The best accessories for your new OLED TV

So you’ve chosen a new OLED TV, the crème de la crème of TV options. It doesn’t matter if you own one of LG’s new CX TVs, Sony’s Master Series, or even an older or used OLED. Your screen will still be much better than the vast majority of LCD screens, with unmatched black levels and stunning contrast. But even if you have one of the best displays, you can still do a few upgrades.

Set your parameters correctly with a calibration disc

While most TVs have a useful range of picture presets, they still need to be adjusted to suit your living space. A useful way to change all of these settings is to use a calibration disc, like Spear & Munsil’s HD Benchmark Blu-ray. It will walk you through everything you need to do to make sure you get the best possible picture, while avoiding pitfalls like losing detail in extremely bright and dark scenes. If you’re lucky enough to have a 4K Blu-ray player or game console with one of these players, go for the updated UHD version of Spear & Munsil’s benchmarks, which also helps you adjust the settings. HDR difficult.

If you want the best possible picture quality, you can always hire a professional to calibrate your device. But in my experience and what I have learned from TV experts, this is generally overkill for most people. Spending an hour or two with a calibration disc will usually give you the quality you want.

Buy UHD Benchmark on Amazon – $ 40

Go big with the sound

I know this might sound obvious, but I’m still shocked at how often I have to remind people that their sound system is just as important as their shiny new TV. Now, I’m not saying you have to build a discrete Dolby Atmos home theater system (although that will definitely give you the best sound quality in your home). You can still get a decent audio upgrade with a soundbar, even if you’re on a budget. At the most basic level, it will replace the slim speakers on your OLED TV. But modern soundbars can also serve as the centerpiece for a wireless surround system, and many also include support for Dolby Atmos audio, which can simulate the sound above.

The picks in our 2019 soundbar guide still stand: Vizio’s SB362An-F6 remains a solid option under $ 100. And if you’re aiming for something a little more immersive, consider the company’s M-Series lineup, which starts with a more capable all-in-one soundbar. You can also upgrade to the $ 350 M-Series wireless surround sound system, which includes two rear satellites and a separate subwoofer. And if you want premium Vizio quality, there’s the $ 1,000 Elevate soundbar, which can swivel to produce Dolby Atmos and DTS: X overhead sound.

Buy Vizio 2.1 M-Series on Amazon – $ 122 Buy Vizio Elevate soundbar on Amazon – $ 1000

If you don’t like Vizio for some reason, the Sonos product family is also worth considering, especially if you already have Sonos speakers. The $ 399 Beam is still a capable mid-range option, and you can later add in other Sonos gear to turn it into a true surround sound system. At the high end, there’s the $ 799 Arc, which offers much bigger sound with Dolby Atmos support.

Buy Sonos Beam on Amazon – $ 399 Buy Arc from Sonos – $ 799

Illuminate this

The advantage of OLED displays is that they offer almost infinite contrast levels. But a major downside to any modern television is that they are often too bright to comfortably watch at night without taking things down a notch. This is where bias lighting comes in – it encompasses any type of lighting placed behind your TV to provide ambient light. By diffusing the lighting in your living room a little, it can help reduce eye strain from seeing a bright screen.

You can just do this with any old lamp, but for a more balanced option, consider something like Nexilumi’s LED Strip Light, which offers application-based control and a variety of color options. And if you own Philips Hue smart lights, you should consider Ambiance LightStrip Plus. Hue lights can also work with the company’s HDMI box, which can sync your lighting with images on your TV. It’s a trippy and immersive upgrade, but it’ll set you back $ 230.

Buy Nexilumi Light Strip from Amazon – $ 27 Buy Hue LightStrip Plus from Amazon – $ 80 Buy Hue Play HDMI Box from Philips – $ 230

Other material to consider

Headphones are essential for nighttime viewing. Our guide to wireless headphones can help you get started, but you should be able to connect. all Bluetooth headphones to your TV easily.

It might sound like overkill, but if you want to watch the best quality 4K content on your OLED, you should get a 4K Blu-ray player. 4K discs always better than 4K streams, and most players will do a better job of scaling your old Blu-rays and DVDs than your TV. You can also play 4K Blu-rays on modern game consoles, but I found these interfaces much more boring to navigate.