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Sony QD-OLED First Look: The OLED TV Competition is Heating Up
Sony QD-OLED First Look: The OLED TV Competition is Heating Up
I'm not ready to declare Sony's QD-OLED the best TV ever. Not yet, anyway. But based on what I saw during a private demo in New York last month, I can say it's shaping up to be a strong contender.
Sony's QD-OLED TV, the A95K series, is hands-down the most anticipated television of Sony's 2022 lineup (which has a lot of new high-end features and picture quality extras, from a remote finder to mini-LED backlights). Using this new screen technology, Sony promises improved color and viewing angle compared to current, conventional OLED TVs -- which already deliver the best picture quality on the market. I finally got the chance to see QD-OLED in person, and it seems to deliver on that promise.
Sony engineers showed me a 65-inch A95K set up next to an A90J, the company's best 2021 OLED TV, as well as Sony's professional-grade OLED reference monitor. They played a series of the same test patterns and video on all three displays simultaneously, similar to how I review TVs. The most remarkable difference I saw was deeper, more saturated color of red, for example a woman's dress and buildings at night, on the QD-OLED. Differences in other colors were less obvious, but my overall impression was that QD-OLED did indeed have better color.
Sony's A95K QD-OLED TV, top right, next to the 2021 A90J OLED (top left) with Sony smaller OLED reference monitor below.
Richard Peterson/CNET
I saw slightly better fidelity from extreme off-angle on the A95K -- the A90J showed more color shift as I moved to the extreme edges, away from dead center -- but you'd have to have a really crappy seat on the couch to notice. The QD-OLED also showed slightly smoother treatment of film grain, which Sony's engineers claimed was a benefit of the way QD-OLED creates light. Based on Sony's demo, I'd say QD-OLED TVs like the A95K have the potential to outperform "regular" OLED models from Sony as well as from other TV makers like LG.
But here's the caveat: Sony says the A95K it used in the demo isn't a production version. It's an "early prototype," so the final shipping version could be different. Also, Sony's demos highlighted the A95K's strengths, but I still caught a couple of weaknesses where the older, non QD-OLED actually looked better. The skin tone in one scene was a bit closer to the reference on the A90J, and the screen of the A90J rejected more ambient light than that of the A95K, which had a grayer, not-exactly-black finish. The latter difference impaired the QD-OLED's contrast under bright lights but wasn't an issue under dark, home theater-style lighting.
Seen from extreme angles the QD-OLED (foreground) maintained color fidelity a bit better than the standard OLED (far right).
Richard Peterson/CNET
It's worth mentioning that highlights didn't look appreciably better on the QD-OLED, and shadow detail between the two was also similar. Sony's engineers claimed the QD-OLED does a better job in near-black shadows, but none of their demos showed it as far as I noticed.
I'm looking forward to checking out QD-OLED TVs like the A95K and Samsung's S95B in my lab, with my own material, and the opportunity to measure and compare them against LG's latest 2022 OLED TVs. Until then, I'm not ready to declare a winner.
Sony didn't specify when I could get a review sample, although it did say the A95K and its other 2022 TVs would ship in spring. It also has yet to officially announce pricing, but indications peg the 55-inch at $3,000 and the 65-inch at $4,000, more than double the price of my current favorite 2021 OLED TV, the LG C1. If those indications prove correct, the Sony A95K will also be significantly more expensive than Samsung's S95B QD-OLED TV, which costs $2,200 for the 55-inch size and $3,000 for the 65-incher.
Samsung Display's new OLED panel combines OLED elements with quantum dots to boost color and other image quality attributes.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
The myriad types of similar-sounding TV terms can get confusing, so bear with me. OLED technology delivers the best TV picture quality available today. Every OLED TV you can buy right now, and most upcoming 2022 models including 2022 Sonys in the A80K and A90K series, use the conventional OLED display panels, not QD-OLED. They rely on yellow and blue OLED materials to create "white" light and filters to mix in other colors, a technology known as WRGB OLED.
The new panels in the A95K series use a different manufacturing method that combines a blue OLED base layer with red and blue quantum dots, hence the "QD." The A95K is one of two QD-OLED TVs announced for 2022. The other is the Samsung S95B, which I saw in person very briefly.
Read more:Samsung OLED TV First Look: Why It Will Probably Beat Samsung's Own QLED TVs
The introduction of QD-OLED brings competition to the big-screen OLED TV market. A company called LG Display currently manufactures all of the OLED TV panels available today and supplies them not only to LG Electronics but also to Sony, Vizio, Philips, Panasonic and others worldwide.
Sony said it was unable to disclose information about the panel vendor for the A95K, but rumors point to Samsung Display, which first announced its QD-OLED ambitions in 2019 with an $11 billion investment in a new factory in Korea.
Richard Peterson/CNET
As befits a flagship model the A95K also offers the full monty of Sony's 2022 TV features, including a bundled webcam, a remote finder feature, improved gaming featuring HDMI 2.1 inputs, VRR and auto HDR tone mapping for PlayStation 5 and the Google TV operating system with a hands-free mic.
QD-OLED TV: Samsung, Sony Take on LG With Quantum Dot Special Sauce
QD-OLED TV: Samsung, Sony Take on LG With Quantum Dot Special Sauce
The best TVs you can buy use OLED screens and until now, LG Display has been the sole producer of every OLED television in the world. In 2022 a new kind of OLED TV technology, called QD-OLED, finally goes on sale. The technology debuts in new 55-inch and 65-inch TVs from Samsung and Sony, as well as a new monitor by Alienware. QD-OLED uses quantum dots in combination with organic light-emitting diodes, and it promises even better picture quality than traditional OLED TVs and monitors.
We already reviewed the Alienware monitor and liked it a lot, but we haven't had the chance to see the TVs beyond brief, early demos of prototype products. Samsung's QD-OLED TV, the QS95B, is available now and priced at $2,200 for the 55-inch and $3,000 for the 65-inch model, which is exactly the same as LG's best 2022 OLED TV, the G2 series. Meanwhile Sony is charging more for QD-OLED, $3,000 for the 55-inch and $4,000 for the 65-inch when they go on sale in June.
First things first: We won't know how these QD-OLED TVs really compare against LG OLEDs like the the C2 we recently reviewed, or to other OLED and non-OLED TVs, until we can test them in person. But they sure look promising.
So what is QD-OLED, and why is it potentially better than traditional OLED and LED LCD? Read on to find out.
