With QLED’s expansive viewing angle, precision resolution, remarkable detail and innovative, lifelike sound, immerse yourself in your favorite sporting events and feel like you’re right back there among the sights and sounds of the stadium.

In order to make sure you never miss a single moment of the action of all the upcoming matches this season, Samsung QLED 8K is the perfect companion for avid sports fans thanks to its ultra-large screen, immersive display and revolutionary sound quality.

Enjoyment Without Boundaries

The roar of the crowd, the coordinated choreography of your favorite athletes and the sheer adrenaline of a win – nothing quite beats a sports game. But with Samsung QLED 8K, you can get closer to the action than ever before thanks to the ultra-wide TV’s revolutionary screen and sound technologies.

Samsung QLED 8K provides users with the best viewing experience currently available in the market thanks to its 100% Color Volume capable of creating around 1 billion different colors, along with AI Quantum Processor 8K technology, which enhances even low-resolution streams into 8K quality content.

Not only is the Samsung QLED 8K’s picture quality capable of transporting you right into the stadium or venue where your favorite game is being held, your QLED 8K further provides new levels of immersion and realism thanks to its ultra-large screen, Infinity Screen edges and ultra-slim design that ensure the screen blends right into the background and doesn’t distract from the action.

Furthermore, it wouldn’t be a true sports match without the engaging running commentary of the referees or those satisfying impact noises – which is why QLED 8K’s dynamic sound makes it the optimum screen to enjoy your favorite match on. Samsung’s QLED 8Ks come with Object Tracking Sound+ (OTS+) feature that intelligently follows an object’s movement around the screen and projects it into the space around it with the TV’s built-in speakers for lifelike, three-dimensional audio experiences.

Round-The-Clock Adrenaline With TV Plus and Smart TV

In terms of finding all your favorite games, be they live or on-demand, the QLED 8K range has you sorted. Samsung TV Plus, Samsung’s free Smart TV video service automatically installed on Samsung Smart TVs in select regions, offers users access to over 100 channels including 13 leading on-demand sports programming channels. With no downloads, additional devices or credit card needed to use Samsung TV Plus, users can simply relax and tune into beIN SPORTS XTRA, fubo Sports Network and more without any inconvenience.

Furthermore, Samsung Smart TV users can easily navigate the major Over the Top (OTT) content service applications with just a few clicks thanks to the Universal Guide feature, which harnesses the power of AI to provide personalized recommendations tailored to your viewing preferences.

Avid fans should be sure to harness their Smart TV to enjoy Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video, a range of primetime and college sports including NFL, MLB, MLS and NASCAR on FOX Sports and world championship boxing on DAZN.¹ And if you’re up at a late hour in order to catch an international match, you can rely on the Samsung QLED 8K’s Adaptive Picture feature to automatically adjust the TV’s settings to the light conditions around you in order to maintain the optimum screen quality, whatever the time of day.

¹ Content services may vary by country.

It’s that time of year again! The holidays are fast approaching, and the holiday spirit is in full swing. Although we can all agree that 2020 has been a year unlike any other, the true meaning behind the season – the sense of togetherness, fun and cheer – remains as important as it’s ever been.

Like the holidays, Samsung QLED 8K brings people together, although they do so in a slightly different way. The first part of our series guided you through picking out the perfect holiday gift from Samsung’s lifestyle TV lineup. Here, we’ll show you how Samsung QLED 8K’s combination of convenient features and immersive entertainment can make celebrating the holidays that much more fun.

‘Deck the Halls’ with Ambient Mode

What better way to get in the holiday spirit than by surrounding yourself with holiday-themed art?

Samsung QLED 8K’s Ambient Mode allows you to do just that. The feature adds a fun new dimension to decorating your living space by transforming your TV’s off screen into an immersive canvas. It’s perfect for those of us who love watching cozy content around the holidays, because it offers us more opportunities to enjoy festive imagery.

