“This is running in 8K right?”
As soon as I said it, I knew the speedometer was about to hit 88.6 miles per hour. And once you hit 88.6 miles per hour, you’re going to see some crazy sh*t.
Yes, I was lucky enough to check out last years range of Samsung 8K TV’s. And yeah I said 8K wasn’t really here, but was getting there. So it was almost here? It was definitely there at this showcase. Like I said, I sat down and said to the Showman “this is running in 8K right?”. There was just a SOMETHING which was different to last year. Colours which were as striking last year, seemed fuller; Like small patches were finely tuned to reflect the image they intended to show. And this wasn’t imagery upscaled by the impressive AI inside these beasts. It was just…8K.
And it was glorious.
This was all delivered by the new 2020 range of TV’s. Starting with the Q range, the higher-end models from it now have an audio suite I am fondly (forgetfully) calling OLA; It’s actually known as OTS though. What does the OTS stand for? Object Tracking Sound. Yeah, granted it does sound a bit wild, but it did work! The way I broke it down with the Showman was the TV takes place of your standard 5.1 setup; EXCEPT! It jazzes it up slightly. Placing 6 speakers for the OTS+ range within the TV; 2 up top, 2 on the side and 2 down bottom, they attempt to track object sound. Of course this suits movies perfectly, as they build audio profiles for such brazen flourishes. But TV…TV won’t be just there yet. But you can bet your OT-enhanced caboose it will get there! Especially through the likes of sports, who always work hard to improve the spectacle of…uh…sport.
So yeah, one might say the Q Series is ready to SERVE.
But the Q series is nice! It’s safe. It is what it is. 8K. OTS+. Yeah. It’s also why the first thing I noticed when I walked into the showroom was the Sero. YES. The Sero. An outstanding name for an innovative piece of hardware. It’s also bat-sh*t crazy, but I’ll always put my money behind innovation. Basically it’s your phone but a TV. Samsung know casting is all the rage, so what better way to show your phone than in it’s proper orientation:
PORTRAIT.
Yes, if you’re casting an image or video to the Sero, and the orientation is in portrait, it’ll rotate to that direction. Just like in this handy-dandy example video!
Again, it’s not so much about use, but having the guts to innovate. So I appreciate Samsung just going for it. Also, in terms of casting your phone to a screen, never have I seen a phone represented so well visually simply because it’s in its correct orientation. Truly wild innovations.
There were also bezel-less televisions, new models for the Frame range, and the Serif which is a frame that is a stand.
All very good. Very “mmhmm, quite”.
Then we entered the jungle. This was both proverbial and literal; Strange, I know. But this was due to a BEAST of a TV sitting within the tropics of this area. It was the Terrace. A new outdoor TV produced by Samsung, it is made to live outdoors. With an IP55 rating that assures protection from water and dust, it’s the ultimate baller status item for those times you need be baller. Of course I said to the Showman “yo, this is gonna be SO GOOD for bars though!”. I believe they agreed, as he showcased the impressive backlit screen of the Terrace, which of course is punched up a little to deal with it’s outdoor environments.
ENTER DOOM. ETERNAL.
I got to shoot back across to the Q800T to finish with a “how video games will play within the new dynamics of Samsung’s OTS+ audio system” and heck. HECK. The best way I can describe it, is it’s like the sound eats you up and you’re sitting in the mouth of it. And Doom Eternal’s mouth is VERY loud. With the audio moving alongside the environment, it’s such a different experience to find your ears out in the open instead of within a headset that usually creates such an experience. Teamed with the Q70T Soundbar that fills in the deep bass for maximum auditory response, it was…A RUSH.
I then needed a kombucha to set me right.
Speaking with the Showman about the massive developments within the range, and the steps Samsung have made to continue innovating TV and how it fits into consumer lives was exciting. 8K really looked like it there, and OTS+ was such a wonder to hear while honestly…I think even the Sero had merit in what it wants to be in the household. If it could become a fully vertical unit, instead of the kind of angular unit it is, it’ll become something else.
But there’s also a reason why innovation works, especially when the Showman tells you someone already bought a Sero as soon as it released instore.