Today's TV tech: LCD, OLED and QLED
Right now there are two technologies most TV buyers can actually afford: LCD and OLED. LCD TVs are sometimes called "LED TVs" due to the tiny LEDs they use to create light. The image is created by a liquid crystal layer, just like LCD TVs from 20-plus years ago. Mini-LED TVs operate the same way, just with more LEDs in their backlights, while QLED TVs are basically LED LCD TVs with quantum dots.
The size of the quantum dot determines what color it emits when supplied with energy. Currently that energy is supplied by blue LEDs or blue OLEDs.
Samsung
OLED is a newer technology. Each pixel emits its own light, created by a substance that glows when you give it energy. This substance includes the element carbon, hence the "organic" moniker. Since they're able to turn individual pixels off, to a perfect black, their contrast ratio and overall picture quality are typically better than any LCD.
One of the biggest improvements in LCD TV tech over the last few years is the inclusion of quantum dots. These microscopic spheres glow a specific color when excited by light. In the case of LCD TVs, blue LEDs supply all the blue light plus the energy to get red and green quantum dots to emit red and green light. This is what allows LCD TVs to have such extreme brightness and better color than LCD TVs of old.
The many layers of LCD (left) compared with the relatively few layers required by QD-Display (right). Among other benefits, even thinner TVs are possible.
Samsung
You can read more about the differences between these technologies in our comparison of LCD and OLED TV display technologies, but the short version is that LCD-based TVs tend to be brighter, while OLED TVs have better overall picture quality. There's also microLED, but microLED TVs are currently wall-size and absurdly expensive. They're not really competition for LCD, OLED or QD-OLED TVs, and likely won't be for the foreseeable future.
The layers required to make an image with different TV technologies. With LCD, the light and the image are created separately. With WOLED (LG's current tech), the "white" layer is actually blue and yellow. Color filters create red and green.
With Samsung's new QD-OLED, only blue OLED material is used, with red and green created by quantum dots. (Click to enlarge)
Samsung
QD + OLED = 💖?
Combining the efficiency and color potential of quantum dots with the contrast ratio of OLED is basically the holy grail of current image quality. LCDs don't have the pixel-level contrast of OLED. Their backlights, even with mini-LED, are just too coarse. OLED TVs, while bright, don't have the extreme brightness potential of LCD.
The layers of a QD-OLED display.
Nanosys
QD-OLED potentially solves both these issues and could be greater than the sum of its parts. A blue OLED material creates, as with most LED LCDs, all the blue light. A quantum dot layer uses this blue light to then create green and red light. Quantum dots are nearly 100% efficient, so basically no energy is lost converting these colors. The current version of OLED uses color filters to create red, green and blue, essentially blocking a significant amount of the light potential created by the OLED material, so it's potentially less efficient.
The result could be greater brightness and color than with current versions of OLED, while keeping that technology's superlative contrast ratio.
Samsung
What else we know about QD-OLED TVs right now
Aside from the basic technology above, we know a few details about the actual TVs and monitors hitting the market later this year.
Samsung:QD-OLED panels are built by Samsung Display, a division of that mega conglomerate that manufactures displays. Samsung Electronics, the division that makes the TVs themselves, officially unveiled its TV in March 2020 after a tease at CES 2020. Called the QS95B series, Samsung touts improved brightness and color as well as the typical features of the company's 2022 TVs, such as revamped processing, HDMI 2.1 inputs, an improved smart TV system and a solar remote. The QS95B series is available for preorder now to ship in April.
Sony: Called the A95K series, it will also come in 55- and 65-inch sizes. Sony claims better color and improved viewing angles for this TV but told CNET's David Katzmaier not to expect a significant improvement in peak brightness with whites. It has 4K resolution, HDMI 2.1 inputs and a bunch of other features, like a built-in camera and remote finder.
Sony's AK95 series is a QD-OLED TV available for preorder in June in 55- and 65-inch sizes.
Sony
Alienware:The third manufacturer with QD-OLED has a curved 34-inch, 3,440x1,440-pixel monitor, model number AW3423DW. In case you're counting, the smallest OLED TV LG makes is 42 inches. CNET's Lori Grunin reviewed the monitor and lauded its performance for gaming as well as its color accuracy.
The Alienware QD-OLED monitor costs $1,300.
Dell
Read more: Alienware 34-Inch QD-OLED Monitor Review: It Brings the Pretty
What we don't know about QD-OLED
We know the prices of these TVs, so the next biggest unanswered question is how good they will look compared with "vanilla" OLED TVs from LG and Sony. Samsung says that its QD-OLED will be brighter than OLED, with a better contrast than LCD. The latter is easy; all OLEDs have better contrast than all LCDs. How much brighter remains to be seen, literally and figuratively. LG promises its own improvements for 2022 OLEDs and beyond, so it's possible this brightness aspect won't be a huge factor.
Two additional improvements with QD-OLED are possible according to its proponents: off-axis and motion blur. Since QD-OLED lacks color filters, they will potentially look better when seen from the side than OLED, which already looks much better off-axis than LCD. So if you have a really wide sofa, people in the cheap seats won't have a worse picture than those sitting directly in front of the TV. From what Katzmaier saw in his demo of Sony, the off-axis improvement is real but not a huge deal
Motion blur is a bit of a rabbit hole, but due to how the current generation of OLED works, they still have motion blur. Samsung Display claims QD-OLED will have significantly less motion blur than LCD, though the company didn't say if it's better than LG's OLED. An ultrafast response time, plus extra brightness so you can use black frame insertion and still have a bright image, means it should be at least as good as regular OLED.
A TV demonstrates Samsung's QD Display technology, which combines OLED elements with quantum dots to boost color and other image quality attributes.
Stephen Shankland/CNET
Then there's the question of color volume, which is something you're going to hear more and more about in the coming years. Basically, it's how much color there is in extremely bright parts of the image. One drawback of LG's OLED method is that to get the brightness desired by consumers, it uses an additional subpixel, white, in addition to red, green and blue (see image with LCD, WOLED and QD-OLED above). This technically has the effect of "washing out" extremely bright parts of the image.
From what we've seen so far, QD-OLED could deliver improved color. The caveat is that we haven't actually had the chance to compare it with shipping products (as opposed to prototypes) using real-world video. With most real-world HDR TV shows and movies there really isn't that much color information in bright parts of the image. That's partly to do with the inability of most displays to do anything with it. But even if Hollywood were to color-grade more shows and movies with more bright-color data, we're still just talking about things like more yellow in the sun, more blue tint to headlights, and so on. It remains to be see how much different QD-OLED will look with those colors.
The future is now(ish)
In the end, how much better QD-OLED is than regular OLED doesn't actually matter. It's already the most important thing it could be: more OLED. Another company making OLED displays is by far the healthiest thing that could happen to the TV industry and for consumers. Pushing picture quality up and prices down has never been a bad thing.
