The 4-Series S455 is TCL's entry direct-lit LED television without a quantum-dot layer, so its colors are good for the price but will not match a QLED, and a picture that looks washed out, too warm or too blue often just needs settings changed from the shop defaults. Press the star button on the Roku remote while watching and open Picture settings, then Picture mode. Out of the box many sets are in a bright mode with a cool color;
The checks in more detail
choose Movie or Normal for a natural look, reduce Backlight to taste in a dark room and set Contrast and Brightness so that you can see detail in both bright and dark scenes. Turn off special enhancements such as dynamic contrast, which makes colors uneven, and set Color temperature to Warm for films. Colour that looks wrong only on one input may be a source problem. Check the HDMI cable and try another input, because a loose cable causes pink or green tints, and in the connected device's settings check that the output is set to a standard color format.
A game console or a PC may be sending a limited range signal to a TV that expects full, which crushes blacks; match the black level or range in both places. Check that the HDMI input is set to the right mode for the device in the TV's settings. If the colors look dull in streaming apps only, the app may be using a different setting for HDR, so compare with another source. The S455 supports HDR10, but its panel is not very bright, so HDR content looks dimmer than on a mid-range TV, which is a limit of the tier and not a fault.
If you see a green or magenta cast across the whole picture, even in the menus, power the TV off at the wall for a minute and test again; a persistent tint in the menus suggests a panel or board problem, which TCL can assess under warranty. Update the TV in System update. A factory reset restores picture defaults but erases settings. Contact TCL with the model and serial number if a defect is visible in every input and menu.
Differential
Likely causes of “TCL 4-Series Roku TV S455 colors look wrong, washed out or tinted”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A bright, cool shop-default picture mode
What separates it Washed-out or blue colors
How to confirm Choose Movie or Normal with a warm color temperature
- 2
A poor cable or loose HDMI connection
What separates it A pink or green tint on one input
How to confirm Re-seat or replace the cable
- 3
A mismatch of color range
What separates it Crushed blacks or pale colors
How to confirm Match the range on the TV and the device
- 4
The tier's limits
What separates it HDR looks dim
How to confirm Expect modest brightness
- 5
A panel or board fault
What separates it A tint in the menus too
How to confirm Contact TCL
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which input and app
- The picture mode
- Whether the menus show the tint
- The model and serial number
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedChoose a natural picture mode
ReversibleMovie or Normal.
Set the color temperature
ReversibleWarm for films.
Check the HDMI cable
ReversibleAnd try another input.
Match the color range
ReversibleOn the device.
Update the TV
ReversibleIn System update.
Contact TCL
ReversibleIf the menus show a tint.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Entry tier
- No quantum dots and no local dimming.
- Picture mode
- Start with Movie or Normal.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the tint shows in the menus on every input, contact TCL with the model number
- !Try a different cable
- !Update the TV
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my S455 picture look washed out?+
The picture mode may be set for a bright shop.
Is the S455 QLED?+
No, it is a direct-lit LED.
Why do blacks look gray?+
The tier has no local dimming.
Is HDR bright on this TV?+
Modestly.