In recent years, form has increasingly overshadowed content in art. In films, this is manifested in the shift of focus from thoughtful plot and character development towards realistic computer graphics and dynamic action. In games, developers primarily focus on image quality and animation, and try to come up with an innovative setting, but only a few invest in an interesting and multifaceted story with unpredictable plot twists.

As a result, the popularity of monitors and televisions with large screens is growing, which open a wider window into the virtual world of digital entertainment, allowing you to properly appreciate the dragon flights in Game of Thrones or the crazy adventures of the Guardians of the Galaxy. In this review, we want to introduce you to the 55-inch Vinga S55UHD20G TV with 4K resolution support, a digital tuner, and Smart TV functionality. And all this at a very affordable price for this segment.

Specification

Packaging and Delivery Set

The TV comes in a simple cardboard box, which allows you to get acquainted with its appearance and some advantages. The side panels display a brief list of specifications in Ukrainian and English, and there are holes for easy transportation.

Inside the package, we found a set of paper documentation, a pair of legs and four screws for mounting them, as well as a remote control and a pair of AAA batteries for its power supply.

The remote control is made of matte plastic. It fits comfortably in the hand and allows you to switch channels, adjust the volume of the built-in speakers, navigate the menu, and activate additional functions. Almost every button is labeled or has an understandable icon. You can find the purpose of each one in the user manual.

Appearance and Features of Operation

If the Vinga TV models we previously tested used a black frame on the front side, the Vinga S55UHD20G has a silver frame, as well as the stand legs. Moreover, the frame is quite thin, creating an elegant appearance. The screen position cannot be changed, but thanks to the VESA bracket, wall mounting is possible.

The power supply unit is integrated into the body, so the TV does not boast a thin profile. It is located in the central part of the back side, the upper side of which is dotted with ventilation slots to improve heat exchange. Here you can also see a sticker with useful technical information and holes for VESA mounting (200 x 200 mm).

All available interfaces are directed downwards or sideways. This maintains convenient access to them in case of wall mounting and increases the convenience of laying interface cables. Moreover, all connectors are labeled, minimizing the time spent searching for the necessary port. It's pleasing to see the presence of an RJ45 interface for connecting an Ethernet cable, one D-Sub (VGA), and three HDMI for connecting video signal sources, a pair of RF connectors for satellite (RF (S2)) or regular TV (RF (T2)) antennas, and several other useful connectors.

At the bottom center is an activity indicator, which lights up green when the TV is on and red when in standby mode. Next to it are six additional buttons that allow you to select the signal source, activate the menu, switch channels, and adjust the volume level.

The Vinga S55UHD20G has two built-in speakers with a total power of 16 W, located on the lower panel. Their volume level is sufficient for watching movies and clips. The frequency range even hints at bass, but they are weakly expressed. Overall, there are no complaints about their performance – everything corresponds to the price positioning.

The Vinga S55UHD20G TV pleases with very rich functionality. Thanks to the built-in tuner with support for the DVB-T2 standard relevant for our country, you can watch digital channels in excellent quality.

The presence of three USB ports allows you to play multimedia content in popular formats directly from an external drive. We had no problem reading MKV, AVI, MP4, and TS.

The TV operates under the control of Android 5.1.1 OS.

To access internet resources, you can use the Wi-Fi channel. In this case, the maximum download and upload speeds exceeded 18 and 14 Mbps, respectively, with a channel width of 50 Mbps.

If this is not enough for you, then you need to use an Ethernet cable. As a result, the maximum download speed exceeded 51 Mbps, and the upload speed – 21 Mbps.

Once you have access to the global web, you can install various games from Google Play.

Freely visit your favorite sites in search of the necessary content.

Use pre-installed programs or install additional ones.

Watch movies online, work with office applications, and much more.

On-Screen Menu

To access the menu and adjust settings, you can use the controls under the screen, but it's more comfortable to do so with the remote control. The functionality allows you to select the input signal source, a pre-installed image profile, or audio subsystem mode, set the time and sleep timer, lock a channel, set the image format, and much more. The presence of high-quality Ukrainian language localization in the menu was pleasing. 

Testing

The hardware platform during the testing of the Vinga S55UHD20G TV was the ZOTAC ZBOX nano ID65 PLUS mini-computer. You can find a full description of the research methodology in the relevant material.

The display has four color profiles: "Dynamic," "User," "Standard," and "Mild." For convenience, we have compiled all their parameters in a single table:

First of all, the brightness indicator pleased, which in all profiles exceeds the declared 240 cd/m², reaching 302 cd/m². However, the high brightness of the black field did not allow the static contrast to rise above 472:1 with a declared value of 1200:1. We also note an elevated white point temperature compared to the reference 6500 K. But despite this, the screen image remained quite attractive.

Color Coverage

CIE diagrams of the "Dynamic" profile for sRGB and Adobe RGB

CIE diagrams of the "Custom" profile for sRGB and Adobe RGB

CIE diagrams of the "Standard" profile for sRGB and Adobe RGB

CIE diagrams of the "Moderate" profile for sRGB and Adobe RGB

The color space coverage of sRGB in the Vinga S55UHD20G TV slightly exceeds 91%, and Adobe RGB is close to 67%. These are good indicators for non-professional solutions.
In the CIE diagrams for sRGB, the "Moderate" profile looks the best: although all three corners of the triangle are shifted, we observe only minimal oversaturation in the areas of yellow, green, and magenta shades. For the Adobe RGB space, almost all modes show a significant lack in the areas of green and blue shades, as well as slight oversaturation in the magenta area.

