Meet Pawel Achtel, a world-renowned professional in underwater cinematography with a career spanning over 35 years and more than 5,000 dives ranging from the equator to Antarctica. The filmmaker’s extensive diving experience informs his cinematographic work — which has captured the attention of industry leaders such as National Geographic, BBC and Discovery — providing a unique perspective on life underwater and highlighting his expertise in designing and producing advanced cinematography equipment. He was also involved in capturing 8K resolution underwater sequences for “Avatar: The Way of Water.”

Samsung Newsroom sat down with Pawel Achtel to dive into the details of underwater cinematography and explore how Samsung’s Neo QLED 8K lineup is reshaping the landscape for filmmakers and viewers at home.

How 8K Technology Transforms Underwater Filmmaking

In fields like underwater cinematography, where visuals matter most, Samsung’s Neo QLED 8K is indispensable. Not only does it help viewers feel immersed in the scene, but it is also vital for filmmakers to assess underwater footage.

Due to variables like ocean currents and light refraction, filming underwater in true 8K quality can be difficult. “But, when all the circumstances line up, the results are breathtaking,” shared Achtel.

While advanced technologies like submersible lenses assist in capturing these shots, Neo QLED 8K — known for its high resolution and clarity — allows filmmakers like Achtel to closely examine even the smallest details of underwater scenes. This close look helps improve sharpness and other aspects of image quality after filming, overcoming the challenges of underwater optics.

▲ Samsung’s Neo QLED 8K helps cinematographers closely examine details and improve picture quality

“The underwater world is elusive — and filmmakers have a rare opportunity to allow people to see it in great detail, in a way people may not see elsewhere,” said Achtel. “It makes these shots interesting and captivating as they reveal an environment completely foreign to us in stunning detail.”

Samsung made waves at CES 2024 by introducing the latest Neo QLED 8K with the new NQ8 AI Gen3 processor, delivering a cinematic experience at home. Impressed by its features, the filmmaker called the TV “a transformative advancement.”

He specifically praised features like 8K AI Upscaling Pro and AI Motion Enhancer Pro,¹ available on select Neo QLED 8K models, highlighting Samsung’s commitment to outstanding visuals. “Having witnessed the advanced features at CES 2024, I can confidently say they enhance realism and immersion,” added Achtel.

However, for this underwater cinematographer, the true power of 8K lies in the seamless integration of production and viewing technologies — charting a new course in content creation and consumption.

Diving Deep Into 8K Home Cinema

As the development and adoption of 8K filming equipment continues to grow, it’s also driving the creation of content that fully embraces the potential of 8K resolution. The unparalleled realism and captivating qualities of 8K make it an essential tool for storytelling, especially for content that demands a powerful visual impact.

Take underwater footage, for example, which is often played at a slower pace — giving audiences the time to absorb unfamiliar environments and take in details that might otherwise go unnoticed.

▲ Various factors including currents and light refraction present challenges for capturing clear, beautiful shots underwater

On the Neo QLED 8K, viewers can appreciate the “impressive color accuracy” and “nuanced portrayal of detailed scenes” of the ocean’s depths. From the calming blue water to the vivid and bright hues of fish and coral reefs, Achtel attributes the appeal of his 8K underwater imagery to the variety of striking colors and patterns. With Neo QLED 8K, the benefits now extend beyond just the content itself.

“On the viewing side, Neo QLED 8K plays a pivotal role in bringing the 8K ecosystem to life,” he explained. “It not only showcases content with remarkable clarity but also upscales lower-resolution footage to nearly 8K quality, ensuring an immersive viewing experience of the highest caliber.”

Given its advanced picture quality powered by increased neural networks and cutting-edge AI upscaling features, Neo QLED 8K elevates the viewing experience — even with content not initially captured in 8K. Combining advanced image quality with larger screen sizes also opens new possibilities for home viewing to offer an experience that rivals that of traditional big-screen setups.

In the ever-evolving landscape of visual storytelling, enhancing a TV’s ability to process non-8K content offers significant benefits and inspires filmmakers to strive for higher quality content.

