▲ Samsung Neo QLED 4K TV (QN85F)

Samsung Electronics today announced that its smart TVs and monitors will now support Netflix shows and movies in HDR10+.¹ With HDR10+, viewers can enjoy richer contrast, deeper colors and stunning visual depth, making their favorite Netflix titles more immersive than ever.

“HDR10+ enhances the way we watch content, delivering deeper contrast and more vibrant colors for a truly cinematic experience,” said Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to bring this technology to Netflix’s 300 million plus members and will continue collaborating with various partners to expand HDR10+ support across our product lineup and the broader streaming ecosystem.”

HDR10+ is a next-generation high dynamic range (HDR) technology pioneered by Samsung, designed to optimize picture quality scene by scene. By dynamically adjusting brightness and contrast levels, HDR10+ ensures that each frame is displayed with exceptional clarity and detail, staying true to the creator’s intent.

With this integration, viewers can experience enhanced realism and depth across a growing library of HDR10+ content, making every scene feel more lifelike. HDR10+ content on Netflix will be accessible on 2025 Samsung Neo QLED, OLED and Lifestyle TVs — as well as 2025 and 2024 monitor models — with support for additional models in the future.

This launch marks a significant step in expanding HDR10+ content, bringing enhanced picture quality to more viewers. In addition to Netflix, Samsung is actively working with a growing network of industry partners to further extend HDR10+ support. For more information on Samsung TV, please visit www.samsung.com.

¹ Samsung co-established HDR10+ Technologies LLC in 2018 to provide a royalty-free, open dynamic metadata standard in the industry.

In partnership with industry pioneers 424 Post and Harbor, Samsung provided a 34-foot, 8K Samsung IWA LED and DCI-certified 4K Samsung Onyx LED displays to create a true cinema-style environment for theatrical color grading and immersive sound mixing. The groundbreaking studio environment not only signifies a leap into the future of cinematic production and consumption but also underscores the trust that experts place in Samsung’s technology.

Culver Post: A Beacon of Innovation in Post-Production and HDR Cinematography

▲ Samsung Electronics provided a 34-foot, 8K Samsung IWA LED and DCI-certified 4K Samsung Onyx LED displays to Culver Post in partnership with 424 Post and Harbor

Culver Post was created thanks to the visionary collaboration between renowned Los Angeles sound studio 424 Post and global post-production leader Harbor. This full-service post-production studio is expected to bring unmatched HDR and SDR mastering capabilities.

Why were Samsung’s display technologies specifically chosen by 424 Post and Harbor, both leaders in their respective fields? The answer lies in Samsung’s commitment to innovation, quality and the immersive viewing experience.

The Culver Post offers five stages for theatrical color grading and sound mixing, with the first stage outfitted with Samsung’s cutting-edge 34-foot, 8K IWA LED cinema display and the second stage with the DCI-certified 4K Onyx LED display. Each stage is complemented by Meyer Sound Ultra Reflex cinema sound systems featuring Dolby Atmos sound. Both stages can accommodate approximately 50 guests, which allows the post-production team to experience a true cinematic working environment for directors, cinematographers, editors, colorists and other professionals.

▲ Culver Post features a remarkable 34-foot 8K IWA cinema display for a true cinema-style environment for color grading and sound mixing

The 8K IWA LED cinema display is ideal for both HDR and SDR color grading, while Onyx, the world’s first DCI-certified cinema LED display, is perfect for HDR color grading and mastering. These displays outperform standard digital cinema projection systems in terms of detail, contrast and brightness, positioning Culver Post at the forefront of cinematic technology and ensuring that the studio is future-proofed for upcoming advancements in post-production technology.

“Samsung is committed to using innovative display technology to revolutionize the way that content is created and consumed,” said David Phelps, Head of the Display Division, Samsung Electronics America. “The new Culver Post post-production studio marks a tangible milestone in the future of cinema and post-production. Filmmakers and creators can now edit and experience video content as it would be seen and heard on the big screen to enable immersive storytelling that leaves a lasting impact on audiences.”

▲ Culver Post’s groundbreaking studio environment not only signifies a leap into the future of cinematic production and consumption but also underscores the trust that experts place in Samsung’s technology

Superior Cinematic Displays to Optimize Post-Production Workflow

The selection of Samsung’s technology for Culver Post reflects the displays’ superior capabilities for HDR post-production. Enhanced brightness, contrast and detail transform the color grading and mastering process, allowing creators to see their work as it will appear in realistic viewing environments. The theaters and their immersive cinema display also turn mastering into a communal creative experience, bringing the entire production team together for collaboration.

▲ Each theater offers a cinema-style viewing experience, with enough seating to host small groups for exclusive screenings and post-production sessions

The collaboration with Culver Post is a testament to Samsung’s leadership in display technology and the company’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of cinematic experiences. By meeting the high standards of industry experts like 424 Post and Harbor, Samsung continues to raise the bar for post-production studios worldwide.

For more information on Samsung’s state-of-the-art displays, please visit www.samsung.com.

About 424 Post

424 Post offers complete sound packaging for all types of content including theatrical, broadcast, streaming, commercials and audio podcasts. Packages cover design/edit/ADR/mix, technical & administrative support as well as all final deliverables. The company prides on client services, and the talented group of experienced professionals is ready to tailor projects in accordance with the customers’ needs and budget.

About HARBOR

HARBOR is a global company with operations in New York, Los Angeles and London. Relentlessly focused on talent, technical innovation and protection of artistic vision, HARBOR hones every detail throughout the moving image-making process: live-action, dailies, creative & offline editorial, design, visual effects, CG, sound & picture finishing.

▲ The HCU7030 provides a number of patient room-friendly features including a pillow speaker interface and Multi-Code Remote

“With these new models, Samsung will quickly advance the commitments we have made to the hospitality industry,” says Hoon Chung, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “The new models are packed with unique and premium features to enhance the user experience, driving both patient and healthcare leadership across diverse environments.”

With a growing shift towards premium digital display solutions, the HCU7030 series transforms in-room engagement, giving patients an experience that makes them feel right at home. The HCU7030 series integrates the pillow speaker interface, allowing patients to enjoy clear audio and control of the TV right at their bedsides. It is also equipped with a business management suite for easy enrollment of devices and configurations that allow multiple configurations with the same profile and welcoming messages for new patients.

The HCU7030 series, available in sizes from 43 to 75 inches,³ showcases Samsung’s commitment to safety through its UL certification (UL 62368-1 incl. Annex DVB) and the use of three-pin plugs, upholding one of the highest safety standards in healthcare facilities. These displays are designed to be versatile and adaptable for various spaces and applications. The HCF8000 is a sleek, 32” QLED model with a 29.9mm slim design suitable for hotels and hospitality settings. It offers users an immersive experience, drawing them in with its optimal picture performance and design.

▲ The HCF8000 is designed for both healthcare and hotel settings.

Both series include a Multi-Code Remote that minimizes potential interference from neighboring devices and Web RTC for enhanced virtual healthcare assistance. These displays also come equipped with LYNK Cloud,⁴ a comprehensive cloud solution allowing customizable content, remote device management and access to OTT (over-the-top) entertainment. LYNK Cloud also helps decision-makers uncover insights that enable the delivery of optimized content to better serve end-users’ interests. Managers can leverage this guestroom management solution to review what content guests engage with, which promotions are entered or exited and review OTT and TV content viewership — enabling the ultimate guestroom content experience.

▲ (from left) The HCF8000 and HCU7030

The HCU7030 will be available in the U.S. starting on August 25, while the HCF8000 will be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning Q4 2023.

For additional information about Samsung’s hospitality displays, visit www.samsung.com/business.

¹ Web RTC will be available in Q4 2023.
² Additional hardware required for video conferencing.
³ HCU7030 is available in 43, 50, 55, 65 and 75-inch models.
⁴ Samsung LYNK Cloud is available for purchase separately.

According to a recent report from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), there are an estimated 214 million gamers in the U.S. alone, with 75 percent of households having at least one person who plays. As a result, gaming has become a fun group activity during the pandemic, particularly for those looking to connect with others. In fact, more than six out of 10 players report that they regularly play with others either online or in person.

Gaming’s rise isn’t limited to the U.S., either. Facebook’s “Games Marketing Insights for 2021”¹ noted that last year, numbers of first-time gamers reached new highs in countries around the world with 8.6 million in the U.K., 6.5 million in Germany, and 9.4 million in South Korea. Those numbers further underscore gaming’s rise into a top leisure and entertainment activity.

Samsung TV owners are not an exception to this trend as they have also become avid gamers during the pandemic. According to Samsung’s internal research data,² the number of users in the U.S. who connected gaming devices to their QLED TV nearly doubled from 19.4 percent in March of 2020 to 35.3 percent in March of 2021. In Korea, that number nearly tripled from 11.4 percent to 27 percent during the same period.

Samsung’s 65-inch segment has been the most popular TV size for gaming, and premium models supporting high-end gaming experience, including 120Hz panel refresh rate, were more likely to be connected to the latest gaming consoles. This means that more gamers on consoles such as Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation (PS) are using premium TVs with enhanced gaming features to enjoy optimized gaming experience.

Against the backdrop of gaming’s incredible rise in popularity, Samsung optimized its 2021 TV lineup with gamers in mind. The company’s newest TVs come packed with top-of-the-line features that were designed to foster next-level gaming experiences.

For example, each of Samsung’s 2021 Neo QLED TVs includes support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro³– a technology that enables true HDR console and PC gaming. FreeSync Premium Pro adds to the HDR support, making bright scenes brighter and dark scenes darker to offer optimized contrast. HDR technology is often considered as one of the most important features among gamers. Taking things one step further, Neo QLED’s Motion Xcelerator Turbo+ technology supports ultra-smooth motion in 4K 120Hz, offering users the smoothest way to win.

Samsung’s 2021 Neo QLED TVs are also the first to receive Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker’s (VDE) Gaming TV Performance certification. Four 2021 Neo QLED models (the QN900, QN800, QN90 and QN85) received the certification for their excellent HDR performance, which includes a peak brightness of more than 1,000 nits, allowing for intricate details in both dark and bright scenes, as well as their low input lag with respond time of around 5ms in 4K @120Hz, offering one of the lowest input lags in the industry. Features like these are perfect for both first-time TV buyers and avid gamers alike, allowing users to catch each and every detail of gameplay.

The 2021 Neo QLED lineup’s one-of-a-kind gaming experience is bolstered by the addition of immersion-enhancing features like Super Ultrawide Gameview, along with the all-new Game Bar gaming interface. Super Ultrawide Gameview allows users to experience ultra-wide aspect ratios (both 21:9 and 32:9) that were previously offered only on gaming monitors. This provides gamers with a wider field of view and ensures that they never miss out on any of the action. The Game Bar in Game Mode, allowing players to easily adjust the screen’s aspect ratio, check input lag, connect wireless headsets, and more.

For more information about Samsung’s 2021 TVs and their gaming features, please visit www.samsung.com.

¹ Games Marketing Insights for 2021, Facebook Gaming (January 2021)

² Reflects internal data and findings from users who have opted in to Samsung’s Smart TV Terms and Conditions.

³ Some items excluded.

“While a pixel is just a single dot of color, when in millions, these dots can be transformed into stunning snapshots of life. With more pixels, images are sharper, with fuller details that can maintain their integrity even when enlarged. Samsung has been at the forefront of bringing the most pixels to mobile image sensors as well as various supporting technologies that take sensor performances to the next level,” said Duckhyun Chang, executive vice president of the sensor business at Samsung Electronics. “The ISOCELL HM3 is the culmination of Samsung’s latest sensor technologies that will help deliver premium mobile experiences to today’s smart-device users.”

The 1/1.33” ISOCELL HM3 with 0.8μm-sized pixels is a new addition to Samsung ISOCELL’s 108Mp product line-up.

For faster auto-focus, the HM3 integrates an improved Super PD Plus feature. Super PD Plus adds AF-optimized micro-lenses over the phase detection focusing agents, increasing measurement accuracy of the agents by 50-percent. The enhanced phase detection auto-focusing (PDAF) solution helps to keep moving subjects in sharp focus and delivers optimum results in dark environments.

In mixed light environments, such as at the end of a tunnel, the HM3 adopts Smart ISO Pro, a high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging technology which uses an intra-scene dual conversion gain (iDCG) solution. Smart ISO Pro simultaneously captures a frame in both high and low ISO, then merges them into a single image in 12-bit color depth and with reduced noise. As Smart ISO Pro does not require multiple exposure shots to create a standard HDR image, it can significantly reduce motion-artifacts. In addition, with a low-noise mode, it improves the light sensitivity by 50-percent to capture brighter and clearer results in low-light environments than its predecessor.

The HM3’s pixel layout is especially arranged in three-by-three single color structures suitable for nine-pixel binning. By merging nine neighboring pixels, the 108Mp HM3 mimics a 12Mp image sensor with large 2.4μm-pixels, heightening light sensitivity when taking photographs in low-light environments. With an improved binning hardware IP, the HM3 supports seamless transitions between 108Mp and 12Mp resolutions.

Designs of the new sensor have also been optimized to reduce energy usage under preview mode by 6.5-percent, offering added power efficiency to the overall mobile device.

Samsung ISOCELL HM3 is currently in mass production.

* Editor’s Note: Actual performance may vary depending on device and user environment.

* Samsung first announced its ISOCELL technology in 2013, which reduces color crosstalk between pixels by placing a physical barrier, allowing small-sized pixels to achieve higher color fidelity. Based on this technology, Samsung introduced the industry’s first 1.0um-pixel image sensor in 2015 and a 0.9-pixel sensor in 2017. Samsung continues to enhance its pixel isolation methods with ISOCELL Plus and the ISOCELL 2.0 technologies.

Samsung’s latest image sensor, the ISOCELL GN1, is a powerful 50-megapixel sensor with 1.2μm pixels. As Samsung’s first image sensor to feature both Tetrapixel* and Dual Pixel technologies, the ISOCELL GN1 has been designed to help users take near-professional grade quality images in any environment with ultra-fast autofocusing comparable to that of DSLR cameras.

The video below introduces how the ISOCELL GN1 takes smartphone photography to the next level with its rapid autofocus, high-resolution detailing, and vivid colors capture – even in low-light conditions.

Staying in Focus

The speed at which a camera can focus on its subject can hugely influence a user’s photo-taking experience. Whether the subject is a furry friend up close or a group shot of a family, fast autofocus can help ensure you never miss a precious moment. In order to provide users with an ultra-fast autofocus experience, the ISOCELL GN1 leverage Dual Pixel technology with 100 million phase detection focus units.

Each pixel on the ISOCELL GN1 consists of two photodiodes, which receive light rays from sides of the micro-lens on top of the pixel. The phase detection autofocus process then creates two ‘copies’ of the image from incoming light, one on each photodiode, which are assessed by the sensor just as human eyes work. The lens elements then adjust until the two images are identical, indicating that the object is in perfect focus in the camera’s view.

Phase detection autofocus is much faster than conventional contrast detection systems which analyze the contrast between edges and move the focus motor until this contrast is at its sharpest. However, the speed of the phase detection autofocus process is dependent on how may phase detection pixels the sensor contains. Many smartphone sensors only feature phase detection-enabled pixels at a capacity of 5-10% of the total pixels – but this is not the case for the ISOCELL GN1. With its Dual Pixel technology, the ISOCELL GN1 embeds two photodiodes in every single pixel, resulting in a faster, more accurate autofocus experience.

Bigger Pixels for Crystal Clear Photos

Pixels capture light and turn it into data. They come in a range of different sizes, which in turn will affect the resolution of an image sensor. Sensors with smaller allow for ultra-high-resolution images with tack-sharp details, while bigger pixels will receive more light and result in improved light sensitivity for shots taken in low-light conditions.

To allow manufactures and consumers a wider choice of pixel sizes – from big to microfine – Samsung has developed a variety of cutting-edge technologies to enhance both detailing and light sensitivity to match any need. The ISOCELL GN1 boasts 1.2μm pixels, almost twice as large as the 0.8μm small pixels featured on other high-resolution sensors, so that users can capture stunning, high-quality photos, even at nighttime.

The sensor also features ISOCELL Plus, Samsung’s innovative pixel isolation technology which uses a physical barrier to isolate pixels, allowing more light to be gathered by the micro-lens and then absorbed by the pixel’s photodiodes. The result is higher color fidelity and improved light sensitivity so users can enjoy bright, color-accurate images in every photo they take.

Higher Resolution for Finer Detailing

The ISOCELL GN1 delivers 50MP resolution at 8,160 pixels by 6,144 pixels thanks to its 1/1.31” sensor size as compared to the 1/2” sensor size 48MP resolution of conventional sensors with smaller 0.8μm pixels. Thanks to its Dual Pixel technology and software algorithms, photos taken with the ISOCELL GN1 can achieve comparable image resolutions of up to 100MP.

The ISOCELL GN1’s 50MP resolution means that the ISOCELL GN1 is able to capture fine details and gives users the power to crop their images without any dramatic loss in image quality. It also gives users the option of downsizing their images in post-processing to further reduce the amount of noise for even more stunning images.

High Quality Photos in Any Lighting Condition

Have you ever taken a photo at night only for it to turn out too dark and blurry or overly grainy? Shooting in low light presents the user with a number of technical hurdles, but thanks to the inclusion of Samsung’s Tetrapixel technology, the ISOCELL GN1 is capable of capturing crystal clear photos in any lighting condition.

Unlike conventional RGB sensors, where pixels with different color filters are arranged in a mosaic pattern, Samsung’s Tetrapixel sensors arrange pixels with the same color filter right next to each other in groups of four. When shooting in low-light conditions, the sensor can treat those groups of four pixels as one big pixel, meaning that more light is let into the sensor for images that are brighter and feature less noise. Given that the ISOCELL GN1 features larger pixels than other sensors, the addition of Tetrapixel provides an even greater image quality boost for shooting in low-light conditions, while in bright lighting conditions the sensor uses a re-mosaic algorithm to rearrange the pixels into a conventional RGB pattern for higher-resolution images.

Multiple Exposure Time for More Vivid Photos

In mixed lighting conditions, such as with a low-lit subject against a bright background, it can be difficult for photographers to get the right dynamic range so that both light and dark areas of the image get proper exposure. Conventional HDR technology used to solve this problem by taking multiple images and stacking them together in post-processing to get wider dynamic range in the final image. This same principle underlies the Real-time HDR of the ISOCELL GN1.

Rather than taking sequential photos and stacking them together, the ISOCELL GN1 leverages Tetrapixel technology to deliver better colors and improved detail in shadows, mid-tones, and highlights.

Each pixel in a group of four takes the picture at different exposure times: two pixels take medium exposures, one takes a long exposure, and one takes a short exposure. This allows the sensor to capture light from the scene in front of it with greater precision. The ISOCELL GN1 combines the information from these three exposure levels to produce an HDR image in a single shot in which the user is able to preview immediately.

Letting in Just the Right Amount of Light

Native ISO determines how sensitive an image sensor is to light and is determined by the conversion gain value. This value affects the full well capacity, or how much light the photodiodes can receive, and the noise level. Incorporating a fixed, native ISO into an image sensor limits its ability to adapt to changing light environments.

Traditional image sensors often came with a single, high native ISO. While this is helpful in reducing noise in low light environments, a smaller full well capacity makes these sensors less capable of showcasing highlight areas in bright environments.

