fine. Connections Only 2 hdmi. I bought a $15 switch on amazon which added 5 more hdmi. It's automatic so I don't have to even touch the remote. The other issue is that it doesn't have analog audio out. I bought a digital converter for $30 on amazon, coax digital to analog. Misc I don't have cable. I use an indoor antenna. The tv's tuner actually got me some channels I didn't get before. But some others also disappeared. Maybe it would match with another antenna better. Gonna experiment. But the quality of hd ota is good. Also, I use a roku to turn this into a smart tv. I also have google chromecast. In my opinion, buying a dumb tv is better than smart because you can customize your tv to your needs and save more money. I've also got a blu ray player connected. Picture is awesome. Being an LCD, the glare is minimal. The tv also looks nice. It remains to be seen how long this tv will last. However my previous tv was also a bestbuy no name, a proscan 40". It's 6 years old and still going strong. Good luck.