Now we’re talking. Just when things are starting to look bleak for large-screen OLED TV display technology following the dissolution of the co-development partnership between Panasonic and Sony, LG has brightened up our new year by announcing a comprehensive lineup of OLED TVs set to be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2014 that will kick off in Las Vegas next week.
With plasma display panel (PDP) technology looking to be on its way out especially after Panasonic’s much-mourned exit, video enthusiasts have been pinning their hopes on OLED to deliver top-notch picture quality owing to its self-emissive characteristics which allow for true 0 cd/m2 blacks. However, there have been numerous delays in bringing large-sized OLED televisions to market due to yield issues, and currently only two 55in curved OLED models are available to buy in the UK, namely Samsung’s KE55S9C and LG’s 55EA980W.
This is set to change if LG Electronics has its way, starting with CES 2014. The South Korean TV manufacturer today announced that it’s going to unveil a 55-inch, a 65-inch and a massive 77-inch OLED TV at the event which will take place in Las Vegas from the 7th to the 10th of January 2014.
The company’s 77in curved 4K OLED TV, which first broke cover at IFA 2013, and then subsequently unveiled in the USA two months ago, has been given a model number of 77EC9800. The beast features LG’s proprietary WRGB OLED with Color Refiner technology, a native 4K Ultra HD resolution of 3840×2160, a curved screen supported on a leaf-shaped stand, film-type patterned retarder (FPR) passive Cinema 3D system, Tru-ULTRA HD Engine Pro upscaling processing, inbuilt HEVC H.265 decoding at 30fps or 60fps through HDMI, LAN or USB, as well as the firm’s latest Smart TV platform. Interestingly, there’s also mention of a HDR (High Dynamic Range) algorithm to manage the television’s infinite contrast ratio – has LG been working with Dolby?
Also on show at the 2014 CES will be the LG 55EA8800 Gallery OLED TV whose most attractive selling point to us is the fact that it’s flat (first seen at IFA 2013), and also the 55EB9600, a 55″ curved OLED display that is likely an update to the 55EA980W which wowed us no end.
To meet demand for OLED televisions globally, LG said that it’s building new manufacturing plants in China, Poland, Brazil and Thailand, with an advanced facility in Mexico scheduled to begin operation this year to churn out OLED TVs for the North American market. By having strategic production bases serving local and surrounding markets, the company is seeking to reduce export costs and increase price competitiveness. Last month, we reported that the company has started supplying its WRGB OLED panels to other TV makers.