The ISOCELL GN1 features an additional low native ISO able to accurately respond to bright environments, and its Smart-ISO technology selects the ideal conversion gain value for each lighting situation. The result is optimal dynamic range and reduced noise across all kinds of shooting conditions.

While shooting portraits at the beach on a sunny day, for example, it will choose the low native ISO to increase full well capacity and extending the dynamic range for bright sections of the scene. If the camera were using a high native ISO in these situations, the signal would be over-amplified, blowing out the bright sections and leaving little to no detail in those areas of the image.

Conversely, when taking selfies with friends at a late-night party, Smart-ISO technology will choose the higher native ISO to produce optimal brightness with less noise and capture more dynamic range in dark sections of the scene, bringing out every detail even in the shadowy areas of your image.

Pro-Grade Photography in the Palm of Your Hand

The ISOCELL GN1 packs a lot of technology into a small sensor. As Samsung’s first image sensor to feature both Dual Pixel and Tetrapixel technology, it equips your smartphone camera with the power to adapt to any environment so that you can capture great photos no matter what lighting condition you are in. With this versatility, you can enjoy a full suite of pro-grade photography tools right from your smartphone.

Please visit ISOCELL’s Twitter and Instagram to learn more.

* Technological term of “Tetrapixel” was updated in July 2022.

“We are proud to be one of the founding members of the 8K Association and to have our new lineup of QLED 8K TVs certified by the program,” said Hyogun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our goal is to provide consumers with the ability to easily identify premium 8K displays from other devices when making purchasing decisions. Home entertainment and TVs are important investments for many of our consumers, and we hope that the 8KA Certification Logo will help guide them.”

The 8KA Certification Program aims to distinguish televisions featuring four times as many pixels as the standard 4K televisions for clarity, contrast and color and high dynamic range (HDR) performance. Among the features tested include display resolution reaching 7680 x 4320, peak brightness greater than 600 nits, image transmission of HDMI2.1 and high efficiency video codec (HVEC).

Member companies like Samsung Electronics will be able to promote 8K certified TVs after they are validated by the 8KA. The 8KA also plans to increase educational programming efforts this year across many different industries in order to promote member participation, innovation and content development within the 8K ecosystem.

In addition to expansion across different industries, the 8KA plans to spread promotional activities for the 8K industry through demos, showcasing the advanced technological development of 8K-enabled products, production workflow, delivery options and display devices. The programs and initiatives will showcase how consumers can engage with 8K content, the ecosystem and its standards.

The 8KA anticipates further adoption of 8K content creation, distribution and home adoption, similar to the evolution of 4K standards adoption and consumer purchase cycle over the past several years. To-date, partner companies and organizations have all joined the 8K Association – further broadening the membership to more than 22 companies.

For more information on the 8K Association and Samsung QLED 8K TVs, please visit www.samsung.com.

About the 8K Association
The organization’s mission is to grow appreciation and awareness of 8K products which will provide an even higher level of entertainment which is paramount to large screen entertainment. Our activities include development performance and interface specifications, compliance logo programs, education and coordination with 8K ecosystem developers to help build the 8K market.

Renowned global consumer technology media outlets are heaping praise on the newly-released Samsung QLED 8K TV, the Q900R for its picture quality, design and its 8K AI upscaling technology.

Unveiled at IFA 2018, the Q900R QLED 8K has been well received by industry experts and insiders. With Real 8K Resolution features embedded with Samsung’s proprietary 8K AI Upscaling technology, the company is pushing the boundaries of TV technology for consumers around the world.

Trusted Reviews, a renowned technology news and reviews media website based in the United Kingdom, awarded the Q900R a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars noting that, “For a start, it’s the first ‘proper’ 8K TV. Secondly, it’s far and away the brightest TV ever released. Put these two innovations together, and you’ve got a set that can take you to picture quality places you’ve never been before.”

Pocket-Lint, a UK-based consumer technology news site, also praised the processor, noting that it is “capable of processing huge volumes of data that helps to further improve the TV’s performance,” and the QLED 8K TV delivered “the best HDR (High Dynamic Range) experience that [they]’ve seen in any TV to date.”

HD Guru, a US-based technology review website, gave the Q900R an overall score of 5 out of 5 stating, “Even with Standard Dynamic Range Full HD content, colors were exceptionally bright and vibrant, where they were intended to be. The Samsung QLED 8K TV delivered the brightest pictures [they]’ve ever tested along with deep and rich black levels that registered nearly perfect black and clearly visible deep shadow detail.”

Forbes Magazine also expressed enthusiasm stating, “Even with so little native 8K to go on, though, it was instantly and staggeringly clear that all those extra pixels have a stunning and mesmerizing impact on picture quality.”¹ Another renowned technology news outlet Digital Trends echoed the sentiment, “Right now, there’s no better 85-inch TV on the planet.”

AVS Forum, one of the biggest audio and video review forum, awarded the Q900R its coveted “Top Choice 2018” distinction saying, “If you can afford it, and you can fit it in your home, then there is no question that this-the Samsung Q900-is the AVS Forum Top Choice for 2018. It’s an amazing display by any measure, and of course it’s also first when it comes to 8K TVs you can actually buy.”

¹ From the Forbes Contributor Network and not necessarily the opinion of Forbes Media LLC. ©2018, Forbes Media LLC. Used with Permission

Samsung Electronics today received the official HDR10+ logo certification for its 2018 Premium UHD and QLED TVs being HDR (High Dynamic Range) 10+ compatible. HDR10+, a next-generation core technology for ultra-high picture quality TV, provides users with a premium HDR viewing experience and delivers pristine images as originally intended by creators while contributing to the creative activities of film studios and directors.

With HDR10+ technology which helps HDR TVs to optimize brightness levels on a scene-by-scene by incorporating dynamic metadata, Samsung TVs can produce brighter highlights and darker darks for additional depth and sense of realism on-screen. The HDR10+ certification program creates a foundation that provides viewers with an enhanced viewing experience while also developing a range of plans to extend the HDR10+ ecosystem.

“The introduction of the HDR10+ certification logo represents the groundwork that we are setting for the ultra-high picture quality TV market,” said Doochan Eum, Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “By making use of our leading technology and expertise, we will continue to extend our valuable partnerships while maintaining our commitment to providing consumers with best HDR content possible.”

Among Samsung’s notable HDR10+ partnerships, TP Vision, which oversees Philips TV development, manufacturing and marketing, will introduce HDR10+ to its entire lineup of 4K TVs next year, and V-Silicon (formerly Sigma Designs) will show a demo of HDR10+ in its private booth at IFA 2018.

Film production company Warner Bros. will also start creating HDR10+-compatible contents, which will be available for home distribution later this year. In addition to that, Samsung partnered with Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation to standardize the HDR10+ licensing process, in order to make it easier for content creators to realize its technology, get closer to filmmaker’s creative intent and improve the viewing experience for all audiences. Twentieth Century Fox is currently exploring several titles for release and plans to announce their availability in the coming weeks.

In Europe, a popular VoD provider, Rakuten TV, is seeking to partner with Samsung Electronics to provide HDR10+ premium entertainment to European consumers. “At Rakuten TV, we have the mission to deliver the best cinema experience at home,” said Sidharth Jayant, Global Product Director at Rakuten TV. “Samsung is our premium partner in this regard, and our upcoming collaboration on HDR10+ reinforces our commitment to be the VoD reference platform for Smart TVs. With dynamic metadata added to the HDR signal, combined with the widest 4K HDR catalog of new releases that we currently provide to European Smart TV owners, we are confident Rakuten TV will deliver an unforgettable cinema experience at home.”

For more information on HDR10+, please visit www.hdr10plus.org.

Samsung’s QLED TVs recently became the first TVs to be certified burn-in free by video, an acclaimed German tech magazine.

The magazine’s comprehensive evaluation assessed vulnerability to burn-in and afterglow, which can permanently impair picture quality. The results of the test proved that Samsung’s TVs were as free of both, and demonstrated what makes QLED TVs some of the most durable displays on the market today.

The Details

‘Burn-in’ refers to the phenomenon in which static images (such as channel logos, or the health bar in a console game), displayed for an extended period of time, leave a permanent outline on a screen.

Examples of burn-in on conventional TVs

Conducted in conjunction with connect Testlab, a world-renowned testing lab, the 72-hour stress test evaluates a TV’s ability to stand up to the exacting levels of performance that we require in TVs today, focusing specifically on the portrayal of HDR (high-dynamic-range) video.

With some display technologies, memory effects will already keep glowing after one minute of TV use if static picture elements are shown on their screen in high luminosities. In the test, the TVs were therefore made to display a checkerboard pattern for deep black and very bright white values for longer periods of time. The test engineers added variable text elements and an intermittently blinking white frame to the test picture so that the automatic stills detection customary for modern HDR TVs could not spring into action. This helped the testers create similar conditions as in HDR games. In addition to the standard analysis the testers used dark gray images with brightness values of 10 nits– which will show if dark pixels are brightened up. The findings indicate that QLED TVs are unaffected by burn-in and afterglow, and that fixed images may be displayed on them without risk, regardless of duration.

Why Burn-in Matters

Assessing a TV’s susceptibility to burn-in is key to determining how long it will last – and ultimately whether it’s worth your money. Although all screens get dimmer with age, burn-in’s adverse effect on picture quality can significantly shorten a TV’s lifespan.

On average, based on typical use, consumers should expect their TV’s picture quality to remain roughly the same for anywhere from seven to ten years. What’s interesting to note is that the definition of that term – ‘typical use’ – has expanded in recent years with the rise of binge-watching video and the development of exciting ‘smart TV’ functionalities. Now, on a typical day, we may switch on the TV to watch the latest episode of a favorite show, start a gaming session with friends, or manage our home’s IoT appliances.

Speaking of enjoying dynamic content, these days, so many of our favorite shows and games feature HDR support, which means video that’s brighter and more immersive than ordinary content. As time goes by, however, HDR content can wear down a TV – accelerating burn-in and reducing its lifespan.

In addition, as illustrated by innovative functions like Ambient Mode, which allows QLED TVs to display beautiful, aesthetic-enhancing images when switched off, Samsung is constantly exploring ways to help people get more use out of their TV. Each new function results in TVs being utilized for longer periods of time, which makes durability issues like burn-in more important than ever.

How QLED TVs Deliver

The source of QLED TVs’ durability lies in Samsung’s use of inorganic Quantum dots. Unlike display technologies based on organic materials, Quantum dots do not degrade over time. This allows QLED TVs to offer exceptional picture quality that not only lasts much longer than other displays, but is guaranteed to be burn-in free.

The experts at video are not the first to put Samsung’s guarantee to the test. In fact, industry-trusted TV review site Rtings.com recently conducted a stringent series of tests that measured image retention in dozens of TVs from the market’s leading brands. The pivotal portion of the tests, which reflected typical use conditions, placed colorful logos on the TVs for 10 minutes and measured how many minutes, if any, it took for the imprinted images to disappear.

Samsung’s QLED TV passed with flying colors, earning a perfect score for image quality and lack of burn-in. When subjected to the same tests, however, other displays fared far less well – succumbing to burn-in, and in doing so, further confirming QLED TV’s industry-leading durability.

What it means for Samsung

Rtings’ assessment and video’s certifications are products of Samsung’s steadfast commitment to offering consumers the very best in terms of picture quality.

As Doochan Eum, Samsung Electronics’ Vice President of Visual Display Business, explains, “Consumers simply don’t want to put up with a display that’s not built to handle how we use our TVs today. Quantum dots’ longevity and ability to express 100 percent color volume allow QLED TVs to provide a level of picture quality that will remain consistent and captivating for many years to come.”

Samsung QLED TVs are certified as the burn-in free TVs by video, an acclaimed German tech magazine. Conducted in conjunction with the connect Testlab, a global testing lab, all 2018 Samsung QLED TV series were proved free of burn-in and afterglow reaffirming QLED TVs’ position as one of the most durable displays on the market today.

The requirements for TV displays are made ever more demanding by technologies such as High Dynamic Range (HDR). The risk of putative burn-in is of particular concern to TV customers in the premium segment. To see if displays stand up to the exacting performance requirements, the TV experts from video and connect Testlab carried out certification test based on the Information Display Measurements Standard (IDMS), an international norm for panel measurements, and concentrated on QLED TV’s HDR content display quality.

Samsung’s QLED TVs passed the stress test and received the certificate for ꞌno burn-inꞌ and ꞌno afterglowꞌ¹. In a 72-hour endurance test, the testers performed measurements on Samsung QLED TVs to check their putative burn-in effects, which may be caused by static picture elements. These effects, also referred to as ꞌmemory effectꞌ, ꞌghostingꞌ, ꞌimage retentionꞌ, ꞌsticky imageꞌ or imprecisely as ꞌburn-inꞌ, tangibly impair the picture quality of a television.

In the case of some display technologies, memory effects will start glowing after one minute of TV use if static picture elements are shown on their screen in high luminosities. In the test, the TVs were therefore made to display a checkerboard pattern for deep black and very bright white values for longer periods of time. The test engineers added variable text elements and an intermittently blinking white frame to the test picture so that the automatic stills detection customary for modern HDR TVs could not spring into action. This helped the testers create similar conditions as in HDR games. In addition to the standard analysis, the testers used dark gray images with brightness values of 10 nits– which will show if dark pixels are brightened up.

The measurements showed that the tested Samsung QLED TVs remained unaffected by the rigorous tests. The TV can thus theoretically be left on permanently without picture elements like network logos leaving an afterglow or burning in.

Taking into account that the quality of a TV screen is strongly impaired by afterglow and burn-in – especially after emitting HDR quality pictures with extreme brightness values – Samsung QLED TV is a product of choice among many other modern TVs for those planning to invest in a high-end TV. It guarantees powerful visual capabilities without potential memory effects or permanent damage.

“Anyone who is particularly sensitive to ghost images and unwilling to run any risks over many years of use will be on the safe side with LCD or QLED, respectively,”² conclude the test experts.

¹ All test criteria can be viewed at https://www.connect-testlab.com/.

² “Technik Extrem – Hilfe, es brennt (ein)”, video, issue 8/18, p. 58. All quotes are taken from this article.

Abhijeet Solat, Samsung Display’s technical sales manager, presented the 8K market trends at QLED & Advanced Display Summit, held in Los Angeles on June 27, 2018.

“Samsung has built a reputation for its history of innovation and groundbreaking developments in the TV industry,” said Jongsuk Chu, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We’re committed to maintaining that trend by bringing advancements of 8K and MicroLED technology to the consumers and continuing our investment in enhancing the viewing experience.”

The QLED & Advanced Displays Summit was co-hosted by Samsung and Insight Media, an advanced display consultant focusing on the display industry. During the event, Samsung demonstrated enhancements ranging from HDR10+ mastering workflows to Automatic Color Calibration and no burn-in on its 2018 QLED TVs, showcasing its leadership in the TV display industry.

Participants, including industry experts and influencers attended to experience live demonstrations and spark dialogue about the current state and challenges of TV technologies. Above all, the QLED TV demos highlighted Samsung’s efforts in pioneering HDR capability by applying next-generation enhancements for the benefit of consumers.

The event featured a number of prominent experts in the display industry – ranging from academia experts in the MicroLED technology sector and consultants specializing in HDR cinema integration to renowned professionals in display and mastering tool industry. Speakers and influencers from the following organizations also attended to discuss TV technology-related topics that included:

• 8K Ecosystem: Insight Media, Panavision, Samsung Display Company, and Display Supply Chain Consultants
• Quantum Dots: Palomaki Consulting, Nanosys, Nanoco, and Samsung Advanced Research Institute
• Display and Mastering Tools: FF Pictures, Samsung Research America, Portrait Displays, and ColorFront
• HDR Cinema: Samsung Research America, LightView, and MKPE Consulting
• MicroLEDs: Fuzhou University, Samsung Electronics, Tesoro Scientific, PlayNitride, Sungkyunkwan University, JBD, Lumiode, and N-Tech Research

Martin Fishman, CEO of SpectraCal, described the Automatic Color Calibration program (left) and Florian Friedrich of FF Pictures explained the HDR10+ mastering workflows (right) at the demonstration of the summit.

For more information about Samsung’s QLED TVs and the QLED & Advanced Display Summit, including speakers and sessions, please visit: www.displaysummit.com/2018-qled-and-advanced-display-summit-at-hollywood.

About Insight Media

Insight Media is a technology consultancy focused on emerging technology in the ProAV, cinema, broadcast, consumer electronics and display industries. The company authors white papers and articles on these topics, provide technology and market assessment services and hosts events to discuss key technology trends in these market segments.

At the 2018 Electronic Entertainment Expo (‘E3’) in LA this June, Samsung QLED TVs were exhibited as part of Microsoft’s Xbox booth. The 75-inch QLED TV screens caught the attention of keen gamers, with a long queue forming in order to enter the showroom. Players enjoyed an unparalleled 4K HDR gaming experience, featuring stunning graphics and quick response times, with the QLED.

Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs have evolved to merit the title of the ‘monster’ of the gaming industry. They offer gamers a low input lag of no more than 15ms (0.015 seconds), a rich viewing experience achieved by 100% color volume and High Dynamic Range (HDR) 2000, and Radeon FreeSync for the seamless playing of even the most demanding games.

Fighting Input Lag in FPS Games

Input lag can be a critical issue for those players who want to enjoy fast-paced games like first-person shooters (FPS) or fighting games. Input lag, or input latency, is the delay between the TV or monitor receiving a signal and it being displayed on the screen, or the delay between pressing a controller button and seeing the game react. It is important in gaming because even a 0.01 second reaction difference can determine the difference between a winning and losing move in an FPS game.

Samsung’s QLED TVs have input lag reduced to 15ms (1ms = 0.001 seconds), faster than conventional TVs which have a 20-30ms lag on average. Gamers can fully immerse themselves in games on their QLED TVs with minimal lag. QLED TV’s Auto Game Mode also changes features including response speed for game optimization. When users start a game on a console such as Xbox, the TV automatically recognizes the game and sets the correct game-related settings.

Optimized Picture Quality for Immersive Gaming

Today’s games are characterized by feature film-quality storylines, cinematography and graphics. Game characters and avatars are becoming more and more lifelike, as are the landscapes around them, often offered in full 360-degree rotation to the player for the most immersive experience possible.

In order to deliver this virtual realism to gamers, game platforms feature the latest in color, contrast and imaging technology, as well as 144Hz refresh rates for high frame-rate gaming. Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs are the first in the TV industry to use Radeon FreeSync in collaboration with global graphics card maker AMD. Radeon FreeSync puts an end to choppy gameplay and broken frames, bringing smooth gaming and the fluidity of gaming monitors to the big screen.

With the Samsung QLED TV, gamers can experience the cutting-edge display performance they are used to. The QLED TVs feature HDR10+ for crisp and detailed images, as well as 100% color volume for greater image depth in both the day and nighttime, at any brightness level. Samsung’s Anti-reflection technology is another bonus for reducing eye strain and optimizing gameplay.

Enjoy Over 15,000 PC games with Steam on TVs

As well as their favorite console games, users can also play Steam games on their QLED TV. Steam is an online game platform with over 120 million users globally.

In order for QLED users to enjoy the full offering of the Steam platform, all they need to do is head to the Samsung Smart Hub and download the free Steam Link app. No supplementary hardware is necessary for users to be able to access the 15,000+ games offered by Steam on the large-inch QLED screen.

