Dubai // The future of home entertainment is on display at Gitex Shopper 2013.
Crowds gathered around the organic LED, or OLED, televisions on display, amazed by the picture quality and the concept of a curved screen.
The idea behind the shaped screen is that it naturally fits the viewer’s vision range, maintaining equal distance between all parts of the screen and the eyes.
Samsung and LG, the Korean electronics giants, were going head-to-head with their OLED TVs at the event.
LG was touting its “live white” displays, which has been added to the usual red, green and blue pixels to enhance the range and accuracy of colours.
Samsung, meanwhile, was showcasing the "real black" on its TV screens. Achieved by shutting off the pixels that display black, it reduces the on-screen glare caused by ambient light, so blacks and shadow details are as crisp and well-defined as possible.
Both types of screens are smart TVs with voice commands, though LG went further, providing Arabic commands in six dialects.
LG was the first brand to put the OLED TVs on the market, late last year. It also has the thinnest and lightest screens, at 4.3 millimetres and 13.9 kilograms.
Samsung launched its OLED screen in August and came up with the ingenious idea of separating the central processing unit from the screen.
This box is linked to the screen with only two wires, supplying power and audio/video. All of the other connections are on the CPU box, which can be placed elsewhere.
This not only allows customers to upgrade their TVs without having to buy a new screen, it also means avoiding having to access the back of the TV to connect cables.
Neither screen can be wall-mounted, because of the curvature, so both companies have worked on integrating the stand to the screen. LG has a clear stand embedded with transparent speakers that make it seem as if the TV is floating.
“Wow, just wow,” said Amit Parmar, a 24-year-old civil engineer who was unable to take his eyes off the curved screens. “Both of them are incredible. I’m not sure which is better. The LG is very thin.
“The picture quality on both is beautiful. I would love to have either of them at my home but the price is just as incredible.”
Samsung’s OLED screen retails at Dh32,999, while the asking price for the LG is Dh34,999.
“I think, for now, we will stay with the normal LED TV, but we can always dream,” said Mr Parmar.
malkhan@thenational.ae
