STACK #188 June 2020

H T ECH of 2020 INSIDE THE HOME

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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COOL INDOOR TECH It’s the buzzword we’re seeing more of as 2020 unfolds. 8K technology is here. But what does it mean for televisions and why should it matter to you? The desire for much larger TVs to complement home theatre set-ups is on the rise, and with an increase in screen size comes the need for more pixels to provide a better and more immersive picture. And with the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X releasing at the end of 2020 and both supporting 8K play, gamers will be looking to get the most out of the new consoles.

Lead the way As you may or may not know, HDMI cables transfer video and audio all in one handy lead. Upgrades commensurate with increased bandwidth demands have seen many updates over the last 18 years, but with one foot firmly ensconced in the 4K camp and the other stepping into the 8K space, it’s time to up the

RAMP UP THE PIXEL COUNT!

A quality 8K TV at an affordable price? Where do we sign up? Well, the LG 9 Series NanoCellTM 100 is a grand starting point. What is NanoCell? A similar technology to Samsung’s QLED screens, it’s a coating sandwiched between the screen and the backlight that produces rich authentic colour and brightness. This one has it all: 8K to maximise your viewing potential on big screens, voice support for Google Assistant and Alexa so you can integrate those Philips Hue lights and other smart devices, HDR 10, full array dimming, and for the cinephiles, a Filmmaker Mode that automatically configures the TV to display a movie the way the director originally intended it to look.

ante on the cable front. This is where Belkin – the benchmark of quality in the cable world – comes in with the Ultra HD High Speed HDMI cable, packing enough grunt to handle smooth and seamless support for 8K, Dolby Vision and HDR10.

What we love The integration for gaming will whet the appetite for those looking at the 8K supporting new consoles on the horizon. Support for HDMI 2.1, low input lag and variable refresh rate make this TV a good bet for the gamers in the house.

Did You Know? The screen resolution on an 8K TV is 7680 x 4320. That’s 33,177,600 pixels.

Did You Know?

SHOOT 8K VIDEO ON YOUR PHONE

What we love The 8K video functionality will prove to be a winner here as the tech grows in popularity. The 6.2-inch Dynamic Amoled screen with near bezel-less rolls and high refresh rate is a thing of true beauty.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was the first film to be shot in 8K.

T he Galaxy S20 is packed like a mule with features that will excite mobile photographers with a quality array of cameras, and gamers with its exceptional screen and 120Hz refresh rate. A 5G variant will ensure that your latest purchase is future proofed as we see the 5G networks roll out in earnest. And what about that 8K video? Users can shoot at 24fps, and while the 8K TV uptake gathers momentum that will enable videos to be viewed in the format, shooting in 8K means cropping and editing for 4K and HD so you don’t compromise the quality.

48 JUNE 2020

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