In addition, gamers don’t need to bother with changing the settings on their QLED TV in order to access their favorite console games. Just turn on Auto Game Mode and start your console.

No Screen Burn-In, Guaranteed

TV screens suffer from performance decline over time, with static images and fixed interfaces leading to image retention and consequently the burn-in issue. With Samsung QLED TVs, however, you no longer need to worry about burn-in.

Rtings, an industry-trusted US TV Reviewer, ran a test for permanent image retention. Different kinds of TVs were kept on for 10 minutes, running a test pattern in a loop. The 2017 QLED TV scored 10/10 for image quality and lack of burn-in, while some screens achieved a mere 5/10.

The durability of the QLED TV screen is due to groundbreaking Quantum Dot technology. Quantum dots are made of inorganic materials, which translates to longer-lasting displays that do not develop the burn-in issue. Displaying the same image or scene for long periods of time will not leave unpleasant ghost images on your QLED TV, enhancing the gaming experience.

“Today’s TVs are like all-round players. More and more, people are enjoying everything on TV such as games, the internet, or smart functions provided by IoT,” said Jongsuk Chu, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “The huge-screen QLED TV with best performance and durability will take the gaming experience to the next level.”

No matter how big the TV screen is, if it doesn’t have the necessary picture quality, users won’t be able to realize the power of the screen. That’s why large-sized TV has inevitably led to the increase in demand for Ultra High Definition (UHD). UHD is a 4K (3,840X2,160) picture quality, which is applied to TVs that measure over 65 inches. The technology is about to take yet another step up as 8K (7,680X4,320) TVs are ready to be commercialized.

But this is an era whereby even the number of pixels isn’t enough in isolation. To produce the best picture quality possible, it’s also important to consider the environment this content will be viewed in and the quality of the original content itself. The paradigm is shifting and it’s vital that all considerations are taken into account to produce an experience that everyone will enjoy.

UHD TV Beyond FHD TV

Worldwide UHD TV sales surpassed FHD (Full High Definition) TV for the first time last year, according to market researcher IHS Markit. It is expected to ship more than 100 million units this year, which is about 45% of the total TV market. In 2022, the proportion of UHD TV is expected to reach 60%.

Samsung UHD TV sales volume is also on the rise. Sales of Samsung UHD TVs in the fourth quarter of last year already exceeded 50% of the total Samsung TV units sold globally. In the first quarter of this year, Samsung UHD TV sales also increased by more than 35% compared to the same period last year.

What is the Standard for Ultra-High-Definition?

In the ultra-high-definition TV market era, standards for judging picture quality are further developing. For example, is a TV able to reproduce colors with real-life brightness, particularly when the normal TV viewing environment is brighter than many would expect? According to the DOE survey, consumers in the U.S. and Europe usually watch TV in a bright environment with an average home illuminance level of 79 lux. Can a TV react and provide an accurate picture in these, and other common viewing use cases?

Experts advise consumers to look beyond the high resolution to see the different factors that cause the difference in brightness, contrast, and content when consumers watch TV. The way consumers view TV and the way experts gauge a TV’s ability to deliver is much more sophisticated than it ever has been. The TV needs to be more versatile because it’s used to do more things. That means Samsung has to be stringent to make sure its QLED products perform not just according to the specifications but also according to real life usage.

Blacks and Colors Transformed

A new criterion for picture quality is color volume, which can measure minute color changes, three-dimensionally, according to varying degrees of brightness. Recently, Verband Deutscher Electrotechnischer (VDE), a well-regarded certification institution in Germany established in 1893, certified QLED TV for 100% color volume for two consecutive years, which is the world’s first and only time a TV has received such a distinction.

QLED TV, based on the metal quantum dot technology, can accurately represent detailed colors that can be hidden from dark or bright images. Brightness can be expressed up to 2,000 knits, which is 3 to 4 times that of conventional TVs, giving a more vivid look to scenes such as sunlight reflecting texture and white snowy landscapes.

Indeed, this year’s Samsung QLED TVs achieves the highest level of contrast ratio by improving the quality of blacks on-screen while maintaining brightness. To create an even more stunning contrast ratio, the TVs feature new Direct Full Array technology, which puts backlit LEDs behind the panel for precise brightness control. By making the LED blocks more than ten times the number of conventional TVs, the light can be adjusted individually to create a subtler difference in black colors. Moreover, it applies the black algorithm that perceives and precisely adjusts black colors, successfully delivering the original detail even in particularly dark scenes.

When watching a dark scene in a bright environment, the reflection of objects around the screen can cause discomfort. QLED TV solved this problem by using Anti-reflection technology. Even under daylight or bright lighting, an anti-reflective screen dramatically reduces glare, allowing one to be more immersed in images regardless of the surroundings.

Along with this, Samsung is also working to expand the ecosystem to upgrade HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology, which is an integral function of ultra-definition TV. Since last year, Samsung has been developing HDR10+, which is one step more advanced than HDR10, a standard for realizing HDR video. HDR10+ is a technology that shows optimal contrast ratio for each scene through ‘Dynamic Tone Mapping’ technique which applies different contrast to each scene. The company is expanding its HDR10+ content in cooperation with global companies such as Amazon, 20^th Century Fox, Panasonic and Warner Bros.

AI Upscaling the Content

High quality content is as important as the ultra-high definition TV specification.

Many of the most recognizable names in video content such as Netflix, YouTube and various cable companies already provide UHD content. However, due to the burden of production cost, consumers are not able to enjoy 4K UHD broadcasting content on TV unrestrictedly yet.

The problem here is that if low-quality content is shown on a big screen, the pixels are usually enlarged artificially, causing the picture to shake or lose clarity. Samsung Electronics has solved this problem by installing the ‘4K Q Engine’ based on semiconductor technology on its QLED TV.

‘4K Q Engine’ is a technology that upgrades SD (400,000 pixels) and FHD (2 million pixels) class image to 4K (8 million pixels) class. Based on artificial intelligence, it applies a 5-step algorithm (Image Signal Analysis ▷ Noise Reduction ▷ Improved 1st Detail ▷ 4K Upscaling ▷ Improved 2nd Detail) to improve image quality and express hidden details. In actual comparison, in the FHD image, the part where the light in the night view of the city is clearly separated by the ‘4K Q Engine’.

What’s more, 8K AI Technology will be introduced in the latter half of the year and will offer an even better picture and sound expression.

QLED TV’s dramatically improved picture quality this year has been widely praised by many media outlets including Tech Radar, What Hi-Fi, and AVS Forum. Trusted Reviews gave Samsung’s QLED the Highly Recommended mark and said: “The Samsung QE65Q9FN is the most impressive TV I’ve reviewed in years. It effectively combines the strong brightness and colour of Quantum Dot LED (QLED) with the deep blacks and almost the lighting precision of OLED. That’s a huge deal in a world where you generally choose one or the other.”

“As TVs gradually get larger in size and the competition for premium picture quality becomes fiercer, detailed and subtle image rendering performance is growing in importance,” said Doochan Eum, Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “With Samsung QLED TV’s enhanced brightness, contrast, content, we are continuing to provide consumers with a superb immersive viewing experience.”

Now, with increasing interest in the technology from movie experts and enthusiasts, Samsung has announced the launch of Samsung Onyx Cinema LED, a comprehensive cinema screen and sound solution for movie theaters.

Inspired by the gemstone of the same name, the Samsung Onyx brand is an allusion to the Cinema LED screen’s true black colors, offering the audience a detail-rich and vivid cinema experience.  Samsung Onyx invites movie-goers to experience a next-level viewing environment with the comprehensive solutions, Onyx VIEW, Onyx 3D and Onyx SOUND. As Samsung Onyx is unaffected by ambient light, Onyx VIEW upholds consistent and distortion-free picture quality that keeps audiences engaged and furthers realism. Featuring high brightness and picture quality, Onyx 3D takes realism to the screen and offers an immersive 3D experience. With support from JBL by Harman Professional’s sculpted surround sound system, Onyx SOUND expands the audio sweet spot within a given theater. When combined with Samsung’s proprietary technology, the result is sound optimized and perfectly-tuned to fit LED screen.

Check out the infographic below for more details on the industry-first cinematic experience.

Just one year after offering CinemaCon attendees a first look at its initial Cinema LED screen, Samsung Electronics will officially launch its new Onyx brand at this year’s event. All venues featuring Samsung’s enhanced screen will operate under the “Samsung Onyx Theater” name moving forward.

Inspired by the gemstone of the same name, the Samsung Onyx brand alludes to the display’s ability to showcase cinema content with true, deep and realistic black colors. Combining an infinite contrast ratio and specialized low-tone grayscale settings, this pinpoint representation produces brighter and more detail-rich content.

“By aligning brilliant, uniform color presentation with LED picture quality and crystal-clear audio, the Samsung Onyx screen invites movie enthusiasts into the most immersive and memorable viewing arena available and repositions the theater as an entertainment haven,” said Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are thrilled to deliver a new and exciting theater experience to operators, managers and consumers around the world, and we look forward to working further with leading decision-makers in the movie industry to usher in the next generation of cinema.”

The Next Generation of Cinema

Available in variations extending between 5 and 10.3 meters (16.4-33.8 ft.) in width, the Samsung Onyx display accommodates any venue configuration while delivering visual quality, technical performance and reliability beyond that of traditional projector-based operations. With the 4K model earning validation as the world’s first Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI)-certified theater display, the Samsung Onyx translates the combination of advanced LED and High Dynamic Range (HDR) picture quality to lifelike big screen content.

CinemaCon 2018 attendees also will be among the first to experience the Samsung Onyx’s powerful multi-sensory viewing environment. Each Samsung Onyx screen features state-of-the-art surround sound from HARMAN International, bringing scenes to life through clear and consistent audio. This integration eliminates rearward bias by expanding the audio “sweet spot” within Onyx theaters, and ensures that all attendees can enjoy the same presentation regardless of seat location.

Samsung will also preview the Onyx’s ready-made sequel at CinemaCon 2018. The 3D Onyx Cinema LED screen makes 3D movie content more realistic through enhanced brightness and consistent color amplification. Glass-wearing viewers can now enjoy subtitle text, images and even minor visual details with unprecedented clarity, and without the dark, blurry shadowing and potential dizziness that can occur in traditional 3D movie theaters.

Expanding Presence through Worldwide Partnerships

The Onyx’s debut at CinemaCon 2018 comes as Samsung continues to expand its presence among global cinema operators and audiences. Last week, Samsung and partner Moving Image Tech (MIT) opened the first U.S. Onyx theater at Hollywood’s Pacific Theatres Winnetka w/XD. Samsung also recently announced partnerships with Golden Screen Cinemas – the largest cinema company in Malaysia, with 35 venues and 328 screens throughout the nation – and Cineplexx Cinemas – the largest cinema company in Austria, with 171 screens nationwide – to bring the Onyx screen to movie-goers in each country. The first locally revamped Samsung Onyx theaters are expected to open in Kuala Lumpur and Vienna, respectively, later this year.

“As the heart of the American film industry, Hollywood is an appropriate and symbolic location to introduce a game-changing technology in the Samsung Onyx for movie producers and consumers,” said Ron Gazzola, SVP, Sales and Marketing, IT B2B Division at Samsung Electronics America. “We are excited to revolutionize the cinema experience, and look forward to sharing the Samsung Onyx with even wider audiences both in the U.S. and throughout the world.”

As more theaters upgrade to the Onyx screen, Samsung is working with cinema content developers to ensure that the display can optimize upcoming films. Samsung will collaborate with leading cinema technology services provider Ymagis Group and its Eclair content development business unit to deliver EclairColor^® HDR-compliant pictures that shine on the Onyx screen. CinemaCon 2018 attendees will get a sneak peek at the benefits of this alliance, as Samsung will unveil EclairColor-enhanced visuals on its next-generation display. Samsung additionally has forged a partnership with Hollywood-based post-production company Roundabout to develop specialized Onyx-ready HDR content.

“Today’s movies feature the most sophisticated production and advanced graphics ever, and producers and directors need powerful theater technology to showcase their works as intended and at optimal quality,” said Jean Mizrahi, president and co-founder of Ymagis Group. “We anticipate dynamic and powerful cinema displays like the Onyx becoming the accepted industry standard in the coming years, and we are honored to partner with Samsung to drive change throughout the industry and ultimately improve the content experience for cinema-goers everywhere.”

At CinemaCon, Samsung will additionally highlight its partnerships with production equipment businesses, such as the new research and development initiative performed in conjunction with Arnold & Richter Cine Technik (ARRI), a Munich-based designer and manufacturer of specialized motion picture camera and lighting systems, to create Onyx-optimized content. Samsung is also collaborating with GDC Technology, a leading global provider of end-to-end digital cinema solutions, to develop Onyx-compatible cinema servers.

Taking place April 23-26, 2018 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, CinemaCon is the official convention of the National Association of Theater Owners with participants from more than 80 countries expected to attend.

For more information about Samsung Onyx, visit: https://displaysolutions.samsung.com/led-signage/onyx.

With today’s introduction of the world’s first 3D Cinema LED screen at Arena Cinemas’ Sihlcity theater in Switzerland, Samsung Electronics continues its efforts to make traditional, projection-based cinema technology a thing of the past.

Designed and installed with the help of Imaculix AG, the 3D-ready variation of Samsung’s Cinema LED screen maintains consistent brightness for immaculate delivery of subtitle text, images and minor visual details for viewers wearing 3D glasses. Unlike standard 3D cinemas, the Samsung Cinema LED screen provides consistent picture quality across an entire theater, ensuring a uniform, immersive viewing experience for viewers in every seat.

“Samsung is thrilled to be able to debut the world’s first 3D Cinema LED screen in Switzerland,” said Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We hope that more movie-goers can experience the Cinema LED screen firsthand as we look to partner with more theaters around the world.”

As the industry’s first Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI)-certified High Dynamic Range theater display, the Samsung Cinema LED screen invites Swiss consumers into a next-generation viewing experience. Stretching nearly 10.3m (33.8ft) wide and 5.4m (17.7ft) in height, and featuring nearly 9 million pixels, Samsung’s Cinema LED screen delivers exceptional visual quality, technical performance and reliability.

The Samsung Cinema LED display amplifies on-screen content through HDR picture quality. All visuals shine through ultra-sharp 4K resolution (4,096 x 2,160) and peak brightness levels nearly 10 times greater (146fL) than the common cinema standard (14fL). The resulting high contrast showcases bright colors, pristine whites and deep blacks, making it perfect for both 2D and 3D movies. Paired with state-of-the-art audio technologies from HARMAN International’s JBL Professional brand, it is a truly immersive experience.

“Zurich is one of Europe’s burgeoning hubs for the film industry, and an optimal location to introduce a pioneering technology like the Cinema LED screen to the region,” said Eduard Stöckli, owner of Arena Cinemas. “The display’s streamlined design also allows our Sihlcity theater to remove its projector closet, making room for additional seats and allowing us to deliver a more complete, comfortable and innovative setting for our guests.”

First introduced in July 2017, Samsung’s Cinema LED screen has been successfully installed in theaters in Seoul and Busan, Korea and Shanghai, China. The Arena Cinemas partnership marks the first implementation of Samsung’s Cinema LED display in Europe and is the world’s first 3D Cinema LED screen.

“Samsung’s ISOCELL image sensors have made great leaps over the generations, with technologies such as ISOCELL for high color fidelity and Dual Pixel for ultra-fast autofocusing, bringing the smartphone camera ever closer to DSLR-grade photography,” said Ben K. Hur, vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics. “With an added DRAM layer, Samsung’s new 3-stack ISOCELL Fast 2L3 will enable users to create more unique and mesmerizing content.”

Conventional image sensors are constructed with two silicon layers; a pixel array layer that converts light information into an electric signal, and an analog logic layer that processes the electric signal into digital code. The digital code is then sent via MIPI interface to the device’s mobile processor for further image tuning before being saved to the device’s DRAM. While all these steps are done instantaneously to implement features like zero-shutter lag, capturing smooth super-slow-motion video requires image readouts at a much higher rate.

Delivering an advanced solution, the Samsung ISOCELL Fast 2L3 is a high speed 3-stack CMOS image sensor designed with the company’s two-gigabit (Gb) LPDDR4 DRAM attached below the analog logic layer. With the integration, the image sensor can temporarily store a larger number of frames taken in high speed quickly onto the sensor’s DRAM layer before sending frames out to the mobile processor and then to the device’s DRAM. This not only allows the sensor to capture a full-frame snapshot at 1/120 of a second but also to record super-slow motion video at up to 960 frames per second (fps). With 960fps recording, which is 32 times the typical filming speed (30fps), recording moments such as a child hitting his or her first game-winning homerun, a baby taking his or her first step, or a friend doing a gazelle flip on a skateboard becomes much more dramatic.

In addition to super slow motion video, fast readout can hugely enhance the photography experience. Since the sensor captures an image at very high speeds, it significantly reduces the ‘jello-effect,’ or image distortion, when taking a picture of fast-moving objects, for example helicopter rotor blades. By storing multiple frames in the split of a second, the sensor can support 3-Dimensional Noise Reduction (3DNR) for clearer pictures when shooting in low-light, as well as real time high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging, and detect even the slightest hint of movement for automatic instant slow-motion recording.

The image sensor is also equipped with Dual Pixel technology, which allows each and every one of the 12-million pixels of the image sensor to employ two photodiodes that respectively work as a phase detection auto-focus (PDAF) agent. With ultra-fast auto-focus in any lighting condition, it will be harder to miss capturing important moments before they pass by.

The Samsung ISOCELL Fast 2L3 is currently in mass production.

Samsung Cinema LED Screen has been acclaimed for overcoming the limitations of existing film projectors in theaters. Viewers have praised the screen for making them feel as if they are watching a 3D film, with its crystal-clear 4K (4,096 x 2,160) resolution picture quality, infinite ‘true black’ HDR, and non-distorted visual imagery.

In less than a year, Samsung turned the viewers’ ‘feeling’ of watching a 3D film into a reality. The true 3D technology was incorporated into the Cinema LED Screen, which gives the ultimate 3- dimensional experience by utilizing the brightness and quality of Cinema LED as it is. Samsung Newsroom met with Dongsoo Koo, from Samsung Visual Display Division’s Enterprise Product Planning Group, who participated in the whole process of bringing the 3D Cinema LED into the world.

Dongsoo Koo, from Samsung’s Enterprise Product Planning Group

Long History of 3D Films that Began from the ‘Binocular Disparity’

“It is the movie ‘Avatar,’ the box office hit of 2009, that usually comes into people’s minds when thinking of 3D movies. However, 3D technology already existed in the 1890s. In fact, it was in 1832 when the physicist Charles Wheatstone first discovered the principle of 3D, which makes it a more than 180-year-old technology. During the 1950s, about 40 3D films were produced in Hollywood.”

The principle of a 3D video is quite simple. There’s a gap between our two eyes, the 65mm disparity between the right and left eye. This ‘binocular disparity’ adds three-dimensional sense to the visual information that our eyes receive. The mechanism of a 3D video is essentially the same. 3D cameras are mounted with two different lenses. For the visual information taken with the two lenses of a 3D camera to be delivered to our two eyes, there should be two screens, too. But since only one screen can be installed, we need a technology to realize 3D video on that screen. Halving the scanline¹ to deliver the video to our two eyes respectively can be one way or making the two videos intersect with each other at an extremely high speed can be another.