Make Time for a Holiday Movie Marathon

Watching films with friends and family is such an important part of the holidays. With so many classics to choose from, you’ll want a TV that allows you to enjoy each and every one in crystal clear quality.

Available in sizes ranging from 43 all the way up to 98 inches, Samsung QLED 8K takes movie marathons to a whole new level. Immerse yourself in your favorite holiday films with bright, vivid colors and jaw-dropping detail.

Enjoy Concerts and Musicals

For many of us, the holidays just wouldn’t be the same without the music – the concerts, musicals and more – that makes this season feel so special. With so many concerts and performances going virtual this year, many of us are turning to our TVs to enjoy this important part of the holiday experience.

Samsung QLED 8K allows you to view concerts and performances at a level of quality that makes you feel like you’re there. They do so by combining impeccable visuals with powerful audio innovations like Object Tracking Sound+ and Active Voice Amplifier (AVA). The former follows movement on screen to create lifelike, three-dimensional sound, while the latter analyzes scenes in real time to optimize sound for speech, music and more.

Unwrap a More Immersive Gaming Experience

With next-generation consoles set to be among this year’s hottest gifts, those who wish to get the most out of their gaming sessions will require TVs that are capable of supporting the most immersive experience possible.

Samsung optimized its QLED 8K, inside and out, to offer gamers an edge over the competition. The TVs work seamlessly with consoles to minimize barriers to your immersion, including tearing, stuttering and lag, producing the type of smooth and crisp gameplay that takes console gaming to the next level.

Make More Memories Together

More than anything, the holidays are about spending quality time with friends and family, reflecting on memories, and forging new ones.

Samsung QLED 8K’s built-in screen-sharing features make it easy for families to relive precious moments. Sharing home movies and music couldn’t be simpler with Tap View and Multi View. Both features allow you to instantly mirror content on your smartphone’s screen to your TV’s spacious display. Once you’ve found a video you’d like to show the group, simply tap your smartphone to your TV’s side to mirror it with Tap View, or use Multi View to create a picture-in-picture window of your smartphone’s screen that you can display alongside what’s on TV.

The global market for large screen televisions is on a surge. According to global market research firm Omdia, global shipments of TVs with displays over 75-inches are expected to increase by 17% compared to 2019 and 8K TVs are set to increase by 110% this year as well.

Given the market demands, Samsung is doubling down on its efforts to give consumers large screen TVs that not only offer the best picture quality but also the best sound experiences.

At the heart of that is Samsung’s AI Quantum Processor.

The AI Quantum Processor is a high-performing chip developed using Samsung’s proprietary technologies that can process complex algorithms quickly using machine learning-based upscaling. That gives consumers the ability to stream 8K content in real-time paired with dynamic, location-based acoustics.

Samsung is peeling back the secrets of the AI Quantum Processor to share on how it brings these experiences together to get better resolution, better sound and better picture integrity.

One of the leading questions consumers continue to ask about large screen TVs is how to watch ultra HD content in 8K resolution given that it isn’t widely available yet. That’s where Samsung’s AI upscaling technology comes in.

Today, the technology transforms not only 4K content into 8K, but it also works for lower-resolution SD, HD and FHD-quality content as well. The AI Quantum Processor 8K combines the advantages of existing machine learning capabilities with new deep learning technologies to analyze and deliver content at some of the most granular levels possible.

This hybrid approach helps to remove unnecessary noise and creates life-like textures and smooth edges on upscaled 8K content that only Samsung can deliver. It also adjusts content brightness and darkness levels according to the light and living room conditions the display is set up in.

AI Quantum Sound for the Most Suitable Audio Experiences

Adding a truly effective audio experience to high-quality picture quality serves to bring about an even deeper sense of immersion to viewers. Samsung’s AI Quantum Sound, bolstered by artificial intelligence, provides a listening experience similar to that of a movie theater right in your living room.

Samsung’s new innovative sound technology Object Tracking Sound+ follows movement on-screen to match the direction of the sound to the action. The technology recognized and analyzes the recorded audio synced to the content in real-time and evenly distributes the audio tracks to the six speakers embedded in the TV.

