While Samsung’s CES 2018 TV launch was all about TV display technology LG has combined a new display processor with a new generation of voice activation technology that works with Google Assist. They have also introduced a new range of robots who embarrassingly chose to spit the dummy during the LG CES keynote.
The new LG 2018 OLED range which will be available in Australia in April 2018 has a new Alpha9 (A9) processor, which will be 35 percent faster in terms of CPU and GPU, and feature 50% more memory.
Gone are the need for manuals, now you simply talk to your LG TV.
There’s also a new feature called “4K Cinema HDR,” which is a slightly more optimized HDR approach. Under the bonnet there is a feature called dynamic tone mapping that’s designed to optimize the HDR picture for what’s being shown.
That’s useful for formats like HDR10 and HLG which don’t have dynamic metadata for HDR. With those formats, you’re usually stuck with one set of HDR information.
On the LCD front, LG has introduced a Nano Cell Display with richer and more accurate colours than before.
The newer tech also makes colours look better from off-angle viewing, claims LG management.
The company’s LCDs will be powered by a slightly slower Alpha7 (A7) chip than the new A9 processor found in the more expensive models.
Dolby Atmos support is also coming to the new TVs in 2018.
Other key technology improvements announced by LG include an expanded colour lookup table with 731% more colour points, which is also important for accurate colour rendering. And there’s high framerate support for up to 120FPS video.
Basically, it’ll be able to render smooth gradations in things like wood to capture more detail, without blurring out what you’re supposed to see.
In addition to being widely beloved among consumers, video professionals also like LG’s OLEDs for their colour accuracy, he says.
During the presentation LG home entertainment marketing director for the USA, Tim Alessi hit the stage to talk about the new TVs the only problem was that Chloe the onstage robot refused to take commands when asked.
The new Google Assistant built into the new range is IoT compatible, so it’ll be able to control other smart devices in the home.
What LG has done is to simply make their Linux based WebOS talk to the Google Assist voice technology. Samsung is spruiking their proprietary Bixby technology.
Basically, it’s an upgrade over the company’s existing voice commands. It’s adding intelligent viewing experience information, like have it tell you which song is playing in a show. And it’ll have Google Assistant built in, allowing you to ask questions and commands like any Google device.
During the presentation Allessi asked the TV to show pictures from his vacation, and it popped up with some entries from Google Photos.
