2015 Samsung 4K UHD LCD TVs
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 2:00PM Updated on September 10, 2015: added pricing, availability, and specs
Samsung brought its best 4K ultra high-definition (UHD) TVs to the 2015 CES in the form of three series that tempt the eyes of discerning videophiles with new technology to enhance perceived color and contrast.
One of Samsung's earlier announcements was that all of its 2015 smart TVs will feature a newly redesigned Smart Hub that's built around the Linux-based, "open source", Tizen operating system.
The use of the Tizen OS will likely enable easier integration and interaction with mobile devices, particularly Samsung products, for content sharing and control using WiFi Direct and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) wireless technologies. The new Tizen-powered TVs will also enable the viewing of live TV on compatible mobile devices anywhere within a home network even when the TVs are powered off.
The updated 2015 Smart Platform will also include new entertainment experiences:
- Samsung Sports Live: watch live games and view team/player stats
- PlayStation Now: enjoy cloud-streamed PlayStation 3 games using a DualShock 4 wireless controller
- More 4K UHD sources: Amazon, Comcast, DirecTV, Netflix, and a new UHD movie download service in partnership with M-GO
- Briefing on TV: 2015 Samsung Smart TVs can act as an alarm clock that display time, weather, and other pertinent information
Bring the SUHD
Samsung reserves its "S" identification for its flagship products, and the company's best 4K UHD TVs for 2015 are branded into the new "SUHD" TV lineup.
The SUHD TV lineup includes three model series with screen sizes ranging from 48-inches to 88-inches, and all feature new Samsung display technologies that enhance picture color and contrast:
- 10-bit LCD panel technology
- High Dynamic Range (HDR) metadata support
- "Re-mastering" picture quality engine: claims to automatically analyze on-screen imagery to enhance picture contrast with darker black levels and increased brightness while minimizing power consumption
- Quantum color: enhanced color and energy efficiency through the use of quantum dot (QD) nano-crystal technology to achieve a color gamut like that featured in commercial digital cinema.
- HDMI 2.0a (via update) for use with external source devices that support high dynamic range (HDR)
The newly formed UHD Alliance whose membership includes Netflix, Disney, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Dolby Vision, Technicolor, Samsung, Panasonic, and others moves us closer to the access and enjoyment of enhanced UHD video on display devices that can accurately render video encoded with an expanded color palette and HDR detail.
JS8500 Series
- Flat screen design
- Backlight: edge-lit LED w/local dimming
- 2.2-channel 40W speaker system
- Brushed silver T-shaped base
- Quad-core processor
- Screen sizes: 48-inches, 55-inches, 65-inches
2015 Vizio M-Series 4K UHD TVs
Vizio 5.1 Sound Bar System Review
The JS9000 returns to the aesthetically pleasing curved screen design, and the series features the the widest range of screen sizes in the new SUHD lineup. Even the back of the JS9000 was enhanced with a "soft, textured Shirring design" to provide a stylish view even when checking out its rear. As Samsung's most affordable curved screen design in its premium JS series, it will be interesting to see how the 9000's edge-lit backlight technology compares to the more expensive JS9500 and its full-array backlight unit (BLU).
- Curved screen design
- Backlight: edge-lit LED w/local dimming
- 2.2-channel 60W speaker system
- Brushed dark silver Y-shaped base
- Octa-core processor
- Screen szes: 48-inches, 55-inches, 65-inches, 78-inches (JS9100)
The flagship JS9500 will feature Samsung's "chamfer bezel design" to frame the LCD's screen with a hint of increased depth and make it look more like a piece of art when wall-mounted. For LCD enthusiasts, the words "full-array local dimming" (FALD) represent the pinnacle of backlight unit (BLU) technology that can improve picture contrast and uniformity compared to LCDs with edge-lit BLUs. The JS9500 represents Samsung's return to FALD after transitioning all of its LCDs to edge-lit designs several years ago. Perhaps in 2016 we'll see Samsung spread FALD beyond the its flagship model.
- Curved screen design
- Backlight: full-array LED w/local dimming
- Retractable 1080p camera w/ built-in stereo microphones
- 2.2-channel 60W speaker system
- Brushed silver Y-shaped base
- Octa-core processor
- Screen sizes: 65-inches, 78-inches, 88-inches
Read my review of the Samsung JS9500 Series 4K UHD TV
Read more about the latest 2015 TVs and display technologies.
