Future-proof your next TV
Every year, TVS get bigger and thinner. We’re always left wondering if now’s the ‘‘right time’’ to make the investment – and worrying that a big new screen will dominate our living spaces.
First, the techy-stuff. According to Adam Mcelroy, Samsung Group marketing manager for TV/AV, the role of TVS in the home is changing. He says we’re entering ‘‘an era where our devices are beginning to connect and talk to one another with ease’’.
This is because of integrated Artificial Intelligence in modern TVS, which will enable you to ‘‘ask your TV to find a movie, search for something online, or even control a connected device in another room such as turning off the lights in the kitchen’’.
One down side to this connected home future is that it usually requires you to ‘‘buy in’’ to one system (eg, Apple, Amazon, Google, or Samsung) and stick with it for all your tech to ‘‘talk’’ to each other.
People should expect to own their TVS for at least five to seven years. With that in mind, picture quality is naturally the most important aspect.
Screen longevity is key – Samsung recommends QLED technology over OLED and others as it prolongs life and reduces what’s known as ‘‘screen burn’’, a permanent, ghost-like discolouration of the display.
Premium TVS are all 4K in resolution now but 8K is in the nottoo-distant future.
Whichever you choose, ensure it has high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging as it has ‘‘undistorted high-resolution image, which is likely to become the standard for years to come’’, Mcelroy says.
The capability to stream HDR content is vital for the future. Services such as Netflix already provide 4K HDR widely throughout New Zealand.
Other considerations to futureproof yourself are to ensure at least four HDMI ports are available, the TV has built-in wi-fi (not all internet-connected TVS do), and if you’re to wall-mount your TV, that you have a removable power cord that can easily be fed through your wall to an outlet to become invisible.
Once you’ve decided on the right TV, you need to think about where to put it. Kiwis are moving towards 55-inch screens or larger and at the same time our homes are tending to be more open-plan, so there often isn’t a lot of wall space.
To make a TV blend into a living room more successfully, interior designer Dael Brady from Bibby + Brady suggests placing it off-centre on a long entertainment unit and balancing it with something taller on the other side. ‘‘That way it’s not front and centre.’’
Custom-made wall cabinets with different sized shelving are a good solution, too.
‘‘You can have books and bits and pieces on the shelves and your eye will be drawn to all those beautiful things as well,’’ Brady suggests.
If you have the wall space and are re-gibbing at the same time, ask your electrician to hide the wiring for a clean look so
your TV can be hung as part of a gallery wall. Brady says this works well with the Samsung Frame TV, which is designed to look like a piece of art.
And if a client has a dedicated media room it’s even better. ‘‘We just make that one room snug and cosy with a big couch and keep the living room as a beautiful familyoriented space.’’
While space can be barrier for buying a larger TV, design innovations like borderless displays and no-gap wall mounts also help make the new screens integrate into your home unobtrusively, Mcelroy says.
Glare is another key consideration. ‘‘New Zealand homes tend to be very light-filled and sunny,’’ Mcelroy says.
‘‘If you have a lot of natural light in your living room, selecting a screen that produces a high peak brightness and features an antiglare coat will reduce reflections and glare.’’