STACK #235 May 2024

TECH FEATURE

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6. Connectivity Smart TVs connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, while HDMI is the standard connection that transmits video and audio via a single cable from an external device like a games console, PC, 4K Blu-ray player, or

10 THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN A SMART TV continued

streaming device. Make sure that the TV you want has enough HDMI ports to accommodate all of your devices simultaneously. Most of today’s smart TVs have up to four HDMI ports, which include dedicated HDMI ARC or eARC ports for connecting a soundbar. And many new models support HDMI 2.1 connection for more bandwidth, smoother play, and reduced screen tearing when gaming. USB ports are also standard in smart TVs and handy for recording your favourite free-to-air TV shows onto a flash drive, or playing back stored audio/video content and image files.

OLEDs have the advantage over LED

backlighting because each pixel is self-illuminating, meaning they can turn themselves off to create perfect blacks, and also reach greater peak brightness and contrast ratios of dark and light. No backlighting also gives OLEDs a wide viewing

your favourite movie in 4K HDR and you’re guaranteed to see details that you’ve never noticed before! There are three types of HDR: standard HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. The latter two are the premium formats, optimising content scene-by-scene for a visible uptick in quality over HDR10. HDR has been a staple of 4K Blu-ray discs and is now widely supported for streaming content. 5. Refresh rate How well a TV can handle fast moving scenes can make or break an action movie, sports match, or gaming session. That’s why a TV’s refresh rate matters – the number of times individual frames are refreshed is measured in Hz, and the higher the number, the better. Many of today’s TVs have a native refresh rate of 120Hz, while newer models have upgraded this to a variable refresh rate (VRR) up to 144Hz, which is great news for gamers. You’ll also come across dedicated motion smoothing modes like Motion Rate 200, which also uses frame sampling to reduce any blur or judder.

angle with no fading of colours and contrast, and they produce less blue light, which is good for the eyes. Mini LED displays use tens of thousands of tiny LED backlights to produce a bright and colourful picture with strong contrast. Precise control of the brightening and dimming of image zones reduces any distracting blooming or halo effects around bright objects in a dark scene, like a streetlight. Premium Mini LED TVs with full array local dimming split the LED array into zones, so that specific areas of a picture can be dimmed where required to create true blacks and better shadow detail. 4. HDR – High Dynamic Range A standard feature on today’s 4K TVs, HDR brings out the best in 4K content, such as more vivid colours, deeper blacks, and ultra fine details in objects and subjects, like the weave of clothing or facial stubble. An HDR grade also adds a warmer, more natural look to a picture, and is championed by movie buffs for creating an organic appearance to movies that were shot on film. Play

7. Sound

Slimline smart TVs are now packing improved audio, with some integrating up-firing speakers, a subwoofer, and Dolby Atmos support for greater immersion, along with screen-specific sound via speakers located directly behind the screen itself. You’ll find various intelligent audio modes on many models that can customise sound to best suit a room’s layout, upmix audio for virtual surround or Atmos, and enhance dialogue and sports commentaries. Soundbar synchronisation on compatible TVs will further expand the soundscape by combining the output from the TV speakers and the soundbar, or using the TV as a centre speaker for a multi-channel soundbar. (See page 34.)

10 MAY 2024

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