2015 Sharp: Prototype Eye Candy
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 9:00AM Updated on January 11, 2015: added images and additional details
It wouldn't be CES without Sharp showing off some drool-worthy prototype LCDs, and its 2015 demonstrations on the show floor included what will likely become featured consumer products within the next few years.
Sharp 85" 8K LCD prototype
Sharp has had an 85" 8K LCD prototype on display at its CES booth for a few years now, but with 8K test broadcasts expected to begin in Japan next year, a 4x jump in resolution compared to today's 4K screens seems slightly more plausible. Note the window-like imagery made possible with a high resolution screen at this size.
With this year's 8K demo, the specs were a bit more detailed:
- 7680x4320 screen resolution
- 103.67 PPI
- 85% of Rec. 2020 gamut
- RGB LED backlight system
- 120Hz refresh rate
- 12-bit per pixel panel technology
Rec. 2020 is a relatively gigantic color space to cover using LCD technology. Current LCD designs have struggled to cover the much smaller HDTV color space (rec. 709), and approaching rec. 2020 coverage will require advanced backlight and color filter designs. This prototype panel claimed to cover 85% of the Rec. 2020 color gamut through the use of an RGB LED backlight similar to that featured in the Sony XBR8 television circa 2005.
Super Slim 4K UHD
Sharp is also demonstrating a prototype 70" 4K UHD LCD TV that has an overall depth of less than half an inch. The slim TV uses a new glass light plate to more evenly and efficiently distribute light across the LCD panel.
Sharp 120" 4K Ultra HD Commercial Display
Although positioned for commercial display use, Sharp's 120" 4K UHD LCD prototype highlights the company's ability to craft very large displays. This 120" LCD is the equivalent of four 60" 1080p screens tiled together.
- 3840x2160
- 36.72 PPI
- Direct LED backlight
- 8.7 feet x 4.9 feet active display area
- (2657.28mm x 1494.72mm)
Gen 10 glass
Sharp jointly manages Sakai Display Products (SDP) and its 10th generation LCD manufacturing facility in Sakai, Japan. The SDP facility can process LCD glass substrates as large as 123.23" x 113.39" (3130mm x 2880mm) dwarfing a king sized bed that averages 80" x 76".
SDP could in theory produce a 140" (~141" max) LCD with a 16:9 aspect ratio from a single 10G substrate leaving some glass left over for carving out a few smaller sized screens. Safely transporting an LCD that size is another matter; hence the facility's shoreline location and tight on-site component manufacturing and integration.
Read more about the latest 2015 TVs and display technologies.
2015 Sharp: 4K UHD TVs
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 9:00AM Updated on December 24, 2015: new pictures, product details, pricing
Sharp is known for making affordable big screen LCD TVs that other manufacturers find difficult to make or match - think screen sizes of 80-inches or 90-inches with a mid 4-figure price! Sharp's 2015 TV line up showcases 4K ultra high-definition (UHD) across a wide range of screen sizes with modern thin frame designs.
The entire 2015 Sharp AQUOS 4K UHD TV lineup will share some technical commonalities including:
- 3840x2160 screen resolution
- Next generation "Revelation" upscaler
- Ultra thin narrow bezel design
- Quad-core processor
- HDMI 2.0 + HDCP 2.2 for all ports
- Built-in WiFi networking
- 4K streaming with popular apps
- HEVC/H.265 and VP9 codec support
Sharp's most affordable 4K UHD TV line includes a 43-inch screen size that equates to more than 102 pixels-per-inch (PPI) - great for people who like to sit very close or for use as a supersized PC monitor. The 65-inch UB30 is notable for its addition of multi-zone local dimming.
