TV watching that’s like real life
Five trends to look out for when you’re purchasing a new television this year
It’s been 88 years since Idaho farm boy Philo T. Farnsworth successfully demonstrated the first “moving pictures” transmission.
Little did the humble inventor of television know we’d still be staring at the fruits of his labour well into the 21st century — though today’s models bear little resemblance to the three-inch flickering black-andwhite box first shown in 1928.
If you’re in the market for a new television, here are five trends to consider.
4K UHD
Your next TV will be a while lot sharper. Referred to as “ultra-high definition” or sometimes “4K,” these next-generation televisions offer four times the resolution of a top-ofthe-line 1080p HDTV. In other words, instead of a screen that has roughly two million pixels — the little dots that make up the image — these televisions boast more than eight million pixels.
In plain English, 4K TVs present images so lifelike and clear it’s like peering out of a giant window.
HDR
The latest televisions also offer HDR, or “high dynamic range,” which reproduces a wider range of brightness levels, richer colours and higher contrast levels. Basically, this not only means that you’ll see the blackest blacks and the whitest whites at the same time, but also that no details will be lost in between.
Smart TV
Most new TVs today — even entrylevel $199 models — allow you to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi.
Smart TVs allow you to access online content, be it for video streaming, social networking and so on.
Many Smart TVs give you a full web browser, too, so you can use a search engine or visit websites.
Curved
Finally, some television manufacturers, like Samsung and LG, offer curved TVs that slightly bend towards the user, just like the screen at your local movie theatre. To many viewers, these concave screens offer a deeper and more cinematic view of the action.
It boils down to personal taste — some may prefer a flat-panel TV instead — but having a choice at retail or online is great for everyone. But it’s hard to deny these curved TVs are attractive conversation pieces, even when turned off.