And due in part to the Active Voice Amplifier (AVA), users will never miss a word of dialogue, regardless of what is happening around the TV. The feature monitors the sound environment so that if there is noise louder than the TV’s audio, it will increase the volume of just the dialogue audio so as not to overwhelm users while ensuring no word goes unheard. Also, sound will be delivered seamlessly thanks to real-time deep learning audio separation technology, high-performance NPU (Neural Processing Unit).

AI Streaming for Minimal Data Loss

Thanks to the widespread use of the Over the Top (OTT) streaming services, more and more users are taking advantage of their large screen TVs and stream 8K content. However, existing network infrastructures cannot always guarantee image quality that meets users’ high-resolution expectations. This is why at the Samsung Developers’ Conference in 2019, Samsung introduced its AI Scalenet technology, designed to overcome these infrastructure limitations and support effective 8K streaming and low-latency livestreaming.

AI Scalenet is a CES 2020 Innovation Award-winning AI codec technology that generates resolutions four times higher than conventional technologies without any change to the network infrastructure. It minimizes the data loss that may occur during the compression and playing of videos through deep learning technologies, meaning users can enjoy 8K-quality content regardless of their network infrastructure. Even during peak usage, AI Scalenet dramatically improves image quality and content speed according to the network status and reduces picture breaking and ambient noise.

These days, more content than ever can be enjoyed on our TVs, meaning that the expectation for immersive viewing experiences in the home has increased, too. Samsung plans to continue to use a range of innovative technologies, starting with artificial intelligence, to bring the best experience 8K content and audio experiences to living rooms across the world.

With its 2020 QLED 8K TVs and AI sound technologies, Samsung has raised the bar for TV audio experiences. Object Tracking Sound+ uses AI-based software to match the movement of audio with movement on-screen; Active Voice Amplifier (AVA) tracks the user’s audio environment; and Q-Symphony creates a more realistic, three-dimensional sound.

Samsung Newsroom sat down with the sound developers of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business to learn more about their extensive capabilities and the journey to fostering innovation in sound.

(From left to right) Youngtae Kim (Sound Lab), Jongbae Kim (Sound Lab), Yoonjae Lee (Sound Device Lab) and Sunmin Kim (Sound Lab)

Object Tracking Sound+: Reading the Room for More Realistic Audio Experiences

Action movies with amazing sound arrangements provide the most realistic experiences when experienced at movie theaters. This is because movie theaters have multi-channel speakers with 3D sound placed on almost all the walls (including the ceiling), as well as around the screen. Compared with two-channel sound that features speakers only on the left- and right-hand sides, the multi-channel speakers in a movie theater deliver a more refined sense of realism. So how can this realism be recreated in the home? Samsung’s sound developers came up with Object Tracking Sound+ technology, in which sound follows movement onscreen through six speakers built into the TV.

Thanks to this technology, a video’s audio follows the action on-screen in real time. When a car moves from the left to the right-hand side of the screen, so will the sound it makes; and when a heavy object drops from the top to the bottom of the screen, so will the audio.

When developing the 2020 QLED 8K TVs, Samsung’s TV developers increased the number of QLED TV speakers from two to six in order to realize sound that can mimic action. “By placing two speakers on each side of the screen, as well as on the top and bottom, we enabled the dissemination of sound in all directions from a total of six speakers,” explained Jongbae Kim. “The distance between the two main speakers has been widened as much as possible, and the additional speakers have been installed in order to maximize sound across all axes to be as three-dimensional as possible. For example, we placed speakers on the upper side of the screen to enable the movement of sound in a vertical direction for a more immersive sound experience.” Additionally, Kim highlighted how, despite the complex nature of a TV structure that includes six embedded speakers, the team managed to keep the design of the TV slim and minimal.

