Samsung continues its dominance in the home entertainment segment for the ninth year running, revealing an extensive range of SUHD TVs at the Samsung SEA Forum in Bangkok, Thailand. Samsung also showcased an expansive lineup of premium audio products including the Omni-Directional 360 Audio and Curved Soundbars to enhance the home entertainment experience.
Samsung’s “S” TV
We asked Samsung what the “S” stood for in the SUHD moniker, and while many have assumed it stood for “Samsung”, the Korean consumer electronics giant said the term is reserved for its most premium, prestigious products and in the case of the SUHD TVs, it represents sensational picture quality, seamless interaction and stylish design.
“S” for superior picture quality
The new SUHD TVs deliver superior picture quality — demonstrating advances in contrast, brightness, colour reproduction and detail. SUHD uses proprietary, eco-friendly nano-crystal technology coupled with an intelligent re-mastering picture quality engine.
Nano-crystal technology produces the highest colour purity and light efficiency providing viewers 64x more colour expression than conventional TVs.
The intelligent SUHD re-mastering engine optimises content to match colour and brightness reproduction of the SUHD TV. This produces images with darker blacks and level of brightness that’s more than 2.5x brighter than conventional UHD TVs.
“S” for spectacular content
Samsung has collaborated with 20th Century Fox to optimise content for SUHD TVs. It has also inked a partnership with Fox Innovation Lab to re-master multiple scenes from the critically-acclaimed film “Life of Pi” directed by Oscar winner Ang Lee. The result is a more spectacular viewing experience with vivid colours and lifelike scenes.
To promote the steady growth of the UHD ecosystem, Samsung has announced the UHD Alliance — a coalition of companies working together with the objective of setting the bar for next generation video standards. This includes 4K and ultra high resolutions, high dynamic range, wider colour gamut and immersive 3D audio.
Three new series of SUHD TVs will be available — JS9500, KJS9000 and JS8500 — ranging from 55- to 88-inches.
“S” for style and sophistication
Samsung SUHD TVs exude quiet sophistication with its minimalistic and modern undertones. The new SUHD TV JS9500 for example features a chamfer bezel design with an elegant frame that makes it look like a piece of art mounted on the wall.
The SUHD TV JS9000 on the other hand has a soft, textured shirring design on the rear of the display giving the TV a premium, stylish look from any angle.
“S” for smart
Samsung’s 2015 SUHD and Smart TV portfolio will be powered by Tizen OS — a Samsung-developed open-source platform that is based on web standards, for TV app development.
The adoption of Tizen allows Samsung Smart TVs access to a larger content ecosystem and easy collaboration with content partners.
Tizen’s compatibility with myriad devices also establishes Samsung’s Smart TVs as the control centre of any Smart Home.
“S” for special features
Samsung Seasons is a service catered to those who love to ‘binge watch’ —- it curates popular international TV shows and series and brings it to your Smart TV, tablet or phone. You can watch the first episode for free then rent a full season of a show for 30 days from as low as USD6. Currently available in Malaysia and the Philippines.
Southeast Asia will be able to enjoy Family TV 2.0 — a popular feature that allows you to save and send photos and soundbites of your favourite TV moments.
“S” for superior sound
The new state-of-the-art Audio Lab in California has developed the unique WAM7500/6500 omni-directional speakers. The speakers not only look cool but also deliver rich-bodied sound, in a 360-degree radius.
The speakers also offer simple and hassle-free setup, and easy connectivity to your home WiFi, or mobile device.
“S” is for soundbar
I previewed Samsung’s Curved Soundbar late last year — the sleek audio solution made for its Curved TVs from 48-inches to 78-inches.
The new 8500 series features 9.1 channel audio with a central speaker and side speakers on each end. The patented Multi-Air Gap speaker unit at its subwoofer delivers deeper bass compared to conventional audio offerings.
With Multiroom functionality, users can stream music from their mobile devices. The soundbar connects wirelessly to the TV through TV SoundConnect via Bluetooth.
In summary
A strong showing by Samsung at the Samsung Forum 2015 and expect to see a selected range of SUHD TVs, audio and curved soundbars coming to Malaysian shores soon.