For that matter, as someone who has always hated LCD, I think a future without that tired, Band-Aid-ed TV technology is a welcome one. But that might just be me.
We expect to get our hands on the first generation of QD-OLED displays later this year. Stay tuned.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000-mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He also wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.
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LG C2 OLED TV Review: Early Favorite for Best High-End TV
LG C2 OLED TV Review: Early Favorite for Best High-End TV
In the last few years LG's "C" series OLED models have risen to the top of my list as the best high-end TV for the money. The C2 is the first 2022 TV I've reviewed, so it's too early to award it that crown, but so far it's the favorite. The C2 offers image quality that's a clear step above any non-OLED TV I've seen, a bigger range of sizes than ever -- including a new 42-inch option -- and a price that's not too steep.
This year, however, the OLED TV competition is tougher than ever. LG's archrival Samsung has an OLED TV too, promising better color with an all-new QD-OLED panel. Sony offers two different kinds of OLED, including a QD-OLED of its own that looks pretty sweet in person. And in 2022 more TV-makers sell mini-LED models, which promise excellent image quality for much less money than OLED.
As is usual in the first half of the year, a new TV's stiffest competition comes from its older self. In my side-by-side comparisons, the C2 and last year's LG C1 OLED TV looked very similar despite the C2's new "Evo" panel, one of the 2022 upgrades LG touts. That's why, if you want a new high-end TV now, you should still get the C1.
Over the summer the C1 will sell out and the C2 will drop in price, making it more appealing. If you want the best price on a C2 you should hold off until fall, at which point I'll have a much better sense of how the C2 stacks up against its rivals. It's off to a good start though.
LG C2 sizes, series comparison
I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 65-inch OLED C2, but this review also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. All sizes have identical specs and, according to the manufacturer, should provide very similar picture quality. The exceptions are the 42- and 48-inch sizes, which lack the "Evo" panel and might be slightly dimmer than the others as a result (although the difference is minimal, if my comparisons to the non-Evo C1 are any indication).
The C2 series sits in the middle of LG's 2022 OLED TV lineup, with the widest range of screen sizes and all the features I expect from a high-end TV. Spending more for the G2 gets you a slightly brighter panel according to LG, as well as the wall-friendly "gallery" design. The less-expensive A2 lacks the HDMI 2.1 gaming features, 120Hz refresh rate and fancier processing found on the other 2022 LG OLEDs.
David Katzmaier/CNET
Lighter weight, nearly all picture
The C2 is a very nice-looking TV, with a minimalist appearance similar to past LG OLEDs, but the company made some changes for 2022. When a colleague and I set it up, we actually felt the first such change: it's lighter than the C1 by a noticeable amount, up to 47 percent lighter depending on size. The 65-inch version I reviewed weighs just 37 pounds with its stand, compared to 72 pounds for the 65-inch C1.
New carbon-fiber materials are responsible for the reduced weight, according to LG, and I noticed it on the TV's backside. The edges of the panel are slightly more squared-off as well. I also appreciated the narrower bezel, 6mm slimmer than the C1, leading to even more of an all-picture look, although if I didn't have the two TVs side-by-side I probably wouldn't have noticed. The stand has a much smaller footprint than last year and raises the panel a bit more over the table, both improvements in my book.
David Katzmaier/CNET
LG kept the same remote, unfortunately. In my old age I've grown easily annoyed by too many buttons, and I much prefer the streamlined, simple layout of Samsung and Roku/TCL remotes, for example. As always, you can wave LG's remote around to move the cursor, or scroll quickly through menus with the built-in wheel.
Smart TV, crowded menu
LG's WebOS menu system is not my favorite, in part because of the clutter. You'll see notes and notifications along the top, a box that displays the weather, a prompt to sign in to LG's system, a seemingly random collection of stuff labeled "Trending Now," then (finally) the list of apps below. Signing in unlocks a new 2022 feature, customized recommendations and additional user accounts. LG touts the fact that you can set up favorite sports teams, for example, but most people will just go straight to the app and skip the clutter. As usual, I prefer a simpler interface like Roku, and if you like customizations and options Google TV is a better bet. On a TV this expensive you should just attach a good streaming device instead.
David Katzmaier/CNET
Also new for 2022 is something LG calls "always ready." Instead of turning the screen off when you press power, the TV displays your choice of art wallpapers, a clock, "sound palette" art or your own custom photos. Designed for people who would rather have something on their big screens rather than a big black rectangle, it's similar to the ambient mode Samsung TVs have offered for the last few years. Personally I'd rather save the power, so I'd leave this feature (and my TV) turned off.
The elements of the always-ready feature and LG's screensaver move around so as not to risk burn-in. Here's where I remind you that, like all OLED TVs, the C2 is more subject to both temporary and permanent image retention, aka burn-in, than LCD TVs. The risk is small, which is why I don't consider burn-in a reason for most people to avoid buying an OLED TV. Check out our guide to OLED burn-in for more.
The new "always ready" feature puts something on the screen even after you turn it "off."
David Katzmaier/CNET
LG also added a new multiview feature that puts two sources side by side or picture-in-picture, but unfortunately it's quite limited. You can't show two HDMI inputs on-screen and the main thing you can do -- share a screen from your phone side-by-side with an input -- didn't work with Apple AirPlay. LIke most TVs, the C2 does support Apple's phone-mirroring feature, and it also lets you issue Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa voice commands by speaking into the remote or, new for 2022, hands-free when you say the wake word like "Alexa."
Well-connected, especially for gamers
LG continues to excel at connection options. All of LG's 2022 OLED models (aside from the A2) include the latest version of the HDMI standard: 2.1. That means their HDMI ports can handle 4K at 120 frames per second and variable refresh rate (including Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync), as well as enhanced audio return channel and automatic low latency mode (auto game mode). In other words, they can take advantage of the latest graphics features available from PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S consoles as well as high-end graphics cards. The C2 is rare among high-end TVs in that all four of its HDMI ports support 4K/120 -- great for hard-core gamers with multiple next-gen devices.
Four HDMI inputs with HDMI 2.1, HDCP 2.2
Three USB 2.0 ports
Optical digital audio output
RF (antenna) input
RS-232 port (minijack, for service only)
Ethernet (LAN) port
All four of the C2's HDMI inputs support HDMI 2.1 features.