In order to ensure audio will follow on-screen movements accurately, it is important to understand the original intentions of content creators. “The role of a sound engineer is to increase the consistency between the action onscreen and its accompanying audio track when mixing. The location information of sound in a piece of video content, including sound panning information, is subsequently audio-signaled into the audio channel by the sound engineer – something we must be able to track in order to reproduce the location and movement of a content’s audio accurately,” noted Jongbae Kim. “Our Object Tracking Sound+ technology analyzes the location information contained in these audio signals as originally placed during mixing. This means the TV can then effectively distribute the sound amongst its six speakers by distinguishing between sound orientations and whether or not the audio source is on-screen, off-screen, close-up or distant.”

AVA: Intelligent Noise Detection to Enhance Voice Clarity

When that crucial scene in the show you are watching is overwhelmed by mixer sound or an important breaking news report is obscured by loud thunder, the act of reaching for the remote to adjust the TV’s volume can come too late. This is why the team developed their AVA technology, which recognizes exterior noises and increases the volume of voices in content accordingly if surrounding conditions become too loud.

The way it works is intelligent. The TV’s sound sensor, attached to the bottom middle of the TV, takes in audio from the content onscreen as well as its surrounding environs. AI technology then compares the volume levels of the two types of sound, and if external sounds are found to be louder than that of the TV’s content, it will selectively raise the TV’s volume. “The system does not have one set definition of noise,” explained Sunmin Kim. “It considers any and all elements that disturb enjoyment of content as noise. When exterior sounds persist above a certain decibel level, that is when the system registers it as ‘noise’.”

However, AVA technology does not just raise the volume of the TV when it recognizes a louder environment, as this would only contribute to a boisterous room experience. “The system harnesses AI to keep sound effect and background audio levels consistent and to only raise the volume of voice audio,” highlighted Sunmin Kim. “Our research showed us that the majority of content is dialogue-heavy, so we believe that enhancing the delivery of dialogue would be most beneficial to aid comprehension.”

Q-Symphony: Creating a Multi-Dimensional Soundscape

One of key elements to achieving a realistic sound during content playback on a TV is three-dimensionality, which encompasses both horizontal and vertical audio characteristics. Until recently, these perspectives had been being developed separately by the TV and Soundbar teams. However, with the inclusion of upper side speakers on Samsung’s 2020 QLED 8K TVs, the team developed an all-inclusive solution that utilizes the capabilities of both the TV and the soundbar in perfect harmony. Q-Symphony is a feature that plays audio using both the TV speakers and the soundbar at the same time, and as an industry first achievement, the Q-Symphony technology was even recognized with a Best of Innovation Award at CES 2020.

“The core of Q-symphony, which manages sound playback harmoniously using speakers with different characteristics, is technology that follows the sound playback rules which are determined in advance and exchanges the necessary information between the TV and the soundbar, when connected. This approach allows for a superior reproduced sound experience,” explained Yoonjae Lee. “A key element of the technology is a special algorithm that we created which divides and harmonizes sounds seamlessly between the TV’s speakers and soundbar.”

During development, challenge arose regarding the quality of dialogue reproduction. When both the soundbar and the TV speakers played dialogue simultaneously, the sound quality was noticeably diminished. However, the sound development team were able to resolve this issue by separating the main sound track, including dialogue, from the entire signal and assigning the different tracks to the TV speakers and soundbar respectively. “In the 2020 QLED 8K TV range, the voice signal is extracted and removed from the sound being reproduced by the TV’s embedded speakers, which are then assigned to play ambient sound signals such as sound effects,” explained Lee. “The soundbar then reproduces the main sound involving any dialogue. With this technology, Q-Symphony harnesses the advantages of both TV speakers and the soundbar in order to deliver the best, and most harmonious, sound experience to users.”

Working Together to Develop the Perfect Sound Experience

The sound development team agreed that realizing the addition of speakers, the new placement of speakers and the AI harmonization with the soundbar on the 2020 QLED 8K TV range was possible because of close coordination with a variety of other teams. “When developing new TVs, all areas need to be in sync with their innovations,” noted Youngtae Kim. “We came together in suggesting various solutions to overcome each and every technological hurdle with an open mind.”