Color Accuracy

Diagram of deviation of primary colors and shades from standards in the "Dynamic" profile

Diagram of deviation of primary colors and shades from standards in the "Custom" profile

Diagram of deviation of primary colors and shades from standards in the "Standard" profile

Diagram of deviation of primary colors and shades from standards in the "Moderate" profile

None of the profiles managed to meet the necessary criteria for achieving the required color and shade accuracy: the average and maximum deviation ΔE were above 1.5 and 4, respectively. The "Standard" profile stood out the most, although its neighbors did not go far ahead.

RGB Levels

RGB levels graph of the "Dynamic" profile

RGB levels graph of the "Custom" profile

RGB levels graph of the "Standard" profile

RGB Levels Chart for "Moderate" Profile

The RGB levels settings are also far from ideal: only the green curve approaches the reference line of 100%. Meanwhile, the red component is understated (between 70% - 80%), and the blue is overstated (exceeds 140%). As a result, the image will appear cold and is better suited for rendering water, ice, sky, etc.

Gamma

Gamma Curves Chart in "Dynamic" Profile

Gamma Curves Chart in "Custom" Profile

Gamma Curves Chart in "Standard" Profile

Gamma Curves Chart in "Moderate" Profile

In all profiles, the gamma curves are above the reference black line, which can cause overexposure of midtones and loss of detail in light areas of the image. The best situation in this regard is with the "Moderate" profile, while the "Dynamic" profile performed the worst.

Brightness Range

Based on testing results, the most balanced profile in the Vinga S55UHD20G TV is the "Custom" profile, so further research was conducted based on it.

The brightness range was from 112 to 298 cd/m², which again exceeds the declared maximum value of 240 cd/m². The minimum brightness value may be somewhat excessive for viewing in the dark, while the upper limit will ensure comfortable work in bright sunlight.

Monitor Calibration

CIE Diagrams of Calibrated Profile for sRGB and Adobe RGB Spaces

Diagram of Primary Colors and Shades Deviation from Standards in Calibrated Profile

RGB Levels Chart of Calibrated Profile

Gamma Curves Chart of Calibrated Profile

The calibration file is available at this link. The results obtained before and after hardware calibration are summarized in the table.

The results of manual calibration turned out to be quite contradictory. On one hand, it was possible to significantly improve the coverage of sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces and normalize the white point temperature. On the other hand, the accuracy of color and shade reproduction noticeably worsened, and it was not possible to normalize the RGB levels and gamma curves charts.

Screen Backlight Uniformity

The maximum brightness deviation relative to the central area does not exceed 18 cd/m², which can be considered a good result.

However, the white point temperature is not as smooth: in six out of nine conditional zones, the deviation exceeds the permissible range of ±250 K, as shown on the 3D diagram.

In the black fill test, there are completely non-critical backlight leaks around the perimeter, which is quite normal for a 55-inch diagonal.

Matrix Speed and PWM

The response time of the matrix in the Vinga S55UHD20G model is claimed by the manufacturer to be 8 ms. In reality, we see rather short trails from moving objects, so the TV is suitable not only for watching dynamic videos but also for gaming.

Brightness – 25%, exposure – 1/15

Another pleasant bonus is the absence of visible backlight flicker, as indicated by the single solid front in the photo. This reduces eye strain for the viewer and increases comfort during prolonged screen time.

Viewing Angles

The viewing angles of the Vinga S55UHD20G are claimed to be 178°. In practice, they turned out to be quite wide, but when viewed from the sides or diagonally, an unpleasant pale picture can be seen. However, it is unlikely that anyone would watch the TV from such angles, as the 55-inch diagonal allows many viewers to find a better spot in front of the screen.

Conclusions

Let's summarize. The Vinga S55UHD20G TV can be found on sale with a recommended price of 15,999 UAH ($628), making it one of the most affordable solutions in its segment. Among its advantages are the attractive design of the case, a wide range of external interfaces and their thoughtful placement, a built-in digital tuner supporting the DVB-T2 format relevant for our country, a localized settings menu, a number of pre-installed applications, and the ability to install additional programs and games from Google Play. However, 4K resolution will be primarily useful when playing movies from external USB drives, as the pre-installed Android 5.1 OS does not support this mode for applications.
The Vinga S55UHD20G also pleased with its high brightness level, good response speed, and absence of backlight flicker. The static contrast is below the stated level, but the RGB levels and gamma curves settings were not too impressive, and we were unable to improve them during manual calibration.
Overall, the Vinga S55UHD20G matches its price positioning and is primarily suitable for not too demanding users with a limited budget who have decided to set up a home theater.
Advantages:

• 55-inch panel with 4K resolution;
• support for Smart TV;
• built-in Wi-Fi module and Ethernet port;
• attractive and functionally thoughtful case design;
• easy-to-use remote control;
• expanded set of external interfaces;
• ability to play multimedia content from an external USB drive;
• support for digital television;
• convenient interface orientation for wall mounting;
• pair of built-in speakers with a total power of 16 W;
• functional menu with Ukrainian localization;
• pre-installed Android 5.1.1 OS with access to Play Market and the ability to install programs or games;
• wide viewing angles;
• high response speed;
• good brightness range;
• support for wall mounting.

Disadvantages:

• actual static contrast was lower than stated.

Author: Serhiy Budilovskyi 
Translation: Yuriy Koval

We express our gratitude to BRAIN Computers, the official representative of Vinga, for providing the TV for testing.