User Manual TCL 43S423 43" Class 4-Series 4K UHD HDR Roku Smart TV

TCL 43S423 43" Class 4-Series 4K UHD HDR Roku Smart TV - Use Manual - Use Guide PDF.
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  • Owner's manual - (English)



User Manual SMART TV

Connections and setup

Before initial setup

Protect against power surges:

  • Connect all components before you plug any power cords into the wall outlet or power strip.
  • NEVER plug your TCL Roku TV into an outlet that is controlled by a wall switch.
  • Turn off the TV before you connect or disconnect any cables.
  • Make sure all antennas and cables are properly grounded. Refer to theImportant Safety Instructions.

Avoid audio interference

  • Position cables properly; insert each cable firmly into the designated jack.
  • Route all cables down one side of the back of the TV instead of straight down the middle.
  • If your antenna uses 300-ohm twin lead cables, do not coil the cables.
  • Keep twin lead cables away from audio/video cables.

Set up your new TV

  1. Open the box and remove the TV and other items. Be careful, the TV is heavy! We strongly recommend that two people unbox the TV.
  2. Be sure to check all the foam packaging as the stands from some TV’s are stored in the foam for protection.

What’s in the box

To mount on a wall

If you are mounting your TCL Roku TV to the wall, do not attach the TV base stand or TV stand column.
To mount your TV to the wall, purchase the one of the following VESA wall mounts:

  • 43" model VESA 100 x 100, M6 x 12mm screws
  • 49" model VESA 200 x 200, M6 x 12mm screws
  • 50" model VESA 200 x 200, M6 x 12mm screws
  • 55" model VESA 200 x 200, M6 x 12mm screws
  • 65" model VESA 400 x 200, M6 x 12mm screws

The VESA number is the horizontal and vertical measurement of the mounting holes.
For example, 100 x 200 indicates that the mounting holes are spaced 100mm horizontally and 200mm vertically.
Follow the directions supplied with the wall mount to mount the TV to the wall.

Caution: Your wall mount must be able to bear a minimum of five times the TVs net weight to avoid damage.
Note: The wall mount bracket and the screws are not included

To use the stand

Your TCL Roku TV comes without the stands attached so that you can choose to use the stands or mount your TV to a wall using a wall mount (sold separately). If you want to mount your TV to the wall, don’t attach the stand legs.
A – Place the TV face down on a soft, cushioned surface on a table. The bag the TV was packed in makes a good cushion. Position the TV so that the stand, when attached, will hang over the edge of the table.

See other models: 55S423 5-SERIES 65S425 65R617 32S327
B – Take out the two plastic covers from the stand holes at the bottom of the TV.

C – Put the column of the stands into the TV, align the stands with the screw holes located on the TV.
D – Secure the stands to the TV with four (4) screws.

Connecting an antenna, cable, or satellite box

  1. If you are using an antenna, CATV cable without a set-top box, or a cable or satellite box that has only an antenna output, connect a 75-ohm coaxial cable (not provided) from the device to the ANT/CABLE input on the TV.
  2. Tip: If you are using an antenna with a 300 ohm twin-lead cable, you need to use a 300-to-75 ohm adapter (not provided) to adapt the twin-lead cable to a connection that is compatible with the TV’s antenna input.
  3. Tip: If you receive your TV stations through a set top box from a cable or satellite TV provider, connect it to the TV using the best connection method available. From most to least desirable:
  • HDMI® input – Digital HD and SD video
  • AV input – analog SD video
  • Antenna input – analog SD video using NTSC

Connecting external equipment with a composite AV video cable

If the best connection available on your device is AV or composite video output, connect it to the TV using a composite AV cable (not provided). Composite AV cables typically have three RCA-type plugs on each end, color coded as follows:

  • Yellow – Video
  • Red – Audio, right channel
  • White or black – Audio, left channel

Connect each plug to the corresponding connector on the device and on the TV.
Note: Select models have an AV Input that looks like a headphone jack. Use the breakout cable (included) to adapt this input to the three RCA-type plugs on your composite cable.

Connecting external equipment with an HDMI® cable

  1. If possible, connect your devices using HDMI® cables (not provided). They help to provide the best video quality and also carry audio signals, so that only one cable is needed. For better picture quality, we recommend that you use cables designated as High Speed HDMI® Cables.
  2. Tip: You might need to configure the device to send its signal through its HDMI® connector.
  3. The connector labeled HDMI IN (ARC) has the additional ability to use the audio return channel to send digital audio to a receiver or sound bar, as explained in Connecting an AV receiver or digital sound bar.

Connecting headphones or analog sound bar to the TV

You can connect headphones or an analog sound bar (not provided) to the TV’s headphone jack.
Tip: Inserting a plug in the headphone jack disables the sound from the TV’s built-in speakers.
Warning: Loud noise can damage your hearing. When using headphones, use the lowest volume setting on your headphones that still lets you hear the sound.

Select models also have an audio line out connection that is not affected by TV volume or mute settings and does not disable the TV speakers. Use this connection when you want to use your amplifier or sound bar to control the TV volume. To turn off the TV’s built-in speakers, in the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Audio > TV speakers and change the setting.

Connecting an AV receiver or digital sound bar

You can enjoy Dolby AudioTM multichannel sound from your TV if you connect a digital amplifier or sound bar (not provided) in either of two ways:

  • Digital optical audio out (S/PDIF) – Connect a TOSLINK optical cable (not provided) from the TV to the Optical input on your receiver or sound bar.
  • HDMI® ARC – Connect an HDMI® cable (not provided) from the HDMI (ARC) connector to the HDMI® input on your receiver or sound bar.

This connection uses the Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature of the HDMI® specification to output sound from the TV to a compatible device. To use this feature, you must configure the TV to enable HDMI® ARC, as explained in Enable HDMI® ARC.

Preparing for Internet connectivity

If you want to watch streaming content and take advantage of the cool features of your TCL Roku TV, connect it to the Internet through a wireless modem/router or a wireless access point (not provided). The TV has a built-in wireless LAN adapter.
Note: The TV supports only its internal wireless network adapter—it does not support the use of a USB network adapter.
Select 4K models have wired in addition to wireless network connectivity. To use the wired network connection, connect an RJ-45 Ethernet cable (not provided) from the jack on the back of your TV to your network router or switch. The wired connection supports both 10 Base-T and 100 Base-T Ethernet.

AC power

Plug your TV into a power outlet. You can tell that the TV has power because the status indicator lights up when the TV is off.
The topic Status indicator explains how the status indicator shows what is happening with the TV.

Roku remote batteries

Open the back of your Roku remote and insert the included batteries, observing the proper orientation as indicated in the battery compartment. Reattach the back cover.

TCL Roku TV remote

Use the following information to identify the buttons on your Roku remote.
Note: Certain remote buttons and features vary by model. Your remote might not have all buttons or features listed.

  • If your remote has a microphone button just below the purple pad, then you have a Roku Voice Remote.
  • If your remote has a headphone jack on its left edge, then you have a Roku Enhanced Voice Remote.

The Roku voice remotes have additional capabilities as described in the following table.

Panel buttons

Your TV has a set of panel buttons that perform simple control functions. The TV panel buttons are not a substitute for the remote, as they do not give you access to all TV functions.
Depending on model, your TV model has one of several different panel button designs. Choose the one that applies to your TV from the following list:

  • Single button
  • Three buttons
  • Game-pad style joystick
  • Four buttons
  • Five buttons (with mute)
  • Five buttons (without mute)
  • Seven buttons

Single button

If your TV has this style of panel button, you can perform the following functions:

  • Turn TV on: short press.
  • Display the Input List: short press when TV is on.
  • Select the next input in the Input List: short press while the TV is showing the Input List.
  • Dismiss the Input List without changing inputs: no press.
  • Turn TV off: long press.

Short press = less than two seconds
Long press = more than two seconds
No press: = no press within two seconds

Three buttons

If your TV has this style of panel buttons, you can perform the following functions:

  • Turn TV on: middle button, short or long press.
  • Volume up: right button when Input List is not active.
  • Volume down: left button when Input List is not active.
  • Display Input List: middle button, short press when TV is on.
  • Highlight next input in the Input List: right button when Input List is active.
  • Highlight previous input in the Input List: left button when Input List is active.
  • Select highlighted item in the Input List: middle button, short press, or no press.
  • Turn TV off: middle button, long press.

Short press = less than two seconds
Long press = more than two seconds
No press: = no press within four seconds

Game-pad style joystick

If your TV has this style of panel button, you can perform the following functions:

  • Press in: Toggle between power ON and Standby.
  • Press up or down: Increase/decrease the volume.
  • Press left or right: Switch inputs. Each press moves the highlight up or down one item. Pausing for a few moments selects the highlighted item.

Four buttons

If your TV has this style of panel buttons, you can perform the following functions:

  • Power: Turns the power on and off.
  • Input: Selects among TV inputs. Each press moves down one item. Pausing for a few moments selects the highlighted item.
  • Volume +: Increases the volume.
  • Volume –: Decreases the volume.

Five buttons (with mute)

If your TV has this style of panel buttons, you can perform the following functions. Note that the order of the buttons might vary from model to model. Examine the panel button labels to determine your TV model’s layout.

  • Power: Turns the power on and off.
  • Input: Selects among TV inputs. Each press moves down one item. Pausing for a few moments selects the highlighted item.
  • Volume +: Increases the volume.
  • Volume –: Decreases the volume.
  • Mute: Mutes and unmutes the sound.

Five buttons (without mute)

If your TV has this style of panel buttons, you can perform the following functions. Note that the order of the buttons might vary from model to model. Examine the panel button labels to determine your TV model’s layout.

  • Power: Turns the power on and off.
  • Input +: Selects the next TV input. Each press moves down one item. Pausing for a few moments selects the highlighted item.
  • Input -: Selects the previous TV input. Each press moves up one item. Pausing for a few moments selects the highlighted item.
  • Volume +: Increases the volume.
  • Volume –: Decreases the volume.

Seven buttons

If your TV has this style of panel buttons, you can perform the following functions. Note that the order of the buttons might vary from model to model. Examine the panel button labels to determine your TV model’s layout.

  • Input: Selects among TV inputs. Each press moves down one item. Pressing Channel + or Channel – moves the highlight up or down. Pausing for a few moments selects the highlighted item.
  • Channel +: Moves the highlighted item up in the current menu.
  • Channel –: Moves the highlighted item down in the current menu.
  • Volume +: Increases the volume.
  • Volume –: Decreases the volume.
  • Mute: Mutes and unmutes the sound.
  • Power: Turns the power on and off.

Guided Setup

Starting Guided Setup

To start Guided Setup, press the POWER button on the remote to turn on your TV.
Note: Guided Setup normally runs only once, the first time you turn on your TV. If you need to run Guided Setup again, you’ll have to perform a factory reset, as explained in Factory reset everything.
When you first turn on your TV, it will take a few seconds to get itself ready. You’ll notice the following things happening:

  1. The status indicator blinks every time the TV is busy doing something; in this case it’s powering up and getting ready for you.
  2. The power-on screen appears and the status indicator blinks slowly for a few more seconds. The power-on screen shows a brand logo while the TV starts up.
  3. After a few seconds, Guided Setup starts.

