I tested the ‘Free TV’ that got the internet buzzing and it was far better than expected

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Telly guarantees a free TV in return on your knowledge and a few commercials.
• The adverts weren’t almost as intrusive as I assumed they’d be, and the audio and video high quality have been glorious.
• A built-in digicam not solely provides helpful options but in addition presents some enjoyable, new methods to work together.

Once I first heard concerning the Telly program — which presents a totally free 55-inch tv should you’re keen to view some adverts — I used to be decidedly uninterested. When an honest sufficient 55-inch good tv could be had for under $400, why trouble with one which’s going to drown me with adverts? 

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The attract of a free TV and easy curiosity bought the higher of me although and I utilized for this system in June. I had largely forgotten about it till mid-December after I bought an e-mail asking me to finish my order as a result of I would been accepted into the beta program.

And now, after greater than a month with Telly, I do not remorse signing up in any respect. 

Earlier than we get into the technical half, I need to level out that that is the heaviest TV I’ve encountered in a very long time. It was the one TV I’ve ever had delivered by two individuals. However, that is sensible given the addition of a second display. The underside display additionally means it is a good bit taller than all different TVs — virtually 40 inches — so you will want a decrease stand. 

Once I first fired up my set, an advert for a credit score app performed on the principle display. The underside display confirmed the climate, NFL scores, a information article, a scrolling information ticker, and an commercial for a neighborhood hospital. The commercial took up a few fifth of the underside display. 

My first thought was “That is it?” 

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The adverts weren’t almost as intrusive as I anticipated. The advert on the underside does sometimes stretch to replenish the entire second display, however it’s not typically. And Telly understands what you are watching — say, an NFL recreation, and shows related adverts.
I used to be rapidly in a position to navigate to the place I wished to on the principle display, and the rotating advert on the underside display match properly beside the remainder of the knowledge… info I began to search out helpful.

The underside display shows a number of widgets that you could activate or off (I opted out of the inventory costs widget). On my setup, one widget displayed the native climate, one confirmed NFL scores, and one supplied information headlines from the sources I selected. There’s additionally a scrolling information ticker on the underside after which a small advert to the proper.

Once I fired up my first content material, I discovered that the second display wasn’t distracting in any respect. In truth, I loved it. Seeing NFL scores with out checking my cellphone was handy, and I noticed a number of information tales that brought on me to hunt out extra data. Telly wasn’t inundating me with adverts like I assumed; as an alternative, it was offering helpful info tailor-made to my pursuits. 

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A small draw back is that Telly is not a wise TV. It comes with some apps preinstalled like Zoom and Spotify, however you may’t add any extra. All your streaming content material is accessed by an Android dongle that plugs into the HDMI port. It is nonetheless completely accessible; it simply requires an additional step and a second distant.

The TV has the same old inputs on the again — a pair of USBs, three HDMI 2.1 ports (one in every of which is eARC for a sound bar), two audio out, and a cable/antenna in. There are additionally built-in LED lights on the again. The settings menu helps you to change them to one in every of 9 colours, management the brightness, or disable them fully. I do have third-party LED backlights on my important TV, and I appreciated the choice to manage Telly’s straight from the settings.

There’s a digicam on Telly, which I attempted out with a Zoom call. The digicam high quality the opposite particular person noticed wasn’t superb, however it was completely effective for that objective. There’s a promise of extra content material that makes use of the digicam like health, gaming, and even watch events the place you see your pals on the second display as you all view the identical factor, however these aren’t obtainable but. The digicam is roofed by a bodily shutter when it is not in use. 

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This TV additionally comes with a group of video games, together with some which can be performed on the principle display and a few that may be performed on the decrease display whereas watching content material on the principle. The video games are managed by the TV distant and embody classics like Asteroids, Breakout, Centipede, Crossy Street, Deal or No Deal, Trivia Crack and extra. Telly guarantees that motion-controlled video games are on the best way.

So how does this TV look and sound? Higher than I anticipated.

When it comes to precise specs, Telly has stored issues fairly secret relating to the show. It does have 4K functionality with 60Hz refresh charge and HDR and HDR10+ help, however no VRR help. Image settings embody your fundamental brightness and distinction sliders together with an “superior” menu that features a shade tuner plus a toggle for noise discount and movie mode. 

I discovered the image high quality to be proper on par with most units I see, and whereas this set would not seem to have native dimming, the distinction was good. I watch TV in a vivid atmosphere with a whole lot of pure mild, however Telly dealt with it effective. The set brightness routinely adjusted to the room. 

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The audio on this set shocked me, as most value-oriented televisions have sound that is subpar. However not Telly. After all, the sound is not technically coming from the TV as there is a built-in Dolby soundbar that sits between the 2 screens. However the audio is loads loud, reaching a most stage I would by no means use, and the audio system offered a reasonably first rate bass rumble throughout motion scenes. Dialogue got here by crisp and clear, one thing I discover many TVs battle with.

A small downside is that there are zero sound settings if you would like to fine-tune issues — not even sound profiles to select from. However I discovered the usual settings effective for every thing I attempted. Once I plugged in my PS5, I bought precisely what I anticipated — an honest show that dealt with each recreation I attempted with no blurring or stuttering. There aren’t fancy gaming choices or settings like different TVs have, however I used to be completely content material gaming on this set. 

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

It is true {that a} portion of Telly’s options — a built-in digicam, a voice assistant, and even the built-in backlights, aren’t distinctive. The second display is the novelty right here. Provided that Telly’s premise is basically “each tv is promoting your knowledge, why should not the client get one thing in return?” I used to be anticipating that second display to be a barrage of blatant promoting. As a substitute, I bought a delicate nudge to examine my credit score rating and to purchase some footwear. 

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Like all televisions, I am sure that Telly is taking knowledge about what reveals I watch and sending it to who is aware of the place. However, should you’re keen to cope with that reality (which you are should you personal virtually any good TV), Telly is a reasonably good likelihood to scoop up not simply an progressive TV, however a free one.  

This set is not going to win any awards for its video high quality and it would not have fancy choices for players, however it’s completely effective for the overwhelming majority of customers — myself included.