Kodak 43-inch UHD TV review: A smart set with good pool of supported apps

The downside is the remote, which is slow and takes a lot of patience to operate

The Kodak 43 UHD television is a smart TV built on the blueprints of the Kodak 50 4K UHD LED (review). The television has a design and features similar to those of its elder sibling, and offers the same smart TVutilities. However, due to its 43-inch screen, it has a smaller form factor than the 50-inch model.

Design wise, the television is neither thick nor slim, but is lightweight, thanks to a plastic chassis covering the entire back, and the bezels around the screen. Though the set comes bundled with wall mount accessories, it works best when installed on flat surfaces, such as a table top, using the legs stand that also comes bundled in the box.

The Kodak 43-inch UHD television has most of the commonly used connectivity ports, such as audio out (AUX), 2 x USB, SD card slot, coaxial TV antenna terminal, HDMI port, Ethernet connectivity port, S/PDIF port and 2 x AV ports. Though the available ports cover most wired connectivity options, the lack of Bluetooth connectivity makes it less ideal if you have a wireless audio set-up in place.

Though the Kodak 43-inch UHD TV looks like a small screen version of the 50-inch model, it lacks some premium features such as HDR technology and LED backlit panel, which are found in its elder sibling. However, the screen boasts 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution, making it one of the few 43-inch televisions with UHD screen panel. The screen struggles to render dark black and show jitters, but for an IPS unit it has satisfactory colours and contrast ratio. 

The television has a dual operating system – Aptoide and Android 5.0 – that makes it compatible with a large pool of apps, including some of the most used ones such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Videos and YouTube. For a smart television, the Kodak 43 UHD has the required app support, but a basic remote control ruins the experience.

The remote control seems to be of the generic breed enhanced with dedicated keys for YouTube, Netflix and Hotstar. However, for other operations, such as entering the WiFi password, accessing apps, and such like, the remote serves as a liability. It also needs to be directed towards the sensor, which is placed on the bottom left side of the TV and, therefore, cannot be used from angles.

Verdict

Priced at Rs 23,999, the Kodak 43-inch UHD television has its flaws, yet it offers a combination of utility and features not found in most TVs in the same price segment. While its peers make do with a fullHD screen, the Kodak 43 smart TV boasts an UHD panel. Besides, it also supports dual operating systems with a good pool of apps and content library. This television makes a satisfactory smart TV, except for the remote control, which is slow and takes a lot of patience to operate.