TCL Pushes High Dynamic Range, Roku TV in Push to Be No. 3 TV Brand

TCL will deliver 25 models of Roku TVs this year across three product series, it said at its CES news conference Wednesday. The S Ultra HD 4K TV series, shipping this spring in screen sizes 49-65 inches, will focus on value while delivering high dynamic range. The P series, designed for the home theater enthusiast, steps up to Dolby Vision HDR, 72 contrast control zones and wider color gamut in screen sizes 50-65 inches, starting at $499. Color gamut approaches 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color space, said Chris Larson, TCL North America vice president-sales and marketing. The C series, focusing on design, with an edgeless bezel, will ship this spring in 49-75-inch screen sizes. The high-end C series TV also has Dolby Vision HDR Dynamic Contrast that allows the contrast to be optimized for each scene, said Larson. The models include the LED backlight used in the P series for wider color gamut, Larson said. The bezel measures 11.4 millimeters, or less than a half inch. The design is the type “where cost is no object,” said Larson, who didn’t provide prices. Larson pushed TCL’s scale as the third-largest maker of TVs and advantages as a vertically integrated manufacturer, which allow the company to keep costs low. TCL maintains its goal to be the No. 3 TV maker in North America by the end of the decade and will put in place an “aggressive” marketing plan to boost brand visibility in 2017 through partnerships with sports leagues, the Minnesota Timberwolves, Live Nation, Comic Con and The Ellen Show, said Larson. Roku General Manager Chas Smith said streaming hours on the Roku platform increased 60 percent year on year. Roku is constantly upgrading the platform, said Smith, and will add two channels in the next few weeks: a Comcast Xfinity app and DirecTV Now.