To get a three-dimensional sense, you need separate visuals for each of the left and right eyes and realize the two scenes on a single screen.

Catching Both Birds: Brightness and Resolution

Likewise, there are various ways of realizing 3D on a screen. However, the number one priority in 3D Cinema LED development was that no matter which method is adopted, the best level resolution of Cinema LED Screen should be maintained. This was what kept Samsung up at night.

“The existing 3D cinemas had to compromise between brightness and resolution. The screen is dark as if the viewers are wearing sunglasses in the theater. The brightness is already halved, and with the 3D glasses that audience must wear, it becomes a one-third level compared to other 2D films. The resolution is halved too. It is inevitable as the videos for the left and right eye are overlapped and reflected.”

The evident limitation for existing 3D theater clearly revealed the path for 3D Cinema LED. “The brighter the visual information is, the more our eyes receive the three-dimensional impression. Therefore, we had to develop a new product that delivers the same brightness of Cinema LED, even while wearing the 3D glasses. We also could not sacrifice the resolution. It’s clear that lower resolution equals a lower sense of reality.”

It was not an easy goal. But Samsung’s know-how on 3D TV and the knowledge of Cinema LED created the synergy for the company to overcome the limitation on brightness and resolution of the existing 3D movie theaters’. 3D Cinema LED’s full and precise color refuses comparison any premium movie theaters.

Less Dizziness in 3D Film Experience

3D technology makes movies to be more immersive, but it can also cause inconveniences such as dizziness and headaches. The 3D Cinema LED screen has significantly improved dizziness that specifically involves 3D.

There are two reasons for the dizziness. The dizziness from the content itself occurs due to the mismatch between the reality and what our brain recognizes. That is, our body is sitting still but our brain thinks the body is moving. In addition, when we stare at a certain screen for more than two hours in a dark room, it is natural to develop a headache.

However, Koo proudly told that 3D Cinema LED has no degrading of brightness and improves the display-related dizziness by eliminating many of the triggering factors except those coming from the content itself. Therefore, the viewers experience less dizziness. “The left video should be seen only by the left eye and the right video only by the right eye. But there are moments when our eyes receive overlapped imagery. This is called ‘crosstalk,’ and the repetition of crosswalk causes the dizziness and headache. Fortunately, our developers came up with an algorithm for 3D Cinema LED to completely get rid of any crosstalk from happening, therefore dealing with the dizziness and headache issues.”

Mr. Koo (right) from Enterprise Product Planning Group and Sandy Kim (left) of Enterprise Marketing Group are introducing the advantages of 3D Cinema LED, which can be enjoyed with the highest picture quality without dizziness.

Less Distortion, No Matter Where You Sit in the Theater

The 3D Cinema LED has the same viewing angle as the Cinema LED. The 3D Cinema LED provides the opportunity to enjoy the film with less distortion no matter where the viewer is seated, just like the Cinema LED did. “When watching in the conventional 3D theater, the image becomes darker or distorted as people go to the edge of the theater, but 3D Cinema LED has significantly improved the problem.”

For theaters to be a space that continuously delivers new experiences, the 3D Cinema LED is expected to play a bigger role. “People say ‘Seeing is Believing.’ One might not believe until seeing something, but once seeing it, there’s no denial. I think this applies to 3D Cinema LED, too. Before experiencing it, some might doubt whether there is an actual difference. But once they experience the new technology of ours, people will believe and understand that it is totally different. This year’s ISE will be the first moment of that unique experience,” said Koo, adding that soon people will be able to enjoy the ultimate 3-dimensional experience through 3D Cinema LED Screen.

While nothing can compare to actually being there, this video captured the 3D cinema LED screen over 3D glasses. The film is a trailer for “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”.

¹ a line or a row of pixels from a television screen

In 2018, Samsung TVs now connect seamlessly with mobile devices. And unlike in the years past, this interconnectedness is now simple to achieve, making content sharing and personalized recommendations a breeze.

Connect and Share with Ease

There’s no longer a tradeoff to having a top end smart TV with a range of exciting features. There’s no need to get lost in a maze of menus if you want to set up your TV – in fact the opposite is true with the 2018 Samsung Smart TVs. Thanks to the SmartThings app, you’ll have access to everything you need to get set up and enjoying your new television quickly. With a few tap of the mobile app, SmartThings enables your TV to recognize your Wi-Fi connection, your set-top boxes, favorite apps and Samsung account information.

Taking this fast lane to smart TV installation means you get to watch your favorite shows quickly. And even here, SmartThings shows its intelligence. If you’re already logged in to a video application on your mobile device, your TV connects to the same account without having to re-enter your login details on screen. You can quickly choose which of your apps connect in this way to your TV.

But your mobile phone isn’t just used to set up your TV. It will become part of a daily way to interact with it. For example, you can use it to set a reminder for when the game is on. And this is a smart reminder that knows what channel the game is on and enables you to switch to it right away without having to remember what channel it comes on.

The connectivity gets better still. In 2018, all Samsung Smart TVs will feature the SmartThings dashboard. This will enable your TV to not just be the center of your living room, but the Internet of Things (IoT) hub for your entire home. You’ll be able to see what’s in your fridge, control the lights, adjust the thermostat and do many other things – all from the TV screen. You’ll even be able to use your TV to instantly share photos captured during special moments like your unforgettable trip to Paris with your parents back home. We’ve listened to our users who told us they wanted to connect more conveniently with their home. This will enable them to do so.

Universal Guide for Your Personalized Preference

Although the TV is getting smarter, the device should always be primarily about enjoying content. There are enhancements in this area too when it comes to finding what to watch. This year sees Samsung make improvements to its Universal Guide, which can recommend movies, TV shows, sports and more all from one place. It integrates content from your cable provider as well as VOD and streaming services onto one consolidated page. And the recommendations are made based on your preferences.

To make browsing even easier, you could use the intuitive Samsung One Remote, which controls not just your TV, but other devices connected to it, such as a cable box, Blu-ray player, and the internet. It’s recently been enhanced with the ability to control AV products connected with an optical cable.

Additional options available through 2018 Samsung Smart TVs include enhanced TV PLUS. This enables users to find and enjoy UHD and HDR movies from a large selection – 8,900 movies, including 195 in UHD – available through the Samsung Smart TV user interface. The selection is constantly growing thanks to Samsung’s ever-expanding list of content partnerships, which will make it easier and easier for users to find and enjoy the UHD and HDR movies that they want to see.

Meanwhile, Steam Link allows users to stream their favorite Steam PC games in 4K from their computer to play on their TV. More than 6,000 games are already available and can be streamed without purchasing a separate Steam Link device.

Voice-assisted Living

We’ve given you a choice of methods to find your way to great content. One of the newest and most innovative ways is through the use of your voice. Bixby, Samsung’s intelligent assistant platform, will be included in Samsung’s 2018 premium TV line up, launching first in Korea and the US. Not only will it enable you to use your voice to interact with content from various providers such as Amazon, but it will also allow you to unlock a range of other possibilities that add a new layer of convenience.

For example, you could ask Bixby to switch your TV to a particular channel or play a particular song. You could even ask Bixby to do the hard work such as finding Oscar-winning movies. Away from entertainment, Bixby can tell you the news or weather, control your IoT devices throughout the house, or show you your most recent photos. It’s another example of how the TV is now more than the device you use to view terrestrial content.

Thanks to SmartThings and Bixby, the TV is now part of Samsung’s ecosystem of connected devices that can all communicate with each other. In the case of Samsung’s 2018 Smart TVs, they are now able to carry out a great deal of functions and activities. But the core function is ease of use. The connected home is one where users can enjoy life with fewer distractions and complications. Samsung’s Smart TVs will be major drivers of this experience.

The HDR10+ platform will soon be made available to content companies, ultra-high definition TVs, Blu-ray disc players/recorders and set-top box manufacturers, as well as SoC vendors, royalty-free with only a nominal administrative fee. Companies can view the new logo, learn about the license program including final specifications, adopter agreements and sign up to receive a notification when technical specifications for HDR10+ become available at http://www.hdr10plus.org. In addition, Ultra HD Blu-ray metadata generation tools have been developed with third parties and will soon be available for content creators enabling Ultra HD Blu-ray players to enter the market. Details on the content transfer and interface format for the content creation pipeline will also be released shortly.

HDR10+ will offer a genuinely premium HDR experience for viewers through a device certification program ensuring an accurate representation of the creative intent expressed in the content. Also, its workflow improvements for creators will encourage increased production of premium HDR content.

The HDR10+ license program will provide interested companies with the necessary technical and testing specifications to implement HDR10+ technology in a way that both maintains high picture quality and gives each manufacturer the ability to apply dynamic tone mapping innovatively. The accompanying certification program will ensure that HDR10+ compliant products meet good picture quality and deliver the creative intent of movie directors and cinematographers. A certified product will feature the HDR10+ logo, which signifies the product’s excellent picture quality.

Key aspects of the license program will include:

• Benefits for device manufacturers (e.g., TV, Ultra HD Blu-ray, OTT STB, etc.), content distribution services providers, SoC manufacturers, content publishers, and content creation tool providers.
• No per unit royalty.
• A nominal annual administration fee for device manufacturers, SoC manufacturers and content distribution service providers.
• Technical specification, test specification, HDR10+ logo/logo guide, patents from the three companies directly related to the technical specification and the test specification.
• Certification for devices will be performed by a third-party, authorized testing center.

Once the HDR10+ license program is open, the three founding companies will incorporate HDR10+ technologies in all future Ultra HD movie releases, selected TVs, Ultra HD Blu-ray player/recorders, and other products.

“It was important for us to create an open system that is flexible and offers a viewing experience much closer to the filmmaker’s creative intent for the film,” said Danny Kaye, Executive Vice President of 20^th Century Fox, and Managing Director of the Fox Innovation Lab. “Together with Samsung and Panasonic, we aim to standardize the licensing process making it easy for partners, including content creators, television and device manufacturers, to incorporate this technology and improve the viewing experience for all audiences.”

Support continues to grow for HDR10+ and companies are looking forward to applying the 3C specifications and certification program. More than 25 companies spanning many different industries have expressed strong interest in supporting the HDR10+ platform, further reinforcing its path to success.

Amazon Prime Video, the first streaming service provider to deliver HDR10+, has made the entire Prime Video HDR library available in HDR10+ globally. The Prime Video HDR10+ catalog includes hundreds of hours of content such as Prime Originals The Grand Tour, Golden Globe®-nominated The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Jean-Claude Van Johnson, The Tick and The Man in the High Castle plus hundreds of licensed titles.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will support HDR10+ to enable a dynamic metadata solution for Warner Bros. content to Samsung, Panasonic and other HDR10+ capable 4K HDR TVs. “Warner Bros. has always strived to provide the best next gen home entertainment experience to consumers,” said Jim Wuthrich, President of the Americas and Global Strategy, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. “With HDR10+ dynamic metadata, WB can continue to more accurately bring the filmmakers’ vision of our 2018 releases and our vast catalog of over seventy-five 4K HDR titles to the home across a broad range of HDR10+ capable TV’s.”

The new HDR10+ technology optimizes picture quality for next generation displays by using dynamic tone mapping to reflect frame to frame or scene to scene variations in brightness, color saturation, and contrast, which makes for an enhanced viewing experience. HDR10+ technology optimizes the performance of many 4K ultra-high definition TVs, enabling playback on a wide range of next generation TVs bringing user experience much closer to the original creative intent for Hollywood films.

“By bringing together know-how and technology from the three founding companies, HDR10+ has the potential to deliver considerable picture quality benefits to both viewers and creators alike,” said Toshiharu Tsutsui, Director of Panasonic’s TV Business Division. “Accordingly, Panasonic anticipates wide support for HDR10+.”

“Samsung is committed to technological innovation across our TVs and HDR10+ represents an evolution in display quality for the best possible viewing experience,” said Jongsuk Chu, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We have also designed the HDR10+ platform to encourage future development in order to deliver further enhanced technology in the years to come.”

20^th Century Fox, Panasonic and Samsung will show technical demonstrations of HDR10+ technology at CES 2018. Accredited journalists or parties interested in the licensee program may email chris.bess@fox.com for more information. Accredited journalists can see Panasonic’s HDR10+ technical demo at its suite at the MGM Grand Conference Centre. A HDR10+ technology demo will be held at Samsung’s First Look event at Enclave Las Vegas on 7^th January.

To learn more about the HDR10+ license program, please contact the HDR10+ license administration office at info@hdr10plus.org.

About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is the industry leading worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox produced, acquired and third-party partner film and television programming. Each year TCFHE expands its award-winning global product portfolio with the introduction of new entertainment content through established and emerging formats including DVD, Blu-ray, Digital and VOD. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of 20^th Century Fox, a 20^th Century Fox Company.

About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B businesses. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2018, the company has expanded globally and now operates 495 subsidiaries and 91 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.343 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2017. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. To learn more about Panasonic: http://www.panasonic.com/global.

Samsung Newsroom sat down with Kraus and Pohlman to discuss their initial reactions to the screen.

ARRI’s Executive Board, Franz Kraus and Dr. Joerg Pohlman, in front of the Samsung LED Screen

“I have waited for four months to see the Cinema LED screen”

The Cinema LED screen is the world’s first LED screen designed to replace conventional projectors in cinemas. The new screen, which has overcome limits in brightness and a light-to-shade ratio, supports 4K resolution and high dynamic range (HDR), thus producing clear and vivid color. In addition, directly beamed LED light sources prevent color distortions, giving fuller realization to what directors originally intended to express. The innovative screen installed with JBL sound systems of Harmon Kardon provides viewers with a whole new level of audio experience.

Film technology is constantly developing in the digital era. However, film screening is still based on projection, which has served as an obstacle in realizing true and lifelike high-quality resolution. Against this backdrop, the arrival of a Cinema LED screen was a breath of fresh air for the ARRI Executive Board.

ARRI’s Executive Board member, Franz Kraus, recalled the moment when he first heard the news about the Cinema LED screen, saying, “I read the news and I thought: I must go to see it.” At last, four months later, he arrived in Seoul to witness the effects of Cinema LED for himself.

Before the lights were turned off and the Cinema LED screen was turned on, Kraus expressed high expectations for the LED screen, saying, “I expect to see images superior to the best projection system available today in respect to contrast, color rendition, peak brightness, and reproduction of fine detail. I am curious about the local audio resolution as the LED screen doesn’t allow for the usual setup of three or five speakers behind the screen.”

Reviews of the Satisfaction with New Cinema Technology

The pair watched an ARRI show reel which had been remastered for the Cinema LED Screen. Pohlman, Executive Board member at ARRI, admired Samsung’s technology, saying: “Samsung is a pioneer with this technology. For us, it’s always about bringing technology one step further.”

“When you look at movie theaters, I think one of the challenges for them will be to keep up with the development of TV screens. With the advent of HDR, there’s a lot more that can be seen and, in the future, our visual impressions are going to be different from now. It’s about taking time to make sure that theaters in the future will be of a very high quality, so that people will want to watch movies in them.”

“I think LED is showing the right way and certainly you can see a lot more on an LED screen. There’s a lot of detail, it’s very rich in color. Of course, with the blacks there’s the contrast, so it’s a very interesting technology. It’s great that Samsung is moving technology forward.”

The Cinema LED screen boasts an advantage that viewers experience no distortion in images and sound, wherever in the theater they choose to sit. After confirming this for himself by moving from seat to seat in the theater, Kraus expressed full satisfaction with the technology.

Leading Desirable Change in the Film Industry

Since the people of ARRI are creators themselves, this new way to display has certainly piqued the Executive Board’s interest. The two also gave their opinion about the future impact of the Cinema LED screen on the film industry, and on cameras and lighting specifically.

“One of the very simple things that we were looking for was if you would be able to see the seams or any fixed pattern structure from the individual panels,” Joerg Pohlman remarked. “And you really could not see them. I thought it was extremely impressive. The interesting question is whether and how the creatives in our industry will manage to create images that utilize the full capabilities of the LED screen, delivering life-like images in the cinema.”

Franz Kraus added: “Of the images from the ARRI demo reel we watched, some of them worked very well. What I really liked was that the images looked very good, both in SDR as well as in HDR (with ten times the peak brightness). The amount of detail in the darker parts of the image was just marvelous. Even when I strained my eyes, I could not see any trace of technical evidence and the images looked very cinematic.”

Throughout their history, conventional projection systems have been faced with limitations in fully expressing clear and lifelike images. These limits have now been overcome with the emergence of the Cinema LED screen. The Cinema LED screen has become a “must see” for film makers and moviegoers who are seeking a whole new experience in image and sound.

Earlier this year at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Samsung presented the world’s first Cinema LED screen for the film and cinema industry to wide anticipation. The debut was followed by installation of the world’s first commercial Cinema LED screen at Lotte Cinema World Tower in Seoul, Korea in July, and recently in October at the Paragon Cineplex Theatre in Bangkok, Thailand.

With an area of 10.24 x 5.4 meters, Samsung Cinema LED is able to depict current blockbusters in impressive full 4K resolution (4,096 x 2,160 pixels), and with High Dynamic Resolution (HDR), deliver a more captivating and vibrant viewing experience through next-generation picture quality. Samsung Cinema LED screen illuminates its vast display area through use of around 8.8 million LEDs, as well as immerses audiences in true-to-life audio utilizing technology developed in partnership between HARMAN Professional Solutions and Samsung Audio Lab.

With industry professionals and audiences around the world praising their initial experiences with Samsung Cinema LED screen, the innovative cinema technology is now making its way to Europe.

In collaboration with the Arena Cinemas and Imaculix AG, Samsung is currently building Europe’s first Cinema LED screen at the Arena Cinema Sihlcity in Zurich, Switzerland. With launch scheduled, the anticipation and vision for the new theatre concept is groundbreaking.

Edi Stöckli, owner of the Arena Cinemas explained, “Based on elimination of the projector beam and the high luminosity of Samsung Cinema LED screen, there are a host of new possibilities for interior design, and we are entirely removing the existing furnishings, and implementing an innovative seating concept to provide audiences with a totally new kind of cinematic experience.”

Samsung Cinema LED screen will allow creation of a solid black wall thanks to seamless installation and high-precision calibration. The ‘true black’ will make the movie theater pitch dark, and the 4K resolution, able to project the two usual cinema formats of flat and scope, will get rid of distracting dark gray stripes, long a pain point of traditional projectors. Thanks to LED technology, luminosity of the wall will be 10 times brighter than with conventional projectors, achieving intensity of up to 146-foot lambert or 500nit. Cinema LED’s HDR functionally also helps deliver full color brilliance and contrast even in the brightest or darkest of scenes, and the screen also provides significantly reduced energy consumption as compared to conventional projectors.

“At Samsung, our aim in advancing technological progress is to make life easier for people and enrich their lives,” said Daniel Périsset, Head of IT business at Samsung Electronics. “We have once again succeeded in doing this with the new Cinema LED screen, and are actively planning for expansion of the screens in theatres next year.”

In addition to Switzerland, Samsung continues to expand installation of its Cinema LED screen around the world including the USA during 2018.

With that in mind, here’s a handy rundown of features to consider before buying your next TV.

1. Color Volume

What it is: A standard for evaluating a TV’s ability to produce accurate colors at all luminance levels. The higher the color volume, the better the TV will be at expressing vivid, accurate colors.