Completing Guided Setup

Follow these steps to complete Guided Setup. At this point, you should be seeing the Language screen.

1. Only on models that have a Roku voice remote: A few moments after the Let’s get started screen appears, Guided Setup starts the pairing process for the voice remote. (You’ll know if you have this type of remote because it will have microphone or search button just below the down arrow on the purple pad.) If the voice remote does not pair automatically, follow the instructions on the screen to complete the pairing process.

  • Tip: On TVs sold in the United States, if you are blind or visually impaired, you can activate Audio Guide, a text-to-speech screen reader to help you navigate the TV’s menus and commands. To enable the Audio Guide, press the * button on the remote four times in rapid succession. Repeat to disable Audio Guide. (The * button is located directly below the directional pad on the right side of the Roku remote.)
  • Note: If you enabled Audio Guide, choosing any language other than English disables it.

2. Press the DOWN arrow on the remote to highlight your preferred language, and then press OK or the RIGHT arrow.

3. Some models have a country selection screen: If you don’t see this screen, skip ahead to the next step. If you see this screen, select your country.

Note: If you enabled Audio Guide, choosing any country other than United States disables it.
4. Press OK or the RIGHT arrow on the remote to go to the next screen:

Note: Some models show the title First things first instead of Set up environment.

5. Press OK to select Set up for home use. This is the right choice for enjoying your TV at home. It provides energy saving options as well as access to all features of the TV.
Note: Store mode configures the TV for retail display and is not recommended for any other use. In store mode, some features of the TV are missing or limited. To switch from one mode to the other, you have to perform a factory reset as explained in Factory reset everything, and then repeat Guided Setup.

Network connection

After you select Set up for home use, the TV prompts you to make a network connection. If your TV has both wired and wireless connections, you’ll see the following screen.

6. Only models that display the Connect to the Internet screen: Make a selection:

  • Wireless connection – Highlight Set up new wireless connection and press OK. The TV prompts you through wireless setup. Skip ahead to the next step for help with the process.
  • Wired connection – Highlight Connect to wired network and press OK. The TV immediately attempts to connect to your wired network, your local network, and then the Internet. Go to Step 9 to continue with Guided Setup.
  • Connect to the Internet later – If you don’t want to connect to the Internet right now, you can skip this step and use the TV to watch Antenna TV channels, play games, and watch DVDs. When you’re ready to connect, it’s easy. We’ll show you how in Benefits of connecting.
    • Note: If you decide not to connect, Guided Setup skips ahead to setting up the devices that you’ve connected to your TV. Jump ahead to Connect your devices to complete Guided Setup.

7. On models that have wireless only, or models with both wired and wireless and you’ve selected Wireless: The TV scans for the wireless networks within range and displays them in order, with the strongest signals first. In addition to your own wireless signal, the TV might pick up signals from your neighbors.

Press the UP or DOWN arrows to highlight the name of your wireless network, and then press OK to select it.
Note: Some networks, such as those often found in dorm rooms, hotels, and other public places, require you to read and agree to terms, enter a code, or provide identifying information before letting you connect to the Internet. If your TCL Roku TV detects that you are connecting to such a network, it prompts you through the connection process using your compatible smartphone or tablet to provide the needed information. For more information, see Using your TV in a hotel or dorm room.

Other options

  • Connect to the Internet later – If you don’t want to connect to the Internet right now, you can skip this step and use the TV to watch Antenna TV channels, play games, and watch DVDs. When you’re ready to connect, it’s easy. We’ll show you how in Benefits of connecting.

Note: If you decide not to connect, Guided Setup skips ahead to setting up the devices that you’ve connected to your TV. Jump ahead to Connect your devices to continue.

  • Scan again / Scan again to see all networks – The name of this option depends on the number of wireless networks within range.
    • Scan again appears if the list already shows all available wireless networks within range. If you don’t see your wireless network name in the list, you might need to adjust the location of your wireless router or the TV, turn on your router, or make other changes. When everything is ready, select Scan again to see if your network name now appears in the list.
    • Scan again to see all networks appears if there are more wireless networks than the strongest ones it initially listed. If you don’t see your wireless network name in the list, this option displays the complete list. If you still don’t see your network name, you might have your router configured to provide wireless service as a “private network.”

Note: Highlighting either of these options displays an informational panel with the unique media access control (MAC) address of your TCL Roku TV. You will need the MAC address if your wireless router is configured to use MAC address filtering.

  • Private network – If your wireless network name is hidden, it won’t appear in the list. Select Private network to display an on-screen keyboard, and use it to enter your network name. Unless you changed the factory-set network name, you can find the name (also called SSID) on a label on the router.

Tip: Wireless networks that are password-protected display a “padlock” icon adjacent to the name. This icon enables you to know that you are going to be prompted to enter a password after you select that network.

8. Only if you select a password protected wireless network: An on-screen keyboard appears. Use the keyboard to enter the network password.

After you submit your wireless network password, the TV displays progress messages as it connects to your wireless network, your local network, and the Internet.

9. Only if your TV cannot get the correct time zone and current time from your network service provider: Use the UP and DOWN arrows to highlight your time zone, and then press OK.

Tip: Your TV needs to know the local time zone so that it can correctly display information about the program you are currently watching. If the TV is unable to automatically determine the local time zone, it prompts you to choose your time zone from a list.

As soon as the TV is able to connect to the Internet, it downloads and installs its first software update, and then restarts.


Tip: Your TV automatically checks for updates periodically. These updates provide new features and improve your overall experience with the TV. After an update, you might notice that some Options have moved, and that there are new options or features. This User Guide describes version 8.0. To determine your current TCL Roku TV software version, go to Settings > System > About after you complete Guided Setup. You can download an updated User Guide that matches your TCL Roku TV software version from the TCL Roku TV web
site.

Activation

After the TV restarts, it displays the Activation screen:

10. Using a compatible computer, tablet, or smartphone with an Internet connection, go to the web address displayed on the screen and enter the code that appears on your screen.

After you log in or create your Roku account, the link page suggests that you select some streaming channels. After you confirm your selections, the TV gets an acknowledgement, and then adds your preexisting and newly-selected streaming channels to your TCL Roku TV. This process is automatic and takes a few moments—a little longer if you already have a lot of streaming channels to add.
Tip: Streaming channels from all Roku streaming devices associated with youraccount are synchronized periodically, so that all of your Roku streaming devices have the same set of streaming channels (subject to compatibility with the device).

Connect your devices

Next, Guided Setup helps you set up the external devices that you want to use with it, such as a cable box, Blu-rayTM player, or game console.

11. Press OK or the RIGHT arrow to proceed:

12. Connect all the devices you plan to use with your TV, turn them all on, and then select Everything is plugged in and turned on. The TV now takes you step by step through each of its inputs and asks what kind of device you have connected. On each input that has a connected and active device, you can see its picture
and hear its sound.

13. Press the UP or DOWN arrows to highlight the label you want to associate with the input. If you are not using the input, select Nothing, and the input won’t appear on the Home screen.

14. While setting up your devices, rather than using the predefined names and icons, you can set a custom name and icon. To do so, scroll up or down to highlight Set custom name & icon, and then press OK. Follow the instructions on the screen to enter a name and select an icon for the input. See Rename inputs for more information.
Note:
If you have renamed the inputs, you cannot use voice commands to switch inputs. Voice commands can only switch among inputs that have their original names, such as “AV,” and “HDMI 1.”

15. Repeat the previous step for each input.
You’re done with Guided Setup.

Note: Some TCL Roku TVs, depending on where you live and other factors, show you an introductory video filled with some great hints and tips. If you’re not interested in viewing this video, press on the remote to return to the TCL Roku TV Home screen. Whenever you press on the remote, the Home screen greets you.

From here, you can explore everything your TV has to offer. Press the arrow keys to move around, and press OK to select a highlighted item. We’ve designed the TV to encourage you to explore, and you can probably figure out most of the capabilities and settings on your own. If you have any questions or difficulties, you can find answers and solutions in this guide.

Home screen

The following illustrations show typical Home screens, which vary depending on location, connected mode, selected theme, number of TV inputs enabled, and streaming channels and apps added.
Note: A paid subscription or other payments may be required for some channel content. Channel availability is subject to change and varies by country. Not all content is available in countries or regions where Roku® products are sold.

Typical connected Home screen, United States

  1. Home screen menu—shows options available to you when you are on the Home screen.
  2. Highlighted option—press OK on the remote to select.
  3. TV input tiles—select an input to watch the connected device.
  4. Streaming channel and app tiles—select a tile to go to the indicated streaming channel or application.
  5. Options hint—press * on the remote for options when this symbol is present.
  6. Next screen hint—press the RIGHT arrow on the remote to see the next screen.

Typical connected Home screen, Canada

  1. Home screen menu—shows options available to you when you are on the Home screen.
  2. Highlighted option—press OK on the remote to select.
  3. TV input tiles—select an input to watch the connected device.
  4. Streaming channel and app tiles—select a tile to go to the indicated streaming channel or application.
  5. Options hint—press * on the remote for options when this symbol is present.
  6. Next screen hint—press the RIGHT arrow on the remote to see the next screen.

Typical non-connected Home screen

  1. Home screen menu—shows options available to you when you are on the Home screen.
  2. Highlighted option—press OK on the remote to select.
  3. TV input tiles—select an input to watch the connected devicer
  4. Options hint—press * on the remote for options when this symbol is present.
  5. Next screen hint—press the RIGHT arrow on the remote to see the next screen.

Personalize your Home screen

There are many things you can do to personalize your Home screen and make it just right for you and your family:

  • Only in connected mode: Add streaming channels by using the Streaming Channels menu option to browse the Roku Channel Store.
  • Only in connected mode: Change the screen theme by going to Settings > Themes to find and pick one to suit your mood.
  • Only in connected mode on U.S. models: Hide Movie Store, TV Store, or News as explained in Configure parental controls.
  • Remove a tile by highlighting it and pressing *. Then highlight Remove input or Remove channel and press OK.
  • Move a tile by highlighting it and pressing *. Then highlight Move input or Move channel and press OK. Use the arrows to move the tile, and then press OK to lock it in its new location.
  • Rename a TV input tile by highlighting it and pressing *. Then highlight Rename input and press OK. Highlight a new name in the list, and then press OK to assign that name to the tile.

Rather than using the predefined names and icons, you can set a custom name and icon. To do so, scroll up or down to highlight Set custom name & icon, and then press OK. Follow the instructions on the screen to enter a name and select an icon for the input.
Note: If you have renamed the inputs, you cannot use voice commands to switch inputs. Voice commands can only switch among inputs that have their original names, such as “AV,” and “HDMI 1.”

Setting up Antenna TV

How do I set up the TV tuner?

1. Make sure your antenna (not provided) or TV cable is connected to the TV’s ANT/CABLE input.
2. On the Home screen, select the Antenna TV tile.
3. Read the simple on-screen instructions, and then select Start finding channels.

4. If prompted, select your time zone. You’ll only need to do this if the TV can’t figure out your time zone from your Internet connection.

5. When prompted, select whether to add analog channels 3 and 4. These channels enable you to connect older set top boxes, VCRs, or game consoles.

