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Sound Advice: USB charger recommendation and guidance for TV setup

Don Lindich, Tribune News Service on

Published in Entertainment News

Q. I saw your article about the multiport USB charger and I'd like to purchase one. It was impossible to find and Amazon does not know when it will be in stock. Can you update your readers please?

—C.P., Milwaukee

A. I mentioned last week that I was looking for an alternative to the ZVOX earbuds that sold out so quickly, and over the past few months I have been looking for an alternative charger recommendation as well. I do have the charger recommendation now, namely the Intoval 140W USB-C Charger Block with eight ports. It has four USB-C and four USB-A (USB-A is the flat rectangular port that has been ubiquitous for years) and is slim for the size and capacity. I have also found the slimmer profile makes a better profile for carrying in your backpack or bag since it protrudes less.

The Intoval shares and improves upon all the other features I appreciated so much, such as the long, removable AC power cord that won’t drop from the wall and enough ports and power to charge all of your devices quickly. This includes enough power to run and recharge a USB-C laptop. I used one Intoval to replace an extension cord with two Apple USB-C chargers and a USB-A to micro USB charger. It is a much more elegant and simple solution with less connection points, and hence less to go wrong. It sells on Amazon for $43.99 and I found an Amazon coupon code CHARGERS10 that lowers the price under $40. That is an outstanding value for a top-rated charger with this much power and capability. I have seen two-port USB-C chargers for almost that much!

With all the devices and the charging needs we have these days I have really come to like these powerful and flexible multiport chargers and the convenience they provide, and will be researching others in the future.

Q. I have finally decided to press forward with finishing my basement. Long story short my plan is to have one large TV dead center on the wall with a smaller one on each side for a total of three TVs. It will be the ultimate setup for sports season! I am considering a Samsung 98-inch Crystal UHD DU9000 for the center and the 55-inch Samsung QN85D for the two smaller TVs. (I am very happy with my Samsung TVs I purchased using Samsung’s educational discount.)

 

What do you think of this configuration? I am unsure if the 98-inch will be too big and will consider an 85-inch set for the center as well.

—T.J., Pittsburgh

A. The most important advice I have for you is to use the same model for all three TVs, even if they are in different sizes. The Samsung QN Series Neo QLED televisions are some of the best you can buy and though the Samsung Crystal UHD TVs are very good, if you put one right next to a QN Series the difference in picture quality will be obvious even if you are displaying different programming. For consistency you should have three same-model TVs with the exact same picture settings so everything looks the same as you scan across the different games you are watching.

If you think the 98-inch might be just a bit too big for your space anyway, then take the opportunity to get an 85-inch QN85 for your center TV and two 55-inch QN85 TVs for the sides. The DU9000 is $3,499 and the 85-inch QN85 is $2,999, so with your educational discount it should also be a bit less expensive to get the QN85.

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