“At the end of the day, having a device with an enhanced visual experience and immersive capabilities empowers cinematographers to craft and evaluate captivating content that resonates deeply with viewers,” said Achtel.

The role of 8K technology in underwater cinematography and home entertainment underscores its transformative potential to enhance visual storytelling and enrich the viewing experience for audiences around the world.

To learn more about Samsung’s Neo QLED 8K, visit samsung.com.

¹ 8K AI Upscaling Pro and AI Motion Enhancer Pro are exclusive features of the QN900D model.

Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, announced ‘Big TV Days’ offers with wowsome deals on premium, 55-inch and above big-screen televisions such as Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED, QLED, OLED, The Frame and Crystal 4K UHD TVs.

Between June 15 and July 25, 2023, consumers can get assured gifts such as free Galaxy S23 Ultra worth INR 124,999 (12/256GB variant), The Freestyle projector worth INR 69,990, and Soundbar worth up to INR 51,990 on purchase of select big screen televisions. These attractive deals will be available at all leading retail stores across India and on Samsung.com. Consumers can also get additional cashback of up to 20% and maximum cashback of INR 20,000 along with easy EMI schemes during the offer period.

Consumers buying the 98-inch TV to build a home cinema experience, will get the flagship Galaxy S23 Ultra worth INR 124,999 (12/256GB variant) free during the offer period.

With 85-inch and 75-inch Neo QLED 8K TVs, 77-inch OLED TV, 85-inch Neo QLED TV and a few more big screen TV models, consumers will get The Freestyle projector worth INR 69,990. The Freestyle, a must-have device for gen Z and millennials, is a portable projector.

On purchasing the 75-inch Neo QLED 8K & 4K TV, and 77-inch OLED TV, consumers will get free HW-S800B Soundbar worth INR 51,990. The S800B Soundbar is unbelievably sleek and delivers high quality audio in a super slim package.

On purchase of the 85-inch Crystal 4K UHD TV, 65-inch Neo QLED and 8K TVs, 65-inch OLED TV, and 75-inch The Frame, consumers will get free HW-Q600B Soundbar worth INR 28,990. Further, consumers buying the 55-inch Neo QLED TV and 55-inch OLED TV, will get a HW-B450 Soundbar worth INR 15,490 free.

“Indian consumers love larger-than-life and premium content viewing experience from the comfort of their homes. Be it a house party, game night, or a movie marathon, big screen televisions are at the center of entertainment in living spaces. Our premium televisions offer breathtaking picture and sound quality, stunning aesthetics, and act as a hub for seamless connected living experience while also being eco-conscious. ‘Big TV Days’ offers are meant to give our consumers an opportunity to upgrade their TVs and get great deals,” said Mohandeep Singh, Senior Vice President, Visual Display Business, Samsung India.

Neo QLED 8K and 4K TVs

The magnificent Neo QLED TV lineup is designed to be much more than a television. Besides offering a prefect viewing experience, these TVs can be your immersive gaming screen, beautiful centerpiece of your home or even a Smart Hub to control other devices in your home. The Neo QLED TVs come with Quantum Matrix Technology powered by Quantum Mini LEDs, which are 40 times smaller than regular LEDs, thus rendering immaculate picture clarity and colour volume. These TVs also support Dolby Atmos featuring Q-Symphony 3.0 and Object Tracking Sound Pro (OTS Pro) for ultimate 3D surround sound home theatre experience. The televisions come with built-in IoT hub that lets you control all your smart devices, seamlessly. With SlimFit camera, you can use your TV to make video calls.

Crystal 4K UHD TVs

Samsung’s Crystal 4K iSmart UHD TVs offer distinctive features and guarantees a premium experience. Driven by Crystal technology, the TV aims to deliver colours with unmatched sharpness and contrast levels. With a host of features such as Crystal 4K Display, Video calling, Smart IoT Hub, Adaptive Sound, Tap View, Screen Mirroring, and Lag Free Gaming, these TVs empower consumers to enjoy enhanced picture quality and superior content consumption capabilities.