6. Wait while your TV scans for Antenna TV stations

… and then cable TV channels.

Scanning for channels can take several minutes.
Tip: If you use a set-top box to receive cable TV channels (and don’t have your cable connected directly to the TV’s ANT input), you can save time by skipping the cable TV portion of the channel scan.

7. When the channel scans finish, the TV shows the number of channels it added.

8. Only in connected mode, you have the option of setting up Live TV Pause. The topic Pausing Live TV explains how to set up and use this feature. If you don’t want to set up Live TV Pause, or if this option is not available to you, select Done to start watching Live TV.

  • Tip: Repeat the channel scan from time to time to make sure you are receiving all of the latest channels. Broadcasters add and remove channels, move channels to different parts of the spectrum, and change the power levels of their channels periodically. Your antenna reception and picture quality depend on the position of your antenna and on your location relative to the antennas of broadcasters in your area.
  • Note: You’ll have to repeat the channel scan if you remove and re-add the Antenna TV tile from the Home screen or perform a factory reset. To repeat the channel scan, go to Settings > TV inputs > Antenna TV > Scan again for channels > Start finding channels.

Now, you’re ready to watch Antenna TV! While you’re watching, try the following tips:

  • Press the UP and DOWN arrows to change channels.
  • Press the LEFT arrow to display the channel list (non-connected mode) or Smart Guide (connected mode), and then use the UP and DOWN arrows to select a channel to watch. Or press REWIND or FAST FORWARD to jump through the channel list or Smart Guide a page at a time.
  • Press OK to display information about the current program.
  • Press * to see options for picture and sound settings.
  • Only on models that have a Roku voice remote, hold down or , and then say the name of a movie, TV show, actor, or director. The TV displays the result and the streaming channels that offer the requested content. Only in the United States, the results also include shows on Antenna TV channels.

Note: If you do not have a Roku voice remote, you can use the Roku mobile app to search. For more information, see Getting and using the Roku mobile app.

Using your TV

Status indicator

Your TV has a single status indicator. It goes on and off and blinks in different ways depending on the status of the TV, as shown in the following table:

Standby mode energy savings

When you turn off your TV, it remains in a higher power mode for a few minutes, after which it goes into a very low power standby mode. If you turn on the TV again before it has entered the very low power mode, it turns on immediately. After the TV goes into the lower power standby mode, it takes a few seconds longer to start up.
Only in connected mode on TVs that do not have an Energy Star® rating, you can optionally enable Fast TV start. When this option is enabled, your TV starts up almost immediately regardless of how long it has been turned off, but uses somewhat more power in standby mode. For more information, see Fast TV start.

Opting in to Smart TV experience (U.S. only)

Only in connected mode in the United States, the first time you select Antenna TV, an HDMI input, or AV input, your TV offers to enable the Smart TV experience. If you decide to enable it at this time, you’re all set to enjoy its recommendations and features.

The Smart TV experience uses automatic content recognition (ACR) and other technology to collect information about what you watch through your Antenna TV, and on devices like media players and cable boxes connected to the HDMI or AV inputs. Opting in means that you give permission to analyze the programs you watch for the purpose of making recommendations, as well showing ads that are more relevant to you.


If you decide not to enable the Smart TV experience at this first opportunity, you can enable it later. Or, if you decide you’d rather not use the feature, you can disable it, but be aware that previously collected information is retained and not deleted.

Disable Smart TV experience

If you decide you want to disable Smart TV experience, follow these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, go to Settings > Privacy > Smart TV experience.
  2. Navigate to the right to highlight Use info from TV inputs.
  3. Press OK on the remote to clear the check box.

Disable Auto Notifications

If you want to keep the Smart TV experience enabled, but you do not want to see notifications while you are watching shows, you can disable notifications. To do so, follow these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, go to Settings > Privacy > Smart TV experience.
  2. Navigate to the right to highlight Use info from TV inputs.
  3. Press DOWN on the remote to highlight Enable auto notifications.
  4. Press OK on the remote to clear the check box.

Note: These settings do not affect recommendations for More Ways to Watch that you see in the Smart Guide when watching Antenna TV channels. Those recommendations come from the Smart Guide and do not rely on ACR technology.

Watching Antenna TV channels

Changing channels

To change channels, you can do any of the following:

  • Press the UP arrow to change to the next higher channel.
  • Press the DOWN arrow to change to the next lower channel.
  • Press the LEFT arrow to display the channel list (in non-connected mode) or Smart Guide (in connected mode), and then press the arrow keys to select the channel or show you want to watch. Press REWIND and FAST FORWARD to move through the list one page at a time. When you’ve highlighted the channel or show you want to watch, press OK. (If you decide you don’t want to change channels, press the BACK button).
  • Only if Live TV Pause is not enabled, press to jump to the previous channel. Press again to return to the channel you were watching before you pressed .

Note: If the button is not available on your remote, you can use this feature in the Roku mobile app. For more information, see Getting and using the Roku mobile app.

Favorite Channels in non-connected mode

You can quickly change from surfing among all channels or only your favorite channels. First, you have to mark one or more channels as your favorites.
Note: In the United States, in connected mode, favorite channels appear at the top of the Smart Guide automatically after several days of watching Antenna TV channels. For details, see Smart Guide.

Mark your favorite channels

In non-connected mode, you can make any channel a favorite whenever you’re watching Antenna TV channels.

1. Press the LEFT arrow to display the channel list. Notice that the words All channels appear at the top of the channel list.

2. Scroll up or down to highlight a channel that you want to make a favorite.

3. Press *. At this point, you’ll see two options:

  • Add to favorites
  • Back

4. With Add to favorites highlighted, press OK. A symbol appears adjacent to the channel to indicate that it is now a favorite.
5. Repeat these steps to add more favorite channels.

Surf only your favorite channels

In non-connected mode, after you’ve marked one or more channels as favorites, you can switch to your favorite channels whenever you’re watching Antenna TV channels.

  1. Press the LEFT arrow to display the channel list.
  2. Press the LEFT or RIGHT arrow once to switch to Favorites. Notice that the word Favorites appears at the top of the channel list.
  3. Highlight a channel and press OK to select one of the channels in the Favorites channel list, or wait a few moments until the channel list disappears.
  4. Press the UP or DOWN arrow to change to the previous or next favorite channel. Each channel you select in this way is a favorite channel. Your channel surfing is limited to favorite channels only.

Your favorite channel list remains in effect even if you turn off or unplug your TV, until you switch back to all channels.
Note that when you press OK to view the program information banner while watching a show, a symbol appears below the channel number.

Surf all channels again

In non-connected mode, you can switch back to all channels whenever you’re watching Antenna TV channels.

  1. Press the LEFT arrow to display the channel list.
  2. Press the LEFT or RIGHT arrow once to switch to All channels. Notice that the words All channels appear at the top of the channel list.
  3. Highlight a channel and press OK to select one of the channels in the All channels list, or wait a few moments until the channel list disappears.
  4. Press the UP or DOWN arrow to change to the previous or next channel among all your available channels. You can surf among all channels in your channel list.

Remove a channel from your favorites

In non-connected mode, you can remove a channel from your favorites whenever you’re watching the Antenna TV input.

1. Press the LEFT arrow to display either channel list—All channels or Favorites.

2. Scroll up or down to highlight a favorite channel that you want to remove from your favorites.

3. Press * on your remote. At this point, you’ll see two options:

  • Remove from favorites
  • Back

4. With Remove from favorites highlighted, press OK. The symbol adjacent to the channel disappears.
5. Repeat these steps to remove other channels from Favorites.

Smart Guide (U.S. only)

  1. Only in connected mode in the United States, use the Smart Guide to find over-the-air TV shows through the Antenna TV input. The Smart Guide lets you scroll through all TV channels (except those you have hidden, if any). You can see all the shows from today, the previous 7 days, and the upcoming 14 days.
  2. The ability to see shows that have already aired during the previous week enables you to use More Ways to Watch to catch up on missed movies or episodes by selecting them from one of the streaming channels. Your clue that there are More Ways to Watch a show is a purple asterisk (*) next to the program name in the guide.
  3. For example, you might turn on your TV at 10 minutes past the hour and discover you are missing the current episode of Empire. But, there is a purple asterisk next to the show title, so you can press * and find that there are several streaming channels where you can watch the current episode from the beginning. You also can find more episodes of Empire, and other shows that have a similar theme.

Note: A paid subscription or other payments may be required for some channels.

To view the Smart Guide, press the LEFT arrow. The Smart Guide opens showing the name of the current program highlighted, and a lot more information.

  1. Program information for the highlighted show. See Viewing program information for details.
  2. More Ways to Watch indicator. See More Ways to Watch for more information.
  3. Channel list. Navigate with the UP and DOWN arrows.
  4. Time slots. Navigate with the LEFT and RIGHT arrows. Use the FF and REW buttons to skip ahead or back 24 hours.
  5. Program list
  6. Progress bar showing the approximate time with respect to the time slots.

As you navigate, notice that the Smart Guide shows a light gray background for programs and portions of programs that have already aired. It shows a black background for programs and portions of programs that have not yet aired. The line dividing these two zones is the progress bar.

Navigating the Smart Guide

  • To switch to a program that is currently in progress, highlight it, and then press OK.
  • To return to the current time after navigating to a different time slot, press REPLAY .
  • To return to the currently airing program without causing a channel change, press BACK.
  • To see More Ways to Watch, highlight any show that has a purple asterisk (*), and then press *.

Favorite channels in the Smart Guide

The Smart Guide organizes your favorite channels at the top of the program list for convenient access. It does this automatically as you use your TV over several days. If you would prefer not to have a favorites section in the Smart Guide, you can turn this feature off.

Turn off favorite channels

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > TV inputs > Antenna TV > Favorite channels.
  2. Highlight Enable ‘Favorite channels’.
  3. Press OK to clear the check mark.

Viewing program information

You can view program information in different ways:

  • Only in connected mode in the United States, view program information for any program listed in the Smart Guide. Press the LEFT arrow while watching Antenna TV to see the Smart Guide. For more information, see Smart Guide.
  • View program information for the current program in a banner at the bottom of the screen. You can view program information in this way on both connected and non-connected TVs. The following illustration shows the information that is available:

Program information banner

Program information might include any or all of the following, depending on availability within the broadcast information:

  • Channel number
  • Channel call sign
  • Favorite channel icon
  • Signal strength
  • Program title and episode name/number
  • Start time, end time, and graph of program length showing current position
  • Content rating
  • Video resolution (480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, 4K)
  • Frame rate (24Hz, 30Hz, 60Hz for television sources, 60Hz, 70Hz, 72Hz, 75Hz for computer sources)
  • Audio format (Mono, Stereo, Dolby AudioTM logo)
  • Audio features (SAP/MTS)
  • Only on select 4K models: HDR or Dolby VisionTM* logo (HDMI® and streaming sources)
  • Closed captioning (CC)
  • Current time
  • Program description. If the entire description does not fit, press OK to expand the size of the banner and see the entire description.

Tip: If you’ve set up Live TV Pause and you’re watching Antenna TV, you’ll also see a progress bar showing the current playback position within the rolling 90-minute pause time. For more information, see Pausing Live TV.