- Screen sizes: 43-inches, 50-inches, 55-inches, 65-inches
- Refresh rate: 60Hz (65-inch 120Hz)
- Backlight: edge-lit LED
- Local dimming: 65-inch model only
- Ports: 3 HDMI, 2 USB (43-inches/50-inches)
- Ports: 4 HDMI, 2 USB (55-inches/65-inches)
- Smart TV features: SmartCentral 3.0
Pricing:
- 43-inch LC-43UB30U: $546
- 50-inch LC-50UB30U: $734
- 55-inch LC-55UB30U: $986
- 65-inch LC-65UB30: $1400
Eyes on the UB30
One of the most impressive 4K TVs at the Sharp CES booth was the 65-inch LC65UB30 (pictured above). Although it lacks Sharp's latest smart TV interface, it's the only 2015 LCD from the company to feature edge-lit local dimming for improved picture contrast. Subjective comparisons with other nearby 2015 Sharp 4K UHD TVs led me to believe the 65UB30 may quickly become a favorite among image quality conscious buyers looking for a 65-inch screen. I look forward to testing this TV in the very near future.
UE30 Series
The UE30 series brings Sharp's 4K UHD to larger screen sizes, and it features the new SmartCentral 4.0 that's powered by the Google Android TV platform - expect easy integration with all things Google including Google Cast-enabled apps and Android mobile devices.
- Screen sizes: 60-inches, 70-inches, 80-inches
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Backlight: edge-lit LED
- Local dimming: AquoDimming (software based)
- Motion resolution enhancement: AquoMotion 480
- Dual stand position (70-inch/80-inch)
- Ports: 4 HDMI, 3 USB
- Smart TV features: SmartCentral 4.0 w/Android TV
Pricing:
- 60-inch LC-60UE30: $1000
- 70-inch LC-70UE30: $1897
- 80-inch LC-80UE30: $3780
UH30 Series
The UH30 line represents Sharp's flagship 4K UHD TV series for 2015. Aimed at impressing home theater aficionados with a focus on superb picture quality and performance at larger screen sizes that most benefit from UHD resolution.
The SPECTROS color technology featured in Sharp's best 2015 televisions expands color output through a the use of blue LEDs that are coated with green and red narrowband phosphors and an updated color filter design that is better optimized for the light output of the enhanced LEDs.
Other specs for the UH30 series include:
- Screen sizes: 70-inches, 80-inches
- Refresh rate: 120Hz
- Backlight: edge-lit LED
- Local dimming: AquoDimming (software based)
- Motion resolution enhancement: AquoMotion 960
- THX 4K Certified Display
- SPECTROS rich color display technology
- Ultra thin narrow bezel with silver stand
- Ports: 4 HDMI, 3 USB
- Smart TV features: SmartCentral 4.0 w/Android TV
Pricing (MSRP):
- 70-inches LC-70UH30: $1997
- 80-inches LC-80UH30: $4298
Best for last
Saving the best for "late 2015", Sharp will introduce a TV that points to the future of where big screen LCDs as a whole are heading. The "Sharp AQUOS Beyond 4K Ultra HD TV" aka "Sharp AQUOS 4K UHD TV with Pixel Splitting Technology" lacks an official model number, but it flirts with (pseudo) 8K resolution by splitting each of its 4-color subpixels in half. The multiplied subpixels are uniquely mapped to provide a claimed improvement in perceived detail.
The as of yet unnamed TV also incorporates Sharp's most advanced backlight unit (BLU) that will deliver high dynamic range imagery (not Dolby Vision) and an expanded color palette. Until more is revealed, we are left with a nice list of specs:
- 3840x2160 input resolution
- 7680x4320 effective resolution
- Backlight: full-array LED
- Local dimming: hardware multi-zone
- 4-color Quattron subpixel technology (RGBY)
- SPECTROS rich color display technology
- High dynamic range
- 100% DCI P3 color gamut
- 70% Rec. 2020 color gamut
- Pricing: TBA
Takeaway
It's good to see Sharp embracing full-array local dimming with its premium 2015 offering and that edge-lit local dimming will make it into the 65-inch UB30 TV. I do find it somewhat odd that the UE30 and HU30 are regulated to software-based contrast enhancements, but Sharp LCDs have a history of good black levels and I'll reserve final judgment for a review sample in a controlled lab environment.
Read more about the latest 2015 TVs and display technologies.
LCD Update: Quantum Dot Color
Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at 7:01PM 
Updated on January 6, 2015: new product details and tech video link
4K ultra-high definition (UHD) video is about more than just an increased number of pixels compared to the HD formats we experience today. UHD video can also deliver an expanded color palette with richer, deeper reds, greens, and all of the colors in between.