Why it matters: Manufacturers in the fiercely competitive TV industry are constantly exploring ways to deliver standout picture quality. The color volume measurement emerged as a way to evaluate a UHD (or 4K) TV’s ability to produce immersive viewing experiences, focusing on how the TV performs under various lighting conditions. Color volume matters because if a depicted image exceeds a TV’s peak luminance, it may appear washed out or faded, and the quality of the viewing experience suffers.

How Samsung’s innovating with it: Samsung’s QLED TVs, which feature a peak brightness of 1,500 to 2,000 nits, are the first displays to reaches 100 percent color volume. This means that in typical viewing environments, the TVs produce brighter and deeper colors that allow content to be displayed in the manner that producers intended. In addition, QLED TV’s screen-coating technology reduces reflection by 98.5 percent, providing a more comfortable viewing experience even under strong sunlight or lighting.

2. HDR

What it is: HDR, or “high dynamic range” technology adds more color, brightness and contrast to content displayed on standard HD or UHD TVs.

Why it matters: HDR was introduced to provide whiter whites, blacker blacks, and colors that are more detailed and true-to-life. The difference between HDR and the preceding SDR (standard dynamic range) standard is night and day, as HDR allows details that might be lost in shadows or glare when depicted on an SDR TV to truly stand out.

How Samsung’s innovating with it: QLED TVs come with support for the new open standard for HDR video, HDR10+. HDR10+ adds more dynamic range (the ratio of light and dark) to images to deliver greater contrast and more vibrant colors, and allows images to be enhanced on a scene-by-scene basis. The results are lifelike visuals that portray content precisely as the producer intended.

3. Refresh Rate

What it is: A TV’s refresh rate, expressed in hertz (Hz), is the number of times that an image on the screen is refreshed per second. The higher the hertz, the smoother the picture.

Why it matters: The standard refresh rate for TVs today is 60Hz, or 60 times per second, with 120Hz and 144Hz representing the higher end of the spectrum. TVs with high refresh rates generally provide more seamless visuals with minimal motion blur, creating more immersive viewing experiences. If you’re a gamer, or you watch a lot of fast-paced action films, a TV with a high refresh rate may be just what you need to take your experience to the next level.

How Samsung’s innovating with it: In addition to boasting a wide range of game-optimizing features including a short input lag (20-millisecond), three types of QLED TVs with the Q7, Q8 and Q9 models feature a 120Hz refresh rate that ensures seamless and fluid in-game visuals. 

4. HDMI and Connections

What HDMI is: HDMI, short for “high definition multimedia interface”, is an industry-standard, all-digital interface that transmits visual and audio data between devices such as TVs, streaming media and Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, and more.

Why it matters: Higher-quality HDMI cables generally support higher data transfer speeds (measured in gigabytes per second), providing more bandwidth to enjoy 4K UHD and HDR content. The manner in which a TV handles its HDMI and other connections can directly influence its setup, and the ease with which the device integrates into a living environment.

How Samsung’s innovating with it: All QLED TVs are optimized to deliver 4K UHD content thanks to their support for HDMI 2.0. HDMI 2.0 makes it possible to increase frame rates and maximum bandwidth (to 18Gbps), and deliver high-resolution visuals, allowing for the transmission of 4K video at 60Hz with 32 audio channels (up from eight).

In addition to HDMI 2.0, QLED TVs feature a practically invisible optical cable that seamlessly connects to external devices via the HDMI, USB 3.0 and coaxial port-housing One Connect box. The result is a TV setup that’s free of messy wires and truly designed for living.

5. Smart TV

What it is: A “smart” TV is capable of connecting to the internet to allow users to stream video content, browse the web, and run compatible apps.

Why it matters: Streaming shows and movies through over-the-top (OTT) services like Netflix has quickly become the new normal, with more and more people enjoying a wide range of dynamic entertainment via convenient apps. Smart TVs typically incorporate support for these services, offering users more freedom to enjoy their favorite content.

How Samsung’s innovating with it: Samsung has equipped its QLED TVs with a range of smart apps, services and features that make it easy to enjoy high-quality UHD and HDR content. Particularly handy features include the TV PLUS app, which neatly organizes on-demand content in an interface that mirrors the channel menus of traditional cable or TV providers, and the One Remote, which allows you to manage your smart TV and other connected devices via a single, intuitive control.

6. Durability

What you should expect: No TV will last forever, but these days you should typically expect anywhere from 7 to 10 years of reliable service from your new TV. The expected lifespan for a premium TV may be even longer.

What Samsung’s TVs deliver: There are many factors that can ultimately prove detrimental to a TV’s longevity, and burn-in may be chief among them. Burn-in is a form of permanent damage that’s caused by leaving a static image on a screen for a long period of time. While image retention refers to any image that stays on a screen temporarily, burn-in lasts permanently, seriously affecting the lifespan of a television.

Samsung’s QLED TVs are certified to be burn-in-free, thanks to their utilization of inorganic quantum dots. In fact, each is backed by a 10-year warranty against burn-in* – a quality guarantee that recently expanded to global markets, and demonstrates Samsung’s commitment to delivering premium performance with its premium TVs.

*Details of the burn-in guarantee for QLED TVs vary by country, and the policy will gradually be introduced to other countries as the QLED TV is launched in each market.

Designed as a High Dynamic Range (HDR) LED theater display, the Cinema LED Screen measures nearly 10.3 meters wide and delivers next-generation picture quality with both ultra-sharp 4K (4,096 x 2,160) resolution and peak brightness levels nearly ten times greater (146fL) than those of conventional projectors. All this adds up to distortion-free visuals that feature the brightest colors, the deepest blacks and the whitest whites, and a theater experience that makes viewers feel as if they’re part of the picture.

The Cinema LED Screen’s integration with audio technologies from JBL by HARMAN, meanwhile, provides likewise realistic sound. This state-of-the-art setup includes powerful speakers bordering the screen, proprietary audio-processing technology, and JBL’s Sculpted Surround System. The result of all this innovation is an incredibly accurate sight and sound experience that allows audiences to view films exactly as their creators intended.

Since its debut, Samsung’s first-of-its-kind screen has grabbed headlines around the world, and garnered positive reviews from filmmakers and movie-goers alike, who have tabbed the display as the theater technology of the future. See for yourself, in the video below, what makes Samsung’s immersive screen a game-changer for the industry.

Samsung Newsroom sat down with the Vice President of Samsung Research America’s Digital Media Solutions Lab, Bill Mandel, to discuss the ins and outs of the open-source platform, as well as Samsung’s efforts to accelerate its adoption.

Q. In a nutshell, how does HDR10+ help Samsung’s QLED TVs create immersive viewing experiences?

HDR10+ processes images dynamically, allowing for scene by scene, and at times frame by frame picture enhancement. QLED TV’s advanced image technologies make the displays fully capable of portraying these optimized visuals.

This dynamic approach to image optimization results in rich, accurate colors and deeper contrasts. It means that when watching a show or film, characters’ expressions and the details of a scene appear crisp and nuanced, making the scene truly come to life.

Q. What sets HDR10+ apart from other video formats, such as HDR10?

HDR10+ is designed to reproduce images with utmost accuracy, even on displays which would otherwise have difficulty portraying HDR10 content. While HDR10 produces remarkable visuals on Ultra HD Premium^TM displays, HDR10+ allows consumers to enjoy HDR10’s image benefits on a wider variety of TVs.

Samsung UHD and QLED TVs’ HDR10+ integration allows them to fully utilize their native image technologies to provide the most lifelike visuals out there. Even premium TVs will benefit from the display-engine upgrades that come with HDR10+, as well as the incorporation of HDR10+ data in picture optimization.

Some competing platforms employ techniques with fewer control points, and are tuned on reference monitors rather than the consumers’ displays. It’s quite difficult for display manufacturers to take a reference monitor-defined process and adapt it to a range of products. HDR10+, on the other hand, was designed specifically for consumer sets, and engineered to reproduce content created with an HDR10 master in a manner that preserves the creators’ intent.

Q. What led Samsung to make HDR10+ open source and royalty-free?

Samsung strongly believes in making core technologies openly available to the industry to help build strong ecosystems. We’ve seen this before with platforms like Tizen.

It’s for this reason that Samsung made HDR10+ available to chip and TV manufacturers royalty-free. In January of 2018, we will begin licensing the HDR10+ platform and metadata for free to content companies, UHD Blu-ray player and set-top box manufacturers, as well as other vendors around the world. By making HDR10+ openly available, we provide a platform that will lead to the creation a variety of devices that depict video content in a manner that offers viewers the best possible expression of the creators’ intent.

Q. What are some of the actions that Samsung is taking to ensure a smooth transition to HDR10+?

Our goal is to see HDR10+ available to any manufacturer out there who would like to incorporate it into their displays. We’re offering engineering support to help these manufacturers achieve the best results, and we’re currently in discussions with various content creators and distributors as well.

Everyone we’ve met with at the industry level has been shown the platform’s benefits, as well as the simplicity with which it integrates into existing processes. We’re also working closely with vendors to make it easy for content creators and studios to generate HDR10+ content using existing HDR10 videos. We plan to announce further details on the platform’s adoption in the coming months.

Q. Could you elaborate on some of the advantages that HDR10+ offers our partners?

Through our partnership with 20^th Century Fox and Panasonic, we’ve introduced a logo and certification program that allows displays to be certified for quality HDR10+ implementation.

We are working to enable post production tool suppliers to incorporate HDR10+ so that content producers can integrate HDR10+ generation right in to their final post production. Additionally the function of these tools could be incorporated into transcoding operations so that even libraries could be upgraded to HDR10+ if so chosen by rights holders. We are aiming to provide the best ability available to generate and review HDR10+ data for their content.

Q. We’ve heard that HDR10+ was designed with the future in mind. Could you elaborate on this?

The SMPTE standard that we introduced at the end of 2015 was designed to be forward-thinking. It’s currently capable of blending in HDR10+ over parts of an image, but its versatility also makes it possible to incorporate support for new advancements in image optimization in the future without impacting performance.

Over the past year, we’ve been conducting demonstrations and working with HDR10+ in our labs to confirm with certainty the profile of HDR10+ that we are putting into practice.

Q. What can consumers expect to see next in terms of picture quality?

We’re currently witnessing intense development in this area across the industry. Now that we have a great image platform in HDR, as well as open delivery systems in HDR10 and HDR10+, there is a lot of room for innovation in content production, post-production, and displays – all of which will benefit the consumer. Over the coming years, this will lead to significant advancements in picture quality that empower creators and filmmakers to produce great content.

In addition, the proliferation of HDR10+ will allow cinematographers to create engaging three-dimensional content by taking depth and detail to entirely new levels.

The royalty-free HDR10+ standard promotes vibrant and vivid visuals that bring us closer than ever to true-to-life images. Samsung’s recent announcement of partnerships with Panasonic and 20^th Century Fox will expand the platform’s ecosystem of compatible technologies, eventually making such immersive visuals standard fare.

But how exactly does HDR10+ establish this new standard, and what will the technology’s advancement mean for content creators, device manufacturers, and the future of home entertainment? To answer those questions, let’s take a closer look at how Samsung optimized the platform to offer consumers a more advanced viewing experience.

HDR10+: The Next Step in HDR Technologies

It wasn’t too long ago that HDR represented the pinnacle of picture quality. HDR provided greater depth, brightness and color accuracy – whiter whites, blacker blacks, and a wider color gamut – than standard dynamic range (SDR) displays. Innovations such as Samsung’s Quantum dot technology further advanced picture quality by introducing more accurate color expression and higher brightness levels.

Since its introduction, the second major advancement in HDR technologies, HDR10, has been the standard throughout the industry. The technology is widely used and certified by the UHD Alliance – an association of Hollywood movie studios, content distributors, tech companies and device manufacturers that was formed to strengthen and grow the UHD ecosystem.

HDR10+, the latest and most advanced HDR technology, builds upon the strengths of previous HDR platforms to further enhance the viewing experience. HDR10+ better channels content’s intrinsic dynamic range (the ratio of light and darkness) to produce truer images that appear brighter and more colorful – and therefore more detailed and realistic than with conventional HDR on a wider array of displays. Whereas previous HDR10 iterations utilized static tone mapping, wherein color enhancement is uniform from scene to depicted scene, HDR10+ employs dynamic tone mapping to maximize each scene individually. The results are visuals that feature optimal colors, contrast and brightness, and create a viewing experience that allows you to see a show or film precisely as its producers intended.

Raising the Bar for UHD with an Open HDR10+ Ecosystem

Samsung’s decision to introduce HDR10+ as an open-source, royalty-free platform, which anyone may utilize to create compatible devices and content, underlines a larger commitment to raising the bar for UHD video.

The fact that HDR10+ is open and royalty-free makes the technology an attractive option for a variety of partners – from movie studios and filmmakers, to TV and device manufacturers – and will ultimately hasten its adoption as the new standard with which to create innovative digital devices and dynamic content.

In addition to incorporating support for HDR10+ in its complete range of 2017 UHD TVs, including its new QLED TV line, Samsung is also actively working with some of the world’s leading producers of premium content to make HDR10+ the filmmaking standard.

This past April, Amazon became Samsung’s first official HDR10+ content partner. Soon, the company will offer viewers around the world gripping HDR10+ content available to stream through its widely popular Prime Video service. Also, on September 1, the first day of IFA 2017, Samsung will host the QLED & HDR10+ Summit at Berlin’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where the company will lay out its plans to advance HDR10+ adoption throughout Europe.

By making HDR10+ technology widely available, and forging partnerships that will lead to more visually captivating content, Samsung hopes to make immersive, true-to-life home entertainment the new normal for consumers around the world.

Similar to the way viewers already navigate the channel menus for their traditional cable or TV providers, Samsung Smart TV users in Europe will be able to easily find their favorite content using the TV PLUS interface. The video on demand (VOD) shows and movies will be delivered via the users’ internet connection.

Wide Range of TV in UHD

Thanks to TV PLUS, viewers will be able to enjoy the highest quality UHD and HDR movies through multiple channels directly on their Samsung Smart TVs. And because the TV PLUS app has been designed to have a familiar user interface, retrieving UHD and HDR content is both simple and enjoyable.

“Our goal at Samsung is to create innovative and valuable technology that makes our consumers’ lives easier and more enjoyable when it comes to watching their favorite content,” said Heeman Lee, Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “With the European expansion of TV PLUS, we are thrilled to provide additional consumers access to new movies in UHD and HDR quality.”

VOD movies provided by TV PLUS are broken down into three categories: New Releases, Family and UHD. New Releases include titles that have been released within the past six-to-eight weeks, while the Family category includes newly released family-friendly titles as well as best-selling movies. The UHD category features movies that were recently released in UHD. Each category is refreshed weekly with new and top selling content.

Samsung’s partnership with Rakuten TV, a leading provider of UHD∙HDR movies and VOD content, delivers a wide range of options for movie enthusiasts and families to enjoy. Among the various UHD movies available via TV PLUS are titles such as “Passengers,” “Moneyball,” “Hotel Transylvania” and many more.

A Growing Platform

TV PLUS was first launched in 2015 in South Korea and its reach continues to grow. It’s already available across North America and Southeast Asia. In January 2017, TV PLUS was also made available in Germany.

Since its release, TV PLUS has continued to gain popularity across all available markets thanks to its volume and quality of content. TV PLUS has more than 8,900 titles available in the US, and its partnership with the BBC means that masterpiece documentaries such as “Planet Earth II” are available for Korean users. As of June 2017, TV PLUS is used by more than 480,000 people in Korea and Southeast Asia. 70% of Smart TV users in Korea are watching TV PLUS channels, and 41% of Smart TV users in Vietnam are using TV PLUS.

As TV PLUS is expected to additionally expand its influence in European markets such as France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, Samsung Electronics will be further enhancing its smart TV content competitiveness in the world.

The director, who is known for his engaging, well-plotted thrillers such as “Secret Reunion” and “The Front Line,” had already seen the film in several other theaters. However, none of the screenings could compare to the one at the SUPER S theater, the home of the world’s first Cinema LED Screen, a projector-less, HDR screen that creates a captivating viewing experience through next-generation picture quality and true-to-life audio.

Director Jang said that Samsung’s Cinema LED Screen will help audiences to have the same visual experience.

“I’ve been really curious as to what this new screen might be like,” Jang said, referring to the 10.3-meter-wide display, which provides ultra-sharp resolution, bright colors and deep blacks. “Now, I can see that its picture and audio quality will enable directors like myself to more effectively achieve their intended results.”

Jang also noted that the display will help to ensure that all audiences of a film can have the same visual experience, in the way the filmmaker intended. “With conventional projector-based systems, picture quality can differ from theater to theater,” he said. “But the Cinema LED Screen will provide consistent picture quality, no matter the venue in which the film is shown.”

Jang is not the only big name in the industry to be impressed by the visually captivating display.

Director Woo-suk Yang (“The Attorney”) noted at the launching event of the Cinema LED Screen earlier this month that the unveiling of the display marked a “monumental moment” in the 120-year-long history of film, and that Samsung’s technology will create a “revolutionary change” in the way we watch movies.

Director Yang noted at the launching event, “Today marks a monumental moment in the history of movies.”

“It’s been 20 years since the industry began using the term ‘digital cinema’ and it’s only now that we can enjoy motion pictures in a theater directly from the light source, rather than from a projector,” he said. “As a result, there are about to be a lot of changes across the movie industry as a whole – from the actual filming to the editing and finishing processes.”

Unlike standard projectors, which lose color quality as brightness is increased, the Cinema LED Screen maintains perfect color accuracy at peak brightness levels, which are nearly 10 times greater than those of conventional theater projectors. This allows for a more vibrant and immersive viewing experience, as the characters and settings on the screen look exactly as they would in real life. These realistic visuals are complemented by an audio performance that’s just as lifelike, thanks to the screen’s integrated sound technologies from JBL by HARMAN.

As demands within the cinema space evolve, Samsung’s Cinema LED Screen offers the versatility to expand services to meet a wider range of needs. Having already garnered the attention of some of the biggest names in film, Samsung’s Cinema LED Screen is expected to continue to bring big changes to the industry for filmmakers and moviegoers alike.

On July 13 in Seoul, Samsung unveiled the next evolution in theater technologies: the Cinema LED Screen, the world’s first LED theater display. The groundbreaking self-illuminating screen fosters realistic and engaging visuals projector-free, providing next-generation picture quality to offer moviegoers a much more immersive viewing experience.

Attendees at the Cinema LED Screen’s matinee unveiling, which featured clips from blockbuster films including “Transformers: The Last Knight” and “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” were instantly captivated by the all-new movie-viewing experience. As the famous Korean director Woo-suk Yang noted at the event, “Today marks a monumental moment in the history of movies.”

It’s all in the Details

The first thing that strikes you when you see the Cinema LED Screen in person is just how clear its picture is. The Cinema LED Screen’s ultra-sharp 4K (4,096 x 2,160) resolution and support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) content set a new standard in theater picture quality.

While the lenses of conventional projectors can struggle to accurately focus visuals across the entire screen, the Cinema LED Screen’s pixels produce crisp detail throughout.

When viewed on the huge LED screen, which measures 10.3m (33.8ft) wide, the Transformers’ world-famous transformations looked even more spectacular. The scratches on their armor, as well as the thousands of intricate components that form their towering figures, became crisp and clear, making their fights and movements more captivating, and allowing the characters to truly come to life.