Youngtae Kim (left) and Sunmin Kim introduce the innovative sound technologies of the 2020 QLED 8K TV range

The sound development team has always been and always will be dedicated to developing the best possible audio experiences for users. As well as working with Samsung’s Audio Lab based in the U.S. for the future audio technology, the team also works with Samsung Research’s R&D Centers, universities and start-up experts around the world. “We want to bring about sound experiences that are as natural and as real as possible,” explained Youngtae Kim. “To achieve this, we will continue to work hard to understand the end-to-end process of the sound and realize sounds in our TVs.”

Samsung’s sound innovation also helps to realize its vision of ‘Screens Everywhere’. “In the future, we will bolster the use of AI so that users do not even need to use a remote control to find the perfect audio balance when enjoying their favorite content,” said Sunmin Kim. “As time goes by, TV installation environments, lifestyles and age groups will be diversified. We want users to enjoy the sound of their content as intended, regardless of content type or listening environment.”

The 2020 QLED 8K lineup provides consumers with an unprecedented viewing experience and unparalleled smart home integration. It leverages the power of enhanced AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology to improve audio, video and smart capabilities. Plus, it offers a range of smart features powered by Tizen, making it easier than ever for consumers to use voice commands and access new features like Tap View, Digital Butler and Samsung Health.

The ultimate expression of these different innovation is the new, flagship Q950TS QLED 8K TV, which is the first TV in the industry to feature surround sound audio, true-to-life 8K resolution and a stunning, ultra-thin form factor.

“8K resolution has the potential to transform our industry. Screens over 75” are the fastest growing segment in the market, and that segment is where 8K resolution matters the most,” said Joe Stinziano, Head of Consumer Electronics Business at Samsung Electronics America. “Our 2020 8K lineup demonstrates the power of this potential. Its unprecedented immersive capabilities and unparalleled smart features empower consumers to pursue their passions more simply and more comprehensively than ever before.”

Reinventing TV Design

The Q950 practically eliminates the bezel around the display to create a screen-to-body ratio of nearly 99 percent, the largest in the market. When watching from about ten or fifteen feet away, consumers experience a stunning Infinity Screen effect where the bezels seem to disappear. The result is an even more immersive viewing experience that eliminates the boundaries between the TV and its surroundings.

In addition, the Q950 is only 15 millimeters thin across the entire display. In combination with a completely flat black panel, the Q950 can lay flush against the wall or create a striking silhouette when placed on a media stand.

Redefining Picture Quality

The 2020 QLED 8K lineup reflects Samsung’s commitment to leading the industry in the implementation, adoption, and playback of 8K resolutions. Every model in the lineup will meet the requirements of the 8K Association’s Certified Test Specifications as well as the CTA 8K Ultra HD Display Definition.

At the same time, the QLED 8K lineup is among the first in the industry to support the playback of native 8K content. In 2020, consumers will be able to enjoy and stream AV1 codec videos filmed in 8K on QLED 8K TVs. All Samsung TVs in the 2020 8K line will ship with this capability built-in.

And, Samsung is working with partners like YouTube to create pathways for streaming native 8K content.

In addition to building out the 8K ecosystem across the industry, the QLED 8K lineup helps consumers to experience the power of 8K resolution even when they are watching lower resolution content. Based on powerful Samsung semiconductor technology, the Q950’s next-generation Quantum Processor 8K features improved AI upscaling capabilities that use machine learning to analyze and identify the characteristics of individual pixels. It then restores different elements of the image to create a pristine 8K picture, regardless of the content source.

The Q950 also leverages the power of AI to ensure that nothing distracts viewers from their content. While traditional TV sensors can only adjust screen brightness based on the ambient light within the room, Adaptive Picture accounts for the distribution of light within the particular scene, ensuring that the TV can maintain a clear picture in bright rooms while still maintaining contrast.

