OnePlus TV Update ‘OTA 5’ Adds Kids Mode, Data Saver Plus, Brings Back Storage Expansion

It’s now rolling out to the OnePlus TV Q and U series.

By Akhil Arora | Updated: 6 July 2020 13:46 IST

OnePlus TV Update ‘OTA 5’ Adds Kids Mode, Data Saver Plus, Brings Back Storage Expansion

Kids Mode on the OnePlus TV

Highlights

OnePlus TV ‘OTA 5’ began rolling out Friday
‘Kids Mode’ includes time limits, PIN lock, more
‘Format Storage’ option returns to OnePlus TVs

OnePlus TV Q series and the newly-announced OnePlus TV 55U1 are now receiving a new system update — dubbed 'OTA 5' — which brings new picture modes and a 'Kids Mode', an improved version of OxygenPlay, the built-in video player, and the 'Data Saver' feature, and a re-introduction of storage expansion. If you don't see the new update yet, don't fret. In its announcement, OnePlus said it's doing a slow rollout, starting with “a small percentage of users” before going to everyone.

There are two new picture modes in the new OnePlus TV update — 'AI PQ' and 'Eyes Protection' — according to the OnePlus announcement. In AI PQ, everything is set to 'Auto' except for backlight management. Eyes Protection is built for what it says; in addition to a low backlight value, there are fine tuning adjustments in terms of colour, gamma, and sharpness, all keeping in mind to reduce eye strain. Think of it as a ‘Night Mode'.

The new Kids Mode allows you to create a separate profile for children, under which you can a range of parental controls such as allowed apps, time limits, PIN lock, and an eye protection feature. Kids Mode can be found under 'More Settings'.

While the OnePlus TV range already had a Data Saver option, the new OTA 5 update adds to that with 'Data Saver Plus', which introduces bandwidth control, data usage alerts, and monthly usage monitoring.

Data Saver Plus on the OnePlus TV
Photo Credit: OnePlus

The improved OxygenPlay features a new 'Upcoming' tab that allows you to set reminders for soon-to-be-released movies and TV series. You can also long press on any poster to bring up more info about said content. OxygenPlay includes more content partners and a few tweaks to 'Watch History'. The app drawer has been removed, OnePlus says, to focus more on media.

As for the built-in video player, it now allows you to choose between ‘resume playback' or ‘play from the beginning', if you return to a video that you left midway. The subtitles section has also been improved, as it will now display the languages of the available subtitles before you hit play. It can also pull up more videos from the same folder, helpful when you're binge watching a TV show. OnePlus is also promising improved HDR performance with MKV and MP4 files.

That leaves storage expansion, which was available earlier but then disappeared. The feature — known as 'Format Storage' — now returns, allowing OnePlus TV users to plug in an external drive to increase available space for apps and video files.

Beyond that, there are miscellaneous additions and tweaks. OnePlus Connect now supports iPhone and iPad, while TV Shared Album supports the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro. The audio output section now has more options to choose from. And lastly, the Amazon Prime Video app will pick up where you left off, solving a major UX issue that plagues its performance on Android TV elsewhere.

Why do Indians love Xiaomi TVs so much? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS. You can also download the episode, or listen to it by just hitting the play button below.

OnePlus TV Q1

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 55.00-inch

Screen Type QLED

Dimensions 1223.7 x 706 50.6mm

OS Android Based

Smart TV Yes

Resolution Standard 4K

More OnePlus TV

OnePlus TV Q1 Pro

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Performance
Value for Money
Software
Features

Good
Looks good
Motorised soundbar is a nice touch
The panel can get really bright
Possible to get good performance with HDR, 4K, and full-HD content
Excellent sound quality

Bad
Buggy software and app; no Netflix for now
Remote is too minimalist; no mute/ source buttons
Need a lot of tweaking to get the best performance
Issues with HDR10 overexposure
Lots of artefacts visible in scenes with rapid motion
Below-average picture quality with SD content

Read detailed OnePlus TV Q1 Pro review

Display 55.00-inch

Screen Type QLED

Dimensions 1223.7 x 707 x 61.3mm

OS Android Based

Smart TV Yes

Resolution Standard 4K

More OnePlus TV

OnePlus 55-Inch U Series 4K LED Android TV (55U1)

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Performance
Value for Money
Software
Features

Good
Modern, industrial design
Good picture quality across resolutions
Very good motion interpolation settings
Accurate colours, good contrast
Excellent software and remote

Bad
Poor black levels
Inconsistent sound
Aftermarket wall-mount kits don’t fit properly

Read detailed OnePlus 55-Inch U Series 4K LED Android TV (55U1) review

Display 55.00-inch

Screen Type LED

Resolution Standard 4K

OS Android

Smart TV Yes

More OnePlus TV

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.