Adjusting settings while watching a show

Press * to display the Options menu (except when you are viewing the program information banner). Press the UP and DOWN arrows to highlight an option, and then press the LEFT and RIGHT arrows to change the setting. The topic Adjusting TV settings explains each of the settings in detail.

Pausing Live TV

Enabling Live TV Pause

You can start setting up Live TV Pause in any of the following ways:

  • Go to Settings > TV inputs > Antenna TV > Live TV Pause, and then select Enable.
  • After completing a channel scan, select Set up Live TV Pause from the available options.
  • Press Play/Pause on the Roku remote while watching a digital Antenna TV channel.
  • Highlight the Antenna TV tile on the Home screen, press *on the remote, and then select Enable Live TV Pause.

After starting setup of Live TV Pause in any of these ways, the TV prompts you through the steps needed to enable this feature. Setup takes only a few moments.
Note: Use of a USB hub is not supported.

Using Live TV Pause

If you have used the Roku remote to watch streaming channels, using Live TV Pause should be very familiar to you.

  • While watching a digital Antenna TV channel, press PLAY/PAUSE to pause or play the content. After the TV program has been paused for 90 minutes, the TV resumes playing.
  • After watching a channel for a while, press REWIND to jump back up to the point where you first started watching the channel, up to 90 minutes.
  • After pausing or rewinding, press FAST FORWARD to jump ahead up to the point where you are once again watching the live TV program.
  • Press FAST FORWARD or REWIND repeatedly to cycle through 1x, 2x, and 3x skip speeds. Press INSTANT REPLAY to play back the last several seconds of the program.
  • When the program is paused, press the LEFT and RIGHT arrows to move forward and backward through the program approximately 10 seconds perpress. Small frames appear across the screen to identify your location in the program.

Note: If the button is not available on your remote, you can use the Roku mobile app. For more information, see Getting and using the Roku mobile app.

Whenever you use any of the Live TV Pause features, the TV momentarily displays a progress bar:

  1. Time at current playback position.
  2. Current playback position
  3. Extent of pause time, representing the amount of time this channel has been buffered, up to 90 minutes.
  4. 90 minute mark, representing the maximum extent of pause time.
  5. Current time.

The progress bar also displays tick marks at each half hour point, to help you locate the boundaries where one show ends and a new one begins.

Switching TV inputs

Switch TV inputs to access the device connected to that input, for example, a Blu-rayTM player. Switching inputs is as simple as highlighting the input’s tile in the Home screen, and pressing OK. The video signal on the input, if any, plays on the screen.
Tip: To learn how to add, remove, rename, and rearrange the tiles on your Home screen, see Customizing your TV.

Adjusting audio/video settings

While watching video content on any input, press * to display the Options menu. Press the UP and DOWN arrows to highlight an option, and then press the LEFT and RIGHT arrows to change the setting. To learn about each of the audio and video settings, see Adjusting TV settings.

Playing content from USB storage devices

Only in connected mode, your Home screen has the Roku Media Player tile. Otherwise, the Home screen has the USB Media Player tile. You can play personal music, video, and photo files from a personal USB flash drive or hard disk connected to the TV’s USB port.


To use this feature, make sure your media files are compatible with the Roku/USB Media Player. To see the latest list of supported formats, view Help in the Media Player*. The Roku/USB Media Player displays supported file types only, and hides file types it knows it cannot play.


For more information about playing back your personal videos, music, and photos, go to the following link on the Roku web site: go.roku.com/rokumediaplayer

Auto player launch

Only in connected mode, you can set your TV to automatically open the Roku Media Player when you connect a USB drive with a recognizable file system (such as FAT16/32, NTFS, HFS+ or EXT2/3). To configure this setting, from the Home screen, navigate to Settings > System > USB media. At this point, the following options are available:

  • Auto-launch – Choose Prompt, On, or Off, as desired.
    • Prompt – (default) Display a prompt each time a recognized USB drive i connected. The prompt provides options to launch the Roku Media Player as well as to change future auto-play behavior.
    • On – Always launch the Roku Media Player whenever you connect a recognized USB drive.
    • Off – Never launch the Roku Media Player automatically.
  • Launch channel – Choose the app you want to use to play back media files.

Getting your TCL Roku TV on line on a restricted public network

1. Either during Guided Setup or after using the Settings > Network menu to set up a new connection, the TV automatically detects that you are connecting to a restricted network and displays the following prompt:

Tip: Your TV can connect to a restricted network only if Enable ‘Device connect’ is selected in Settings > System > Advanced system settings. (Device connect is enabled by default, but if you have disabled it, the TV cannot complete the connection.)
Note: Device connect is not present if the TV is in non-connected mode.

2. After selecting the correct network, highlight I am at a hotel or college dorm, and then press OK. The TV prompts you to use your smartphone, tablet, or laptop to complete the connection.

3. Use a phone, tablet, or wireless-enabled computer to detect wireless networks. In most cases, you can simply open the device’s Wi-Fi Settings or Network Settings screen to start scanning.
Note: The phone, tablet, or computer must be on the same wireless network to which you are connecting the TV.
4. Connect to the network named on your TV screen. The actual network name varies.
Note: The previous step connects your smartphone, tablet, or computer directly to the TV. No connection charges apply and the connection does not impact your device’s data plan.
5. The wireless connection process prompts you for a password. Enter the password as shown on the TV screen. The actual password varies.
6. Start the web browser on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. When you attempt to open any web page, the restricted connection will prompt you for whatever information it needs. In most cases, you must agree to terms and conditions, provide identifying information, or enter a password, PIN, or room number to proceed. The information requested depends on the organization that controls the wireless connection.
7. After you enter the requested information, the TV automatically proceeds to complete its connection and resumes normal operation.
8. If the TV prompts you to link to your Roku account, use your smartphone, tablet, or computer to complete the pairing operation and activate your TCL Roku TV.

Roku voice remotes (select models only)

Only on TVs with the Roku voice remotes: The following topics explain how to get the most out of your TV when it includes a Roku Voice Remote or Roku Enhanced Voice Remote.

Re-pairing your Roku voice remote

The Roku voice remotes operate with wireless radio-frequency signals and must be paired with your TV. You initially paired the remote when you set up your TV during Guided Setup. But if your remote loses its pairing with the TV for some reason, you can easily re-pair it using either of the following methods:

  1. Remove the battery cover from the back of the remote.
  2. Press and hold down the pairing button for 3 seconds or longer, until the adjacent LED lights up.
  3. Do one of the following:
  • Turn on the TV using the power button on the TV side or back panel. Pairing occurs as the TV starts up.
  • Use the Roku mobile app or a different remote to navigate to Settings > Remote > Pair remote.

Tip: If the remote fails to pair with the TV, try installing new batteries. Also, it’s helpful to hold the remote within two to three feet of the TV to ensure successful pairing.

Checking the Roku voice remote battery level

You can check the condition of the batteries in your Roku voice remote at any time by navigating to Settings > Remote > Battery level. The resulting screen displays not only the battery level, but also other information that can be useful when you need technical support with your remote.
Tip: When you first turn on the TV, a battery level indicator appears in the upper right corner of the screen for a few seconds.

Finding your Roku Enhanced Voice Remote

Only on TVs with the Roku Enhanced Voice Remote, when your remote has found its way down into the sofa cushions or your dog has hidden it in the corner, you can use the Find Remote feature to find out where it’s hiding. This feature has a limited range, and is designed to find your Enhanced Voice Remote somewhere in the same room as the TV.
Select Find Remote on the Settings > Remote menu to see brief instructions on how to activate the Find Remote feature. Note, however, that selecting this option doesn’t actually activate the feature. Here are the complete instructions.

Activate Find Remote

  • If your TV has a joystick-style control, press to the Left or Right to open the Inputs menu, and then press Right to scroll down to Find Remote.
  • If your TV has a column of labeled panel buttons, press the INPUT button to open the Inputs menu, and then press the INPUT button again until you highlight Find Remote.

A moment or two after highlighting Find Remote, the Roku Enhanced Voice Remote starts playing your selected Find Remote sound to let you know where it is hiding. The sound automatically stops after a minute, or after you find the remote and press any button.

Adjusting TV settings

You can adjust most picture and sound settings while you are watching a program by pressing * to open the Options menu. There are some additional picture and sound settings in the Settings menu.


In most cases, the changes you make apply only to the input you are using. Antenna TV, the separate HDMI® inputs, and the AV input each have their own settings that the TV remembers when you return to that input. The TV also separately remembers the settings you specify while viewing streaming content.

Settings menu

Use the Settings menu to adjust overall TV settings. Press to go to the Home screen, and then navigate to Settings > TV picture settings.
You can adjust the following overall TV picture settings from the Settings screen:

  • TV brightness – Provide a better viewing experience in darker or brighter rooms. Increases or decreases the TV’s general brightness across all TV inputs.
    • Note: This setting is identical to the TV brightness setting you can access in the Options menu while watching a program.
  • HDR notification – On select models only: Controls whether the TV displays a notification in the upper right corner of the screen for a few seconds when HDR or Dolby Vision content begins to play.
    • On – The TV displays a notification when HDR or Dolby Vision content begins to play.
    • Off – The TV does not display a notification when HDR or Dolby Vision content begins to play.

Note: This setting does not affect the HDR or Dolby Vision notification that always appears in the program information banner. Press OK while watching a show to open the program information banner.

  • Settings per input – Lists each TV input. Select an input, and then press * to display the Options menu where you can adjust the input’s settings while watching a live picture and listening to the sound from that input.

Tip: You don’t have to go to the Settings menu first—you can display an input’s Options menu and adjust its settings whenever you are watching the input by pressing *.

Options menu

Options menu settings

  • TV brightness – Affects the overall brightness of the picture. This setting applies across the entire TV; that is, to all TV inputs and is identical to the TV brightness setting under Settings > TV picture settings.
  • Picture mode – Provides picture presets for various viewing preferences. This setting applies to the currently-selected input only.
  • Picture size – Adjusts the aspect ratio of the picture, enabling you to view a picture in its original format, or zoom or stretch it to fill the screen. The Auto setting has been found to produce the best picture in most cases.
  • Audio effect – Adjusts the sound quality output from the TV speakers. This setting applies across the entire TV; that is, to all TV inputs. It does not affect the sound quality for headphones, HDMI (ARC), or SPDIF (TOSLINK) connectors.
  • Sleep timer – Sets a timer that turns off the TV after the specific amount of time. This setting remains in effect even if you stop watching the current input.
  • Closed captioning – Controls when you see captions. This setting is only offered for Antenna TV, the AV input, and streaming videos. Any set value remains in effect across only these inputs.
    • Antenna TV – Set captions to off, always on, on only when the TV sound is muted, or on only during instant replay (when Live TV Pause has beenenabled).
    • AV input – Set captions to off, always on, or on only when the TV sound is muted.
    • Streaming video channel – For streaming content that provides closed captions, set captions to off, always on, on only when the TV sound is muted, or on only during instant replay (for streaming content that supports instant replay). Note that some streaming channels have other methods for turning captions on and off. In these cases, the Closed captioning option does not appear on the Options menu.

Note: If the button is not available on your remote, you can use this feature in the Roku mobile app. For more information, see Getting and using the Roku mobile app.

