On today’s episode of You Asked: What’s a good TV upgrade for your bedroom? How should you adjust the brightness settings on your Blu-ray player? And we tackle the frustrations of finding reviews for TVs sold at Costco.
Panasonic Blu-ray brightness settings
Tom Soker asks: I want to know the effect of the TV-Type setting on a Panasonic DP-UB842. I got it connected to a LG G4 77″. According to the datasheet, the settings in the player correspond to the following Brightness Mapping of HDR Content. OLED: Target 800-1000 Nits Super High Luminance LCD: 1500-2000 Nits. The LG G4 has peak Brightness for highlights of about 1500 Nits, so wouldn’t it be correct to select the super high Luminance TV setting on the player to not limit its output to the TV?
Good question, Tom—and that’s interesting. My thinking is it depends on the type of content and format, because not everything is going to reach that peak brightness of 1500 nits. A lot may not even come close on an OLED TV. So I think that’s why the Panasonic player has those settings.
I may be stepping a little out of my depths here, so feel free to let me know your thoughts. But I do want to try to answer this and give some numbers as evidence.
Since we’re talking about high-end TVs, let’s use the Sony Bravia 9 and its measurements as a super-bright LCD TV comparison for a few scenarios.
If you’re viewing SDR content, the highest brightness you’ll probably get—assuming you turn off eco mode and tune all the settings to get the most out of the picture—is about 650 nits in a small window and 317 nits sustained in a full window, according to our review. In that case, you certainly don’t need the highest brightness settings from your player.
By comparison, the Bravia 9 gets significantly brighter. RATINGS measured it at 2600 nits peak in a 2% window and 700 sustained full screen.
In HDR, yes, the LG G4 does peak at 1500 nits. So to get the most out of specular highlights—think stars in the night sky, bright sunlight, lightsabers—you’ll want that Super High Luminance setting to see them pop.
But across the full screen, those numbers drop to around 220 nits sustained. The Bravia 9, meanwhile, peaks around 2600 nits in a small window and about 750 nits sustained full screen. Obviously, there are brightness peaks at various window sizes.
The point is, the Bravia 9 and most LCD TVs are going to be significantly brighter than OLEDs across the board, and that’s why the Panasonic player gives the ratings it does.
As I said earlier—it depends. For SDR content, you don’t need the Super High Luminance setting. For HDR (which I’m assuming you watch a lot of), I’d say try both.
In the OLED brightness setting, if you notice specular highlights being capped or not standing out like they should on the G4, switch to the higher level. Otherwise, based on the numbers, the 800–1000 nits OLED luminance range is likely the best option overall.
Why are Costco TV reviews so hard to find?
@MannsWoodlandPerspective says: It’s almost impossible to find Costco TV reviews and find equivalents
Well, that’s true—and it’ll continue to be impossible if you’re only looking for the exact model number. Costco often has different model numbers for TVs compared to other retailers, for a few reasons.
It allows them to sell TVs at a unique price based on their deal with the manufacturer, often lower since they buy in large quantities. But to sell for less, they need a unique model number.
The actual differences between a Costco TV and one from another retailer aren’t usually that significant. Sometimes it’s just an extended warranty. Other times, like with the TCL QM6K and QM6K Pro, the difference can be the type of panel used—which is much more significant.
You’ll rarely find video reviews for Costco-specific TVs because reviewers typically get units through brand programs, not retail. These programs provide models that are sold widely across multiple retailers. Unless the reviewer buys it themselves, they won’t get the exact Costco model.
That said, most of the time, it’s not a big deal. The best way to track down reviews is to do a bit of research. Compare model numbers with Best Buy or another retailer and look for small differences. Check feature lists and specs to ensure the TV has what you expect.
In general, focus on the model name (like Samsung QN90F) rather than the model number, which can vary.
And specifically for TCL—be careful. For example, their QM7K is a great TV we’ve discussed a lot. The Q77K, which sounds similar, is not the same TV and performs very differently. Someone could easily get confused and buy the wrong one, which is frustrating.
You’re right—it’s not a fun process. It makes comparing prices harder and adds stress for buyers. It’s easily my least favorite part of keeping up with TV news.
Is my old OLED still worth it?
Thomas Swift asks: I have upgraded my sitting room TV to a new OLED last year and moved my OLED55C8PLA TV to the bedroom. The question is do you think my old OLED TV is better then most of the new LCD panels on the market in 2025? It has no burn in and still has a good picture the only difference is in dark scenes compared to my newer OLED or am I fooling myself and should I update it for a newer model LCD I have it since 2018.
Good question—and one I just had some real-world experience with. My practical advice: stick with the C8, especially since it’s held up well and you still enjoy it.
We’ve had several questions about the LG C8 OLED lately, probably because it was a big seller when it launched. The proof of its reputation is that, seven years later, we’re still talking about it and debating whether it’s time to upgrade.
If dark scenes are your main issue, newer LCDs—especially top-tier ones like the Samsung QN90F, Sony Bravia 7 or 9, TCL QM8K, or Hisense U8QG—offer noticeable improvements.
They can’t match OLED’s infinite contrast and pure blacks, but they’re far brighter. With modern tech closing the gap in black levels, these LCDs now deliver an incredible viewing experience in both SDR and HDR.
Recently, a friend of mine who owns an LG C5 OLED was choosing between an LG C2 and a TCL QM8 for his bedroom setup—OLED versus Mini LED. He went with the TCL QM8, and his first text to me was: “This TV is effing amazing.” And that’s coming from someone who regularly watches a great OLED.
Hopefully that gives you perspective on how these TVs perform in everyday use rather than just YouTube comparisons. OLED is amazing, but I’d gladly put almost any of the LCDs we’ve discussed or reviewed in my living room.
If you can find a good LCD TV for a good price, I’d support that decision.
