LG Electronics used an offsite presentation here Thursday to show the custom installation trade its first 84-inch Ultra Definition 4K LCD TV, marking an official trend into the big-screen high resolution flat-panel category.
Jay Vandenbree, LG Electronics USA home entertainment senior VP, stands with the company’s 84-inch Ultra Definition 4K LCD TV.
Although the general assumption has been that LG is making the 84-inch panel for all the parties, the prototype in the Planar/Runco training room had a label on its product bearing Chi Mei logo, indicating that at least two LCD panel makers are at work on the technology.
A representative for Runco said the Planar set had no official launch plan, and was being shown as a technology statement.
LG’s announcement, which followed a similar presentation at IFA in Berlin last week, followed an informal presentation of an 84-inch commercial LCD TV in the Planar/Runco training room and Sony’s presentation of its newly announced 84-inch 4K LCD TV on Wednesday.
LG said its “ultra definition” UD 84LM9600 is expected to be available in October at a $20,000 suggested retail — $5,000 less than Sony 84-inch 4K LCD TV – the XBR-84X900 that was unveiled last week.
LG’s set is also an LED display, offering 3840-by-2160 pixel resolution (aka 4K).
The set also includes LG’s proprietary Resolution Upscaler Plus technology to present lower resolution material in full 4K form.
LG is boasting that the quality of the upscaled material will give viewers a 4K experience for years before native 4K content is readily available.
“For the last couple of years we haven’t put product on the floor here at CEDIA but because of this product we thought we should come here and talk about its arrival into retail,” stated Jay Vandenbree, LG Electronics USA home entertainment senior VP. “At CES we said this was going to be a big deal and it is a big deal. It has all the bells and whistles you would expect from LG – Cinema 3D, a Smart TV platform, but it also has 4K output. We think that in televisions over 65 inches, we need more lines of resolution. We think we have a homerun here.”
Vandenbree said the new set will have very selective distribution, rolling out to a limited number of AV retailers, installers and some key regional accounts. Dealers will be required to properly showcase and sell the set on the floors and in their showrooms, have installation support and will not be able to sell the product online.
“There is a very specific set of display requirements that goes along with,” Vandenbree said.
In keeping with other high-end sets in the line, the UD 84LM9600 will have the special ribbon stand design and narrow bezel cosmetic.
The Smart TV package will include support to a wide range of streaming services and will be accessible through voice and gesture activate remote control.
The passive Cinema 3D system will include depth control and connectivity options include built-in Wi-Fi supporting Intel’s Wireless Display (WiDi) technology for quick connections between TVs and PCs without cables or Internet access.
A Smart Share Plus system allows access to content stored on external devices such as PCs, tablets and smartphones through a portal on the TV.
The model supports Silicon Image’s Mobile High-definition Link (MHL) standard, for easy content sharing between the TV and mobile devices and the ability to charge devices via the connection.