Samsung QLED TVs

Samsung’s QLED TV breaks new ground for premium televisions and in-home entertainment, delivering a beautiful design supported by the most advanced picture clarity. Powered by Quantum Dot technology, the television optimizes brightness levels and delivers brighter and deeper colours as intended by the creators. The QLED TVs also feature Object Tracking Sound (OTS) and Active Voice Amplifier (AVA) for unprecedented cinematic experience at home.

You can attach SlimFit camera to your QLED TV to make video calls. Easy on your eyes, it comes with EyeComfort mode that automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness and tone based on built-in sensors.

Offering ‘100 percent colour volume’, QLED TV showcases all colours of the DCI-P3 color space regardless of differing levels of brightness, ensuring that HDR images can be viewed in the original way the content was produced.

The Frame TV

An asset for art connoisseurs, Samsung’s lifestyle The Frame TV is a technological marvel as it is art when turned off, and a television when on. Equipped with customizable bezels and matte display, you can select different colour bezels to complement your interior design statement. You can choose from a diverse collection of more than 1,400 pieces of art to showcase and enliven your space with an elegant piece of painting.

The Frame TV isn’t just beautiful; it offers superior picture quality with QLED technology that enables life-like colours, enhanced contrast, and impeccable details with 100% colour volume. It also comes with the unique Quantum Dot technology, powerful Quantum Processor 4K, 4K AI upscaling capabilities and SpaceFit Sound that auto-optimizes sound settings after analyzing the room’s environment.

OLED TV

The striking OLED TV comes with Neural Quantum Processor 4K for ultimate entertainment experience that delivers incredible detail and unbelievable screen brightness. It allows content displayed on the screen to be automatically transformed to breathtakingly sharp 4K resolution irrespective of the original level. The processor utilizes AI-based algorithms to evaluate content on a scene-by-scene basis, and HDR OLED+ optimizes each frame so that you can enjoy extraordinary details.

In case you weren’t able to tune in to the livestream of the event, you can catch up on all the latest announcements by taking a look at the replay video below:

The smallest products can bring about the biggest changes in our lifestyle. Enhancing your TV can be as simple as adding an accessory, but the results — from adding portability, to changing the format from landscape to portrait, to decorating your home — can have a significant impact on your viewing experience. Samsung Newsroom has compiled a list of the best simple and practical accessories made by Samsung Electronics to help you make the most out of your screen experience.

Consume Content Horizontally or Vertically With the Auto Rotating Wall Mount & Stand

Have you ever wanted to watch a vertical video meant for mobile on your Neo QLED or The Frame? With the Auto Rotating Wall Mount and Auto Rotating Stand,1 you can watch content the way it’s intended. Simply press the rotation key on your remote control to automatically change the screen from horizontal to vertical mode for the perfect viewing experience. Not only can you enjoy various content in comfort, but you can also take advantage of mirroring and casting features in vertical mode.

Tilt Your Screen Any Way You Want to With the Full Motion Slim Wall Mount

The days when a TV is a device permanently fixed to the wall in one orientation are long gone. These days, you can harness the Full Motion Slim Wall Mount accessory to flexibly tilt your screen up, down, left or right to view your favorite content from any posture or angle that you desire.

What’s more, the Full Motion Slim Wall Mount fits neatly against your wall, putting the wall and your screen in close contact for even more comfortable and immersive viewing experiences.

Tidy Up Messy TV Cables With the One Connect Box

If you manage to organize all of your messy TV cables, you’re already halfway done styling your TV room’s interior. The Neo QLED neatly pulls together any living room, thanks to the One Connect Cable and the Slim One Connect box. With this accessory, you can quickly organize and eliminate all distracting cable clutter, streamlining your home decorating for a functional and beautiful space.

Turn Your TV Into a Work of Art With Custom Bezels

The accessory that puts the finishing touch on Samsung’s The Frame, which features a picture frame trim that displays world-class art right on your wall, is a customizable bezel. You can swap between different color options to get exactly the look you want in your home. You can choose from the Modern Flat Bezels that come in White, Teak and Brown for a clean and contemporary look, or you can go with one of the Beveled Bezels that come in White and Brick Red for a more traditional design.2 In addition, the Slim Fit Wall Mount minimizes the space between your TV and your wall to seamlessly blend into any room.

