64
Everybody loves TV and as technology evolves, the collective industry has come up with ways to present better picture quality to make final viewing experience more lifelike.
Over a period of time some of the improvements came through upgraded industry standards. For example, the entertainment industry has gradually increased screen resolution to make clearer images; from Standard Definition (SD) to Full High Definition (FHD) and now Ultra High Definition (UHD), and UHD is precisely what one should be looking for when you purchase a television, a true 4K resolution of 3840×2160 pixels. Consumers should consider the difference between true certified 4K and the inferior option of pseudo 3K UHD as it only offers 2880×2160 pixels.
This is because the sub-standard 3K technology uses RGBW (red, green, blue and white) technology in order to minimise production costs, thus replacing some of the sub-pixels with a white sub-pixel and reduces the resolution significantly. Samsung delivers genuine 4K resolution as certified by the American and European authorities and is working with relevant global authorities and leaders in the industry to establish UHD quality standards. Another recent advancement is High Dynamic Range (HDR), which allows production studios, content distributors and TV manufacturers to offer brighter and more colourful video.
Additional improvements come from innovations provided by each company. A fitting example would be: when Samsung first introduced the Light Emitting Diodes (LED) TV, consumers were able to enjoy images several times brighter than conventional Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) TVs.
In 2015, Samsung started to apply quantum dot technology to its flagship SUHD TVs. Now with more and more industry partners gearing towards HDR, the marriage between quantum dots and HDR offers viewers a whole new era of home entertainment.
HDR1000: Jack It Up to 1,000 Nits
Although there are many devices that can show HDR content, not all HDRs are equal. Colours are perceived by light and with the wider range of both luminance and colours for HDR, it is important that the TV can cover the brighter side of the spectrum. HDR1000 means that the device is capable of showing at least 1 000 nits* at peak brightness. This intensity of luminance is considered an industry-top level. It allows the viewer to discover unseen colours and hidden details in the brightest and darkest scenes for the most lifelike picture.
Dealing with higher brightness levels poses challenges. More energy is used and higher brightness levels can also cause the device to generate more heat and without proper measures, excessive heat could pose a threat to the product’s lifespan.
With SUHD TVs, featuring quantum dot technology, Samsung allows TV sets to hit those brightness levels of up to 1 000 nits without the pain points. This is in part thanks to the photo-active property of quantum dots, which makes them very energy-efficient. Samsung was able to improve the overall energy efficiency of its 2016 SUHD TVs, while still enabling the set to hit 1 000 nits.
One Billion Colours
Quantum dots also emit a very pure colour, which helps these displays show much more accurate and a broader range of colours by using these accurate reds, greens and blues. On the other hand, light from conventional fluorescents tends to get mixed with adjacent colours, dropping the range of colours that conventional TVs can show. In fact, Samsung’s 2016 SUHD TVs, with quantum dot technology are able to show up to one billion colours – 64 times more colour than the average TV.
“With Samsung’s quantum dot technology, our aim is to create a TV that is more than just a device for consumers to enjoy content, we want our products to change the lifestyle of the consumer, as well as deliver a surreal and enjoyable experience that they can only imagine,” says Samsung Electronics East Africa Managing Director and VP Jung Hyun Park.
This broad range of colours, along with the level of brightness quantum dot allows SUHD TVs to show, allows Samsung to offer richer pictures that are closer to the real world than ever before.
Recent innovations in display technology offer us an exciting new era of home entertainment. In other words, before you go looking for your next TV set, check where the industry is going and make sure your TV is best-suited for the upcoming wave of UHD and HDR content.
“Being at the leading edge of innovation, Samsung does not rest on its laurels of being the global market leader for a decade. Whenever we are afforded an opportunity to create something new, we always pull out the big guns. We believe that TV fanatics should be spoilt to excellence in colour and graphics – essentially, an immersive viewing experience,” concludes Mr. Park.
* A nit is a standard unit of luminance, frequently used in measuring the brightness of display devices. One nit is the luminous intensity of a candle lighting an area of one square metre.
