Exact model-family answer directory
TCL TV line troubleshooting
TCL TV line (65/75/85/98QM851G): HDMI (from Reviewed and RTINGS coverage); mounting; which QM8 this is; identifying your QM8; setting it up; updates and support, and a fix for each symptom below.
- HDMI (from Reviewed and RTINGS coverage)Only two of the four HDMI ports are HDMI 2.1, the pair that can carry 4K at 120 Hz. The eARC port is one of the HDMI 2.0 ports, so a soundbar does not take up a 2.1 port.
No pictureNo soundHDMI no signalWi-FiApps not workingRemote not working
TCL · eARC
TCL TV line (QM8, QM7, Q7, Q6 and 6-Series, 5-Series, 4-Series) ARC or eARC soundbar audio is not working
Open record TCL · antennaTCL TV line (QM8, QM7, Q7, Q6 and 6-Series, 5-Series, 4-Series) cannot find antenna channels
Open record TCL · colors wrongTCL TV line (QM8, QM7, Q7, Q6 and 6-Series, 5-Series, 4-Series) colors look wrong, washed out or tinted
Open record TCL · game modeTCL TV line (QM8, QM7, Q7, Q6 and 6-Series, 5-Series, 4-Series) game mode, 120 Hz or VRR is not working
Open record TCL · no soundTCL TV line (QM8, QM7, Q7, Q6 and 6-Series, 5-Series, 4-Series) has picture but no sound
Open record TCL · restartingTCL TV line (QM8, QM7, Q7, Q6 and 6-Series, 5-Series, 4-Series) keeps restarting or will not stay on
Open record TCL · too darkTCL TV line (QM8, QM7, Q7, Q6 and 6-Series, 5-Series, 4-Series) picture is too dark or keeps dimming
Open record TCL · HDMI no signalTCL TV line (QM8, QM7, Q7, Q6 and 6-Series, 5-Series, 4-Series) shows no signal on HDMI
Open record TCL · BluetoothTCL TV line (QM8, QM7, Q7, Q6 and 6-Series, 5-Series, 4-Series) will not pair with Bluetooth headphones or speakers
Open recordConfirm the model first
Which units this covers, and how to tell yours is one of them
- Model numbers and patterns
- 65/75/85/98QM851G
Published specification
What is true of this model and changes how you fix it
- Panel — QD-Mini LED QLEDTCL's 2024 flagship: a QD-Mini LED QLED LCD with a very high local-dimming zone count and extreme brightness. It has a backlight, so a faint halo around bright objects and raised dark-room blacks are normal LCD behavior, not a fault; more dimming zones than any other TCL here means it controls that better.
- Smart platform — Google TVThe 2024 QM8 runs Google TV (not Roku). Update at Settings › System › About › System update; screen mirroring is Chromecast built-in. Roku-TV steps do not apply to this model even though other TCLs use Roku.
- Gaming / HDMINative 144 Hz panel with HDMI 2.1, VRR, ALLM and FreeSync. Enable Game Accelerator / Game Mode for the input. Supports Dolby Vision (incl. gaming), HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG.
- MountingReviews list 300 x 400 mm VESA holes.
- Which QM8 this isTCL has sold several QM8 generations (QM8, QM851G in 2024, QM8L in 2026). The 2026 QM8L has four 2.1 ports, so a port count read off a newer review does not describe the 2024 set.
- Identifying your QM8TCL prints the model on a label at the back, beginning with the screen size and QM8. The 2024 QM8 is a Mini-LED set with Google TV. When you read a review or a forum thread, check that it names the same year, since TCL changed the layout of ports and features between generations.
- Setting it upTCL's sets work well with the Movie or Filmmaker mode for cinema and the Game Accelerator for consoles. Enable HDMI-CEC (T-Link) if you want one remote to control a soundbar, and turn off Energy saving modes that dim the picture.
- Updates and supportSoftware updates arrive through Settings, System, Software update. TCL's support asks for the model and serial and the software version, which you can find in the same menu.
- Reading reviews of the QM8TCL's QM8 gets high marks for brightness. Reviews also note that the ports vary by year, so match the year before you follow advice about HDMI. The model on the back should be a QM8 with a 2024 style code. If you buy a different year's set, expect different ports.
- Soundbar and eARCThe eARC port is one of the HDMI 2.0 ports, as the facts above say, so plugging in a soundbar does not use a 2.1 port. Turn on HDMI-CEC and set the TV's audio output to the soundbar. Dolby Atmos may need the bitstream setting.
Where these figures were read. us.tcl.com/collections/qm8-class (QD-Mini LED, 144Hz, Google TV, Dolby Vision)
Manufacturer support for this product line. TCL Support — TCL Google TV support. TCL's own TCL Google TV troubleshooting hub.
Also read for this model. Reviewed — TCL QM8 (QM851G) Mini-LED review; RTINGS — TCL QM8L review.
Exact questions
Questions that only have an answer for the TCL TV line (QM8, QM7, Q7, Q6 and 6-Series, 5-Series, 4-Series)
Is my TCL QM8 a Roku TV or a Google TV?+
The 2024 QM8 is a Google TV. That matters because its app store, home screen, software-update path (Settings › System › About › System update) and voice remote are Google's, not Roku's — so Roku-TV instructions will not match it. Some other TCL models (the 6-Series R655, 5-Series and 4-Series) are Roku TVs instead, which is a completely different system.