New TV tech by Hisense, LG, Samsung & Sony unveiled as CES readies to kick off

MicroLED, 8K resolution, and TVs with short throw projectors are in focus as manufacturers release details of new smart TVs ahead of CES 2021.

Samsung's new microLED TV

MicroLED, 8K resolution, and TVs with short throw projectors are in focus as manufacturers release details of new smart TVs ahead of the global consumer electronics show, CES 2021.

The new online version of the world’s biggest consumer electronics show begins officially around midnight Monday AEDT and as usual TV makers LG, Samsung, Hisense, Sony and others are showcasing their latest models.

At least four manufacturers – Samsung, LG, Hisense and TCL – are expected to announce mini LED or micro LED smart TVs in their latest bid to offer the quality of premium OLED (organic LED) sets at a cheaper price.

LG, Hisense and Sony already have OLED TVs in the market. They offer intense blacks and pure whites, an ability to better see detail in brighter and darker parts of an image, and no bleeding of colour due to the screen containing thousands up to millions of tiny LEDs that light up individually. The result is crystal clarity and resolution, and great contrast.

Samsung has already detailed its microLED technology – a 110-inch set will contain 24 million self-emitting red, green and blue LEDs. Samsung has claimed 100,000 hours of picture quality which is what LG claimed for OLED sets in 2016.

The jury is out on just how long these new displays will last. OLED sets have been accused of lacking longevity and being more susceptible to permanent image burn-ins but these claims are hotly contested by rival manufacturers.

Hisense has already built a market with TVs that comprise a screen on the wall and an ultra short-throw projector underneath it with its Laser TVs. Samsung too has “The Premiere”, a laser 4K smart projector which supports 4K, HDR10+ and 4.2 channel, 40 watt audio. You place the projector just 4.4-inches from the wall. The image can be zoomed up to 130 inches.

Consumers who buy these Laser TVs can enjoy very large projected TV images at a cheaper price compared to conventional smart TVs.

TV makers also are announcing more 8K models at hopefully more accessible prices. Be aware that you need a set of least 65 or 75 inches to appreciate any benefit of 8K beyond 4K, and there’s no 8K broadcast in Australia and little 8K media. TV processors have to upscale lower resolution content to 8K.

8K will come into its own as TV sizes stretch beyond 100 inches. 8K will preserve crisp image detail at these extraordinary sizes.

Some manufacturers are yet to release all details of their TV line-ups but we know some of it.

Hisense says it will launch both 4K and 8K ULED Mini LED TVs in Australia this year.

The first ULED Mini LED TV will be a 75-inch 8K model, followed by a 4K model that will be available in both 65 and 75-inches. These sets will offer HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR. Hisense is expected to announce other ULED and Laser TV models.

Samsung has announced its flagship 2021 Neo QLED 4K and 8K TV along with micro LED sets. The Micro LED sets will be big – 99 inches and 110 inches with smaller sizes due later in the year. Bezels are incredibly thin with a 99 per cent screen-to-body ratio. Features include watching up to four different content sources on one screen.

The Neo QLED comes with several enticing features. One is Samsung Health with a smart trainer capability that tracks and analyses your posture as you work out in front of the set. Samsung says the TV can count your steps and estimate calories burned and offers video and interactive training via Bixby-enabled voice control.

The days of you watching TV have morphed to the TV watching you.

With PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S and X with us, Samsung has spruced up how its TVs handle gaming. You can game at 21:9 and even 32:9 ultrawide ratio, check for input lag and adjust the position of the game on the screen to suit you.

The Neos support Google Duo with calls to five people and up to 32 in group calls. You can connect an optional USB camera; whether you need a proprietary Samsung camera and its cost remains to be seen.

The Neos also have built-in PC functionality and you can access MS Office 365 through the web browser, and connect your own PC.

Samsung also announced a free content streaming service called Samsung TV Plus.

Samsung too is bundling a solar powered “eco remote control” with its new TVs. It says the remotes are made from 28 per cent recycled plastic.

It also announced upgrades to its lifestyle TVs The Frame, The Serif, The Sero, The Terrace and The Premiere. The Sero, which displays mobile content on a big screen, will let you rotate the screen from portrait to landscape and back by rotating your phone.

Samsung also announced a smart computer monitor that you can use without a computer and again, the monitor has Microsoft Office 365 built in. Alternatively you can use remote access or Samsung DeX to access a PC through the monitor.

LG is expected to announce 10 “QNED” 4K and 8K TV models with mini LED technology with sizes ranging to 86-inches. The technology looks somewhat different to Samsung’s. You get 30,000 mini LEDs per panel and a very fast refresh rate of 120Hz which should please gamers who are a huge target market at CES.

Sony has gone a different route announcing new LED and OLED TVs from 50 to 100 inches. Sony again will use the Google TV interface and offers gaming in 4K at a 120Hz refresh rate.

Sony has put resources into boosting the AI capability of its new smart TV processor, the Cognitive Processor XR, so that it not only analyses picture elements such as contrast and colour, but also “can cross-analyse an array of elements at once, just as our brains do”.

We’ll wait and review its capability. Sony i s announcing both LED and OLED TVs.

There is no guarantee all these new TVs will come to Australia. This week, we should see some details of models coming to our local market and their cost.