Perfect Color Accuracy

The screen’s peak brightness level is nearly 10 times greater than those of conventional theater projectors, allowing the display to illuminate details that would go unnoticed on typical screens, while also providing true-to-life color accuracy.

Whereas typical projectors will lose color quality as brightness is increased, the Cinema LED Screen maintains perfect color accuracy at peak brightness levels. This allows for a much more vibrant and immersive viewing experience, as the characters and settings you see on the screen look exactly as they would if you were in the scene yourself. Sunrises come off as more striking and realistic, and characters appear even livelier.

“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” is a particularly colorful film that’s full of Tim Burton’s trademark ‘colorful’ characters. When viewed in the clip, details such as nuances in the shadows of trees lining the home’s vibrant lawn, as well as the impeccably manicured grass, became vivid and vibrant.

Peerless Contrast

The screen’s ultra-contrast and low-tone grayscale settings add further clarity to content, making colors more gripping and producing pristine whites and the true blacks. The color of Miss Peregrine’s black dress was deep and bold because, with the Cinema LED Screen, viewers don’t see the ‘washed out’ black hues commonly produced by conventional theater displays.

This makes the screen ideal for films with dark, atmospheric scenes, as well as those set against the backdrop of the cosmos.

Exceptional Sound

The Cinema LED Screen’s superior theater experience extends beyond the confines of the display itself. The true-to-life visuals are complemented by likewise lifelike audio performance, courtesy of sound technologies from JBL by HARMAN.

The innovative audio configuration includes proprietary audio-processing technology, JBL’s Sculpted Surround system, and powerful speakers bordering the screen. The result is a sound setup that broadens a theater’s auditory ‘sweet spot’ to allow viewers in each and every row to experience crisp and balanced sound.

More than a Movie Screen

The Cinema LED Screen’s combination of superior sound and immersive visuals establishes a new paradigm not only for viewing films, but also for functions such as concerts, conferences, sporting events and gaming tournaments.

The display is equally adept at depicting immersive images in bright environments as it is in dark theaters, making it an ideal option for venues that are interested in using their theater space to meet a wider range of audience needs. To illustrate this versatility, Samsung showcased how the immersive display amps up the intensity of on-screen melee when playing the first-person shooter game “Titanfall 2.”

For filmmakers and moviegoers alike, Samsung’s Cinema LED Screen offers the purest, most immersive theater experience available today – one that portrays visuals and sound exactly as the content creators intended. Samsung’s current plans for the technology include launching Cinema LED theaters in the U.S., China, Europe and Southeast Asia. By 2020, Samsung’s goal is to install Cinema LED Screens in 10 percent of cinemas across the world, to introduce more viewers to the theater of the future.

“Through sharper and more realistic colors, complementary audio and an elevated presentation, our Cinema LED Screen makes viewers feel as if they are part of the picture,” said HS Kim, President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to partner with Lotte Cinema to bring this technology to theater-goers, and look forward to continuing to shape the cinema of the future.”

Stretching nearly 10.3m (33.8ft) wide in size, the Cinema LED Screen accommodates a variety of theater configurations while ensuring superior levels of technical performance, reliability and quality. The display brings the visual power of HDR picture quality to the big screen, and enlivens content with both ultra-sharp 4K resolution (4,096 x 2,160) and peak brightness levels (146fL) nearly 10 times greater than that offered by standard projector technologies. Additionally, the Cinema LED Screen’s futuristic, distortion-free presentation leverages ultra-contrast and low-tone grayscale settings to showcase the brightest colors, deepest blacks and most pristine whites at a nearly infinite contrast ratio.

To go with the stunning video technology within the ‘SUPER S’ theater of Lotte Cinema, Samsung has paired its Cinema LED Screen with state-of-the-art audio technologies from JBL by HARMAN. This integration includes powerful speakers bordering the screen, proprietary audio processing technology, and JBL’s Sculpted Surround system, producing an unparalleled sight and sound experience the way the content creators intended.

As demands within the cinema space evolve, Samsung’s Cinema LED Screen offers the versatility to expand services to meet a wider range of audience needs. The display maintains its advanced presentation capabilities in a range of dark and ambient lighting conditions. This flexibility makes the Cinema LED Screen ideal for venues wishing to use their theater space for corporate events, concerts, sports event viewing and gaming competitions.

“‘SUPER S’ theater is a new paradigm of movie screening,” said Wonchun Cha, Lotte Cinema CEO. “We look forward to working with Samsung to introduce new, high-quality technology to the movie industry in the future, and we are excited to drive customer satisfaction through an improved viewing environment that brings a variety of content to life.”

Prior to its commercial debut, Samsung ran the Cinema LED Screen through a series of the industry’s most rigorous tests to validate its performance and presentation. In May 2017, the Cinema LED Screen became the first product to achieve full compliance with the highly-esteemed Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) theater technology standards prior to its commercial release. This certification acknowledges the display’s ability to showcase the complete color spectrum with unaltered accuracy.

About Lotte Cinema/Entertainment

Lotte Cinema/Entertainment is a Korean-based entertainment company that provides theater screening, movie investment and movie distribution services throughout the globe. By showcasing a variety of culturally-relevant content, Lotte Cinema/Entertainment is committed to delivering Happy Memories to its partners and customers.

Under the theme “Your Future. On Display,” Samsung’s booth (#2043) at the professional AV industry’s largest annual conference will showcase a variety of next-generation signage technologies designed to improve efficiency in customer engagement and operation for transportation, retail, hospitality and corporate environments, among others.

“A key component of our vision for the future of visual display is empowering our partners to deliver compelling content across their network with reduced operational complexity,” said Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Through the Tizen 3.0 integration, these partners can enjoy easy delivery of smoother, clearer and more secure content without straying from their day-to-day operations.”

Samsung’s booth will also unveil how the integration of its leading visual display technologies with HARMAN’s Acendo collaboration system creates a more engaging meeting experience. Samsung acquired renowned audio and connected technologies company HARMAN International Industries in March 2017.

A More Powerful, Effective Signage Platform: Tizen 3.0

Upgraded from the previously-included Tizen 2.4 platform, the Tizen 3.0 platform features a more powerful graphics engine that produces richer and clearer video content compared to its predecessors across a user’s SMART Signage network. This includes faster response, interactions and loading speeds that ensure uninterrupted playback and transitions free of black screens to present messages more seamlessly.

Tizen 3.0 also reduces the time and resources required to deliver higher quality digital signage content for business users. The integrated Knox security platform provides a multi-layered solution that protects the SMART Signage’s systems against external attacks, while also offering security APIs to Tizen developers. This enhanced protection makes it safe to develop and host a range of security-reliant services, including confidential payment and workplace content, within the Tizen 3.0 platform. As a result, all involved stakeholders can centralize operations for a variety of display types, including UHD displays, outdoor signage, touchscreen signage and interactive whiteboards, without needing a separate PC.

Next-Generation Picture Presentation

InfoComm attendees will be the first to see Samsung’s quantum dot-powered HDR10+ QLED Signage. Backed by the Tizen 3.0 OS, the QLED Signage displays amplify High Dynamic Range (HDR)-quality content at a peak brightness of 1,500 nits with excellent UHD resolution in 55-inch and 65-inch variations. The displays also achieve 100 percent color volume for up to 1 billion different color variations and bring forward subtle details at varying levels of brightness when combined with optimized contrast and a distortion-free picture. The QLED Signage’s universal wide viewing angles also enable businesses to tailor the displays according to their dimensions and needs.

Superior LED HDR Picture Quality

Samsung also will showcase its fine pixel pitch IF Series LED displays (P1.5, P2.0 and P2.5 models) at InfoComm, offering an ideal combination of superior picture quality and intuitive usability for businesses to rejuvenate the customer engagement experience. The displays combine the company’s leading video processing and picture tuning technologies with LED HDR picture refinement to add clarity and sophistication to featured content. The displays analyze and fine-tune grayscale levels frame-by-frame to optimize contrast and eliminate visual inconsistency via specialized scene adaptation and provide high brightness levels of up to 2,400 nits enabled by dynamic peaking. Also, the IF Series’ dual full-front and rear-side access further drives convenient, quick-turn maintenance without sacrificing a neat and seamless presentation.

Customizable LED Displays for any Business

By unveiling its new XPB Series LED Signage, Samsung also will invite InfoComm attendees to see first-hand how it has made the conversion from static analog signage to more versatile LED displays easier than ever. Available in four models (P6, P10, P16 and P20), the all-inclusive XPB Series displays offer an all-in-one package and the durable aluminium unibody cabinet structure extends the displays’ shelf life while ensuring a quick, seamless installation even for managers with little to no technical expertise. The XPB Series also simplifies the creation, scheduling and deployment of custom messaging across an entire display network through the embedded Banner Content Management Solution (Banner CMS), which allows users to update content and monitor overall operational performance from any location.

According to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the average home illuminance (or light) level in the U.S. and European countries is 70 lux in the evening and 125 lux during daytime. The average daily illuminance level in the typical U.S. and European home is about 75 lux, which is the approximate outdoor illuminance level at sunrise. The level is twice as high in Asian countries, including Korea: 175 at night and 250 during the day.

Furthermore, a 2013 study conducted by performance management company Neilsen shows that while TV viewers watch around two hours of TV in the evening between 8PM and 11PM, they also spend more than one-and-a-half hours watching during the daytime hours of 11AM to 3PM.

In other words, people are watching TV in rather bright environments. Therefore, a premium TV should be able to provide the best picture quality in viewing environments where lighting levels are high.

Dark Room Testing Over the Years

In the 1990s, many people used projectors to watch movies. Because projection screens are highly reflective, they lose their contrast if the lights are switched on. So, it was around this time that the TV industry came up with the idea of dark room testing. Since then, a number of product testing laboratories have conducted their TV tests in a completely dark room.

But because many people watch TV not only at night but also during the day, the TV manufacturers of today have been focusing on making products with higher brightness levels so viewers can enjoy clear images, even in bright environments. Meanwhile, High Dynamic Range (HDR), the latest technology designed to improve TV brightness levels, makes the bright parts of the on-screen picture even brighter, allowing the content to be displayed in true-to-life form.

Therefore, TV makers like Samsung are now testing their devices in both dark and bright environments to maximize the viewing experience in variety of environments. Hollywood filmmakers, too, are conducting their tests in both dark and bright environments to ensure that their films are optimized for viewing via VOD and streaming services.

So what kind of TV looks best in bright environments?

Engineers test the QLED TV’s picture quality in bright and dark rooms at Samsung’s TV Lab

QLED TV, Great for Bright Viewing Environments

When watched in a dark room, OLED TVs are able to display a picture with a high contrast ratio. Why? OLED TVs are self-illuminated and do not need a backlight, which means they can display accurate blacks when the lights are off. But in the typical viewing environment, where lighting conditions are generally bright, the picture quality of the OLED is quite different.

When Samsung tested its premium QLED TV and a competitor’s OLED TV in an environment with a 75-lux illuminance level, the QLED TV had a contrast level that was twice as high as the OLED TV. In other words, in a typical TV viewing environment, the QLED TV displays brighter and deeper colors.

The lighting of the viewing environment significantly affects the TV experience.

Great Reviews, Across the Board

A number of product testing companies have recognized Samsung’s QLED TV as the most optimized television for the average TV viewing environment. which, a leading product evaluation agency in the U.K. that tests TV and AV products, recently named Samsung the “Which? Sound & Vision Brand of the Year 2017” for its QLED TV.

Germany’s highly regarded consumer electronics publication, Video Magazin, awarded Samsung’s QLED TV a rating of 920 on a 1,005-point scale – the highest score it has ever granted. Furthermore, the QLED TV is the first product reviewed by the magazine to receive high marks in all three of its evaluation categories: Innovation, Reference and Highlight. The magazine tests TV products under both bright and dark environments, ranging between 45 to 75 lux.

“Leading the Lifestyle TV Era”

The 2017 Samsung QLED TV displays optimal picture quality with clear contrast at all times of the day.

With a peak brightness of 1,500 to 2,000 nits, the QLED TV can express 100 percent color volume – a first for any global TV manufacturer. This means that all colors of the DCI-P3 color space can be expressed regardless of differing levels of brightness, ensuring that HDR images can be viewed in the way the content producer intended.

“When it comes to determining a TV’s picture quality, the typical viewing environment must be considered in addition to its other features,” said Moonsoo Kim, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung will lead the new lifestyle TV era with its QLED TV, which will give every user the best viewing experience, no matter their viewing environment.”

“Gamers want to feel completely immersed in their favorite games, and our new monitors provide the most stunning visuals and realistic content to deliver the ultimate gaming experience”, said Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President, Enterprise Business at Samsung Electronics. “These QLED gaming monitors are the gateway to the future of gaming for casual, enthusiastic and competitive gamers alike, and we’re looking forward to building upon these game-changing technologies to further meet the needs of gamers, developers and partners in the coming years.”

A More Vivid and Detailed Gaming Environment

The QLED quantum dot technology delivers a new metal core and supports both approximately 125 percent of the sRGB color spectrum and 95 percent of the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI-P3) motion picture standard to deliver an exceptionally wide color range.

Samsung’s CHG90 sets the new visual standard for gaming displays by projecting a 32:9 aspect ratio and 3,840×1,080 double full HD (DFHD) resolution across a 49-inch screen. The CHG90 literally extends the playing field for gamers, with its broad design surpassing industry standards while simultaneously representing the widest monitor in the company’s gaming portfolio. The monitor delivers stunning 1,800R curvature and an ultra-wide 178-degree viewing angle, maintaining content visibility from any location within a given space. As a result, gamers no longer have to worry about the logistics, expenses and central bezel interference that occur when combining multiple smaller monitors together for an expanded view.

Ideal for first-person shooting, racing, flight simulation and action-heavy games, the CHG90 aligns an accelerated refresh rate (144Hz) and 1ms motion picture response time (MPRT) with advanced, four-channel scanning technology to deter motion blur and produce a more consistent picture across the entire screen.

Gaming at the Next Level

Available in 27- and 31.5-inch variations, The CHG70 integrates HDR and quantum dot technologies, with a 144Hz refresh rate further helping to bring out the best in gaming content. This combination offers gamers a viewing arena that is brighter (600nit peak brightness), clearer (2,560×1,440 WQHD resolution) and more luminous, and which brings the slightest visual nuances to the forefront in extremely light or dark environments.

The CHG90 and CHG70 arrive as the best Samsung gaming monitors to feature AMD’s Radeon FreeSync technology. Radeon FreeSync supports a wide color gamut to showcase HDR content with twice the perceivable brightness and color than that offered by the sRGB standard. As a result, users can enjoy a smooth, low-latency plug-and-play HDR gaming experience without having to frequently readjust software or monitor settings.

“We’re incredibly proud of how far Radeon FreeSync technology has come in the past two years, with well over 150 displays now shipping in the market,” said Scott Herkelman, Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Gaming, Radeon Technologies Group, AMD. “We believe these gorgeous monitors should be on every gaming enthusiast’s must-have list.”

Expanding Strategic Partnerships

As Samsung’s latest gaming monitors prepare to hit the market, the company continues to expand their usability and prepare the wider gaming industry for HDR content. In strategic partnership with the EA studio DICE and Ghost Games, the CHG90 and CHG70 have undergone rigorous tuning to ensure optimal HDR picture quality.

“We’re delighted to work closely with Samsung’s monitor team to optimize the CHG90 and CHG70 monitors for our games, which is vital so that our new game title “Star Wars Battlefront II” which will be released later in the year can be mirrored on these HDR monitors the way our game developers intended” said Oskar Gabrielson, General Manager of DICE.

“Here at Ghost Games, we always look at the latest technology that helps present Need for Speed in the best way possible and constantly look to push the boundaries. Technologies like HDR enable us to deliver an ever-greater emotional and immersive experience for our players. Samsung’s HDR monitors allow Need for Speed Payback to be exactly that” said Marcus Nilsson, Executive Producer at Ghost Games.

Additionally, both monitors recently received HDR compatibility validation with Nvidia’s graphics cards, ensuring they can clearly showcase a wider range of HDR-based gaming titles and PC devices.

Even prior to their widespread launch, the CHG90 and CHG70 have already earned industry recognition as leaders in the monitor product category. Last month, the Industrial Designers Society of America acknowledged both monitors as part of its annual IDEA Awards, which commemorate technologies for design innovation that improves both the economy and overall quality of life. The CHG90 received a Bronze prize in the program’s Consumer Technology category, with the CHG70 likewise garnering a Finalist nomination in the same group.

2017 Samsung Gaming Monitor Specifications

About AMD

For more than 45 years AMD has driven innovation in high-performance computing, graphics, and visualization technologies ― the building blocks for gaming, immersive platforms, and the datacenter. Hundreds of millions of consumers, leading Fortune 500 businesses, and cutting-edge scientific research facilities around the world rely on AMD technology daily to improve how they live, work, and play. AMD employees around the world are focused on building great products that push the boundaries of what is possible. For more information about how AMD is enabling today and inspiring tomorrow, visit the AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) website, blog, Facebook and Twitter pages.

About EA DICE

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 300 million registered players around the world. In fiscal year 2017, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.8 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims, Madden NFL, EA SPORTS FIFA, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Dragon Age and Plants vs. Zombies. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news. EA SPORTS, Origin, Need for Speed, The Sims, Dragon Age, Plants vs. Zombies, Battlefield,are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. and its subsidiaries. John Madden, NFL, UFC and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission.

The Infinity Display, with its continuous surface, and absence of buttons and harsh angles, is perhaps the most visibly distinct attribute of the new Galaxy S8 and S8+. But there’s a lot more to its stunning screen than meets the eye. In fact, it represents new heights in technology, UX design and viewing experience – all the result of Samsung’s dedication to creating meaningful, user-inspired technology.

Solving the Paradox of Size

According to Seungjun Hyun of Samsung Mobile’s Global Product Planning Group, the “paradox of size” is still a primary dilemma for smartphone users. In other words, they want a device with a screen large enough to view more content with less distractions, but also one with a compact form factor that fits comfortably in one hand.

To address this issue, Samsung designers and engineers knew they had to take a bold leap forward.

So, when it came time to build the Galaxy S8, designers dreamed up a compact yet immersive screen that minimizes top and bottom bezels and does away with side bezels entirely to create an ideal platform for viewing videos, games and social media feeds. The process of turning their idea into a reality, however, wasn’t without its challenges.

“To reduce the bezel size by approximately 50 percent compared to that of the previous model, we needed to rethink how the internal components should be arranged,” noted Beomju Kim of the Flagship R&D Group. “For example, we moved the DDI (Display Driver IC) to the bottom of the device, placed the camera inside the bezel, and tweaked the antennas to maximize screen space while ensuring functionality.”

Go Big or Go Home

Once the Infinity Display concept was confirmed, designers made the decision to move the Home button from the front of the device to behind the display to free up screen space. Although not physically visible to the user, the pressure-sensitive button would utilize touch haptic feedback to simulate the feel of an actual button press.

To accomplish this, pressure sensors were embedded directly into the device – a first for Samsung.

“Because we had never mounted pressure sensors on a mobile device before, we had to perform a number of simulation trials,” explained Yongseok Lee of the Advanced Mechanical R&D Group. “In the end, we found that we could take advantage of the dead space between the panel and the Display FPCB (Flexible Printed Circuit Board), and embedded the pressure sensors there.”

Another obstacle was working around the dual-edge design of the Galaxy S8’s display.

