A La Mode
Imagine a TV that can be hung on the wall and admired even when it is switched off. The likes of Samsung, Sony and LG have launched television sets that pack in the latest technology and blend in with the aesthetics of your living room, effortlessly. One of them even doubles up as a piece of (digital) painting, rendering an artistic touch to your home decor.
Samsung is calling its latest TV innovation, The Frame, "the most beautiful TV you've ever seen". The black screen does transform into a painting at the click of a button. From The Frame's 'Art Mode', one can choose from a wide collection of curated photographs, paintings, drawings and digital works from 37 renowned artists, spanning 10 genres. There is also an option to select personal pictures and further customise the layout using shadow box, squares and more. For those concerned about electricity usage, The Frame has a motion sensor up front which can be turned on to display art only when someone's nearby.
"Within the living space, we know that technology is very personal. We created The Frame to provide consumers with a TV that beautifies their space and lives in perfect harmony with their interior decor," says Sangdo Lee, Vice President of the visual display business at Samsung Electronics.
While the TV comes with a black frame, there are customisable frames - in walnut, beige wood and white colours (to be purchased separately) - that magnetically attach to the standard metal frame. Users can choose one to match the decor of their home. The wall-mount gap has been minimised, and Samsung has also designed a studio stand to give it an 'art museum feel'. The 65-inch model of The Frame TV costs Rs3,99,000.
LG's W7 OLED TV, priced at Rs12,99,990 (for the 65 inch model), has a picture-on-wall design that sticks to the wall and almost blends with it (barely protruding). The innovative design of the W7 series follows LG's 'less is more' philosophy - stripping away everything to emphasise the beauty of the screen alone. The 65-inch W7 model is razor-thin at 2.57 mm. To retain the wow factor, LG has bridged the gap between the TV and the wall by adding magnetic brackets that allow the TV to directly mount on the wall. This OLED TV uses pixel dimming control technology, which renders perfect black without any light leakage to offer a better contrast ratio. To achieve the sleek design, a set of components including the processor that powers the television and the sound bar have been added to a separate bar that tethers/communicates with the TV. All you see is a super slim TV capable of displaying stunning visuals and sound, while accentuating the surroundings.
Sony A1 is yet another sleek television that has eliminated every extraneous element from its design, offering an immersive viewing experience. True to its 'One Slate' design, the OLED display technology incorporates all the different functions within the screen itself and, at the same time, eliminates the need for elements such as speakers, bezel and stand. Sound is delivered from the entire screen with the help of actuators at the rear that vibrate the screen to create sound. A sub-woofer for deeper bass has been added to the stand at the rear. There are no messy cables at the back of the TV. The design is such that it takes up little space and enhances the overall decor. The 65-inch model of Sony A1 costs Rs4,64,900.
Over the past decade, the TV category has seen numerous innovations - from thick plasma TVs and LCDs to the more evolved smart TVs that can stream content from any platform, and OLED and curved TVs that offer an exemplary viewing experience. And now, the flagship television sets of 2017 are setting newer benchmarks.
While TVs are getting slimmer and sleeker, Panasonic is paving the way for an 'invisible' TV in the future. Panasonic Transparent TV, as the prototype is called, will work like a normal TV when switched on. When switched off, the screen will resemble a transparent glass panel through which you will be able to see whatever is behind the TV.
@nidhisingal
Â
