While it might not find its use at home, there are no doubt all kinds of display innovations about to be unleashed
(Image credit: Future)
LG has announced the OLED Signature T Transparent Wireless TV, and it's a world’s first apparently. While I've been very skeptical about these new displays, until you see it, you might not understand, but I'll do my best here to help you with that.
Before I talk about the obvious part, the juicy bit is easy to overlook and that's the importance of the word 'wireless' in the name – here it means more than just streaming.
Similar to the M series, a separate box called the LG Zero Connect Box is required and supplied which can be placed anywhere in the room (30ft/10m away), maybe alongside your games console or hi-fi system, which relays the content wireless to your TV. Say goodbye to cluttered cables etc.
(Image credit: Future)
This box serves as the connection point for streaming boxes and gaming consoles. Of course this is essential so you can hide a single power cable rather than a mix of HDMI, power, and optical (yes I still use optical for audio). Anyway, I thought I'd mention it at first as it's very easy to overlook.
The new OLED T is equipped with down-firing speakers located beneath the display, and the demo units are all wall or stand-mounted.
The 4K a12 engine and display is pretty epic and I really get a different depth of field experience watching these new see-through displays. I seriously thought I wouldn't want one but they really bring images to life when watching certain content. The USP on these is that the TV doesn't have to dominate your living space, but why wouldn't you want someone to look at? It’s actually really beautiful.
LG says that the recently introduced Alpha 11 chip, integrated into the OLED T, leverages AI (yes, AI again!) to achieve a up-to 70 per cent image enhancement in graphic performance and a 30 per cent increase in processing speed compared to the preceding generation chip. I'm sure thats marketing talk, but you can really see a massive improvement over the last gen of screens, the menus pop up without any lag and it's a modified version of LG's WebOS platform, which reminded me of an Android screen with icons for apps in small rows, rather then the previous WebOS of graphics blasted all over the screen.
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You can raise a motorized black screen behind the panel (not sure what it's called) to give you a more traditional TV experience. There are a few small drawbacks in the brightness compared to a regular OLED set but I would argue that's minimal. Viewing angle is not a thing which is a feature of most OLED panels.
My question remains, though, who is it for? I think if the marketing department of these screens figures that out, it could be a winner.
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Pro Travel and Adventure Photographer, Educator and Author
Dan M Lee is a professional travel and adventure photographer who has shared his knowledge with hundreds of individuals through his in-person wilderness photography training and thousands more through his writing. That includes a book, Creating Photography: The Professional Edge but the way to get involved is to join him on an expedition via kodiakphotoworkshop.com.
Dan has a broad range of photographic interests – and tech enthusiasm – which he can trace back to his first job, while still at school, in a photography shop in England. He has since been lured across the Atlantic to New York City where he undertakes commissions for numerous publishers.
His extensive traveling means he can be out of his home for more than half the year, which has also seen him develop an interest in smart security systems.
