News
CES 1st Look: 4K HDTV, OLED,
Glasses-Free 3D & More!
By Swanni
Las Vegas
(January 11,
2012) -- The first day of the
Consumer Electronics Show is over. I know that's true because my
feet are barking more than my next door neighbor's dog at 4 a.m.
But despite my aches and pains -- and a general feeling of
nausea -- I am excited to share with you my first-hand
observations of some of the new picture technologies that were
on display.
Leading up to the show, I reported here on how companies such as
Sony, Samsung and LG would introduce new 4K HDTVs, which purport
to offer a resolution four times better than current sets. I
also told you about the new 55-inch OLED TVs from LG and
Samsung, and Sony's new 'Crystal Display' LED sets.
And I reported on Toshiba's new glasses-free 3D TVs.
So, after a day of touring the booths and exhibits, how did they
look? Here are my initial impressions: Sony's
4K HDTV Projector
4K HDTVs
I first viewed the much-ballyhooed 84-inch 4K HDTV on display at
the LG exhibit, which was overflowing with attendees. I was
immediately impressed with the picture's rich detail and vivid
colors, although the on-screen montage of an Asian woman
performing some kind of magic show was displayed in 3D. The 3D
effect distracted from my attempt to analyze the set's claim to
offer a resolution four times better than current sets. Why LG
decided to put a 3D show on is beyond me; the whole point of the
4K exhibit was to showcase the set's sharper picture. Still,
overall, it was an intriguing presentation that made me want to see
more.
I then walked over to the Toshiba exhibit, which had fewer
attendees milling about. The company smartly displayed a 4K set
next to a 1080p set and you could immediately see the vast
improvement in picture detail and overall color saturation. The
picture was more life-like than the 1080p set, although I found
myself thinking that it didn't seem like it was four times more
life-life. It just felt like you were watching a TV with a much
better picture, but not one ready to spark a revolution in the
TV industry.
And that thought brought me to the Sony booth where the CE giant
was staging a Home Theater presentation of three 4K experiences
-- a 4K upscaling of a 1080p Blu-ray of a movie trailer for The
Girl With the Dragoon Tattoo; still images of 4K
pictures; and, finally, an actual 4K rendering of the movie
trailer for the new Spiderman movie. Sony used its new $25,000
4K projector, model
VPL-VW1000ES, to display the three scenes.
The upscaling did seem to improve the 1080p picture a bit, but
the effect was not overwhelming. With no 4K content yet
available for home viewing, I can't see paying $25,000 for the
upscaling feature alone.
The 4K images were impressive, but what everyone really wanted
to see was the Spiderman trailer in native 4K.
So, how did it look? It was impressive, but it never made me
say, 'Wow.'
I remember when I saw my first HDTV at a CES in the late 1990s
and I was immediately blown away by the incredible life-like
details of the picture. I recall saying, 'Wow," over and over
again. But during the 4K Spiderman trailer, I sat there thinking
the picture is clearer; I can see more detail in the actors'
face; Spidey's multi-colored costume certainly pops on screen.
But....I was not wowed. Perhaps my expectation was too high
going in, but I came away thinking that 4K is just a medium
improvement on today's sets; certainly nothing revolutionary.
And certainly nothing worth $25,000.
By the way, I asked a Sony staffer when and how 4K content would
be made available to consumers. She said a 4K movie would fit on
a Blu-ray disc; the capacity is there. But it hasn't been
decided officially that Blu-ray will be the format. She also
could not say when 4K discs would be available.
LG's
super-slim OLED TV.
OLED TVs
I first viewed the LG 55-inch OLED, which measures roughly 0.15
inches thick. Now, that's a "Wow!" You can't help standing there
in disbelief over how thin this TV is. I mean, folks, it's THIN!
It looks like a pane of glass standing up on a table.
As for the picture, it's bright, very bright. That's the first
thing that hits you. The colors and details on the display look
like a light show, shooting images out in all directions, almost
blinding you with its aura. The effect is eye-popping, but I
wonder if viewers will want to tone down the picture a bit when
they bring it home. All and all, though, the LG OLED TV is an
impressive TV. (Note: LG plans to introduce the set at retail in
the second half of this year; no pricing details have been
revealed.) I wouldn't say the picture is better than an 4K
picture; it's not. But it will likely be much less expensive.
Samsung also was exhibiting a 55-inch OLED set, but it was
mysteriously tucked away behind a curtain with a long line of
people waiting to go in. I decided instead to check out Sony's
new 55-inch Crystal LED set.
Sony's
Crystal LED TV
Sony's answer to the OLED set, the 55-inch Crystal LED also
shines brightly and it benefits from an enhanced contrast,
enabling the viewer to detect greater detail in the picture. I
was very impressed the first time I looked at the set. However,
while waiting for Sony's Home Theater 4K show, I gave it a
second look and noticed a little shimmering on the screen. I
didn't see that on the OLED display so advantage OLED. (However,
I should note that the Crystal LED was a prototype while LG's
OLED display is the real deal; by the time, the Crystal LED is
ready for retail, Sony will likely have ironed out all the kinks.)
Toshiba's Glasses-Free 3D TVs
This was my most disappointing visit during the day. I came away
completely unimpressed with the glasses-free 3D set. The 3D
effects seemed a bit muted compared to a 3D presentation seen
with glasses. And the picture often seemed a bit blurry. If
Toshiba thinks that consumers are waiting for a glasses-free 3D
set before embracing the technology, they might have to think
again.
To sum up, I would rank the Sony 4K projector first with the LG
and Toshiba 4K sets close behind. Second, I would put LG's OLED
set and Sony's Crystal LED TV third. Toshiba's glasses-free 3D
TV would be a disappointing fourth.
But that's just day one. Let me know if you would like me to
check out certain products today during day two of the Consumer
Electronics Show.