“As stunning as it is, the double curvature of the display’s corners makes it incredibly difficult to attach a protective film. In addition, we needed to define the boundary of the screen so that the image would not be distorted due to the curved display,” said Minsu Jung of the Advanced Mechanical R&D Group. “So we had to work closely with the designers and engineers from Samsung Display to adjust the designs as needed.”

The ‘invisible’ Home key and nearly bezel-less, dual-curved display together result in a device that is as sleek as it is technologically innovative.

A New Standard in Mobile Entertainment

Not only does the Galaxy S8’s Infinity Display offer an immersive viewing experience but its new 18.5:9 screen ratio makes for a cinematic one, as well.

While TV shows, movies and video content of the recent past have generally been produced in a 16:9 aspect ratio, video providers of today and tomorrow are beginning to embrace widescreen ratios of up to 21:9.

“When 16:9 content and 21:9 content are overlapped, the best ratio for both is actually 18.5:9. The reason we chose the 18.5:9 ratio is that it was the most appropriate when all content, from apps to multimedia to video to games, was tested and applied,” said Seungmin Choi of the Global Product Planning Group. “We went through a lot of tests, modifying the pixels one by one until we were satisfied with the result.”

When watched in landscape mode, 21:9 movies fill the Galaxy S8’s 18.5:9 display, while the black bars above and below the picture are minimized, increasing the viewing area by 36 percent, compared to the Galaxy S7.

In addition to boasting an enhanced aspect ratio, the Galaxy S8 is the first officially designated Mobile HDR Premium^TM screen, meaning users can watch content in the way the producer intended.

“The UHD Alliance’s standards mostly apply to televisions, so we had to work hard to define specifications specifically for mobile devices,” said Jeonghun Kim of the Display Group. “Attaining the certification required the close cooperation of numerous teams.”

Do More, Scroll Less

While the Galaxy S8’s Infinity Display takes the mobile entertainment experience to the next level, it’s also optimized for multitasking, making work and on-the-go tasks easier and more efficient.

With more screen real estate, users can make use of the phone’s multi-window functionality to perform multiple tasks at once, such as watching a video while typing a message using the full keyboard. The new Snap Window feature, meanwhile, lets them pin a specific area from a recent app to the top of the screen, and continue using the area below it to work and view content seamlessly.

The Galaxy S8 has also been optimized for one-handed operation, with a focus on reducing scrolling within the phone’s navigation screens as well as within timeline-based applications like social networking sites.

Further, engineers have built in shortcuts to make using the phone even more convenient, including a swipe gesture that allows users to reach the furthest corners of the screen without having to reposition the phone or their hands.

By elegantly balancing several competing demands – the perfect ratio for today’s content, the need for a bigger screen in a compact phone body and intuitive one-hand operation – Samsung’s engineers have created a one-of-a-kind display for the Galaxy S8.

Offering significantly improved color performance, Samsung’s 2017 QLED TVs are the first in the world that are capable of reproducing 100 percent color volume. This means that all colors of the DCI-P3 color space can be expressed regardless of differing levels of luminance between 1,500 and 2,000 nits. This ensures that High Dynamic Range (HDR) images can be viewed in the way the content producer intended.

This breakthrough is a result of Samsung’s adoption of a new metal alloy Quantum dot material, which allows the TV to express a significantly improved range of color with much greater detail compared to conventional TVs. The new Quantum dots enable Samsung’s QLED TV to express deep blacks and rich detail no matter how light or dark the scene is, or whether the content is being played in a brightly lit or darkened room. Furthermore, the display’s enhanced picture quality is maintained regardless of how wide the viewing angle may be.

Learn more about the picture quality of the 2017 QLED TV in the video below.

For additional information about the picture quality of 2017 QLED TV, check out the following links:

QLED TV Color

QLED Contrast

QLED HDR

QLED Viewing Angle

DisplayMate Technologies has released the results of its comprehensive evaluation of the Galaxy S8’s Infinity Display, concluding that Samsung’s new flagship possesses “the best-performing smartphone display that we have ever tested.” The Galaxy S8 is the latest Galaxy device to garner a superlative distinction from the industry’s screen authority, having earned DisplayMate’s highest-ever A+ grade.

The report, drafted by DisplayMate President Dr. Raymond M. Soneira, provides point-by-point analysis of the device’s high-performance hardware, as well as the advanced features and functions that allow its display to offer a peerless visual experience.

The Galaxy S8 earned top marks thanks to the record-setting specs of its curved, full-screen OLED display, which nearly fills the entire front face of the smartphone from edge to edge. In order to provide users with more screen space, the home button has been incorporated within the screen itself, which measures 5.8 inches (6.2 inches in the S8+) and boasts an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, adding new levels of immersion to the viewing experience.

Video content is even more vivid and engaging thanks to the Galaxy S8’s new, high-saturation ‘Deep Red’ OLED, which provides significantly higher color saturation. This creates a larger native color gamut – measuring 113 percent of DCI-P3 and 142 percent of sRGB/Rec. 709*; the highest DisplayMate has ever measured in a smartphone or tablet – that allows the screen to portray high-definition content accurately, in a manner in line with what creators intended.

The 2960 x 1440, 570 pixel-per-inch Quad HD+ display features the highest resolution currently available in a smartphone with an OLED display, and produces crystal clear images under all normal viewing conditions. The Galaxy S8 is also the first smartphone to receive the UHD Alliance’s ‘Mobile HDR Premium’ certification, which attests the screen’s ability to bring vibrant HDR content to life. This is possible in part due to its record-high peak brightness, which amounts to, as Dr. Soneira noted, “the brightest smartphone display that we have ever measured.”

The Galaxy S8 produces up to 1,020 nits under high ambient light conditions – such as bright sunlight – and boasts a screen reflectance of just 4.5 percent, which ranks among the lowest DisplayMate has ever measured. In addition, the screen’s combination of high brightness and low reflectance equate an ambient light contrast rating of 227 – “the highest that we have ever measured for any smartphone display.”

Users may get their hands on the Galaxy S8 as well as the S8+ and experience the devices’ immersive Infinity Displays for themselves beginning on April 21st.

*The Galaxy S8 features four screen modes calibrated for different content, applications and user preferences. These measurements reflect the devices’ default screen mode, ‘Adaptive Display’.

Samsung Electronics and Rakuten Wuaki, a leading provider of 4K high dynamic range (HDR) movies and video-on-demand (VOD) content, announced the expanded availability of Samsung’s TV PLUS service at MIPTV (Marché International des Programmes de Télévision) in Cannes. With this announcement, Rakuten Wuaki, partnered with Samsung, becomes the first VOD service to sell newly released, premium 4K HDR movies across Europe.

Launched in Germany in January 2017, TV PLUS will be available in five European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and United Kingdom with contents tailored for consumers in the region. This user-friendly service allows Samsung Smart TV owners to quickly navigate and access popular VOD channels using their internet connection.

“At Samsung, our goal is to help our consumers discover the content they want to watch, rather than make it difficult to find,” said Heeman Lee, Vice President of Connective TV services at Samsung Electronics. “With this in mind, we’re proud to partner with Rakuten Wuaki to expand availability of TV PLUS in Europe, offering the fastest way to discover the latest 4K HDR movies and entertainment on Samsung QLED TVs.”

Samsung TV PLUS is an innovative experience that allows users to easily access contents, including 4K (and HDR), Newly Release, Kids, Action and Comedy movies and their previews from IP-based TV channels run by Rakuten Wuaki.

The application’s interface features a scrolling channel menu similar to that of traditional cable or satellite TV providers, which allows users to quickly and directly rent or purchase their favorite high quality movies. This process makes the user experience both streamlined and enjoyable, presenting unique and game-changing opportunity to maximize the potential of 4K HDR quality movies within the predominant linear TV experience.

“Through TV PLUS, Rakuten and Samsung have been able to come together to offer consumers a wide variety of content options from an assortment of different genres and interests. A complete offer for everyone in the family,” said Jacinto Roca, chief executive officer of Rakuten Wuaki. “Rakuten is excited to grow our partnership with Samsung as we continue to look for new, innovative ways for users to consume the content they desire.”

Samsung and Rakuten Wuaki held an exclusive event to celebrate this partnership at MIPTV 2017, showcasing demonstrations of TV PLUS for both media and Hollywood studios. MIPTV serves as the global marketplace for TV and digital content for all genres and all screens, featuring a number of programs in support for the global media industry.

First introduced in 2015 in South Korea, TV PLUS continues to gain popularity across all available markets including Southeast Asia and North America.

About Rakuten Wuaki.tv

Rakuten Wuaki.tv is a video-on-demand (VOD) streaming service, offering thousands of hours of high quality movies and TV series for rental, purchase and also within a Subscription package. Rakuten Wuaki.tv’s extensive catalogue in specifically dedicated to the entire family, reaching all kind of likes within it. It includes content from major Hollywood studios such Warner, Disney, Sony, and Fox, production companies like as HBO, and European distributors, giving consumers access to new releases, blockbusters, classic movies and TV series on the device of their choosing. Rakuten Wuaki.tv’s content can be streamed to Internet-connected PCs, laptops, gaming consoles, tablets, iPhones, Chromecast and Smart TVs.

Bigger Screen, Better Grip

Available in 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch screen models, the Galaxy S8’s Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display takes up more than 80 percent of the phone’s front screen and is 18 percent larger than the screen of the Galaxy S7, enabling a more immersive viewing experience.

The phone’s front screen curves at the edges, has visibly reduced bezels and has no physical buttons. Without these obstructions, the Infinity Display seamlessly blends into the device’s body for a truly stunning display void of visual distractions.

Despite the display’s longer length, its width remains practically unchanged from that of the previous model. Its compact size, coupled with the phone’s symmetrically curved design, creates an ergonomic grip that enables comfortable one-handed operation.

Seamless Interactions

To provide the best viewing experience and create a more natural interaction between the user and the display, the Galaxy S8 unifies all buttons by integrating them into the display itself. The arrangement of the home, recent and back keys is the same as that of previous Galaxy models, and the buttons can be triggered by simply touching the screen.

Using a combination of hardware and software, the home key was installed under the display and was engineered to function and respond to pressure just like a physical button would. Recent and back buttons can be used in the same way they always have, but are now soft keys that can be customized in different colors.

Despite the fact that the Galaxy S8’s upper bezel contains the front camera, as well as the iris scanner and various sensors, it has been reduced in size, enhancing the aesthetic of the device. In addition, the Infinity Display is protected with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5 which is impervious against scratches and external impacts.

Robust Entertainment

With the implementation of the Infinity Display, the Galaxy S8 also boasts an expanded ratio of 18.5:9 for a cinematic viewing experience.

Galaxy S7 edge on the left and Galaxy S8+ on the right.

These days, video providers such as Netflix are updating their apps to a 21:9 ratio to better showcase their content on wider displays. When watched in landscape mode, 21:9 movies fill the Galaxy S8’s 18.5:9 display, while the black bars above and below the picture are minimized, increasing the viewing area by 36 percent, compared to the Galaxy S7. This feature, along with the phone’s High Dynamic Range (HDR) Premium capabilities, enables users to see content exactly as the creator intended.

To get the most out of the Infinity Display, users can also select from manual conversion options including Stretch, which stretches video horizontally or vertically to fill the screen completely, or Crop to Fit, where the original video ratio is maintained but the image is enlarged and cropped so it fills the screen. Users can change modes easily with a convenient on-screen toggle.

Gaming experiences are also enhanced by the Infinity Display. Any game that supports 18.5:9 full screen mode will be automatically optimized to fill up the entire screen, providing enhanced visual effects and more exciting gameplay. The aspect ratio can also be adjusted manually in the Game Tools settings.

Do More, Scroll Less

In addition to enabling enhanced entertainment experiences, the Infinity Display makes it easier to see and do more from a single screen.

Galaxy S7 on the left and Galaxy S8 on the right.

While apps are usually navigated through a list-like interface that requires continuous scrolling, the Galaxy S8’s expanded display space enables users to view more images and feeds on social media or read more text in an email at once.

The Infinity Display is optimized for multi-window usability. With more screen real estate to work with, using multiple apps at the same time is easier, particularly when inputting text. Users can type a text message on the phone’s full keyboard while watching a movie, for example, without the film being blocked by the keyboard.

The Galaxy S8’s new Snap Window also enhances multitasking. This feature lets users pin a specific area from a recent app (such as the video screen of a media player or the shares section of a stock app) to the top of the screen, and continue using the area below it to work and view content seamlessly.

Gentle Notifications, meanwhile, use Edge Lighting and a small toast pop-up message instead of large pop-up notifications to alert users of incoming calls or messages so they can stay focused on their movie or game.
With its sleek aesthetic, immersive viewing experience and productivity-enhancing capabilities, the Galaxy S8 Infinity Display is a new form factor for an entirely new mobile experience.

Samsung Electronics will unveil its latest visual display blockbuster, the new Samsung Cinema Screen. As the world’s first High Dynamic Range LED theater display, the cinema screen delivers unprecedented picture quality and brings movies and other on-screen contents to life with higher vibrancy and accuracy.

Samsung will formally debut the cinema LED screen at a series of preview demonstrations during March 27-30, 2017 at the Cinemark Century Orleans 18 and XD Theatre, located inside The Orleans Hotel & Casino. The premiere will coincide with the neighboring CinemaCon 2017 conference, the largest and most important gathering for the worldwide motion picture theater industry with attendees from more than 80 countries.

The 34 foot Samsung Cinema Screen easily accommodates modern theater dimensions. In addition to delivering LED picture quality at 4K (4,096 x 2,160) resolution, the screen also exceeds the highly-esteemed DCI specifications used to ensure a uniform and high level of technical performance, reliability, and quality in digital cinema. As a result, the new Samsung screen’s performance surpasses traditional projection-based technologies’ visual capabilities for a realistic presentation and is guaranteed to impress even the most entertainment-savvy guests.

“As the popularity of advanced at-home entertainment systems and streaming platforms increases, theaters must reposition themselves as a destination for an incomparable viewing experience that consumers simply cannot encounter anywhere else,” said Sang Kim, Vice President of Samsung Electronics America. “Our new Cinema Screen technology brings a more powerful and high-quality picture to the big screen, creating an environment where viewers feel as if they are part of every scene.”

The Cinema Screen’s direct-lit LED technology truly delivers High Dynamic Range (HDR) to the cinema, showcasing on-screen contents at a peak brightness level nearly 10 times greater than that offered by standard cinema projectors (146fL versus 14fL) with improved uniformity and free of optical distortion and interference. This futuristic exhibition also offers a highly accurate and superior color presentation that will capture the viewer’s eye. Complementary ultra-contrast and low tone grayscale settings enable the screen to showcase both brightest colors and the deepest blacks at a nearly infinity:1 contrast ratio.

The innovation present in Cinema Screen will be matched with an innovative audio solution powered by Harman Professional Solutions’ Cinema Group (a recently completed acquisition) and Samsung’s Audio Lab. Details will be forthcoming about this combined evolution in cinema “Sight & Sound.”

“Harman is excited to continue its collaboration with the Samsung Cinema Screen team and the Samsung Audio Lab. With our expertise in cinema sound systems, we look forward to helping to extend Samsung’s leadership in Visual Display solutions into the theater,” said Brian Divine, Vice President of Tour and Cinema Solutions Group.

As the demands for movie theater space evolve, the Samsung Cinema Screen offers the versatility to satisfy various audience needs. The screen maintains its advanced presentation capabilities in ambient lighting conditions regardless of the featured on-screen content and accommodates users who wish to utilize their theaters for corporate events, concert and sports event viewing, and gaming competitions.

“The launch of our cinema LED display is merely the latest step toward our vision for a complete end-to-end theater experience powered by digital signage,” said Seog-gi Kim, Senior Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “Through modern technologies ranging from touch-screen self-ticketing kiosks to digital concession menu boards and interactive movie posters, Samsung already is helping theaters improve customer engagement and boost operational efficiency. We look forward to continuing to serve as a total solutions provider for the theater industry and finding new and exciting ways to improve the customer experience.”

The Samsung Cinema Screen is currently undergoing the DCI certification process and recently completed compliance test at Keio University in Tokyo.

To learn more about CinemaCon 2017, visit cinemacon.com.

If you enjoy browsing the newest TVs when visiting your local big box store or are among the millions who subscribe to streaming movie and TV services, it’s very likely you’ve come across the term 4K HDR by now.

As definitions, 4K refers to a screen resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, or four times the level of full high definition (Full HD) at 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. HDR, which stands for high dynamic range, is a recently introduced technology that dramatically enhances contrast ratio (or how bright and dark a TV can get) as well as a TV’s ability to express many more brilliant colors to display content perfectly true-to-the-source. In fact, with the significant difference that HDR provides, many experts have taken to calling it the ‘future of TV’.

While both 4K and HDR are advancements in their own rights, combined together, 4K HDR content takes picture quality to a whole new level and is simply jaw dropping in terms of the utter realism, brilliant color, and immersive experience it provides. With no hyperbole intended, 4K HDR delivers a TV viewing experience which simply hasn’t been seen before.

Given the expectations for how 4K HDR will re-shape the industry, major content services like Amazon, Netflix, YouTube and others are already providing content in 4K HDR, with the number of titles expanding daily. New 4K HDR TVs and HDR media players are also being introduced to the market at a rapid pace.

Choosing the Right 4K HDR TV 

In line with this trend, if you’re currently on the market for a new TV, it makes sense to consider one that is 4K HDR enabled. However, with people still learning about this new technology, how do you choose the ideal 4K HDR TV that will display 4K HDR content in the way it deserves?

The easiest way will be to look for the ULTRA HD PREMIUM logo which is issued by the UHD Alliance for products and services that meet or exceed strict performance levels for 4K resolution, HDR, and wide color spectrum.

To provide, however, further understanding of a TV able to do justice to 4K HDR content, it’ll be helpful to look at the example of Samsung’s new QLED TV. Introduced at this year’s CES, and quickly capturing industry attention, the new QLED TV provides insights into three key criteria when it comes to choosing the best 4K HDR TV for 4K HDR content:

• What is the TV’s color volume?
• Does the TV utilize advanced HDR (at least 1000nit image source)?
• How is the TV’s brightness and contrast?

Let’s explore each of these criteria more deeply.

Key Criteria #1: Color Volume

To display 4K HDR content at its best, it’ll be important to become familiar with the concept of color volume, and to look for a TV that offers 100% color volume.

While Samsung Newsroom has covered color volume in-depth in a previous post, this exacting standard of color expression measures two elements of the TV with three-dimensional space – the color gamut and the brightness level. The color gamut looks at the amount of colors that can be displayed physically. The peak brightness represents the display’s maximum brightness level. The larger the color gamut and the higher the brightness, the bigger the color volume of the TV.

For its part, Samsung’s new QLED TV combines quantum dot light and RGB color for 100 percent color volume expression—the first TV to be validated as such by the world-class testing and certification association, Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE).

QLED is able to achieve 100% color volume and precise colors through the unique combination of quantum dot light and a pure RGB color filter

What this means for 4K HDR content is that Samsung QLED will display the content with absolutely precise color accuracy, as realistic as it gets, and exactly as the director intended.

Key Criteria #2: Advanced HDR Utilization

While HDR, as mentioned earlier, is a relatively recent advancement, it’s important to understand that there are already variations to this new technology in particular involving the nit level (or visible-light intensity) a particular HDR-type is able to capture.