However, before we can witness this UHD color revolution, liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions need a color boost to accurately represent a greatly increased color space over Rec. 709 (HDTV) - like those defined in DCI P3, Pointer's gamut, and Rec. 2020.
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear
Quantum dots to the rescue
LCD TV manufacturers are experimenting with a semiconductor technology known as a quantum dot (QD) in order to expand the color capabilities and improve the efficiency of their products. QDs are crystalline structures that are engineered to emit a very pure and precisely colored light. The size of a QD crystal determines its color. Larger QD crystals produce a more reddish hue and smaller particles skew towards blue.
LEDs + QDs
QD crystals fluoresce when exposed to any light source up to the dot's emitted wavelength, and QD efficiencies improve slightly as the source (or "pump") wavelength shrinks. The relatively short wavelengths emitted by blue LEDs, in addition to being among the most energy efficient of the colors produced today, make them a good primary light to combine with the output of green and red QD materials to generate a white light with ideal spectral characteristics.
The above picture shows a disassembled backlight unit (BLU) with the light output of blue LEDs interacting with the glowing white diffuser sheet (containing green/red QD materials) that is partially covering the device. The jar contains green QD materials as noted by the color emitted closest to the light source.
Light mixing 101
The colorfulness of an LCD TV's picture is directly related to the interaction of its white light source (backlight unit) and color filter. An LCD color filter splits each screen pixel into tiny red, green, and blue (RGB) windows (subpixels) that are individually modulated by a liquid crystal module (LCM) into the wide range of colors we see as well as black (all subpixels off) and white (all subpixels on).
The better optimized a BLU's light output is to the characteristics of a particular color filter determines an LCD's ability to produce richly saturated hues. The 'white' LEDs used in modern BLUs are mostly blue LEDs coated with a phosphor that fluoresces yellow resulting in a cool (bluish) white light with limited spectral output in the green and especially red wavelengths.
LearnL: TV Picture Setup Guide
Review: Excellent Wireless HDMI
LCD manufacturers are also expanding color output through the use of blue LEDs coated with red and green phosphor materials that approach the color palette coverage of current QD-enhanced displays.
For a wonderfully detailed look at the inner workings of an LCD, I encourage everyone to spend five minutes nerding-out with this excellent video hosted by Professor Bill Hammack.
QD LCDs now available
QD enhanced LCDs are not new. Sony introduced a trio of LCD televisions in 2013 that featured a QD enhanced BLU, and Amazon's Kindle Fire HDX 7" was the first tablet display to incorporate QD materials. More recently, the 4K UHD Asus Zenbook NX500 is another example of a color enhanced display using quantum dots.
LG recently announced a new LCD television with a BLU that uses white LEDs with an enhanced phosphor formula and specially tuned color filters to expand color output. At the same time, LG is also introducing a QD enhanced model with an even wider range of color output using current color filter designs.
Samsung has also introduced a new line of LCD televisions featuring quantum dot technology for enhanced color reproduction and efficiency.
Real world example
I recently visited the quantum dot technology experts at Nanosys in Milpitas, California to preview a pair of name brand 65 inch 4K UHD LCD TVs: one stock and the other with a modified BLU using blue LEDs plus a QD enhanced diffuser. Both LCDs used the original color filter.
In the slideshow above, the top display has the QD enhancement while the bottom display was left as-is out of the box (factory calibrated picture preset). The imagery used was sourced from the RAW output of a digital camera and distributed to the displays though an HDMI amplifier. I found the differences in red and cyan easiest to discern, and it highlighted how content that is authored and optimized for a wide color gamut display can appear pleasingly natural and not over-saturated or cartoon-y.
Nanosys claimed that current QD materials and Rec. 709 optimized color filters can cover about 90% of the greatly expanded Rec. 2020 color space. Newly optimized color filters should bring Rec. 2020 display coverage into the 95%-96% range.
Non-toxic but tiny
Until recently, QD materials were based around the toxic element cadmium. The latest generation of QD materials are cadmium-free, but this change has resulted in a significant reduction in crystal size to only a couple of dozen atoms wide. QD color precision becomes more difficult as an additional atom or two is now a much larger percentage of the crystal's overall size affecting its emitted color. Separating crystals by size at an atomic scale presents a significant challenge. Proposed solutions to the QD "crystal binning" issue include centrifuge-based separation as well as advances in the manufacturing process.