If you don’t want to install your TV on a wall, The Floor Stand offers an alternative way to express your style and fit your space. As it is easy to install even in small areas, The Floor Stand is the perfect accessory to bring artistic flair into any home.

Entertainment On-the-Go With The Sero Wheels

The one-of-a-kind, rotating The Sero has now become even more flexible with The Sero Wheels. For TV lovers who want to change both the orientation of their content and the location of their TV, The Sero Wheels is just the right choice. By allowing you to move your TV freely from one room to the next, this accessory helps The Sero adapt to any space or interior at any time.

Express Your Personal Style With The Freestyle

A portable screen, a Bluetooth speaker and a mood light — The Freestyle does it all in style. You can add a splash of color to The Freestyle’s neat, white design with a colorful range of rubber skins which feature Blossom Pink, Forest Green and Coyote Beige swatches. If you’re taking The Freestyle outdoors when going camping or attending a rooftop party, you can conveniently carry the device with you in a sleek, compact case.

Reinvent Your Space With The Serif

With its practical design that looks like the letter “I,” The Serif itself can be a statement centerpiece of any room. Using the flat surface above the top bezel as a shelf, you can decorate The Serif based on your unique tastes and preferences. You can display several handmade or limited edition items to add an accent to your home and make your space reflect you. Like any high-end shelf, the possibilities to elevate your room’s interior and grab your guests’ attention are endless.

* The product images shown are for illustration purposes only and may differ from the actual product.

1 Compatible with Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED 4K and The Frame models. Size availability varies by product line ups.

2 The number and availability of color swatches may vary by country or region.

Samsung Electronics today showcased its 2022 lineup of Neo QLED 8K, soundbars, accessories and sustainability initiatives at its virtual Unbox & Discover event. With this new lineup, Samsung aims to redefine the role of television by creating beautifully designed, cutting-edge screens that offer more than just entertainment. This year’s products and features take the screen to new heights by providing one central hub to play, connect, work and more.

“We are focused on creating a seamless experience across all of our products, which allows consumers to effortlessly enjoy all their benefits. The 2022 Neo QLED 8K is designed to fulfill the needs and empower the passion of our consumers, and the innovations are sparked by their experiences,” said Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of Samsung Electronics’ DX (Device eXperience) Division. “Neo QLED 8K also has the power to unlock new experiences as the most important device at the center of the home.”

 On March 30, Samsung is set to unveil how its vision for its latest Neo QLED 8K is set to redefine the role of the screen and bring unrivaled usability to their users’ daily lives by providing the utmost convenience and seamless connectivity.   Be sure to tune in to Samsung Newsroom India or Samsung.com on March 30 at 11 p.m. KST or 7.30 p.m IST to hear more about the future of the screen experience in 2022.  

If you are trying to find your perfect entertainment partner, look no further — Samsung’s range of Big TVs is where your search ends.

Loaded with exclusive features and high on style, Samsung’s Big TVs offer a great combination of wholesome entertainment with style.

Bring home a 55 inch and above Neo QLED 8K TV, QLED TV or UHD TV and get a viewing experience like never before!

Samsung Electronics exquisitely refined its Neo QLED 8K lineup’s sound system to allow users to take full advantage of their large TV’s audio quality. The flagship displays were designed to analyze both the size of the space where they sit and how they’ve been installed in order to calibrate sound to its optimal settings. The TVs use that information to pump out realistic, object-tracking sound through their eight total speakers. When applied to our ‘family movie night’ scenario above, the TV’s speakers would compensate for when the family’s thick blanket absorbed the tones of mid-to-high registers, and evenly distribute three-dimensional sound from the corners to the center when the family sat closer to the screen.

To learn more about how Samsung’s newest TVs customize sound based on where users place their screen, and how sound has evolved as tool for fostering immersive home entertainment, Samsung Newsroom sat down with some of the developers behind the displays.

