CES: LG Has A Transparent TV & It’s Pretty Cool
Transparent TVs from LG and Samsung have been launched at CES 2024, with Australian management claiming that it’s more a technology for B2b and the Pro install market.
Last night it was Samsung who rolled out a transparent TV and today at an early morning press conference LG rolled out a transparent OLED Signature T TV that appeared to be a fit for the top end premium consumer market.
Whether you will be able to actually be able to buy this TV this year is the million-dollar question with local LG management doubtful.
The 77″ TV isn’t exactly “final” and appeared to be more a work in progress than a finished launch product.
Behind the OLED T’s transparent panel is a contrast film that, with the push of a button on the remote, can be raised to make the TV look like any regular black screen OLED TV.
One thing we do know is that when and if it appears in the Australian market, it will have a brand-new LG A11 AI processor.
The OLED T has down-firing speakers beneath the display.
All of its video and audio is delivered via LG’s Zero Connect Box, which can be positioned as far as 12 meters away from the TV so long as it maintains line of sight with the TV.
The TV also has custom widgets that take up the lower section of the screen similar to what Panasonic was showing six years ago before they got out of selling TVs in Australia.
The OLED T runs a custom version of webOS designed for the transparent screen.
On the flip side and when the contrast filter is up, the OLED T technically isn’t on par with LG’s very best conventional OLED TVs and here lies a big issue.
Missing is the Micro Lens Array technology that LG uses in their conventional TVs. However, you can connect LG’s wireless hub which appeared last year with their normal top end TVs.
LG’s transparent OLED also becomes a transparent digital canvas for showcasing artwork, videos or photos with the Always-On-Display (AOD) feature.
LG claims that content displayed on the transparent screen appears to float in air, yet simultaneously fuses with the surrounding space to create a compelling and atmospheric visual effect.
Another option is the T-Bar feature that offers a helpful info-ticker running along the lower part of the screen. The T-Bar displays news alerts, weather updates or the title of songs being played while the rest of the screen presents a clear, unobstructed view of the space behind it.
For viewing in picture perfect OLED, simply click a button to raise the contrast screen. In this way, users can instantly switch to take full advantage of LG OLED’s enhanced picture quality through the new α (Alpha) 11 AI processor with 4-times greater AI performance. This provides a 70 percent improvement in graphic performance and a 30 percent faster processing speed compared to its predecessor. OLED T offers the best of both transparent and vibrant-color screen experiences with just a click of a button.
So, if you are a TV early adopter and want a TV that feels truly new and different, LG and Samsung have delivered a unique offering.
LG claim intends to ship the Signature OLED T this calendar year, but it’s not yet committing to a particular timeframe.