  • Captioning track – Only in Canada: Selects which caption track to display when Closed Captioning is on. This setting remains in effect on all inputs that provide captions.

Note: Only in the United States, the Captioning track setting is located under Accessibility.

  • SAP – Selects whether to play a secondary audio program or multichannel television sound, and which choice to play. This setting applies only to Antenna TV on digital channels.
  • Advanced audio settings – Only on select models: Shows the Advanced audio settings menu.
  • Advanced picture settings – Shows the Advanced picture settings menu.

Tip: To dismiss the Options menu, just wait a few seconds without pressing any buttons. Or press * again to dismiss the menu immediately.

Accessibility menu settings

  • Audio Guide – Turn the Audio Guide on or off. The Audio Guide is a text-to-speech screen reader that helps blind and low-vision users navigate the Roku user interface and on screen menus. When enabled, the Audio Guide reads out text, menus, and other on-screen items.

Tip: If Shortcut is enabled, you can enable or disable the Audio Guide by pressing the * four times in quick succession. (The * button is located directly below the directional pad on the right side of the Roku remote.)

  • Speech rate – Choose the speed at which the TV speaks Audio Guide prompts.
  • Volume – Set the volume of the Audio Guide in relation to the main TV volume.
  • Shortcut – Enable or disable the shortcut feature. When disabled, pressing * four times in quick succession does not enable or disable the Audio Guide.
  • Closed captioning – Controls when you see captions. This setting is only offered for Antenna TV, the AV input, and streaming videos. Any set value remains in effect across only these inputs.
    • Antenna TV – Set captions to off, always on, on only when the TV sound is muted, or on only during instant replay (when Live TV Pause has been enabled).
    • AV input – Set captions to off, always on, or on only when the TV sound is muted.
    • Streaming video channel – For streaming content that provides closed captions, set captions to off, always on, on only when the TV sound is muted, or on only during instant replay (for streaming content that supports instant replay). Note that some streaming channels have other methods for turning captions on and off. In these cases, the Closed captioning option does not appear on the Options menu.

Note: If the button is not available on your remote, you can use this feature in the Roku mobile app. For more information, see Getting and using the Roku mobile app.

  • Captioning track – Selects which caption track to display when Closed Captioning is on. This setting remains in effect on all inputs that provide captions.
  • SAP – Selects whether to play a secondary audio program or multichannel television sound, and which choice to.

Advanced audio settings – Sonic Emotion Premium

Advanced audio settings menu options – Sonic Emotion Premium

  • Audio effect – Select from among various preset audio modes to improve speech, make music sound its best, boost bass or treble, or simulate a theater. Use Reset audio settings, described below, to return the input’s current settings to their original values.
  • Sonic Emotion Premium – Displays a menu with individual Sonic Emotion audio settings, as described in Sonic Emotion.
  • Reset audio settings – Returns Sonic emotion settings to their default settings for the selected Audio effect.

Sonic Emotion settings

  • Dialog Enhancement – Enhances your ability to hear and understand dialog in the program.
  • Bass Enhancement – Enhances the low frequency sound component in the program.
  • Absolute 3D Sound – Simulates sound from multiple speakers that would otherwise require installation of a surround sound audio system.

Advanced picture settings

Advanced picture settings menu options

  • Picture mode – Provides picture presets for various viewing preferences. This setting duplicates the one on the Options menu. When you change the Picture mode, other picture settings adjust accordingly. For example, setting the Picture mode to Vivid sets Brightness, Contrast, Sharpness, and other values to produce a very vibrant picture. Setting Picture mode to Movie changes the settings to produce a picture suitable for enjoying movies in a darkened room. If you make changes to the individual picture settings—for example, Contrast, or Sharpness— these settings are saved for the current input and the current picture mode. In this way, you can set input’s Movie picture mode to use different settings than the HDMI 2 input’s Movie picture mode and Antenna TV’s Movie picture mode. Use Reset picture settings, described below, to return the input’s selected picture mode to its original values.
  • Local contrast – Only on select models: Sets the amount of dimming multiple “local” areas of the screen’s backlight intensity. This setting can make dark areas darker without affecting the brightness of light areas. This option is disabled when Game mode is enabled.
  • Dynamic contrast – Only on select models: Automatically adjusts the backlight level to achieve the optimum contrast and prevent excessive differences between light and dark areas of the screen. This option is disabled when Local dimming/Local contrast is enabled.
  • Backlight - Adjusts the overall light intensity of the screen. On some models, this option is disabled when Dynamic contrast is enabled.
  • Brightness – Adjusts the dark level of the black areas of the picture.
  • Contrast – Adjusts the white level of the light areas of the picture.
  • Sharpness – Adjusts the sharpness of the edges of objects in the picture.
  • Color – Adjusts the intensity of colors in the picture. A setting of 0 removes all color and displays a black and white picture.
  • Tint – Adjusts the color balance from green to red to obtain accurate colors in the picture.
  • Color temperature – Adjusts the overall colors in the picture from Normal to slightly more bluish (Cool) to slightly more reddish (Warm).
  • Action smoothing – Only on select models: Adjusts the amount of action smoothing applied to the video signal. A higher setting results in more smoothing, but can cause undesirable picture artifacts in certain types of content. Each Picture mode has a different Action smoothing default setting.
  • Natural Cinema – Only on select models: When enabled, this feature reduces “judder” that is often present when 24 frame-per-second movies are upscaled to 60Hz TV standards. Natural Cinema mode is On by default in Movie and HDR Dark picture modes, and Off by default in other picture modes. When Natural Cinema mode is On, Action smoothing is turned off and disabled.
  • Action clarity – Only on select 120Hz models: Reduces blur, especially for fast- moving images such as sports.
  • LED action clarity – Only on select models: Reduces motion blur caused by LED backlight latency. Enabling this feature inserts black frames between picture frames in a way that improves the clarity of fast movement. It provides an improved viewing experience for video games and sporting events. When LED action clarity is enabled, the Brightness and Dynamic contrast settings are disabled. You can choose settings of Low, Medium, High, or Off to achieve the desired picture quality. Enabling Game mode sets LED action clarity to Medium.
  • Game mode – Only on HDMI® and AV inputs: Controls whether Game mode is enabled. When On, the TV performs less image processing and has less input lag. When Off, the TV performs more image processing and has more input lag, which is less desirable for action games.
  • Reset picture settings – Returns all picture settings for the input’s currently- selected Picture mode to their original values.

Tip: To dismiss the Advanced picture settings menu, just wait a few seconds without pressing any buttons. Or press * again to dismiss the menu immediately.

Changing privacy settings

Advertising

Reset the advertising identifier

Resetting the advertising identifier clears the prior usage history that your TV stores, and then begins tracking again. From that point forward, your new usage patterns affect the advertisements you see on your TV.

  • From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Privacy > Advertising.
  • Highlight Reset advertising identifier. Press * to view more information about thisboption. When you finishing reading the information, press OK to close the More Information window.
  • Press OK to reset the advertising identifier, and then press OK again to dismiss the verification message.

Limit ad tracking

You can limit Roku’s tracking of your usage behavior by limiting ad tracking. When you do, your TV will display ads that are not personalized based on your TV’s advertising identifier.

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Privacy > Advertising.
  2. Highlight Limit ad tracking. Press * to view more information about this option. When you finish reading the information, press OK to close the More Information window.
  3. Press OK to select the Limit ad tracking check box.

Note: If you perform a factory reset and then reconnect your TV, ad tracking is restored until you repeat these steps.

Microphone

Your TCL Roku TV does not have a built-in microphone. However streaming channel providers can use the microphone on the Roku voice remotes (only on select models) or on your mobile device when the Roku mobile app is running. You can control whether streaming channels have permission to use the microphone.


Note: These settings affect only streaming channel access to the microphone. They do not affect your TCL Roku TV’s Voice Search feature.

Channel microphone access

You can control which streaming channels have permission to use the microphone, giving you control over how the microphone is used by each streaming channel. The default setting is Prompt, so no channel will be able to turn on the microphone without your permission.
To change microphone access settings:

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Privacy > Microphone.
  2. Select Channel microphone access.
  3. Choose one of the following settings:
  • Prompt – Display a notification each time any streaming channel requests the use of the microphone. When a notification appears, you can choose among Prompt, Always allow, and Never allow on a per-channel basis.
  • Always allow – Do not prompt, but always allow any streaming channel to use the microphone.
  • Never allow – Do not prompt, but never allow any streaming channel to use the microphone.

Channel permissions

To reset channel permissions:

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Privacy > Microphone.
  2. Select Channel permissions.
  3. Highlight Reset channel permissions, and then press OK.

Searching for something to watch

How do I search?

Keyboard search using the remote

1. Select Search on the Home screen menu.

The Search screen has a keyboard grid and initially displays instructions—a set of icons representing search categories and a list of participating provider tiles.
Tip: If you don’t see the instructions, navigate to the end of the list of recent searches and select Clear recent search selections.

2. Use the arrow keys to navigate the on-screen keyboard, entering a few characters of the search term.

With each additional character you enter, you narrow down the search, making the search results more relevant. You’ll often see the results you are seeking after entering only a few letters.
3. When you see the show you are searching for, navigate to the right to highlight it.

Voice Search from a Roku voice remote

Only in the United Stated with models that have a Roku Voice Remote or Roku Enhanced Voice Remote:

  1. Press and hold the search button, either or .
  2. Say the name of a movie, TV show, actor, or director. The TV lists the results of your search across many streaming and Antenna TV channels. An icon next to each search result shows the category of the result (movie, TV show, actor).
  3. Press the RIGHT arrow to move the highlight into the list of search results.
  4. Press the UP and DOWN arrows to scroll through the list of search results to highlight the item you want to view.

Using the Roku Channel Store

Only in connected mode, the Streaming Channels menu option takes you to the Roku Channel store, where you can add new subscription based and free streaming channels to your TV.
Tip: You also can search for streaming channels by using the Search option, as explained in Searching for something to watch.
To make it easier to find what you want, the streaming channels in the Roku Channel Store are categorized by topic. Press the UP and DOWN arrows to highlight the category you want, and then press the RIGHT arrow to move the highlight into the grid of streaming channel tiles.
When you find a streaming channel you want to add or learn more about, highlight it and press OK to display more details.

  • If the streaming channel you are adding is free, you can select Go to channel to start watching it immediately.
  • If there is a one-time or recurring fee associated with using the streaming channel, you must agree to the terms and conditions, accept the fee, and—if you created one when you activated your TCL Roku TV, enter your Roku PIN code to authorize the charges.
  • If you already have a subscription to the streaming channel—for example, you already subscribe to Netflix or you receive HBO through your cable TV provider—you must complete a different, simple authorization step to add the streaming channel.

You need only complete the authorization or activation step one time, when you initially add the streaming channel. After that, you simply select the streaming channel tile from your Home screen to start watching. (Channel and content availability is subject to change. Charges may apply to your selection.)

  1. Tip: New streaming channels are added continuously to the Roku Channel Store, so be sure to check back every now and then for new options.
  2. Note: If you don’t remember your PIN, or if want to change whether you need to use a PIN to make purchases on your Roku account, see Changing your Roku Channel Store PIN preference.