Another common issue for consumers streaming content is the speed of their internet connection. AI ScaleNet ensures a smooth streaming connection by optimizing the available network bandwidth. It compresses content as it leaves the content provider and then restores it after it reaches the TV to effectively cut in half the bandwidth needed for consumers to stream content. Samsung Electronics is continuing to work with Amazon on this feature, utilizing AI ScaleNet from standard definition to 4K in Prime Video.

Reinvigorating Sound Performance

Since audio as important as video when it comes to an immersive streaming experience, the Q950 delivers some of the best TV audio on the market. It features speakers on every side of the display, as well as sub-woofers in the back. When combined with Object Tracking Sound+, which uses AI-based software to match the movement of audio sound with the movement of objects on the screen, the Q950 can deliver crisp and clear 5.1 channel surround-sound.

The Q950 can also adjust the volume of dialogue in response to common sounds like a blender or vacuum cleaner. Active Voice Amplifier (AVA) helps the 40% of U.S. consumers who say that these sounds tend to distract them while they’re watching TV by detecting the these noises and automatically enhancing voice clarity.

Finally, the Q950 is uniquely capable of using its built-in speakers as an additional audio channel when connected to a 2020 Q Series soundbar like the Q800, a 2020 CES Best of Innovation honoree. Q-Symphony pairs the audio from both devices together to create a dynamic and multi-dimensional soundscape.

Reinventing the Viewing Experience

Consumers today have access to—and are consuming—more streaming content than ever before. That’s why the 2020 QLED 8K TV line offers unique features that help consumers to better enjoy their content and interact with their different devices.

In 2020, Bixby, the Samsung’s AI assistant, is getting even smarter. Consumers can use their TV to change the mood of a room. For example, if they tell Bixby to create a calm atmosphere, the TV will then display a relaxing backdrop on the screen. In addition, Samsung will offer multiple voice assistant options in order to provide consumers a choice by integrating Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant into Samsung’s 2020 QLED 8K line. Now users will enjoy easier access to the content they love, with expanded smart home and TV control capabilities.

The Q950 features a new and improved Universal Guide that uses AI-based algorithms to analyze the type of content that consumers watch, as well as the services and TV channels that they tend to use, to offer recommendations uniquely customized to their specific habits and tastes.

Through Samsung TV Plus, Samsung’s free smart TV video service, consumers can easily access new content, even if they have cut the cord. With just an internet connection, consumers can instantly access news, sports, entertainment, and more—with new options joining all the time. There are currently nearly 100 channels on Samsung TV Plus, including CBSN (CBS’s 24/7 live digital news channel), Yahoo Finance, Lively Place (from A&E Networks), Bon Appétit, VEVO, Outside TV+, and much more.

Reimagining Connected Living

The 2020 QLED 8K lineup accounts for the evolving ways in which consumers use screens today through innovative new features that integrate into modern lifestyles.

Because four out of every five people do not get enough regular exercise, Samsung has developed a fitness and wellness solution designed to fit around consumers’ hectic schedules. The Q950 can serve as the central hub for fitness and mindfulness within the home through the launch of Samsung Health on TV. Through Samsung Health on the Q950, consumers will be able to see their activities, track their progress, and pursue shared fitness goals with the entire family. Plus, they will have access to free and exclusive content from leading partners, including Calm, Fitplan, Jillian Michaels, Echelon, obé fitness, and barre3 and more.

In addition, more consumers are using their mobile devices while watching content on their TVs, even though it can be difficult to see everything happening on both devices. Multi-View ensures that these consumers won’t miss a thing on either screen by projecting the screen of the consumer’s mobile device onto the TV alongside a separate window for their TV content. With 14 different layouts, users can customize their viewing experience, from side-by-side viewing to picture-in-picture viewing along with several other options.

To create an even more streamlined experience for consumers, the Q950 also offers novel ways of mirroring your mobile device and controlling your home devices. Tap View empowers consumers to mirror their phone screens to the TV just by touching the two devices together. And with Digital Butler, consumer can control more devices than ever before by using infrared technology to detect and control non-IoT devices within the home.