David Katzmaier/CNET
LG OLED C2 picture quality comparisons
My side-by-side comparisons involved the best TVs I had on-hand, but the only other OLED was the LG C1 from last year. Since it's early in 2022, the C2 was the only current model-year television in the group – I'll compare it to other 2022 TVs as soon as I get the chance. Here's the lineup:
TV and movies: The LG C2 has a spectacular picture but watching it next to the C1 from 2021, any improvements were really tough to see. And measurements backed up my initial impressions: Both TVs delivered essentially equal numbers, and both were extremely accurate in their best modes. Both outperformed the TCL TVs in my comparison overall, as expected.
The comparison lineup with the LG C2, center, on the gray TV stand and the C1 to its right.
David Katzmaier/CNET
I started my comparison with familiar (to me) high dynamic range material, namely the demo montage from the excellent Spears & Munsil HDR benchmark 4K Blu-ray. Both OLEDs showed equally pleasing images. The perfect black levels and lack of blooming (stray illumination) in areas like the honey dripper and cityscapes created superior punch to the LCD-based TCLs. And while the snowscapes, deserts and other full-screen bright scenes from the TCL TVs outshined the OLEDs, smaller highlights in areas like the ferris wheel at night were actually brighter on the LGs. Spot measurements using a light meter revealed the C2 as being slightly brighter than the C1 on the ferris wheel, but with the naked eye I couldn't really see the difference. I also saw more saturated, natural color on the LGs, in particular reds like the strawberries and flowers.
Switching to TV content, I put Severance from Apple TV Plus on all four sets and the results were similar. During Helly's brain surgery in Episode 2 the dark areas looked more true and realistic on the OLEDs, without the blooming -- in the letterbox bars near the operating lights, for example -- I saw on the TCLs. The brightness advantage of the LCDs in the office training scene later was obvious, but the faces of Mark and Helly looked flatter and less defined. Again, however, the C1 and C2 were very difficult to tell apart.
The new overlay for Game Optimizer shows vitals like frames per second and variable refresh rate, at a glance.
David Katzmaier/CNET
Gaming: As with nongaming content, the OLEDs looked better than the LCDs in my side-by-side comparisons, although the two LGs again looked very similar. The C1 was my favorite gaming TV last year, and the C2 improves it just a bit.
LG's Game Optimizer mode offers myriad adjustments and the updated overlay menu surfaces them in a more logical way, putting VRR next to FPS and offering a few more shortcuts on the bottom, including to the new Dark Room mode. That mode dims the image and is designed to reduce eyestrain, but even though I game in the dark a lot, I don't have much use for it. Playing Horizon Forbidden West in HDR on PS5, for example, Dark Mode made the moonlit forest less dazzling and the mountain snowscape duller, but if you're someone who's bothered by bright sequences in games it might be useful.
A new Sports mode joins the litany of picture modes, but as I found last year, I liked Standard best for most games with its balance of shadow detail and contrast. FPS is best if you want more visibility into shadows, or you can just crank the Black Stabilizer control up (at the expense of a washed-out image). I appreciate the separate adjustments just for gaming, which most other TV makers don't have.
The full Game Optimizer menu shows even more options.
David Katzmaier/CNET
Buried within Game Optimizer is another setting labeled "Reduce input delay (input lag)" with two options, Standard and Boost. The former, which is the default for any game, serves up an excellent input lag result similar to past LG OLED models: just 13.5ms for both 1080p and 4K HDR sources. Engaging Boost cuts lag even further, to just under 10ms for both. The catch is that Boost is only available for 60Hz sources, so you can't use it with 120Hz games or VRR. And no, I don't think many humans would notice the extra 3ms of lag.
Bright lighting: Although LG touts the C2 as 20% brighter than non-Evo OLED TVs like the C1, my measurements didn't back that claim up. Yes the C2 was a bit brighter, about seven percent on average, but the difference wasn't visible in just about anything I watched. In my experience those differences are slight enough to vary from sample to sample.
Below are my measurements in nits for select comparison TVs in their brightest and most accurate picture modes, using both standard dynamic range (SDR) and high dynamic range (HDR) test patterns.
Light output in nits
TV
Brightest mode (SDR)
Accurate mode (SDR)
Brightest mode (HDR)
Accurate mode (HDR)
Hisense 65U8G
1,619
1,612
2,288
2,288
Samsung QN65QN90A
1,622
1,283
2,596
1,597
TCL 65R635
1,114
792
1,292
1,102
Sony XR65X90J
951
815
945
847
LG OLED65C2
413
389
812
759
LG OLED65C1
409
333
790
719
The C2 is plenty bright enough for just about any viewing environment, but as usual it's not nearly as bright as competing LCD-based models. As with most TVs, the brightest mode for HDR and SDR (Vivid on the C2) is horribly inaccurate. For the accurate results listed above on the C2, I used ISF Expert Bright picture mode (Peak Brightness: High) for SDR and Filmmaker mode for HDR. I recommend C2 owners do the same to get good color in bright rooms. Note that with SDR, you'll need to disable the Auto Energy Saving setting (Support > Energy Saving > Energy Saving Step > Off) to get full brightness.
The screen of the C2 was excellent from off-angle but didn't seem to reduce reflections quite as well as the C1.
David Katzmaier/CNET
Like all OLED TVs, the C2 gets quite a bit dimmer than LCDs when showing full-screen white -- a snow field, for example -- but even in those situations it's hardly dim. The C2's screen finish was excellent at preserving black levels, better than the TCLs' more matte finishes, which beat both LG's at rejecting reflections. The screen of the C1 seemed slightly more reflective than the C2, but the difference was minimal.
Uniformity and viewing angle: Like all OLEDs I've tested the C2 was exemplary in this area compared to LCD-based TVs, with no significant brightness or color variations across the screen and nearly perfect image quality from off-angle. Comparing the C2 and C1 I saw a very slight color shift toward blue and magenta on the C2 that wasn't visible on the C1, something that could be caused by the new Evo panel structure. It was only visible from very extreme angles, however, and has no real impact.
The C2 has myriad picture settings, but if you just want to set it and forget it, use Filmmaker Mode.
David Katzmaier/CNET
Picture setting notes
The most accurate settings were Cinema and Filmmaker mode for both HDR and SDR, as well as the two ISF modes available in SDR. For SDR viewing I went with Cinema for dark rooms (because it was closer to my 2.2 gamma target) and ISF Bright for brighter environments, and for HDR I used Filmmaker (which was very slightly brighter than Cinema HDR). Game Optimizer is best for gaming, thanks to its processing, but quite blue; for the best color accuracy for gaming you should adjust the color temperature control all the way toward red (Picture > Advanced Settings > Color > White Balance > Color temperature > Warm50).
