TVs and digital entertainment
In 2013, televisions are going to get
bigger. Not in size, but in resolution, with the first displays to support
Ultra HD hitting the market. The Ultra HD standard offers two resolutions:
7680x4320 pixels (16 times as many pixels as on a standard HDTV, known as 8K),
and 3840x2160 pixels (aka 4K).
Both can support frame rates of up to
120fps for smoother video, and the higher resolution makes images sharper and
more realistic. Two manufacturers have already released Ultra HD models: LG
offers the 84in 84LM960960V, and Sony has its same-sized Bravia XBR-84X900.
Because Ultra HD is so new, both are pricey, costing over $30,000.
LG
84LM960: An Ultra HD TV set
Ultra HD
These displays may share the problem that
3D TVs did at launch: lack of content. Although the Ultra HD standard has been
finalized, no straightforward way to get Ultra HD content exists, as no Blu-ray
or broadcast standard supports it.
So buying an Ultra HD right now would
appeal only to the most ardent early adapter, until a clear-cut way to deliver
the content to your TV appeals. In the meantime, Sony is lending early
purchasers (in the US) of its Bravia XBR-84X900 model a server that is
preloaded with Ultra HD content, including 10 movies (ranging from Spider-Man
to the classic The Bridge on the River Kwai), with the promise of more to come.
Sony
Bravia XBR-84X900
Smarter screens
Your TV may already be smart, but it will
soon get smarter. Existing TVs can run various apps that let you do such things
as watch Netflix movies and tweet – but that’s just the beginning. The range of
apps available will continue to widen, with existing companies jumping into the
TV app market. For instance, Electronic Arts recently announced versions of the
popular board games Monopoly and the Game of Life for Samsung Smart TVs, and
other gaming companies are looking at this area.
The number of ways that your TV can receive
this extra content will increase, too; the forthcoming ATSC 2.0 standard will
allow broadcasters to send files to your TV on the same signal as the show
itself, so they could offer things such as alternate endings or
behind-the-scenes videos similar to those found as extras on DVDs. This
standard (to be finalized early in 2013) also offers the possibility for a TV
to send data such as live sports stats and betting information to a second
device – a phone or tablet, say – alongside the live video on the TV, for
example, or a link to a site running a TV ad.
This
standard (to be finalized early in 2013) also offers the possibility for a TV
to send data such as live sports stats and betting information to a second
device – a phone or tablet
However, the ATSC 2.0 standard won’t
include support for broadcasting Ultra HD video; that will have to wait for
ATSC 3.0, which won’t be ready until at least 2015. You’ll also have to add
extra components to your media center; current displays will require another
decoder box.
Talking to your TV
Soon, yelling at your TV might be
productive, since several manufacturers are adding voice control and other
technologies to make your TV easier to use. Last year, Samsung launched sets
with a feature called Smart Interaction which blends voice-, facial- and
gesture-recognition. Panasonic has also introduced Voice Interaction.
Google TV also now includes voice control,
so you can change channels or search by saying the name of the station or show.
You
can change channels or search by saying the name of the station or show
Apple has been experimenting with voice
recognition for some time through Siri on the iPhone, and we hear persistent
rumors that this might be one of the key features that its long-expected TV
will offer, or that future models of the Apple TV receivers could include.
