STACK #223 May 2023

TECH FEATURE

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SMOOTH OPERATOR How well the TV reproduces fast moving scenes can make

console, PC, 4K Blu-ray player, or PVR to the TV. And the more HDMI ports it has, the better. Most TVs also have USB ports for recording to and playback from a flash drive. If you intend to connect a soundbar, make sure that the TV has an HDMI ARC and/ or eARC port. ARC (Audio Return Channel) simplifies the connection of audio receivers to the TV, while eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) boosts bandwidth and speed for higher quality audio formats like Dolby Atmos. Many newTVs also support HDMI 2.1 for higher bandwidth and resolutions. If you’re an avid gamer, you’ll get the best from your next-gen console with HDMI 2.1 connectivity.

or break an action movie, sports match, or gaming

session, so you’ll want one that has a high refresh rate. This is the number of times that the TV refreshes

individual video frames, and the

higher the number (measured in Hertz

– Hz), the faster it is. Most of today’s TVs have a refresh rate of 120Hz, with some

SMART STUFF A smart TV connects to the internet, opening up a world of entertainment

new models boasting a higher 144Hz, which is good news for gamers. THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS HDMI is the standard cable connection for adding external devices like a gaming

via streaming apps (see breakout), and most feature voice

fixed, tilting and rotatable, to motorised ones with voice control. Also consider the amount of natural light in the room, which can cause screen glare and may affect picture quality on a sunny day. However, most smart TVs will auto adjust the brightness to suit the environment. PRIME POSITION Consider the distance from seat to screen – there’s total immersion, and then there is sitting far too close. A simple method of assessing the best position is to go into a JB store, pick the screen size you’re interested in, and then step back until you’ve found the ideal viewing distance. Count those steps, and apply the same at home. It also pays to choose a TV that has a wide viewing angle (OLEDTVs have the widest) to prevent any reduction of contrast and colour if you’re not centrally seated, or entertaining a crowd. That way, every seat in the

THE HDR DIFFERENCE HDR (High Dynamic Range) is a must-have feature when choosing a 4KTV, and you’ll find it in a majority of today’s sets. It optimises contrast for greater brightness, depth, and colour vibrancy, and reveals more detail in the bright and dark areas of an image. When watching content that supports HDR, you’ll notice a big difference immediately – it’s like a rich matte layer has been overlaid on an already vibrant and detailed picture, adding a warmer and more natural look. Movies in HDR more closely resemble how they looked in the cinema – and look even better if they were shot on film, not digitally. Watching a favourite movie with HDR can be a revelation – you’ll notice details that you never saw before! HDR is the standard for 4K UHD discs and is also now widely supported for selected streaming content. • HDR10 The most popular, HDR10 uses static metadata, which adjusts the content as a whole rather than scene-by-scene, setting colour and brightness at a fixed level. • HDR10+ Developed by Samsung, HDR10+ uses dynamic metadata to optimise content scene-by-scene, resulting in a more lifelike and detailed picture. • DOLBYVISION Dolby Laboratories’ certified HDR format does for You’ll find three different types of HDR when choosing a 4KTV:

room can be the best one. PICTURE PERFECT

This is probably the most important bit. You’ve seen how stunning newTVs look in a JB store, and you want that at home. 4K Ultra HD has become the standard resolution on today’s smart TVs and there is plenty of streaming content that supports it. HDR (High Dynamic

Range) is another essential feature (see breakout). Moreover, with many smartphones now sporting 4K cameras

and HDR, you can enjoy the photos and video you’ve shot in stunning UHD on a big screen. Smart TVs are designed to deliver the best possible picture quality and come with a range of AI-controlled image adjustment tools inbuilt – from upscaling SD and HD content to 4K, to auto adjustment of brightness, contrast and colour – with very little manual calibration required (see page 16).

video what Dolby Surround did for audio. Like HDR10+, Dolby Vision uses dynamic metadata to optimise each frame. It’s more commonly used than HDR10+, and a recommended feature when choosing a newTV.

10 MAY 2023

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