▲ (From left) Engineers Jongbae Kim, Sungjoo Kim and Sunmin Kim of Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business.

SpaceFit Does Spatial Analysis Daily to Optimize Sound Settings

Today, with more users watching TV in more places, including living rooms, workrooms, bedrooms, terraces and more, both sitting up and lying down, and at different times of the day, our viewing habits are changing. Now, more users are customizing their viewing experience based on their living environment. With this in mind, the developers focused on creating technology that would automatically analyze users’ viewing environments to ensure that they’re always enjoying the best possible sound. The result is SpaceFit, a feature that automatically checks for changes in your living space once a day and calibrates sound settings accordingly.

Here’s how it works. First, a built-in microphone identifies elements that can affect sound, such as curtains, carpets and walls. Suppose the TV is placed in a user’s living room, which features a carpet that we can assume absorbs mid-to-high range sound. In this case, SpaceFit would optimize sound settings to raise the mid-to-high range sound accordingly and automatically. It works the same regardless of whether stands, wall hangings and other elements are changed. If the TV were to be moved closer to the wall, then the space behind it would become narrower, which could affect low frequency sounds. SpaceFit allows the TV to notice this change and adjust its settings in advance to produce clearer sound.

The key point to remember is that all of these processes occur automatically. As Engineer Sunmin Kim explained, “SpaceFit is an automated function that does not require that users press a button, and the device won’t send out a ‘testing’ sound. By simply turning it on or off, the TV will analyze the environment based on the sound of the content that the user actually consumes. So all you need to do is just enjoying what is being played on screen.”

This industry-first technology was made possible thanks to innovations that were based on a myriad of data and AI technologies. From sound-absorbing areas, such as what are referred to in sound engineering as ‘dead rooms,’ to acoustically reflective spaces, the team considered both extremes in terms of viewing environments.

“Since there were so many variables to consider, we built up a sufficiently wide learning database and analyzed it using machine learning technology. That’s where the AI technologies that Samsung developed kicked in,” said Sunmin Kim, who also noted that the feature “can cover almost any typical space in which a TV may be placed.”

OTS Pro Uses Eight Speakers to Produce 3D Sound From All Corners of the Screen

Content is beginning to make use of a wider range of sound channels, and users’ preferred ways of enjoying that content are also changing. As home entertainment expands and both wide screens and multi-channel sources with immersive formats like films become more popular, it’s becoming commonplace for multiple people to enjoy the same content together. The key here is to widen the ‘sweet spot’ – the location from which users can enjoy optimal sound even at the outside edges of the screen. As content grows more varied and screens become bigger, sound, too, must evolve in a way that enhances users’ enjoyment.

Object Tracking Sound (OTS) technology, a feature that tracks the movement of objects onscreen using the TV’s multi-channel speakers, is allowing Samsung to take users’ enjoyment to the next level. Neo QLED 8K includes an enhanced version of the technology, OTS Pro, and adds two center speakers to previous models’ six-speaker setup, for a total of eight. When an object onscreen moves, the speaker located in the optimal spot for expressing the movement produces sound, matching what the viewer sees on their screen. The immersive sound setup enriches the left and right stereo experience and the 3D effect, taking the viewing experience to new heights by making the user feel as if they were standing in the middle of the action.

“Often, when consuming content on a large screen, viewers watching the TV from both sides notice that sound produced at the center of the screen seems like it’s being produced in only one side,” said Engineer Jongbae Kim. “That’s why we added a center speaker between the left and right sides. The combination of the newly added center speaker and OTS Pro gathers sound in the middle of the screen, makes voices clearer, and expresses sound’s position more accurately, without distortion.”

If a speaker were to actually be placed at the center of a TV, it could clash with the overall design concept. The developers solved this issue by attaching a tweeter applied with a wave guide to the rear of the device. “If a speaker were to be placed on the back, sound would disperse in all directions and bounce off the walls, reducing clarity,” said Engineer Sungjoo Kim. “We needed a technology that drew sound toward viewers when they were in front of their TV. Employing a hole array technique enabled us to ensure that sound would travel well from a tweeter to the front of the display.”