Customizing your TV

Customizing your TV

As you use your TV, you might find that you need to add a TV input tile that you did not add during Guided Setup. To add a TV input:

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > TV inputs. Notice that the list of inputs is divided into two sections: Inputs being used and Inputs not used.
  2. Press the UP or DOWN arrows to highlight an input in the Inputs not used section of the list.
  3. Press the RIGHT arrow to move the highlight to Set up input.
  4. Press OK to add the input.
  5. Press to return to the Home screen. Notice that the input has been added to the top of the Home screen. If you want to move the input tile to a different position in the grid, see Rearrange tiles.

Add streaming channels

Rename inputs

Rather than trying to remember that your Blu-rayTM player is connected to HDMI 1 and your game console is connected to HDMI 3, you can rename the TV inputs to match the connected device.
Note: Renaming an input also changes the icon associated with it.
To rename an input, you can either:

  • Highlight the input tile in the Home screen, and then press * to display a list of options. From the list of options, select Rename input. Then select a new name and icon.

or

  • From the Home screen, navigate to Settings > TV inputs. On the TV inputs screen, select the input you want to rename, select Rename, and then choose a new name and icon from the provided list.

Rather than using the predefined names and icons, you can set a custom name and icon. To do so, scroll up or down to highlight Set custom name & icon, and then press OK. Follow the instructions on the screen to enter a name and select an icon for the input.

Press to return to the Home screen. The new name and icon are now in effect.

Remove unwanted tiles

It’s easy to remove unused TV inputs and unwanted channel or app tiles. For example, if you never use the HDMI 3 input, or if you don’t like the weather app you added from the Roku Channel Store, you can remove them from your Home screen.
Note: You also can remove the Antenna TV tile if you never use the TV tuner. But be aware that removing the Antenna TV tile also deletes the channel list. You’ll have to set up the TV tuner again next time you want to view Antenna TV. Instructions for setting up the TV tuner can be found in Setting up Antenna TV.

  • To remove any tile, highlight the input tile in the Home screen, and then press * to display a list of options. From the list of options, select Remove input. In the screen that follows, confirm you want to remove the input.
  • Alternatively, to remove a TV input tile from the Home screen, navigate to Settings > TV inputs. On the TV inputs screen, select the input you want to remove, and then select Remove > Confirm. Then press to return to the Home screen.

Rearrange tiles

When you add a TV input tile, it’s added at the top of your Home screen. When you add a new streaming channel, it’s added at the bottom of your Home screen.
You can easily rearrange the order of the tiles on the Home screen to suit your viewing preferences. For example, you might want Antenna TV to be the first tile in your Home screen. But if you mostly watch one streaming channel, you might want its tile to be the first one on your Home screen.

  1. From the Home screen, highlight one of the tiles you want to move.
  2. Press * to display a list of options for the type of tile you selected.
  3. Select Move input or Move channel. The list of options disappears and the highlighted tile shows arrows indicating how it can be moved.

Note: A paid subscription or other payments may be required for some channels. Channel availability is subject to change and varies by country. Not all content is available in countries or regions where Roku® products are sold.


4. Use the arrow keys to move the highlighted tile to its new position. As you move the tile, it pushes other tiles out of its way.
5. Press OK to lock the tile into its new position.

6. Repeat these steps to move other tiles until you have arranged your Home screen to your liking.

Change themes

Only in connected mode, another way to customize your TV is to change its theme. The theme establishes the look and feel of the TV through colors, designs, and fonts. Some themes require payment.
To change the theme, in the Home screen menu navigate to Settings > Themes. In the Themes screen, choose from the following options:

  • My themes – Highlight a theme, and then press OK to switch to that theme.
  • Get more themes – Highlight this option at the bottom of the My Themes list, and then press OK to shop for new themes.
  • Custom settings – Turn Featured themes on or off. When Featured themes is on, theTV automatically switches to featured themes—like certain holiday-inspired themes —for a limited time whenever Roku makes them available, and then switches back to your selected theme when the featured theme expires. When off, the TV uses your selected theme.

Edit Antenna TV channel lineup

When you set up the TV tuner as described in Setting up Antenna TV, the TV adds all the channels with good signals that it can detect in your area. It’s likely that you now have more channels than you want in your channel list.
To edit the channel lineup, from the Home screen, navigate to Settings > TV inputs > Antenna TV > Edit channel lineup. You’ll see a screen listing all of your channels. Adjacent to the list of channels is a miniature TV screen playing the highlighted channel’s picture and sound.

Highlight each channel you want to hide, and then press OK to hide the channel.
Tip: If you need to see or hear the highlighted channel, wait a couple of seconds for the TV to start playing the channel’s picture and sound. Also note that if you’ve enabled parental controls and the program on the current channel is blocked, you won’t see a picture or hear sound while editing the channel lineup.
Note: Repeating the tuner channel scan unhides all hidden channels.

Configure power settings

Configure power settings

Power on settings tell the TV what to do when you turn on the power. To configure the power on settings, from the Home screen, navigate to Settings > System > Power > Power on. Highlight the preferred power on location in the list, and then press OK.

Auto power savings

To help you save energy, your TV can automatically turn itself off after a period of inactivity or a period during which no signal has been detected. It is factory- configured to do both of these things, but you can change these settings if needed.

To configure automatic power off, from the Home screen menu navigate to Settings > System > Power > Auto power savings. In the Power settings screen, highlight the following options and press OK to turn them on or off:

  • Reduce power after 15 minutes – If no video or audio activity and no user interaction occur for 15 minutes, the TV automatically turns off the screen and sound.
  • Turn off after 4 hours – If no video or audio activity and no user interaction occur for 4 hours, the TV goes into standby mode.

Standby LED On/Off

Normally, the status indicator is lit whenever the TV is in standby mode. If you prefer the status indicator to not be lit in standby mode, you can turn it off. To do so, from the Home screen, navigate to Settings > System > Power > Standby LED, and then selectOff.
After making this change, the status indicator still performs all other indication functions.

Fast TV start

Only in connected mode on TV models that are not Energy Star certified, you can enable Fast TV start. As you might expect, Fast TV start lets you start watching your TV almost instantly after turning it on. But it also enables other convenient features, such as the ability to turn on your TV using voice commands or the Roku mobile app.
Be aware that enabling Fast TV start makes your TV use somewhat more power when it is powered off to standby mode.

Configure accessibility

Accessibility settings enable users with vision or hearing impairment to use the TV more effectively. Accessibility settings are located unde Settings > Accessibility.

Captions mode

The Captions mode settings specify when closed captions appear. Access caption settings from the Home screen by selecting Settings > Accessibility. Settings > Accessibility > Captions mode. At this point, you can choose among the following options:

  • Off – No captions appear.
  • On always– Captions appear whenever they are available from the program source.
  • On replay– Captions appear only when you use the replay feature, and only when you are watching a streaming program that supports instant replay or watching a TV channel after enabling Live TV Pause.
  • On mute – Captions appear only when the TV is muted.

Tips:

  • You can change the captions mode while watching a program. Press * to display the Options menu, and then select Closed Captioning.
  • Some streaming channels require you to enable captions through a setting within their channel even though you have turned on captions in the TV settings.

Note: Once enabled, the selected captions mode applies to all inputs that support captions and remains enabled until you turn it off.

Captions preferred language

The Captions preferred language setting lets you select the language in which you want closed captioning to appear, when that language is available. If your preferred language is not available, then captioning reverts to the default language for the program, which usually is English.
Highlight the language you prefer, and then press OK to select it.

Captions preferred language

The Captions preferred language setting lets you select the language in which you want closed captioning to appear, when that language is available. If your preferred language is not available, then captioning reverts to the default language for the program, which usually is English.
Highlight the language you prefer, and then press OK to select it.

Captions style

The Captions style settings let you control how closed captions look when displayed on your TV. Access caption style settings from the Home screen by selecting Settings > Accessibility > Captions style. At this point, you can choose among the following options:

  • Text style – Choose from a list of fonts. As you move the highlight to each font, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Text edge effect – Choose from a list of edge effect styles, such as raised, depressed, and various shadows. As you move the highlight to each effect, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Text size – Choose from a list of sizes. As you move the highlight to each size, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Text color - Choose from a list of colors for the text. As you move the highlight to each color, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Text opacity - Choose from a list of opacity settings for the text. This setting determines how much the area behind the text shows through the text. A value of 100% blocks all of the content behind the text. As you move the highlight to each setting, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Background color - Choose from a list of colors for the background area behind the text. As you move the highlight to each color, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel. Note that you won’t see any change unless you set the Background opacity to a value other than Off.
  • Background opacity - Choose from a list of opacity settings for the background of the caption. This setting determines how much the area behind the caption background shows through the background. A value of 100% blocks all of the content behind the background. As you move the highlight to each setting, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Window color - Choose from a list of colors for the window rectangle surrounding the entire caption. As you move the highlight to each color, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel. Note that you won’t see any change unless you set the Window opacity to a value other than Default or Off.
  • Window opacity - Choose from a list of opacity settings for the window rectangle surrounding the entire caption. This setting determines how much the area behind the caption window shows through the window. A value of 100% blocks all of the content behind the window. As you move the highlight to each setting, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.

Audio Guide settings

Audio Guide settings help users who are blind or visually impaired to configure the text-to-speech reader, enabling them to operate their TV more easily. Audio Guide uses voice prompts that speak volume and channel changes, menu options, and setting changes. Access Audio Guide settings from the Home screen by navigating to Settings > Accessibility, and then select from the following options in the Audio Guide
section:

  • Audio Guide – Turn Audio Guide on or off.
  • Speech rate – Select one of four speeds at which to hear spoken guide information: Slow, Normal, Fast, or Very Fast.
  • Volume – Select the volume at which to hear spoken guide information, relative to the main TV volume
  • Shortcut – Enable or disable the shortcut feature. When enabled (the default), pressing * four times in quick succession enables or disables the Audio Guide.

Changing caption settings (Canada only)

On models sold in the United States, you can find caption settings under Settings > Accessibility > Captions mode and Captions style. On models sold in Canada, you can find captions settings under Settings > Captions.
Captions mode

  • Off – No captions appear.
  • On – Captions appear whenever they are available from the program source.
  • Instant replay – Captions appear only when you use the replay option, and only when you are watching a streaming program that supports instant replay.
  • When mute – Captions appear only when the TV is muted.

Tips

  • You can change the captions mode while watching a program. Press * to display the Options menu, and then select Closed Captioning.
  • Some streaming channels require you to enable captions through a setting within their channel even though you have turned on captions everywhere else.

Note: Once enabled, the captions mode applies to all inputs that support captions and remains enabled until you turn it off.

Captions preferred language

Choose the language in which you want closed captioning to appear, when that language is available. If your preferred language is not available, then captioning reverts to the default language for the program, which usually is English.
Highlight the language you prefer, and then press OK to select it.

