TCL accused of misleading marketing on RGB mini LED TVs

Controversy has emerged over alleged false advertising involving a budget red, green and blue (RGB) mini LED TV released by Chinese TV manufacturer TCL. According to a report Thursday by market research firm Omdia, TCL’s budget RGB mini LED TV uses two blue chips and one green chip, but lacks a dedicated red chip. RGB TVs are designed to independently control red, green and blue backlights, a method widely regarded as enabling superior color reproduction and higher brightness compared with conventional white LED-based TVs. Omdia analyzed TCL’s budget model, the Q9M, saying it uses a combination of blue and green chips with red phosphors, rather than pure RGB chips, to lower production costs. Red chips are far more expensive than blue or green chips, prompting TCL to standardize the use of cheaper blue and green chips and rely on red-emitting phosphors to produce red light. Despite lacking a dedicated red chip, TCL continues to market the TV as an RGB mini LED model. “Even RGB mini LED TVs using pure RGB chips made by Chinese manufacturers have already drawn criticism over picture qua