When it comes to 4K HDR content, the key will be to keep in mind the requirement of 1000nit. In short, a TV that cannot capture a 1000nit image source will not be able to depict content, particularly 4K HDR, completely true-to-the-source.

Different from other sets being introduced to the market, Samsung took the initiative to integrate HDR capabilities able to express a peak brightness of up to 1500-2000nit (surpassing the 1000nit requirement) into its QLED TV. Samsung QLED TV’s advanced HDR capability ensures it is able to depict 4K HDR content with perfect true-to-the-source accuracy, just as the directors intended.

Advanced HDR technology expresses every detail just as the director intended

Key Criteria #3: Brightness and Contrast

The final criteria to consider in choosing the ideal 4K HDR TV is the TV’s brightness and contrast, specifically the peak levels of brightness the TV is able to achieve. In addition to deep blacks, many experts consider a TV’s brightness levels to be key to outstanding picture quality given the significant difference of varying brightness levels to the human eye. Brightness is also critical given the different lighting conditions of many home and other environments, and will be a decisive factor in ensuring that 4K HDR content is getting the best expression possible.

Samsung’s new QLED TV utilizes 32 precision brightness block adjusters, to automatically adjust the brightness level block by block, making dark images appear darker and bright images appear brighter.

Samsung QLED TV’s brilliant light source, based on quantum dot, also helps it produce exceptional brightness and contrast in any setting ensuring 4K HDR content will get the play it deserves in diverse home and other environments.

As the year continues, it’s no doubt you’ll be hearing much more about 4K HDR – from new content and titles to TV and media hardware. The dawning of the 4K HDR era promises to be an exciting one, and we hope you stay tuned as Samsung continues to introduce further innovations in this area.

Samsung Electronics announced today that its 2017 QLED TV line-up has been certified by the UHD Alliance (UHDA) as ULTRA HD PREMIUM. The certification encompasses the 2017 QLED TV portfolio, including the Q9, Q8 and Q7 models.

“It’s an honor to receive this stamp of approval from the UHD Alliance,” said MS Kim, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung. “We are proud to continue offering our consumers a premium Ultra HD home entertainment experience with our 2017 QLED TV lineup.”

The UHDA’s ULTRA HD PREMIUM logo identifies products and services that meet or exceed strict performance levels for 4K resolution, high-dynamic range (HDR), and wide color spectrum. These specifications enable televisions, content and other external devices, such as UHD Blu-ray players, to fully display content in its richest form, allowing the consumer to experience a more accurate content experience from their living rooms.

Announced at CES 2017, the QLED TV lineup features dramatically improved color performance displaying the DCI-P3* color space accurately and – in another world first for Samsung – can reproduce 100 percent color volume. This means Samsung’s new QLED TVs can express all colors at any level of brightness – with even the subtlest differences visible at the QLED’s peak luminance – exceeding UHDA requirements.  This breakthrough is a result of Samsung’s adoption of a new metal Quantum Dot material, making it possible for the TV to express a significantly improved range of color with much greater detail compared to conventional TVs. With picture quality a top priority for consumers around the world, Samsung’s 2017 QLED TVs represent yet another leap forward in home entertainment.

The UHDA is a global coalition comprised of more than 50 member companies – including leading film studios, consumer electronics manufacturers and content distributors – and was established to foster and promote the Ultra HD ecosystem and benefits of Ultra HD technology. The Alliance is also focused on helping consumers build a seamless, integrated and high-quality UHD ecosystem from end-to-end. Premium UHD devices and content will be clearly marked so consumers can easily identify them in-store. To learn more about the UHDA, please visit http://www.uhdalliance.org/.

*DCI-P3 is a common RGB color space for digital movie projection in the American film industry.

Samsung Electronics’ 2017 QLED TV recently received verification from world-class testing and certification association, Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE), for its ability to produce ‘100 percent color volume.’ The designation, a first for any global TV manufacturer, illustrates how color volume is quickly becoming an effective way to measure the precision of colors.

Defined as a three-dimensional representation that illustrates the color reproduction capacity of a display at all of its luminance levels, color volume is also an important standard for ensuring that content is displayed in the way the producer intended. But what makes it different than other color standards? Let’s take a closer look at this new measurement of color.

From SDR to HDR: Measuring Colors Accurately

Many television color standards, which were defined in the days of CRT TVs, are stuck at an outdated 100 nits. As a result, displays were not able to express colors accurately when reproducing videos and images according to these standards.

With more recent displays, beginning with the world’s first commercialized HDR TV launched by Samsung in 2015, luminance level ranges have increased, allowing whites and blacks to be expressed more realistically. Color ranges, too, have expanded, resulting in images that are more true to life. We call this new, broader range High Dynamic Range (HDR), while the preceding range is known as Standard Dynamic Range (SDR).

In HDR, whites and blacks are more true-to-life.

Up until now, most manufacturers and calibrators have specified and measured the range of colors that a display can reproduce in terms of color gamut. Specifically, the American film industry has utilized the DCI-P3 color gamut for digital movie projection.

In the world of SDR, illustrating a display’s color gamut on a 2D color space proved satisfactory, as calibrated displays behaved in a similar manner. Peak luminance was 100 nits and colors were generally well saturated at one luminance level, typically 75 percent of the display’s peak luminance.

But in the HDR era, things are different. Peak luminance, for example, is generally five to ten times higher, and in the case of Samsung’s QLED TVs, 15 to 20 times higher. These varying luminance levels have a big effect on how colors are displayed. As the image exceeds the display’s peak luminance, for instance, colors can be displayed differently from what they were intended to be, sometimes resulting in a wash-out effect.

Even with the same content, colors can be expressed differently on different displays, depending on their luminance range.

So, while 2D color spaces were sufficient to indicate color gamut in the SDR era, things are different in the world of HDR, where luminance levels differ greatly. Therefore, a new color standard needed to be established to ensure that the HDR content that’s being produced, broadcast and displayed is correct and retains the content creator’s original intentions.

The Importance of Color Volume

To accommodate the variations of different displays, luminance was integrated as a third dimension into the traditional 2D color gamut diagram to create color volume. This 3D measurement illustrates how a display reproduces colors at all of the luminance levels of its luminance range.

Unlike the conventional two-dimensional CIE 1931 color space diagram (left), three-dimensional color volume takes luminance into account, and is thus a better measure of a display’s color rendering capacity.

Put simply, the higher the color volume, the better display can express a vast range of vivid, accurate colors. Samsung’s QLED TVs’ ‘100 percent color volume’ verification means that all colors of the DCI-P3 color space can be expressed regardless of differing levels of brightness, ensuring that HDR images can be viewed in the way the content producer intended.

With 100 percent color volume, Samsung’s QLED TVs display colors in true to life form.

Bringing together the features that define HDR for consumers such as higher contrast, greater peak luminance levels and the ability to render a wide color gamut over a large range of luminance levels, color volume will no doubt continue to become a growing area of interest in the display industry. The future of TV is here, and it is colorful!

Samsung Electronics today announced that it will support YouTube’s global HDR playback on television for the first time, through an expanded version of the YouTube application. The YouTube Application is available on all 2016 Samsung Quantum dot TVs and UHD TVs and will launch progressively throughout the world from December.

YouTube will support High Dynamic Range (HDR) video streaming, offering a wide range of HDR content. Launched through an automatic software update, consumers who use all 2016 Samsung Quantum dot TV and UHD TVs can access HDR content simply by visiting the HDR category within the YouTube application on YouTube’s 4K channel, providing an easy way to navigate and enjoy premium content.

“With the global availability of YouTube’s HDR, we at Samsung are thrilled to support the best HDR viewing experience and a wide range of HDR content for users to enjoy,” said Seline Han, Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are confident that our TVs will bring to life an immersive HDR viewing experience — all from the comfort of our users’ homes.”

To coincide with the launch, the YouTube application will feature new HDR videos from popular YouTube content creators, such as MysteryGuitarMan and Jacob + Katie Schwarz. To ensure the proliferation of new HDR content, additional YouTube creators will be able to utilize the YouTube Spaces LA and NYC, which provide HDR production resources to content creators.

With a growing number of HDR content providers, as well as the numerous creators already producing HDR video content, YouTube’s  HDR support is expected to introduce more genre offerings in the coming year and satisfy user demand for a true-to-life viewing experience on the content they enjoy the most.

“We are thrilled to announce the launch of HDR support on Samsung’s Quantum dot TVs,” said Heather Thompson Rivera, Director of Product Partnerships at YouTube. “By combining Samsung’s commitment to picture quality and our desire to offer the best content available, we will work together to build a strong ecosystem that improves HDR content creation and allows users to enjoy more diverse content in the best quality possible.”

Emerging as one of the most sought after display technologies in the last few years, HDR is an image reproduction technology that analyzes the contrast ratio of a video to help express even the most subtle differences in shades and tones of color. Paired with Samsung’s Quantum dot TV, the picture that is produced appears more realistic and life-like on screen. In addition, Samsung’s Quantum dot TVs have the capacity to generate peak brightness of 1,000 nits, optimized for the most ideal HDR viewing experience.

Samsung Electronics Co. announces plans to enhance the premium television viewing experience by expanding its new and existing European Ultra High Definition (UHD) and High Dynamic Range (HDR) content partnerships. Consumers can now enjoy all-new programming from their favorite content providers, including Amazon, Netflix and a growing list of local partners, in the best picture quality on all Samsung 2016 UHD and SUHD TVs. The entire series supports HDR technology designed to highlight contrast in dark areas and create distinguishing color differences in brighter areas.

“We are thrilled to work with amazing content partners, who share our mission of providing consumers with the best entertainment available,” said WonJin LEE, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “With fresh UHD and HDR content debuting soon in the European market in the coming months, we are excited to offer consumers more of their favorite television shows and movies in the best picture quality.”

Samsung has partnered with global content leaders such as Amazon and Netflix and Samsung has also expanded the partnership with them to provide more HDR content to subscribers across the Europe market. Amazon was the first to launch HDR with Samsung TVs and titles available today include award-winning and popular Amazon Original Series like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle and Mozart in the Jungle. Launched early this year, Netflix are now offering sought-after series and titles such as Marco Polo, Adam Sandler’s The Do-Over and The Ridiculous Six. European consumers can enjoy these much desired HDR titles with the Amazon Video app and Netflix apps on Samsung’s Quantum dot SUHD TV, which are slated to provide over 300 hours of HDR programming combined by the end of the year.

Several popular European content providers will also debut HDR programming, as well as newly-dedicated UHD channels and content. Arte and Sky will launch new UHD services for the European market this year and Insight TV and RTVE will each launch new HDR and UHD services. Samsung’s current partners, CHILI, Infinity and Videoload, will expand their UHD services to include HDR by early next year.

Samsung is also leading the proliferation of HDR technology through the launch of its Quantum dot SUHD TV, which expresses UHD and HDR content to its highest quality. The technology has been instrumental in the vast improvements in brightness, color and contrast across the television industry.

Samsung at IFA 2016

This year’s IFA attendees are encouraged to stop by Samsung Electronics’ booth to experience the complete lineup of Samsung premium TV and audio offerings. The booth will highlight Quantum dot display technology with a unique QD Experience zone, as well as showcase the Smart TV experience through a variety of content partners and smart technology.

Samsung Electronics’ booth will be open at Level 2 of City Cube Berlin from September 2 through 7 for IFA 2016.

Samsung Electronics announced today a next-generation security solution for consumers to access pay-TV services directly on their televisions. The low-cost USB dongle, TVkey, ensures content protection without a set-top box or second remote. The innovative technology was developed by Samsung in collaboration with NAGRA, the world’s leading independent provider of content protection and multiscreen television offerings.

The new TVkey security system incorporates the built-in terrestrial, satellite and cable tuners of Samsung TVs to give consumers a reliable connection. The system provides the highest level of content protection at an affordable cost.

“We are committed to providing our consumers with access to all of their favorite content on their Samsung SUHD TVs,” said Jong-hee Han, Executive Vice President, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “By partnering with NAGRA on TVkey, we are setting a new standard for the industry, enabling pay-TV providers to securely deliver premium UHD content directly to consumers.”

TVkey content security approach meets stringent Hollywood requirements for protection of 4K and HDR content. It also allows pay-TV operators to easily add new subscribers and broaden their existing business models, dramatically reducing customer acquisition costs.

“In working with Samsung, we are providing consumers and pay-TV operators with a flexible and economical route to UHD services, while offering state-of-the-art pay-TV security,” said Maurice van Riek, NAGRA Senior Vice President of Content and Asset Security. “By integrating our latest content protection technology alongside open standards, such as USB and HbbTV/HTML5, we not only ensure excellent security, but also deliver a feature-rich, operator-branded user experience directly to the consumer’s TV.”

TVkey is expected to be available at the end of 2016, with additional market launches planned for early 2017. Later in 2017, Samsung and NAGRA plan to develop TVKey into an open market solution, fully accessible to the wider television industry.

For more details on when the open market deployment will be available, please visit the official TVkey website.

Samsung Electronics today announced the commercial launch of the new Galaxy Note7 in select markets including the US, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, the UAE and Korea.

The Galaxy Note7 strikes a balance between work and play, enabling people to achieve more than what they thought possible on a smartphone.

Featuring a symmetrical dual-edge design and refined user experience, the Galaxy Note7 provides a comfortable grip and easier one-handed operation, despite its large 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED display. Additionally, the Galaxy Note7 demonstrates Samsung’s category-defining leadership with innovative features including an enhanced, water-resistant S Pen; advanced security that couples Samsung Knox with a new iris scanning feature; and immersive entertainment capabilities with ready-to-stream HDR video.

Take a look at how the Galaxy Note7 enables users to think big and do more in the hands-on videos below.

*All functionality features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

Just how seriously to Europeans take their soccer? And how do Samsung’s SUHD TVs create a viewing experience that makes “The Beautiful Game” even more so? Find out a few of the reasons why critics have placed SUHD TVs in a league of their own here.

* All functionality features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

In a recent report, DisplayMate Technologies, the leading evaluator of video screens, announced the results of a new series of comprehensive lab tests on the Galaxy Note7’s display. DisplayMate President Dr. Raymond M. Soneira noted, “The Galaxy Note7 provides many major and important state-of-the-art display enhancements.It is the most innovative and high performance Smartphone display that we have ever tested.”

Which factors earned the Galaxy Note7’s display its top marks? Find out below.

As the first smartphone to incorporate High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology for mobile video streaming, the Galaxy Note7 provides a cinema-like viewing experience. HDR, the newest performance enhancement feature developed for the latest 4K Ultra HDTVs, expands the color, contrast and brightness of video content through special image processing.

To display the latest high-end video content, the Galaxy Note7 was equipped with the newest standard Wide Color Gamut called DCI-P3 for Digital Cinema Initiative. The measured color gamut of the AMOLED Cinema screen mode is a very accurate 97 percent of the standard DCI-P3 color gamut. It also received a very accurate Absolute Color Accuracy measurement of 2.8 JNCD.

The Galaxy Note7 boasts a record high peak brightness (automatic brightness) of 1,048 nits in high ambient light conditions and a screen reflectance level of 4.6 percent. This means that the screen of the Galaxy Note7 can easily be viewed or read, even under relatively high ambient lighting, such as bright sunlight, which washes out the image color saturation and contrast, decreasing picture quality.

In line with its automatic brightness improvements, the Galaxy Note7 received praise from DisplayMate for being the first of its kind to incorporate a second, rear ambient light sensor. This sensor measures surrounding ambient light and then uses the measured value, along with that of the front ambient light sensor, to alter the display brightness accordingly. The additional sensor helps the device to obtain an accurate reading of the true ambient light level, even when the phone is held in the user’s shadow.

DisplayMate also made note of the Galaxy Note7’s new Blue Light Filter that allows the user to adjust and reduce the amount of blue light from the display for better night viewing, “which some recent research indicates can affect how well users sleep afterwards.”

Featuring curved screen OLED display, the Galaxy Note7 will be available for purchase starting August 19.

Smartphones have given us the ability to easily transition between work and play, and the Galaxy Note7 is no exception. Equipped with HDR streaming capabilities, which make video content look more vivid and lifelike, best-in-class gaming with new titles supported by Vulkan API, and advanced camera technology, the newest Galaxy Note smartphone provides a rich entertainment experience that’s as mobile as we are. Furthermore, an enhanced Gear VR headset, which now supports expanded compatibility, offers an even more immersive virtual experience.

Truer Colors, A Clearer Picture

To provide a better viewing experience, the film industry has continually improved video resolution—from HD to Full HD to Ultra HD. Most recently, the UHD Alliance, a consortium of production studios, content networks, tech companies and TV manufacturers—including Samsung—shifted their focus to High Dynamic Range (HDR). Equipped with Super AMOLED Display, HDR video streaming technology enables a cinema-like experience including brighter colors and a deeper black, to ensure users get the full experience that the filmmaker intended.

Now Galaxy Note7 users can stream HDR video in HDR10 format, a standard that denotes a color depth based on a 10-bit signal. Therefore, they can experience the same HDR color and quality on their mobile device as they can on a television.

Samsung was able to bring this extraordinary technology to the Galaxy Note7 by utilizing Mobile Digital Natural Image Engine (mDNIe) technology and the Super AMOLED display.

The powerful mDNIe chipset, which was designed by Samsung, is the most advanced image processing engine to date, and ensures that dark and bright colors appear the way they do in real life. It also makes use of the Galaxy Note7’s 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED display—which exhibits the largest range of colors and brightness among smartphone displays—to vividly and clearly express the colors intended by the content developer.

The chipset also allows the smartphone to seamlessly process streamed HDR content without straining the battery, meaning users can stay immersed in their favorite TV shows and movies for even longer.

All Fun and Games

In February, Samsung set a new industry standard with the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, which were the first smartphones to support Vulkan, an API that brings more robust and responsive performance and power efficiency to gaming.

Samsung once again incorporated Vulkan into the Galaxy Note7, giving gamers the ability to play high-performance, graphic-intensive games for even longer, and also giving developers an unprecedented tool to create unique gaming experiences.

With the Galaxy Game Pack, available through Google Play, users can access top game titles, an easy redemption process and new user benefits.

Virtual Reality Gets Real

Since the launch of the first Gear VR in 2014, Samsung has continued to innovate in the VR space by offering a robust VR ecosystem with the Gear 360 as well as an enhanced Gear VR headset.

Brought to life by the Samsung Galaxy smartphone, Gear VR provides engaging content, putting users in the center of the action for a more immersive experience. By pairing the Galaxy Note7 with the new Gear VR powered by Oculus, the latest version now supports USB Type-C and micro-USB port connections, giving even more users access to the world of VR.

Furthermore, with improved lenses and ergonomics, the updated headset lets users more comfortably view 360-degree videos and create Gear 360 content. These memories can then be shared with friends via platforms including YouTube 360 and Facebook, and can be relived through the ultra-immersive Gear VR. Together with the Galaxy Note7, the new Gear VR is a gateway to new experiences and great adventures.

Picture-Perfect

The Galaxy Note7 is equipped with the advanced camera that debuted on the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, allowing users to capture important memories in true-to-life colors. Dual-pixel technology, a wide aperture and fast autofocus work together to capture sharp images, even in low-light conditions, so that users never miss a shareable moment.

While the camera of the Galaxy Note7 boasts the same great specs, it has been updated to provide a more streamlined, intuitive user experience.

For more product information, please visit www.samsung.com/galaxy

*All functionality features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.