The Future is Here: A Deep Dive into Next-Gen TVs at CES 2024
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The future of television is looking brighter than ever, according to insights shared at the recent CES 2024 tech show. In the latest episode of Home Theater Geeks and the first part of a two-part series, host Scott Wilkinson sat down with veteran industry journalist Michael Heiss for an inside look at the TV trends and technologies that wowed attendees in Las Vegas.
So, what does the future hold for television? In short, sets are getting smarter, screens are getting bigger, and picture quality continues to improve thanks to AI-enhanced processing. But let's dig deeper into the key themes and product innovations discussed on the show:
TVs as Smart Home Hubs
A major trend is TVs being positioned as control centers for the connected home. Wilkinson explained how brands like Samsung and LG push entire ecosystems of products that can be controlled and monitored through the TV screen. For example, Samsung demonstrated using the TV to view a map of the home and control devices, while LG's theme was "affectionate intelligence" across its lineup.
"It's about the ability of a TV set to connect to streaming and do targeted ads," Heiss noted, underscoring how monetization is shifting away from the TV itself.
The Ad-Supported Future & Telly's Free Streaming TV Bundle
One of the more interesting new products was Telly, which offers a free 55" 4K TV bundled with a soundbar and unique second screen exclusively for ads. The lower screen can display personalized ads, shopping recommendations, sports scores, weather, and more. Telly exemplifies the move toward ad-supported hardware that helps brands turn "TVs into a vehicle for ads and commerce," Wilkinson explained.
AI Enhances Picture Quality
Of course, picture quality remains integral for home theater enthusiasts. Wilkinson and Heiss discussed how AI and improved processors are key for upscaling lower-quality content and optimizing high dynamic range on larger screens, with LG's newest "Alpha 11 AI" processor or Samsung's Neural Quantum Processor 8K. Mini LED backlights with thousands of dimming zones also lend more precise control.
Super Sizing TV Screens
Speaking of larger screens, TV sizes continue to grow rapidly, with 75" becoming the new 65" and ultra-large 98" and 100+" displays gaining traction. "75 is the new 65, but 85 is the new 75," Heiss quipped. Heiss noted that advanced backlighting tech like mini LED makes it possible to scale up panel sizes while maintaining image quality. Of course, delivering these giant TVs poses its own challenges, like bending around corners!
Optimized for Gaming
Gamers were also a focus at CES 2024, with gaming-centric features like 120Hz+ refresh rates and Variable Refresh Rate support coming to more TV models. Wilkinson cited fast response times and smoother visuals as key benefits for gamers.
OLED vs. Mini LED
While OLED still draws praise for its simplicity and per-pixel control, mini LED also earned kudos for its densely packed dimming zones that come close to OLED performance. Heiss remarked that in controlled demos, the latest mini LED displays looked impressive with their thousands of backlight zones. But OLED remains beloved for its straightforward and elegant pixel-level lighting.
Emerging Tech: Micro LED and More
Micro LED remains an emerging technology, still a few years away from mainstream adoption. Samsung showed a new 76" modular Micro LED TV called The Wall, but production limitations make it an ultra-luxury product for now. Wilkinson and Heiss agree it shows promise but needs more time to develop.
CES 2024 offered TV lovers a glimpse into the future, and it's brighter than ever thanks to smarter panels, larger sizes, and enhancements like AI processing. The TV revolution is already here, and home theater enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to!
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