Vizio P-Series HDR 4K TVs Strike A Pose With Google Cast And 6-Inch Android Tablet Remote

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Vizio is looking to change the way we interact with our TV and it is doing so thanks to a little bit of help from tech giant Google. The new P-Series TVs have Google Cast built right into the TV, which right away signals that this is a different “smart” TV experience.

P-Series TVs as a result don’t have built-in media apps like Netflix or Amazon Video that you typically find with smart TVs, and instead rely on your smartphone or tablet to cast relevant content. And since casting is such a big part of this new TV experience, the P-Series TVs ditch the traditional remote control in favor of Vizio’s own 6-inch, 1080p Android Lollipop tablet with 16GB of onboard storage. Not much else has been shared about the tablet “remote” at this point, but we do know that an octa-core Qualcomm SoC is powering the device.

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You can also use the Vizio SmartCast app to turn any of your mobile devices (as long as it runs Android or iOS) into a remote control for your TV. Using SmartCast, you can take over all available TV functions including changing the volume/channels/inputs as well as scrolling through various menus to adjust picture and sound settings.

“The VIZIO SmartCast app, pre-installed on the P-Series Tablet Remote, finally brings home entertainment into the mobile era with advanced navigation, search and control of content sources,” says Vizio CTO Matt McRae. “We’re excited to debut the P-Series collection, which not only sets a new benchmark with picture quality technologies like High Dynamic Range and Ultra Color Spectrum™, but is also the world’s first display to fully integrate the Google Cast protocol.”

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In addition to standard Google Cast, the new P-Series TVs also bring over some features included in the 2015 Reference Series including Ultra HD (4K) resolution displays with High Dynamic Resolution and Dolby Vision, which brings more vibrant colors to the screen. You’ll also find Full-Array LED backlighting with 128 active zones and five HDMI ports.

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Prices start at $999 for the 50-inch model, and rise from there to $1,299, $1,999 and $3,999 respectively for the 55-, 65- and 75-inch models in the P-Series family. The P-Series TV are available to purchase today direct from Vizio.com.