Other caption settings

  • Text style – Choose from a list of fonts. As you move the highlight to each font, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Text edge effect – Choose from a list of edge effect styles, such as raised, depressed, and various shadows. As you move the highlight to each effect, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Text size – Choose from a list of sizes. As you move the highlight to each size, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Text color - Choose from a list of colors for the text. As you move the highlight to each color, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Text opacity - Choose from a list of opacity settings for the text. This setting determines how much the area behind the text shows through the text. A value of 100% blocks all of the content behind the text. As you move the highlight to each setting, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Background color - Choose from a list of colors for the background area behind the text. As you move the highlight to each color, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel. Note that you won’t see any change unless you set the Background opacity to a value other than Off.
  • Background opacity - Choose from a list of opacity settings for the background of the caption. This setting determines how much the area behind the caption background shows through the background. A value of 100% blocks all of the content behind the background. As you move the highlight to each setting, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.
  • Window color - Choose from a list of colors for the window rectangle surrounding the entire caption. As you move the highlight to each color, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel. Note that you won’t see any change unless you set the Window opacity to a value other than Default or Off.
  • Window opacity - Choose from a list of opacity settings for the window rectangle surrounding the entire caption. This setting determines how much the area behind the caption window shows through the window. A value of 100% blocks all of the content behind the window. As you move the highlight to each setting, you can see a sample of the result in an adjacent panel.

Configuring parental controls

Parental controls enable you to control whether the members of your household can view certain kinds of broadcast TV programs. When a program or feature is blocked, you can unblock it by entering a parental control PIN that only you know.
Note: Parental controls block content from the TV tuner and from streaming options, if any, on the Home screen menu. Parental controls do not block content on other TV inputs or content from streaming channels you add to your TV.

Creating a parental control PIN

The first time you access the Parental controls screen, you must create a new parental control PIN. Thereafter, whenever you want to change parental control settings, unblock programming that has been blocked, change the PIN, or disable parental controls, you must enter your parental control PIN.
Tip: Your parental control PIN has nothing to do with your Roku PIN. You can make them the same if you wan—this is entirely your choice. To create a new parental control PIN, from the Home screen menu navigate to Settings > Parental controls. The screen displays a numeric keypad. Use the arrow keys and then press OK to enter a four digit code. Then repeat the process to enter the same PIN again, just to make sure you correctly entered the PIN you want to use.
Important: If you forget your parental control PIN, the only way to recover is to perform a factory reset operation, as explained in Factory reset everything. Be sure to write it down in a safe place just in case.

Blocking Movie Store, TV Store, and News (U.S. only)

One of the parental control options is to completely hide the entertainment options that are available directly on the Home screen menu.
To hide Home screen entertainment options:

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Parental controls, and then enter your parental control PIN.
  2. In the Parental controls screen, highlight Home screen and then select or clear either of these options:
  • Hide “Movie Store and TV Store” – Removes the Movie Store and TV Store options from the Home screen menu.
  • Hide “News” – Removes the News option from the Home screen menu.

Tip: To use either of these options after you’ve hidden them, you must return to this screen and remove the check mark from the corresponding Hide command.

Blocking Broadcast TV shows

For broadcast TV, parental controls use information embedded in the broadcast signal to determine whether to allow a program to be displayed. Parents can configure parental controls to block broadcast TV programs that meet or exceed a specific rating, so they cannot be viewed or heard unless the correct parental control
PIN is entered.
Note: Rating standards differ by country.

Enabling parental control of TV shows
The first step in blocking TV shows is to enable parental control of TV shows.
This setting is provided separately to make it easier for you to turn parental control of TV shows on and off without disturbing their settings. For example, your kids are going to summer camp for two weeks, and while they are gone, you don’t want to have to deal with unblocking shows that you want to watch by entering your parental control PIN. All you need to do is clear Enable parental controls, and all TV shows are unblocked. When the kids return, select Enable parental controls again, and all of your parental control settings are restored in a single operation.
To enable parental control of TV shows:

  1. In the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Parental controls, and then enter your parental control PIN.
  2. In the Parental controls screen, navigate to TV tuner > Parental control of TV shows.
  3. Make sure the check box next to Enable parental controls is checked. If not, highlight it and press OK.

Blocking based on US TV ratings

Most broadcast US TV shows—other than movies—contain rating data that enables parental controls to block shows that parents don’t want others to view. The ratings are divided into two groups that function independently:

  • Youth group – TV-Y, TV-Y7
  • Main group – TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14, TV-MA

Within each of these groups, the ratings interact such that if you block a particular level of content, the TV also blocks all content with a higher rating. Conversely, if you unblock a particular level of content, the TV also unblocks all content with a lower rating. For example, if you block TV-PG programs, the TV also blocks TV-14 and TV- MA programs. If you subsequently unblock TV-14 programs, TV-PG programs are also unblocked, but TV-MA programs remain blocked.
Similarly, within the main group, content types can be individually blocked. For example, you can block just coarse language in shows with a TV-PG rating. If you do, then the TV also blocks shows with coarse language in the higher ratings (TV-14 and TV-MA). Subsequently unblocking coarse language in TV-14 ratings does not unblock coarse language in TV-MA programs, but it does unblock coarse language in TV-PG programs.
To block TV shows based on US television ratings:

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Parental controls, and then enter your parental control PIN.
  2. In the Parental controls screen, navigate to TV tuner > TV ratings. Choose among the following settings:
  • Entire ratings – Highlight the rating you want to block, and then navigate to the right and select the first option that blocks the entire rating level (and all higher rating levels).
  • Individual content types – Highlight the rating that contains the content type you want to block, and then select the content types you want to block from among those listed. Remember that blocking a content type in one rating blocks the equivalent content type in all higher rating levels.

Blocking based on US movie ratings

Most movies in the US are rated by the Motion Picture Association of America, or MPAA, so the ratings are known as MPAA ratings. TV broadcast signals carry movie rating data that enables parental controls to block shows that parents don’t want others to see. The ratings are:

  • G – General audiences
  • PG – Parental guidance suggested
  • PG-13 – Parents strongly cautioned for children age 13 or younger
  • R – Restricted
  • NC-17 – Not for age 17 or younger

Unlike US TV ratings, there are no individual content types within the ratings. But like TV ratings, blocking movies with a particular rating also blocks movies with a higher rating, and unblocking movies with a particular rating also unblocks movies with a lower rating.
Tip: Blocking movies with an NC-17 rating also blocks programs with the now-obsolete X rating, which can still occur in the program data of older movies.
To block movies based on MPAA ratings:

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Parental controls, and then enter your parental control PIN.
  2. In the Parental controls screen, navigate to TV Tuner > Movie ratings.
  3. Select the rating level you want to block. You need only select one rating level, and all higher levels are automatically blocked.

Blocking based on Other ratings

Your TV can block programs having ratings that had not been defined when the TV was manufactured. It does this by detecting a new Rating Region Table in a program and then downloading the new table and displaying its rating in the Parental controls.
When the TV downloads a new Rating Region Table, it adds a new option to the list of rating types: Other ratings. If you see this option in the Parental controls screen, you have tuned to a station that has implemented a new rating table. Once the new rating table has been downloaded to the TV, it remains in the TV until it is factory reset, and you can configure blocking based on the new ratings. New Region Rating Tables can have independent rating levels, or rating levels that interact in the same ways as the built-in US TV and MPAA Movie ratings.
Tip: If your TV downloads a new Region Rating Table, you’ll have to experiment with its settings to understand how to use it.

Blocking based on Canadian English ratings

Canadian-English language and third-language programs that are broadcast in Canada are rated by the Action Group on Violence on Television, or AGVOT. TV broadcast signals carry rating data that enables parental controls to block shows that parents don’t want others to view based on content containing violence, language,
sex, or nudity. The ratings are:

  • C – Children under 8 years
  • C8 – Children 8 years and older
  • G – Generally suitable for all age groups
  • PG – Parental guidance suggested for viewers under 14 years
  • 14+ – Generally not suitable for viewers under 14 years
  • 18+ – Generally not suitable for viewers under 18 years

Blocking content with a particular rating also blocks content with a higher rating, and unblocking content with a particular rating also unblocks movies with a lower rating.
To block programs based on AGVOT ratings:

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Parental controls, and then enter your parental control PIN.
  2. In the Parental controls screen, navigate to TV tuner > Canadian English ratings.
  3. Select the rating level you want to block. You need only select one rating level, and all higher levels are automatically blocked.

Blocking unrated programs

Some broadcast TV shows and movies do not have an assigned rating, and are considered to be “Unrated”. Whether or not such programs contain content that is objectionable to you cannot be determined. However, you can choose to block such programs.
To block all unrated broadcasts:

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Parental controls, and then enter your parental control PIN.
  2. In the Parental controls screen, navigate to TV tuner > Block all unrated programs.
  3. Highlight Unrated programs and press OK. When blocking is enabled, the adjacent padlock icon changes from unlocked to locked.

Tip: Blocking programs that have not been assigned a rating does not block programs that specifically have been assigned a US TV rating of “None” (for example a broadcast of a local town council meeting). Programs that do not have an assigned rating display Rating NA (for “not applicable,” meaning a rating is not needed).
In the absence of other ratings for a program, the parental controls do not consider the MPAA US movie rating N/A (MPAA rating not applicable to this content) and NR (applicable content not rated by the MPAA) to be ratings. In these cases, the TV handles the program as though it is unrated, blocking the program if Unrated programs blocking is enabled.

What happens when a TV show is blocked?

After you’ve set up parental controls, TV shows and movies can be blocked:

  • When you change channels and the new channel is playing a program whose rating exceeds your settings.
  • When a new show comes on the channel you are watching and its rating exceeds your settings.

When a program is blocked by parental control settings, the TV displays a blocked message:

Whenever this blocked message appears, both the video and audio of the show are blocked, as well as program data that would normally appear in the area at the bottom of the screen.

To watch the blocked program, you need to know the PIN code defined when you enabled parental controls, as explained in Creating a parental control PIN.

1. Press OK to select Unblock and display a PIN pad.

2. Use the arrow keys to enter your parental control PIN code, and then press OK to select Unblock everything.


After unblocking shows that have been blocked, all blocking is disabled for two hours or until you turn off the TV.

Changing the parental control PIN

To change your parental control PIN:

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Parental controls, and then enter your parental control PIN.
  2. In the Parental controls screen, highlight Change PIN.
  3. Move the highlight into the adjacent keypad, and then use the arrow keys and then press OK to enter a four digit code. Then repeat the process to enter the same PIN again, just to make sure you correctly entered the PIN you want to use.

Resetting parental controls

So now your kids have grown up and gone away to college, and you no longer want to deal with blocked programs.
To erase all parental control settings:

  1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Parental controls, and then enter your parental control PIN.
  2. In the Parental controls screen, highlight Reset parental controls.
  3. Follow the instructions on the screen to confirm that you want to erase all parental control settings.

Tip: Resetting parental controls also erases your parental control PIN.

More settings

Changing network settings

To change network settings, from the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > Network, and then press the RIGHT arrow. At this point, you can choose the following options:

  • About – Lists important information about your current network connection, such as status, connection type, IP addresses, and MAC address. This information is often useful when contacting customer support with connection issues.
  • Check connection – Select your existing network connection type, and then press OK to start checking the network connection. The TV uses your current network information to reconfirm the wireless or wired network connection to the local network and the Internet connection.
  • Set up connection – Select a network connection type, and then select the option to set up a new connection. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the network connection. For help with each of the steps, see Network connection.