The future
Currently, QD materials are stimulated by photons to compliment the light output of LEDs. Within the next few years, emissive displays using electron-stimulated QD materials may dominate the premium display market. The inorganic crystalline structure of QD materials has superb longevity although its surrounding chemistry has some oxygen sensitivity - hence the sandwiching between sheets of barrier film.
Quantum dots are already exceeding the brightness levels of OLED (at least in the lab), and given increasingly strict energy efficiency standards, an emissive QD display may end up becoming the consumer's best option for a bright and colorful high resolution display.
Read more about the best 2015 TVs and display technologies.
2015 LG 4K UHD OLED TVs
Monday, December 29, 2014 at 6:00PM Updated on September 8, 2015: LG clarified 2015 OLED model count; HDR update
Ultra-high definition (UHD) televisions are an emerging bright spot among an otherwise stagnant forecast for the TV market as a whole, and LG Electronics is looking to stir up 2015 with an impressive array of new 4K UHD OLED (organic light emitting diode) TVs. In addition to superb picture contrast, these new OLED beauties aim to delight the senses with enhanced audio quality, designs, and performance.
LG's OLED televisions live up to its self-described "infinite contrast" hype, and the 55-inch EC9300 introduced last year will be the only 1080p model in the 2015 lineup. All of LG's new 2015 OLED TVs will feature:
- 4K UHD resolution
- Harmon Kardon enhanced audio
- Redesigned 5th generation Magic Remote that adds a number keypad as well as upgraded smart TV and universal control functions
- Passive 3D technology
9 or 11
Sharp eyed readers noted the "11 Models" for 2015 in the graphic above yet only nine detailed in this article. LG has confirmed that its 2015 OLED lineup includes a total of nine (9) models - including the three carryovers from 2014 (EC9300, EC9700, and EG9700). However, this Tweet on New Year's Day made me think LG was saving something special for CES...perhaps this bit of OLED bling!
More 4K Video
An LG executive announced that it will be the "exclusive smart TV partner for GoPro in 2015" and its 4K TVs will also feature 4K UHD streaming content from YouTube and DirecTV.
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear
The new LG EF9500 aims to one-up last year's EC9300 (read review) in almost every way possible starting with a 4K UHD resolution screen, improved audio quality, an enhanced smart TV interface, and more processing power. Other notable features of the EF9500 include:
- Screen sizes: 55-inches, 65-inches
- Flat screen design
- Improved anti-reflective screen coating
- webOS 2.0
- Quad core processing
- HDR firmware update: Yes (via update)
- HDMI 2.0a-ready: unknown
Specs and sizes similar to the EF9500 but with a curved screen design. LG recently announced plans for a firmware update for the EG9600 to support high dynamic range (HDR) video streamed over an IP connection, but it remains to be seen if the company can upgrade any of the TV's HDMI ports to support HDMI 2.0a for HDR support with external devices like the upcoming Ultra HD Blu-ray players.
- Screen sizes: 55-inches, 65-inches
- Curved screen design
- Improved anti-reflective screen coating
- webOS 2.0
- Quad core processing
- HDR firmware update: Yes (via update)
- HDMI 2.0a-ready: unknown
These curved screen OLED TVs are carryovers from 2014 and bring the value by retaining the v1 webOS software and a dual core processor. The EC9700/EG9700 also have the previous generation anti-reflective coating but otherwise include upgrades like the new Magic Remote and Harmon Kardon enhanced audio.
EF9800
This 65-inch OLED television pushes its thin and flat screen design even further by moving the speakers to an external Harmon Kardon enhanced sound bar for improved audio performance and a more streamlined look. The EF9800 also incorporates LG's 2015 premium TV features including:
- Improved anti-reflective screen coating
- webOS 2.0
- Deca core processing
EG9900
LG's flagship 4K UHD OLED television keeps the Harmon Kardon enhanced audio on-board while featuring the same improved anti-reflective screen coating and deca core processing as the EF9800. However, what makes the EG9900's 77-inch display truly unique is its flexibility! Flat screen, curved screen, flappy screen...have it your way!
Read more about the latest 2015 TVs and display technologies.
