Important points of ZDNET
- terry’s promise free tv In exchange for data and some ads.
- The ads weren’t as annoying as I expected, and the audio and video quality was great.
- The built-in camera not only adds useful functionality, but also provides fun new ways to interact.
When I first heard about the Telly program (a program that gives you a completely free 55-inch TV if you’re willing to watch ads), I was clearly not interested. Why buy a TV that’s bombarded with ads when you can get a decent 55-inch smart TV for less than $400?
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But the lure of free TV and simple curiosity got the best of me and I signed up for the program in June. I almost forgot about it until mid-December when I received an email asking me to complete my order as I had been accepted into his beta program.
And now, more than a month after starting Telly, I don’t regret signing up at all.
Before we get into the technical part, I’d like to point out that this is the heaviest TV I’ve ever come across. This was the only TV I ever delivered with two people. But that’s to be expected given the addition of a second screen. The bottom screen means it’s considerably taller (almost 40 inches) than all the other TVs, so you’ll need a lower stand.
When I first started the set, an ad for the Credits app played on the main screen. The bottom screen displayed weather, NFL scores, news articles, a scrolling news ticker, and ads for local hospitals. Advertisements occupied about one-fifth of the bottom screen.
My first thought was, “Huh?”
Also, how “free” is Telly’s Free TV?
The ads weren’t as intrusive as I expected. Sometimes the ad at the bottom stretches to fill his entire second screen, but it doesn’t happen often. Telly then understands what you’re watching (like an NFL game) and shows you relevant ads.
I could quickly navigate to where I wanted on the main screen, and the rotating ads on the bottom screen fit nicely next to the rest of the information…I started to find the information useful.
The screen below shows several widgets that you can turn on or off (I opted out of the stock widget). In my setup, one widget displayed local weather, another displayed NFL scores, and one displayed news headlines from the source of my choice. There’s a scrolling news ticker at the bottom, and there’s also a small ad to the right of it.
When I booted up the first piece of content, I found that the second screen didn’t bother me at all. It was actually fun. It was convenient for him to be able to check NFL scores without checking his phone. I also saw some news articles that made me want more information. Tely wasn’t as flooded with ads as I expected. Instead, they provided useful information tailored to my interests.
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A small drawback is that Telly is not a smart TV. A few apps like Zoom and Spotify are preinstalled, but you can’t add more. All streaming content is accessed via an Android dongle connected to the HDMI port. It is still fully accessible. All you need is an extra step and a second remote.
The back of the TV has the usual inputs: two USB, three HDMI 2.1 ports (one of which is eARC for the sound bar), two audio outputs, and one cable/antenna input. It also has a built-in LED. light on the back. The settings menu allows you to change to one of nine colors, control the brightness, or disable it completely. My main TV has a third-party LED backlight, but I appreciated the option to control Telly directly from the settings.
Telly has a camera, so I tried it out on a Zoom call. The quality of the camera I saw on the other end wasn’t amazing, but it was perfectly fine for its purpose. We’re promised more content that uses the camera, like fitness, gaming, and even Watch Parties, which shows your friends on a second screen while everyone sees the same thing, but those aren’t available yet. The camera is covered with a physical shutter when not in use.
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This TV also comes with a collection of games, including games that can be played on the main screen and games that can be played on the bottom screen while watching content on the main screen. Games can be controlled with your TV’s remote control and include classic games such as Asteroids, Breakout, Centipede, Crossy Road, Deal or No Deal, and Trivia Crack. Tely promises motion control games are coming.
So what does this TV look and sound like? It was better than I expected.
As for the actual specs, Telly has been pretty secretive about the display. It has 4K capabilities with a 60Hz refresh rate and support for HDR and HDR10+, but no VRR support. Image settings include basic brightness and contrast sliders, as well as an “Advanced” menu with a color tuner and toggles between noise reduction and film modes.
I found the image quality to be on par with most sets I’ve seen. Contrast was good, although this set doesn’t seem to have local dimming. I watch TV in a bright environment with lots of natural light, and Telly handled it just fine. The brightness you set will be automatically adjusted to suit the room.
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I was surprised by the audio on this set, as most value-oriented TVs have subpar sound. But Terry is different. Of course, there’s a built-in Dolby soundbar between the two screens, so the sound isn’t technically coming from the TV. However, the audio was plenty loud, reaching max levels that I never use, and the speakers provided pretty decent bass rumble during action scenes. Dialogue was crisp and clear, which I think a lot of television struggles with.
The small downside is that there are no sound settings at all if you want to tweak it, and you can’t even select a sound profile. However, I found the standard settings to be adequate for everything I tried. When I connected the PS5, it looked exactly as I expected. I got a decent display that handled all the games I tried without any blurring or stuttering. While it doesn’t have the fancy gaming options or settings that other TVs have, I was thoroughly satisfied with my gaming experience with this set.
ZDNET purchase advice
Admittedly, some of Telly’s features (built-in camera, voice assistant, even built-in backlight) aren’t unique. What’s new here is his second screen. Given that Telly’s premise is essentially “every TV is selling your data, why shouldn’t customers get something in return?” I expected the screen to be filled with blatant advertisements. Instead, I received a subtle nudge to check my credit score and buy shoes.
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Like all TVs, I’m sure Telly knows what programs I’m watching and where it’s sending it.But if you are willing to deal with that fact (you teeth If you own almost any smart TV), Telly offers more than just innovative TVs. free stuff.
This set isn’t going to win any awards for video quality, and it doesn’t have any fancy options for gamers, but it’s perfectly fine for the majority of users, myself included.