The team’s efforts to balance sound also extend to Samsung’s next-generation MICRO LED display. Because the bottom of this large screen can almost reach the floor of users’ living rooms, if users connect their display to a multi-component home theater setup, there may not be space to place a center speaker.

“The 110-inch MICRO LED lineup features a μ-Symphony function, which allows you to use the built-in speaker as the center speaker,” said Jongbae Kim. “This means that you do not have to use a separate center speaker for your home entertainment system because MICRO LED’s multi-channel speaker fills that role. Because sound comes from the center of the screen, there is no sound-image mismatching, and the user enjoys a cinema-like experience.”

Making Use of Each and Every Piece of a Ultra-Slim Design

The Infinity Screen, a unique aspect of Samsung’s TV design, maximizes immersion by making bezels nearly invisible. It also posed a unique challenge for the developers, requiring them to explore how to best mount multiple speakers within the device’s slim form.

“In the past, a duct structure was used to draw the low frequency sound from the inside of the woofer speaker to the outside,” said Sungjoo Kim. “This type of design is capable of generating unwanted noise resulting from air turbulence. So, for the 8K models, we decided to take a ‘passive radiator’ approach that allowed us to produce rich, low-pitched sound. This not only enabled us to use the limited space inside the slim TV more efficiently, but it also allowed us to create rich and pure sound.”

“By exposing the diaphragm of the woofer and the passive radiator on the back of the TV,” he added, “it became possible to visualize Neo QLED’s sound performance in an interesting and intuitive way.”

It’s just one of Neo QLED TVs’ many innovative, out-of-the-box design elements. To help accommodate for panels becoming thinner and thinner, components that used to serve basic functions have been given new roles. “We used part of the rear cover of the TV as an acoustic component that guides the direction of sound to the sides,” said Jongbae Kim. “We also reinvented the design of the ‘slit vent,’ a component inside the rear cover that extends from the center tweeter to the bottom and was previously used to emit heat, to improve acoustic performance by controlling directivity. We utilized each and every part as much as possible, which means that no element of the design is without purpose.”

Delivering Rich, Realistic Sound

The developers have also gone to great lengths to gain a deeper understanding of the content users enjoy as part of an effort to provide better sound performance. For example, when analyzing sports content, they focus on reproducing the sound of the crowd, while for music, they try to create a stable sound stage. For movies, they conduct constant analysis to ensure that dialogue comes from the center of the screen.

“With speaker form factors changing, upmixing is becoming more important,” said Sunmin Kim. “Input channels are becoming varied, and the average number of speakers is increasing to six to eight, which adds up to countless combinations of inputs and outputs.

“Let’s say you’re enjoying two-channel content. Here, instead of sending signals blindly through eight speakers, it is important to understand the mixing characteristics of the content and send each signal separately. Samsung’s unique technology makes this possible using an optimized algorithm that’s based on AI.”

Samsung TVs have led the global market for 15 years running, and the user data that the company has accumulated thus far has been an invaluable asset. As countless families across the world use Samsung TVs, the ubiquity of the company’s displays offers an opportunity to think about what’s next. Sungjoo Kim hinted at what Samsung has in store. “We are systematically building a deep learning network that is based on numerous data,” said Kim. “In addition, we are going to firmly establish our position as a global leader by discussing technologies needed in the mid-to-long term with Samsung Electronics’ overseas AI research centers.”

In response to an ever-growing flood of content, the developers are committed to helping Samsung TVs deliver a sound experience that’s as close to reality as possible.

Screens are getting bigger, designs are getting slimmer, and content is becoming more varied. Keeping pace with trends, increasing speaker channels and doing so in three dimensions, and advancing our AI technologies to allow channels to better correspond to one another will bring us closer to delivering realistic sound. This may ultimately lead us into an era where you do not need a remote control to adjust sound settings.

Look forward to more Samsung TV innovations designed to maximize users’ viewing experiences.