Like most TVs the C2 offers settings that engage smoothing, aka the soap opera effect, as I prefer to turn it off for TV shows and movies (and it's off in Game Optimizer mode because it increases input lag). You can experiment with the settings (Picture > Advanced Settings > Clarity > TruMotion) and it's off by default in the Cinema and Filmmaker modes.
Geek box
SDR
Result
Score
Black luminance (0%)
0.000
Good
Peak white luminance (10% win)
389
Average
Avg. gamma (10-100%)
2.16
Good
Avg. grayscale error (10-100%)
1.34
Good
Dark gray error (30%)
0.67
Good
Bright gray error (80%)
1.66
Good
Avg. color checker error
0.95
Good
Avg. saturation sweeps error
1.00
Good
Avg. color error
0.81
Good
Input lag (Game mode)
13.47
Good
HDR10
Black luminance (0%)
0.000
Good
Peak white luminance (10% win)
759
Average
Gamut % UHDA/P3 (CIE 1976)
99.62
Good
ColorMatch HDR error
5.93
Poor
Avg. color checker error
2.94
Good
Input lag (Game mode, 4K HDR)
13.47
Good
See How We Test TVs for more details.
Portrait Displays Calman calibration software was used in this review.
Tvs in 2022 look pretty exciting a buyers love tvs in 2022 look pretty exciting i closed tvs in 2022 look pretty in spanish tvs in 2022 look pretty fire tvs in 2022 look like jeeps top tvs in 2022 when were tvs invented
TVs in 2022 look pretty exciting: A buyers guide
TVs in 2022 look pretty exciting: A buyers guide
This story is part of The Year Ahead, CNET's look at how the world will continue to evolve starting in 2022 and beyond.
CES 2022 has come to a close, and the important news about new TVs is out of the bag. Most major TV-makers have introduced their biggest and best screens, talked up improved picture quality and dropped buzzwords like HDMI 2.1, mini-LED and 8K resolution. Most will be familiar to TV shoppers, while some that are actually new, like QD-OLED, are mashups of existing terms that still require lengthy explanation.
As CNET's resident TV reviewer, I can link you to plenty of places to readthoselengthyexplanations, but this article isn't one of them. Instead you'll find my best advice on what those new introductions mean and how, when and even if it's worth buying a new TV. Let's dive in.
Do you need a new TV in 2022?
Unless your current TV is broken, no you don't. But if you want a TV in another room, or your current TV feels like it's getting long in the tooth, its screen is too small or you want better picture quality or a better smart TV system, you might want a new TV. And if you've saved a bunch of money during the pandemic by not traveling or commuting to work or eating out, maybe you have a little extra to indulge that want.
Depending on how old your current TV is, a new model -- whether one released in the last year or a new TV just announced at CES -- could be a sweet upgrade you'll appreciate every time you watch.
What's the best time of year to buy a TV?
Starting in the fall . New models like the TVs introduced at CES 2022 appear in spring and their prices are highest then. Significant discounts start in November and go through Black Friday and the holiday season. Around the beginning of the new year after CES (i.e. now) they'll remain affordable, and sometimes the Super Bowl in February has the best deals on last year's TVs. Soon those will start to disappear and be replaced by the new models in spring again.
Buy a 2021 TV now or wait for a 2022 model?
It all depends on how long you can wait. If you want the latest and greatest technology, you're probably already set on a 2022 model. But if you want the best value, without missing much, a better move is to buy a 2021 TV now, before they disappear later this spring and summer. A 2021 TV at a given size or price will generally have very similar picture quality and features compared to its 2022 counterpart.
If you can't decide, and you're not in a hurry, just wait until fall to get the best price on a 2022 TV.
What new CES 2022 TVs and features stand out?
Here's a short list of my favorites so far, based on prior experience and information the manufacturer provided. Reminder: I did not attend the show and haven't seen any of these, with the exception of LG, in person.
The 42-inch LG C2 is the smallest OLED TV yet.
David Katzmaier/CNET
LG C2 OLED TV: As the successor to my Editors' Choice TV for the last two years, the latest version is the odds-on favorite to win again. The fact that it comes in a new 42-inch size is great news for people who couldn't fit bigger OLEDs into their rooms, but I'm excited to see how low the price will fall on the 77-inch version.
Sony X95K Mini-LED TV : Last year the Samsung QN90A earned my respect as the best high-end alternative to OLED, but Samsung has yet to announce any specific 2022 QLED models, so this Sony is my pick for now. Sony has an excellent track record with full-array local dimming and this is its least expensive model with mini-LED. It won't be cheap, however.
QD-OLED: The first Sony and Samsung TVs featuring a new OLED panel by Samsung Display are going to be expensive, and I probably won't recommend most people buy over more-affordable OLEDs like the C2, but I can't wait to see them in person.
Sony's remote finder: This isn't a reason to buy an expensive TV, but it sure is cool and I hope every TV maker adopts it soon. It allows the remote to emit a sound so you can find it under the couch cushions or wherever you lost it.
Samsung's gaming hub: I'm not into cloud gaming, but I love the idea of consolidating all the game-related stuff, including game mode settings and access to consoles, in one place. There's also the ability to split-screen YouTube videos and your game at the same time. LG's game optimizer was my favorite last year, and still seems to offer more options, but so far Samsung's gaming features look easier to use.
Samsung's new gaming hub for 2022 TVs offers one-stop access to cloud and console games.
Samsung
What else does a 2022 TV buyer need to know?
Basically, it's early. CES is the beginning of what we know about new TVs this year, not the end.
Brands I've lauded as the best TV values in the past, namely TCL and Vizio, haven't unveiled their bread-and-butter 2022 models yet. Both are still selling their older TVs, including models I still highly recommend like the TCL 6-Series Roku TV and the Vizio MQ7 series.
And if you're looking for an inexpensive TV, something you can put in a kid's bedroom or guest room and stream smart TV apps with ease, my top pick is still TCL's 4-Series Roku TV. This venerable workhorse hasn't changed much in the last couple years, and I don't expect any major differences when the new version is inevitably announced soon. Maybe it will get Google TV, but the safe bet is still Roku in my book.
My buying advice will continue to evolve as prices are announced, new models appear and I get the chance to review them in person. Stay tuned to CNET throughout the year for updates.
TV Shopping? Consider buying a 2021 TV (and Save Money)
TV Shopping? Consider buying a 2021 TV (and Save Money)
What's happening
New 2022 TV models are now available, but plenty of 2021 TVs are still out there.
Why it matters
2022 TVs might be newer, but they're also more expensive and have similar features to the 2021 models. You'll save money right now by grabbing a 2021 unit. Or wait until the fall when 2022 TVs will be on sale.
