From 'idiot box' to super smart: how today's futuristic TVs are keeping us connected

Once branded the “idiot box”, televisions today are anything but, with flexible screens that can go from flat to curved with the press of a button, the ability to sense when you leave the room and automatically pause the picture, wafer-thin designs that are only a half-inch thick, and glasses-free 3D viewing. The modern TV is a futuristic mix of technology, style and function.

The best sets on the market were on display in early January at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. A paradise for technophiles, with over 160,000 visitors this year, the annual event showcases next-generation innovations from some of the world’s brightest minds and biggest brands.  The buzz around TVs this year was 4K ultra-high definition (UHD) and super-ultra-high definition (SUHD) technology, with cutting-edge designs from major brands including Samsung, LG, Panasonic and Sony.

So what are 4K UHD and SUHD, and how are they different from the high-definition viewing that’s common now?  “4K or ultra-high definition TV means there’s a pixel ratio that is four times that of standard HD,” says Hong Kong-based technology expert and lecturer Clive Dawes. “This means a much clearer and crisper picture, so even when standing close to the set you see minimal pixelation.” 

Korean giant LG has added organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) technology to its 4K sets. OLED provides better contrast in pictures, because each pixel produces its own light and can be “turned off” to create deeper blacks and make colours pop.  As an added benefit, Dawes says, OLED sets are thinner and lighter and can be made in huge sizes - LG’s 77-inch model EG9900, for instance, can flatten or bend with just a touch of the remote control, helping to create an authentic cinema in your living room.

But technology marches on at a daunting pace, and Dawes says the release of Samsung’s new SUHD TV line at CES may give 4K technology a run for its money.  “SUHD uses Quantum Dot technology [QDots], which gives a larger colour palette [that’s] closer to the cinema experience, with whiter whites and darker blacks,” he says. Experts claim QDots provide better energy efficiency, lower costs and brighter, more vivid colours – Samsung, for example, claims its SUHD TV line provides 64 times more colour expression than a conventional set. And the Korean powerhouse isn’t the only brand jumping on board with this high-definition trend – TCL, LG and Sony also have QDot technology in the pipeline and plan to roll out sets this year.