Note: Some networks, such as those found in dorm rooms, hotels, and other public places, may require you to read and agree to terms, enter a code, or provide identifying information before letting you connect to the Internet. For more information, see Using your TV in a hotel or dorm room.

Changing time settings

You can change time settings to suit your preferences. You can find the following settings by navigating from the Home screen menu to Settings > System > Time:

  • Sleep timer – Set a time delay after which the TV will automatically shut off. This setting reflects the setting you can make in the Options menu from any TV input, as explained in Options menu settings. Note that the sleep timer setting is not input specific.
  • Time zone – Select whether to set the time zone automatically or manually, and if set manually, select your current time zone. Typically, a TV connected to the Internet can discover its own time zone automatically, and a TV that is not connected to the Internet must be set manually. Initially, this setting is made when you set up the TV tuner, as explained in Setting up Antenna TV. Correct time zone information is needed to correctly display program data.
  • Clock format – Select whether to display time in a 12-hour or 24-hour format, or to turn off time display. This setting is available only on TVs that are connected to the Internet. Non-connected TVs do not display the time.

Scanning for Antenna TV channels again

There will be times when you need to create a new channel list. For example, you:

  • Change cable providers
  • Reorient your TV antenna
  • Move to a different city with different channels

Whenever you need to update your TV channel list, you can repeat the channel scan.
Tip: Repeat the channel scan from time to time to make sure you are receiving all of the latest channels. Broadcasters add and remove channels, move channels to different parts of the spectrum, and change the power levels of their channels periodically.
Note: Repeating the tuner channel scan unhides all hidden channels.
To repeat the channel scan, from the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > TV inputs > Antenna TV > Scan again for channels. Then select Start finding channels to begin the channel scan process. The screens and options that appear during this process are identical to those described in How do I set up the TV

Setting the HDMI® mode

On 4K (UHD) TVs, you can independently configure each HDMI® input to match the capabilities of the connected device. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > TV inputs, and then select an enabled HDMI® input. Next, select HDMI mode and then select one of the following settings:

  • Auto – Let the TV determine the best setting. Use this option unless your HDMI® device does not correctly communicate its HDMI® version compatibility.
  • HDMI 1.4 – Configure the input for compatibility with HDMI® version 1.4, which supports a maximum refresh rate of 30 Hz at full UHD resolution. Most HDMI® devices will work correctly with the TV in this mode.
  • HDMI 2.0 – Configure the input for compatibility with HDMI® version 2.0, which supports a maximum refresh rate of 60 Hz at full UHD resolution. You must use this mode to view HDR content from the device connected to this HDMI® input.

However, note that many older HDMI® devices do not work correctly when the TV’s HDMI® input is set to this mode.

Adjusting external device connections

You can choose the level of control you want to allow your TV to accept from external devices, such as smart phones, tablets, and virtual assistants. Device connect settings enable other devices, including the Roku Mobile App, to control your TV over the local area network in your home.
To adjust the level of external control access:

  • 1. From the Home screen menu, navigate to Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Control by mobile apps.
  • 2. Select Network access.
  • 3. Choose one of the following settings:
  • Default – Devices can connect only through a private network address, and accept commands only from other private network addresses on your home network. This setting is suitable for most cases, including use of the Roku mobile app on your smartphone.
  • Permissive – Devices can connect under all conditions, but accept commands only from private network addresses or the same subnetwork within your home network. This setting might be required when attempting
  • to operate the TV from a third-party application, for example, one of the Internet of Things (IoT) applications such as ifttt.com.
  • Disabled – Device connection is completely disabled. The TV does not accept external commands from any source, including the Roku mobile app.

Restarting the TV

You can restart the TV when necessary. Restarting has the same effect as unplugging the TV power and then plugging it in again. To restart the TV, navigate to Settings > System > Power, and then select System restart. Highlight Restart, and then press OK to confirm restart. While the TV restarts, the screen goes dark for a few seconds, and then displays the startup screen for a few more seconds. When the restart operation completes, the TV displays the activity you selected in Power on setting

Resetting the TV

You can choose to reset only the TV picture and audio settings to their original values, or perform a full factory reset to return the TV to the state it was in when you first unpacked and turned it on.

Reset audio/video settings

To reset only the TV picture and audio settings to their original values, navigate to Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Factory reset, and then highlight Reset TV audio/video settings.

Read the information on the screen to make sure you understand what the reset operation does. To proceed with the reset operation, press PLAY/PAUSE three times in a row.

Factory reset everything

A full factory reset returns the TV’s settings to their original state and removes all personally identifiable information from the TV. When finished, you must repeat Guided Setup, reconnecting to the Internet, re-linking your Roku account, and reloading any streaming channels. You also must repeat Antenna TV setup and input configuration.

Factory reset is the recommended choice if you want to transfer the TV to another owner, and it is the only choice if you want to switch from Store mode to Home mode (if you inadvertently selected Store mode during Guided Setup).

To perform a factory reset, navigate to Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Factory reset, and then highlight Factory reset everything. Read the information on the screen to make sure you understand what this reset operation does.

To proceed with the full factory reset, use the on-screen number pad to enter the code displayed on the screen, and then select OK to proceed. When the factory reset operation completes, the TV restarts and displays the first Guided Setup screen.

What if I can’t access the Factory Reset option?

It is possible for your TV to get into a state where you cannot access the various menus, including the menu option that lets you perform a factory reset operation. If that happens, you can force the TV to reset by following these steps

Models with a RESET button

1. Using a straightened paper clip or ball-point pen, press and hold the recessed RESET button on the TV connector panel.

2. Continue to hold the RESET button for approximately 12 seconds. When the reset cycle completes, the status indicator comes on dim.

3. Release the RESET button. The TV is now powered off.

4. Turn on the TV and proceed through Guided Setup. See Guided Setup

Models without a RESET button

1. On the TV panel (not the remote) press and hold down the MUTE and POWER buttons.

2. Unplug the TV power, and then plug it in while continuing to hold down the MUTE and POWER buttons.

3. When you see the startup screen appear on the TV, release the buttons.

4. Turn on the TV and proceed through Guided Setup. See Guided Setup.

Changing your Roku Channel Store PIN preference

When you created your Roku account, you were given the opportunity to create a PIN code and to specify when it must be used. If you created a Channel Store PIN and want to change it, or you don’t remember your PIN, or if you didn’t create a Channel Store +PIN and want to add one, you can easily make these changes

1. On a computer, tablet, or smartphone, use your web browser to go to https://my.roku.com and sign in. After signing in, the My Account page appears.

2. Under PIN Preference, click Update to open the Choose Your PIN Preferences page.

3. Skip this step if you just want to change your PIN. Otherwise, choose the option your prefer from among those listed:

• Require a PIN to make purchases or to add any item from the Channel Store.

• Require a PIN to make purchases

. • Do not require a PIN to make purchases.

4. If you choose either of the first two options, enter your PIN twice in the appropriate boxes.

5. Click Save Changes to save your changes and return to the My Account page. Note that your current setting is described under PIN Preference.

Getting updates on a non-connected TV

If your TV is not connected to the Internet, you can still get system updates by using a USB flash drive and a computer with an Internet connection.

To get a system update, navigate to Settings > System > System update:

The System update screen on a non-connected TV gives you the opportunity to connect your TV to the Internet to automatically receive updates. We recommend this option if it is possible in your situation. To proceed, select Connect to the Internet and follow the instructions in What if I didn’t connect my TV?.

Otherwise, if you can’t connect to the Internet, select I can’t connect, and then follow the instructions on the screen.

Here’s a summary:

1. On an Internet-connected computer, go to the web site displayed on the System update screen.

2. On the USB Update web page, select the correct brand and model, and then click Next.

3. Click Download Software, and then save the file to the root folder of a standard USB flash drive

4. When the download finishes, take the USB flash drive to the TV and plug it into the USB port. When you do, the TV validates the files on the flash drive and displays a 12-digit code.

5. Write down the code and the web address, and take this information back to your Internet-connected computer

6. On the 12-digit code page, enter the code your TV displayed, and then click Next.

7. On the 6-digit code page, write down the 6-digit code that appears, and then take it back to your TV

8. Using the TV remote, select Next to move to the next screen, and then use the on-screen keyboard to enter the 6-digit code. When finished, select OK. The system update begins. Do not remove the USB flash drive until the TV restarts.

When the update finishes, the TV restarts. You can check the new version number by navigating to Settings > System > About.

Other devices

Screen Mirroring your phone or tablet

Only in connected mode, your TV has a feature called screen mirroring that lets you mirror your compatible smartphone or tablet on your TV. Share videos, photos, web pages, and more from compatible devices.

By default, your TV’s screen mirroring mode is set to Prompt. In this mode, when your TV receives a screen mirroring request, it prompts you with the following options, unless you have previously selected Always accept or Always ignore for the device:

Always accept – Always accept mirrored content from the mobile device without additional prompting in the future for this device.

Accept – Accept mirrored content from the mobile device this time only. Prompt again next time this device attempts to mirror content.

Ignore – Do not accept mirrored content from the mobile device at this time. Prompt again next time this device attempts to mirror content.

Always ignore – Never accept mirrored content from this mobile device.

Note: You can manage and change the list of devices that are set to Always accept or Always ignore by navigating from the Home screen to Settings > System > Screen mirroring > Screen mirroring devices

• If you prefer to always allow all screen mirroring attempts without prompting, go to Settings > System > Screen mirroring, and then change the Screen mirroring mode to Always allow.

• If you prefer to never allow screen mirroring from any device, change the Screen mirroring mode to Never allow.

For information on which devices may work with screen mirroring and instructions on how to use it, go to the following link on the Roku website: go.roku.com/screenmirroring

Other information

Battery Caution and Disposal Information

• For best results, use alkaline batteries.

• Install only new batteries of the same type in your product.

• Failure to insert batteries in the correct polarity, as indicated in the battery compartment, may shorten the life of the batteries or cause batteries to leak.

• Do not mix old and new batteries.

• Do not use Rechargeable (Nickel Cadmium) or (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries

. • Do not mix Alkaline, Standard (Carbon-Zinc) or Rechargeable (Nickel Cadmium) or (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries.

• Do not dispose of batteries in fire.

• Recycle or dispose of batteries as per state and local guidelines.

Care and Cleaning

Caution: Turn off your TV before cleaning.

• Clean the TV as needed using a soft lint-free cloth. Be sure to occasionally dust the ventilation slots in the cabinet to help assure adequate ventilation.

IMPORTANT: Never use strong cleaning agents, such as ammonia-based cleaners, or abrasive powder. These types of cleaners will damage the TV.

The TV’s screen may be cleaned with a soft, lint-free cloth as well. Take care not to scratch or mar the screen. If necessary, you may use a cloth dampened with warm water. While cleaning, do not spray liquid directly on the screen, or allow liquid to run down the screen and inside the TV. Also, never place drinks or vases with water on top of the TV. This could increase the risk of fire, shock hazard or damage to the TV.


TCL 43S423 | Series: 4-Series | File type: PDF | Filename: TCL 43" CLASS 4-SERIES 4K UHD HDR ROKU SMART TV - 43S423.pdf | Size: 2.91 MB | Language: English

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