If you're looking to get a new TV without breaking the bank, opting for last year's model or waiting a few months until prices drop on 2022 models are your best bets to get all the features you want while still saving money. That's because TVs are a mature technology, which means that new, groundbreaking features don't come out every single year. Changes are incremental, with new models adding only minor updates year-over-year. For example, a 2021 TV at a given size or price will generally have similar picture quality and features to its 2022 counterpart. There are still deals on 2021 TVs, which are significantly less expensive than the current models.
When deciding which TV to buy and when, everyone should know about the annual television pricing cycle. It starts at CES, the huge tech show that happens every January, when new TVs (plus other tech like laptops and car technology) are announced each year. Later in the spring and summer -- basically now -- many of the new models are already on the shelves. But those new sets are at their highest prices of the year. During the fall, manufacturers start slashing prices to make way for next year's crop of new TVs.
If you want the latest and greatest technology you're probably already set on a 2022 model and you'll certainly be able to save money on those in the fall. But if you're looking to get a new TV right now, scooping up a deal on a 2021 set is going to be the most affordable option. Just know that you'll probably have to jump on a bargain when you see them, as eventually manufacturers will sell out of their 2021 models.
Read more: LG C1 vs. LG C2: Which OLED TV Should You Buy?
Sony and Samsung TVs with QD-OLED, a new technology promising better picture quality, are expensive and only available in 55- and 65-inch sizes.
Sony
If I buy a 2021 model now, what new features am I missing?
To put it succinctly, not too much. There's always something new around the corner, but changes from year-to-year are usually incremental. If you worry about missing out on the latest and greatest tech, it should give you peace of mind that even if something really new hits the market, it's going to be very expensive.
New QD-OLED TVs from Samsung and Sony are a good example. They combine OLED displays with quantum dot technology, and claim higher brightness and better color compared to current OLED TVs. One of these new sets might sound enticing, but QD-OLEDs come with a premium price tag, so they might be tough to recommend over more-affordable OLEDs like the LG C2.
Read more: QD-OLED: Everything We Know About the Newest TV Tech From Samsung and Sony
In 2022, traditional OLED TVs are arriving in untraditional sizes. This year, LG introduced the 42-inch C2 Series TV, the smallest OLED on the market, while also laying claim to the largest OLED available with the 97-inch G2 TV.
New for 2022, LG's OLED C2 now comes in 42- and 97-inch sizes.
Richard Peterson/CNET
Mini-LED TVs are also on the rise and could deliver close-to-OLED picture quality, but the new models we know about so far will also be expensive. The Sony Z9K and X95K are the company's first models with mini-LED, and the TCL X925pro has a new kind of slimmer mini-LED backlight, but none of them will be cheap. Samsung, TCL and Vizio are expected to announce more TVs later this year, many of which will use mini-LED, but we doubt they'll offer huge improvements over the 2021 models.
Also rolling out across the country is NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0. This is free over-the-air 4K TV, and it's moving forward quite quickly -- it might already be available in your city. In 2022 we'll see more TVs with built-in tuners that cost less than ever. Don't feel you need to rush to upgrade, or get those specific models however, since in the worst case you'll be able to buy a cheap external tuner and connect that to your TV.
Read more:Gaming Modes, Webcams and QD-OLED: Which 2022 TV Trends Stand Out?
There's also HDMI 2.1. While 2.1 has several new technologies that are great, it's not going to make any current TVs obsolete (unless it's a current 8K TV, but that's yet another story). As long as your current TV works with your current sources, you should be fine.
Really old TVs, older than 10 years, might have issues connecting to modern streaming and disc sources, but there's no real workaround for that. If your TV doesn't work with a new Roku or Blu-ray player, then you might need to upgrade if you want to use one of those.
Do I need to upgrade?
Forget all the new tech. If your TV works and you're happy with it, keep it. Don't feel any pressure to upgrade.
Modern TVs are, on average, brighter and have better picture quality than the TVs from a few years ago. Unless you're the type of videophile who wants to tweak every setting and fixates on nits and color accuracy, however, you probably don't need a new TV.
The pressure to upgrade is pervasive in our tech culture, but TVs tend to last (and be perfectly functional) longer than most devices. They don't, for example, have batteries that lose capacity like mobile phones -- or have wires that wear out like headphones. A TV from five or even 10 years ago likely works fine, though it might not look as good as the current 4K HDR TVs. So again, if that's not a huge deal for you, you can likely keep what you have for a few more years.
Read more: Best TVs for PS5 and Xbox Series X, Series S
This is even true when considering new consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. If you've got a PS4, Xbox One or any console connected via HDMI, the new consoles should work fine. They might look better on a new TV, but they'll still look great on yours.
If your TV is having issues, or you just want something larger, that's a different story. New TVs are much cheaper per inch than TVs of the past. You'll be able to replace your current TV with something the same size, looks better and is cheaper than your old TV. Or you can pay the same amount as your old TV and get something that's far bigger.
When is the best time to buy a TV?
TV sales are the biggest in the fall and culminate on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There are always some incredibly cheap 4K TVs on offer, but that's not the whole story.
First of all, the TVs that get the huge discounts are usually either no-name brands, or low-end models from name brands. They're fine if you just want a cheap TV, but they're not going to offer the picture quality of an even slightly higher-end model. The best TVs go on sale as well, but deep discounts on those are less common.
TV sales happen all year, but Black Friday season sees the biggest discounts.
Roberto Machado Noa/Getty Images
Second, massive discounts on TVs are rare in general. It might be counterintuitive, but TVs typically don't have much mark-up. There isn't a lot of profit in a $500 TV. So unless the store is trying to clear out stock, you shouldn't expect a gigantic drop in price even during sales. Plenty of good discounts are available, they're just not going to be "50% off" or similar, unless there's a specific reason that model is getting such an extreme discount. Or it's a doorbuster in limited quantities.
Third, most big companies don't allow stores to offer their own pricing. This is called UPP, or unilateral pricing policy. It means that a TV from that company is going to cost the same, whether it's on Amazon, in Best Buy, or anywhere else. Well, anywhere else that wants to continue selling TVs from that company. If this sounds sketchy, it is, but that's a topic for a different article.
The Samsung Frame may look sophisticated, but your current TV might work just as well.
Samsung
All in all, is it worth upgrading my TV?
Here's the short version:
Get a new TV now if:
Your current TV is having issues, or is too old to connect to a streaming service like Netflix.
You're willing to buy from a place that has a price-match policy, in case there's a sale.
You want something bigger than what you have now.
Don't get a TV now if:
Your current TV works fine.
There's literally anything else you need or want to spend money on.
