CES 2015: OLED, S’UHD and other TV terms explained

THEY are the totally baffling terms for technology that we don’t have a chance of understanding on the spot. Here’s what you need to know.

EVENTS like CES are full of cutting edge technology, but what that tech actually does can be extremely confusing, especially when they have strange acronym names. The biggest area this happens in is with televisions.

Televisions have been the flagship product the big companies have been battling with at CES, and they are all doing them slightly differently, using slightly different technology. Now that the days of LCD and plasma have mostly passed, new options can puzzle even keen tech enthusiasts. This is what the terms mean, and what the technology does.

4K/UHD

Samsung have featured their SUHD screen at the CES.

Ultra High Definition (UHD) or 4K refers to the resolution, or the number of pixels on the TVs display. 4K has four times the amount of pixels as the more common full-HD 1080p resolution, this means that pictures are displayed four times as clear, with four times as much detail.

UHD actually has slightly less pixels than true 4K, but it has become industry standard to use them interchangeably.

Smart TV

Like the smartphone revolution when the internet took over our mobile phones, the internet is now taking over our televisions. Most mid-high range TVs these days are referred to as smart TVs, using the internet to connect them to streaming services, web browsers and other internet based TV apps. Increasingly we are seeing the trend of casual gaming popping up on Smart TVs too, with Android games playable on some and Sony TVs having the ability to play digital PlayStation games without a console.

Curved TVs

Aside from new resolutions and screen technology, the big thing manufacturers have been pushing is curved displays. The idea behind it is that it improves your immersion, creates a better depth of field and of course, they look cool. Some people prefer them, some people don’t, so ultimately it will come down to your personal preference.

LED

An LED screen as normally referred is actually an LCD screen, but instead of having a normal CCFL backlight, it uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as its light source behind the screen. An LED is more energy efficient and a lot smaller than traditional CCFL, enabling a thinner television screen.

OLED

LG’s new range of OLED televisions.

This is the current king of TV technology. Currently only LG is able to produce the amount of OLED displays needed to affordably sell them to consumers. To put it very simply, OLED’s backlighting is achieved by putting electricity through organic materials that light up as a specific colour. This is something no other technology directly does, and produces significantly better colour, blacks and contrast than other display types. It also allows TVs to be even thinner, something evident in LGs latest range announced at CES. But with anything, if you want the best you have to pay for it.

Quantum Dot (Or S’UHD for Samsung sets, Triluminos for Sony)

Similar to how LED is based on LCD, quantum dot based displays use tiny atoms to light individual colours, rather than traditional LCD that is all based on a white LED light. What this means is richer colours, higher brightness and more power efficiency than traditional LED and LCD displays. Quantum dots also don’t degrade, which means the TV has a longer life.

Samsung brands their quantum dot sets S’UHD, where they combine that with nano crystals for improved brightness and colour. This technology doesn’t have as deep blacks or the contrast levels of OLED, however it is cheaper.