If you've got the itch for something new, but you're still on the fence, consider giving your TV a bit of a makeover. If you've never adjusted the settings, it's easy to do and will probably make your TV look better than it ever has. That might tide you over for a bit.
And if you finally decide that, yes, you're ready to buy a new TV now, we at CNET do have some guidelines and suggested models.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff Morrison does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, airplane graveyards and more.
You can follow his exploits on Instagram and his travel video series on YouTube. He also wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel.
§
NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0, is continuing its rapid rollout across the country. Major markets like Los Angeles, Atlanta, Denver, Houston and more all have stations transmitting. Meanwhile New York, Boston, and many other markets are slated to have broadcasts later this year. While not every station in every market has a NextGen TV counterpart, more and more are coming on the air.
What's NextGen TV? It's an update to the free HDTV you can already get over-the-air in nearly every city in the US. There's no monthly fee, but you do need either a new TV with a built-in tuner or a standalone external tuner. The standard allows broadcast stations to send higher quality signals than ever before with features like 4K, HDR, 120 Hz, and more. ATSC 3.0 proponents also claim better reception indoors and on-the-go -- whether it's on your phone, or even in your car. The best part is that if you're watching it on your TV it uses the same standard antennas available today.
One potential downside? ATSC 3.0 will also let broadcasters track your viewing habits, information that can be used for targeted advertising, just like companies such as Facebook and Google use today.
Read more:Best TV antennas for cord cutters, starting at just $10
NextGen TV to you
ATSC.org
Here's the top-line info:
If you get your TV from streaming, cable or satellite, NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 won't affect you at all.
The transition is voluntary. Stations don't have to switch. Many have already, however, for reasons we'll explain below.
It's not backwards-compatible with the current HD standard (ATSC 1.0), so your current TV won't be able to receive it. Your current antenna should work fine though.
Stations that switch to NextGen TV will still have to keep broadcasting ATSC 1.0 for five years.
There are multiple models and sizes of TV with built-in tuners available now from Hisense, LG, Sony, Samsung and others.
As of the beginning of 2022 the majority of the largest markets in the US have at least one channel broadcasting NextGen TV. By the end of 2022, nearly all major and many minor markets will have multiple channels .
Here's the map of actual stations as of January 2022. Orange denotes stations that are live now. Blue is launching before summer. White sometime after the summer.
ATSC
How it will work in your home
Put simply: If you connect an antenna to your TV you will receive free programming, just like most people can get now. Yet, that is selling the potential benefits of NextGen TV short.
NextGen TV is IP-based, so in practice it can be moved around your home just like any internet content can right now. For example, you connect an antenna to a tuner box inside your home, but that box is not connected to your TV at all. Instead, it's connected to your router. This means anything with access to your network can have access to over-the-air TV, be it your TV, your phone, your tablet or even a streaming device like Apple TV. There will be traditional tuners as well, of course, but this is a new and interesting alternative.
This also means it's possible we'll see mobile devices with built-in tuners, so you can watch live TV while you're out and about, like you can with Netflix and YouTube now. How willing phone companies will be to put tuners in their phones remains to be seen, however. You don't see a lot of phones that can get radio broadcasts now, even though such a thing is easy to implement. We'll talk more about that in a moment.
'Voluntary'
In November of 2017, the Federal Communications Commission approved ATSC 3.0 as the next generation of broadcast standard, on a "voluntary, market-driven basis" (PDF). It also required stations to continue broadcasting ATSC 1.0 (i.e. "HD"). This is actually part of the issue as to why it's voluntary.
During the mandatory DTV transition in the early 2000s, stations in a city were given a new frequency (channel, in other words), to broadcast digital TV, while they still broadcast analog on their old channel. These older channels were eventually reclaimed by the FCC for other uses when the proverbial switch was flipped to turn off analog broadcasts. Since a changeover isn't occurring this time around, stations and markets are left to themselves how best to share or use the over-the-air spectrum in their areas.
Because there's no new bandwidth, broadcasters will temporarily share transmitters. Two or more stations will use one tower for ATSC 1.0 (HD) broadcasts and those stations will use another tower for ATSC 3.0 (UHD) broadcasts. This will mean a temporary reduction in bandwidth for each channel, but potentially a limited impact on picture quality due to the better modern HD encoders. More info here.
ATSC/TVTechnology.com
While it's not a mandatory standard, many broadcasters still seem enthusiastic about NextGen. At the beginning of the roll-out, then executive vice president of communications at the National Association of Broadcasters Dennis Wharton told CNET that the improvement in quality, overall coverage and the built-in safety features mean that most stations would be enthusiastic to offer ATSC 3.0.
John Hane, president of the Spectrum Consortium (an industry group with broadcasters Sinclair, Nexstar and Univision as members), was equally confident: "The FCC had to make it voluntary because the FCC couldn't provide transition channels. [The industry] asked the FCC to make it voluntary. We want the market to manage it. We knew the market would demand it, and broadcasters and hardware makers in fact are embracing it."
Given the competition broadcasters have with cable, streaming and so on, 3.0 could be a way to stabilize or even increase their income by offering better picture quality, better coverage and, most importantly, targeted ads.
Ah yes, targeted ads…
Broadcast TV will know what you're watching
One of NextGen TV's more controversial features is a "return data path," which is a way for the station you're watching to know you're watching. Not only does this allow a more accurate count of who's watching what shows, but it creates the opportunity for every marketer's dream: targeted advertising.
Ads specific to your viewing habits, income level and even ethnicity (presumed by your neighborhood, for example) could get slotted in by your local station. This is something brand-new for broadcast TV. Today, over-the-air broadcasts are pretty much the only way to watch television that doesn't track your viewing habits. Sure, the return data path could also allow "alternative audio tracks and interactive elements," but it's the targeted ads and tracking many observers are worried about.
The finer details are all still being worked out, but here's the thing: If your TV is connected to the internet, it's already tracking you. Pretty much every app, streaming service, smart TV and cable or satellite box all track your usage to a greater or lesser extent.
Return data path is still in the planning stages, even as the other aspects of NextGen TV are already going live. There is a silver lining: There will be an opt-out option. While it also requires Internet access, if this type of thing bothers you, just don't connect your TV or NextGen TV receiver to the internet. You will inevitably lose some of the other features of NextGen TV, however.
That said, we'll keep an eye on this for any further developments.
Free TV on your phone?
Another point of potential contention is getting ATSC 3.0 tuners into phones. At a most basic level, carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are in the business of selling you data. If suddenly you can get lots of high-quality content for free on your phone, they potentially lose money. Ever wonder why your phone doesn't have an FM radio tuner? Same reason.
T-Mobile made a preemptive strike along those lines all the way back in September 2017, writing a white paper (PDF) that, among other things, claims, "In light of the detrimental effects that inclusion of ATSC 3.0 can have on the cost and size of a device, the technology trade-offs required to accommodate competing technologies, and the reduced performance and spectral efficiency that it will have for other mobile bands and services, the decision as to whether to include ATSC 3.0 in a device must be left to the market to decide."
"The market" determined you didn't need an FM tuner in your phone, and in the few phones that had an FM tuner, if you bought it through an American provider, it was almost always disabled.
TV broadcasters, on the other hand, are huge fans of ATSC 3.0 on mobile phones. It means more potential eyeballs and, incidentally, a guarantee of active internet access for that return data path. John Hane of the Spectrum Consortium feels that tuners built into phones is "inevitable," and that international adoption of ATSC 3.0 will help push it forward. Wharton says that the focus is getting TVs to work, but mobile is in the plan.
Then there's portable TVs, of which there are HD versions on the market and have been for years. The next-generation ATSC 3.0 versions of these will likely get better reception in addition to the higher resolution offered by the new standard.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Cost (for you)
NextGen TV is not backward compatible with current TV tuners. To get it, you'll eventually need either a new TV or an external tuner.
However, you shouldn't feel a push to upgrade since:
1. NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 isn't mandatory, and it doesn't affect cable, satellite or streaming TV.
2. HD tuners cost as little as $30 to $40 now, and NextGen TV tuners, which currently sell between $200 and $300, will eventually be cheap as well.
3. Even after they start NextGen broadcasts, stations will have to keep broadcasting regular old HD.
Here's the actual language:
"The programming aired on the ATSC 1.0 simulcast channel must be 'substantially similar' to the programming aired on the 3.0 channel. This means that the programming must be the same, except for programming features that are based on the enhanced capabilities of ATSC 3.0, advertisements and promotions for upcoming programs. The substantially similar requirement will sunset in five years from its effective date absent further action by the Commission to extend it."
In other words, the HD broadcast has to be essentially the same as the new 3.0 broadcast for five years, perhaps longer depending on future FCC actions.
Which brings us to point 3. By the time people had to buy them, HD tuners were inexpensive and are even more so now. The HD tuner I use is currently $26 on Amazon. The first generation NextGen tuners available now are more expensive than that, though they're not outrageous. We'll discuss those below. By the time anyone actually requires one, however, they'll almost certainly be affordable.
Which is good, because there aren't any planned subsidies this time around for people to get a tuner for cheap. I'm sure this is at least partly due to how few people actually still use OTA as their sole form of TV reception. Maybe this will change as more stations convert, but we're a ways away from that.
As you can see, there are lots of parts that need to get upgraded all along the chain before you can get 3.0 in your home.
ATSC/TVTechnology.com
Here's another way to think about it: The first HD broadcasts began in the mid-90s, but when did you buy your first HDTV? As far as the 3.0 transition is concerned we're in the late-90s, maybe generously the early 2000s, now. Things seem like they're moving at a much more rapid pace than the transition from analog to DTV/HDTV, but even so, it will be a long time before ATSC 3.0 completely replaces the current standard.
How to get NextGen right now
LG
If you want to check it out for yourself, many of you already can. The first stop is to go to WatchNextGenTV.com. That website will help you find what stations in your area are broadcasting, or which ones will soon.
Next up you'll need something to receive it. If you're in the market for a new TV there are several options available from Hisense, LG, Samsung, and Sony. Here's our list of all the 2022 TVs with built-in next-gen tuners.
If you want to check out NextGen TV without buying a new television, you'll need an external tuner. It's still early days, so there aren't many options.
The Tablo ATSC 3.0 Quad HDMI DVR
Nuvvyo
At CES 2022 Nuvvyo announced the Tablo, a quad-tuner box that can connect to a TV directly, or transmit over a network to Rokus, Apple TVs, or computers on your home network.
The Silicon Dust has two models, the $199 HomeRun Flex 4K and the $279 HomeRun Scribe 4K. Both have ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 tuners.
If you want a more traditional tuner, BitRouter plans to start shipping its first ZapperBox M1 tuners in the spring. You can reserve one now for $249. It doesn't have internal storage, but BitRouter plans to add the ability to save content on network-attached storage, or NAS, devices via a firmware update. They also plan to add the ability to send the content around your home network, like what the Scribe 4K does.
Zapperbox
Then there's what to watch. Being early in the process, you're not going to find much 4K content, possibly not any. This was the same with the early years of HDTV. It's also going to vary per area. There is certainly a lot of 4K content being produced right now, and that has been the case for several years. So in that way, we're in better shape than we were in the early days of HD.
Basic and paid cable channels over-the-air?
One company is using the bandwidth and IP nature of NextGen to do something a little different. It's a hybrid paid TV service, sort of like cable/satellite, but using over-the-air broadcasts to deliver the content. It's called Evoca, and right now it's available only in Boise, Idaho. Edge Networks is the company behind it, and it wants to roll it out to other small markets where cable offerings are limited, and broadband speeds are slow or expensive.
It's an interesting idea for underserved and often forgotten-about markets.
Read more: Cable TV channels and 4K from an antenna?
Seeing the future
The transition from analog broadcasting to HD, if you count from the formation of the Grand Alliance to the final analog broadcast, took 16 years.
Though many aspects of technology move rapidly, getting dozens of companies, plus the governments of the US and many other countries, all to agree to specific standards, takes time. So does the testing of the new tech. There are a lot of cogs and sprockets that have to align for this to work, and it would be a lot harder to fix once it's all live.
But technology moves faster and faster. It's highly doubtful it will take 16 years to fully implement NextGen TV. As we mentioned at the top, dozens of stations are already broadcasting. Will every station in your city switch to NextGen TV? Probably not, but the bigger ones likely will. This is especially true if there are already other NextGen TV stations in your area. There's a potential here for stations to make additional money in the long run with 3.0, and that's obviously a big motivator.
There's also the question of how much content there will be. If it follows the HDTV transition model, big sporting events in 4K HDR will come first, followed by lots and lots of shows featuring nature scenes and closeups of bugs. Seriously -- this was totally a thing. Then we'll see a handful of scripted prime-time shows. My guess would be the popular, solidly profitable ones that are produced (not just aired) by networks like CBS and NBC.
So should you hold off buying a new TV? Nope, not unless you only get your shows over the air. And even if you do, by the time there's enough content to be interesting, there will be cheap tuner boxes you can connect to whatever TV you have.
For now, NextGen TV seems to be well on its way.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.
