Viewing Assisted by AI

With so much sport available to watch this summer, viewers might need a little help locating the events they want to watch. Samsung 2018 QLED TVs are furnished with Bixby and a Universal Guide, two intelligent features which make browsing for content even easier.

Bixby, the intelligent assistant, allowed the Newsroom to search for the team or game they wanted to see using a simple voice command, without scrolling through the schedules of every TV channel looking for content. So when viewers pressed the microphone button on their remote control and said, “Find Channels Showing Brazil Games”, a list of matches played by Brazilian teams appears on the screen.

The Universal Guide is equipped with a specialized Sports tab that recommends relevant content provided by the TV’s cable and satellite connections, as well as online streaming content, in a single place and prominently displays the titles of on-air sports games at the top of the screen.

Full Immersion at Home

When the grand stadium appeared on the 75-inch screen, the Newsroom gasped with delight. As they sat back to watch the TV, the green grass spread out lusciously before their eyes and all had the feeling that they were present at the live event. A big screen is critical to this sense of immersion. That’s why 2018 QLED TVs offer a full lineup of large screens – up to and including an 82-inch model.

When watching TV together with family or friends, people sitting at the edges of the group can often feel left out of the action, unable to see the full picture due to glare. To ensure that there are no more elbow-fights for a prime spot on the couch, Samsung QLED TVs have adopted Anti-reflection technology, making every seat the best spot for taking in the game. Anti-reflection also reduces the TV’s reflection of surrounding room lights when watching in the evening, so that viewers can see everything comfortably. The screen even captivated the audience from a distance and viewing was uninterrupted from any position around the room.

Vivid Pictures in Any Condition

The QLED TV’s 4K resolution gave the Newsroom a dynamic view of players’ movements. When watching sports on conventional TVs, the picture can appear blurred or broken because of the fast movements on the screen. However, the QLED TV guarantees clean picture quality with a 4K Q Engine, which automatically improves image quality and expresses hidden details.

Even viewed in the dark, Samsung 2018 QLED TVs fully expressed every small detail, like the sweat dripping from players’ foreheads, the players’ feet deftly maneuvering the ball around the field and the texture of a patch of turf flying from the ground. Direct Full Array technology ensured accurate and solid picture quality by controlling the individual brightness of the numerous tiny cells that light the screen, thus enhancing contrast around bright colors.

Under bright lighting, quantum dot picture quality shined through. Samsung 2018 QLED TVs are equipped with 100% Color Volume, which rendered the vivid realism of the stadium, regardless of ambient brightness. In addition, HDR (High Dynamic Range) 2000 technology expresses up to 2000 nit of brightness, which allowed viewers to clearly see the trajectory of the ball against a backdrop of bright colors from the sun, spectators and signs, or distinguish the back number of a distant athlete.

Optimized Sound for Heart-Racing Moments

At a live sporting event, layer upon layer of sounds from all around the stadium create a rich tone that is utterly unique. The melodic chants of the crowd, the sharp blast of the referee’s whistle, the shouts between players and the quiet hush before a crucial moment all blend to create an electric atmosphere.

QLED TVs up the intensity of sounds by automatically optimizing sound mixing according to the content displayed. The viewers put away their remote controls and were fully immersed. Understanding the difference between the spectators’ roars and commentators’ voices, the automated technology helps users focus by lowering the volume of surround sound when commentators are speaking, but raising the volume of the crowd at moments of excitement.

In sport, winners and losers can be decided in a split second. Watching sports on a Samsung 2018 QLED TV, viewers can enjoy every minute and every second, as if they were really there.

* Product specifications may vary depending on models and locations.

Gather Together

As the buildup to the match begins, gradually more and more people begin to congregate around a screen. Yet those playing host might still be in the kitchen preparing snacks and drinks for their guests right up until kick-off. There is no need for anyone to miss a moment, as the seamless links between Samsung’s IoT devices mean that everyone stays connected.

Before the game begins, hosts can search for recipes to serve their guests by utilizing the Family Hub refrigerator’s function, which aids food preparation by suggesting dishes based on the contents of your fridge and users’ preference*.

To heighten connectivity, people can share their reactions by uploading images from their Galaxy smartphones to view on their Family Hub refrigerator or Samsung Smart TV using the Gallery app. What is more, the connected touchscreen on the door of the Family Hub smart refrigerator can mirror the screen of a Samsung Smart TV or smartphone using the Smart View app, so that even in the kitchen, people can see and hear when the game begins.

Kick Back and Relax

When it comes to watching a big match amongst family and friends, the bigger the TV, the better. As everyone gathers round to watch the game unfold, a larger screen ensures everyone can see the game. Samsung 2018 QLED TV range in size from 55-inch to 82-inch models, offering the large-screen viewing experience. In addition, the match can be enjoyed from almost any angle with advanced Anti-reflection technology.

The stunningly sharp picture quality of Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs is engineered to make the beautiful game look even more beautiful. The 4K Q Engine featureharnesses AI to analyze and optimize content, ensuring that the movement of the grass during play is clearly defined and without blur, providing a more vivid experience. Viewers can take in every pass and tackle with accurate color and contrast thanks to 100% Color Volume expression and Direct Fully Array Elite technology, which adjusts the brightness of each finely arrayed dot.

In the stadium, both sights and sounds blend to create the atmosphere of the game. For viewers at home, true immersion is achieved when they hear the sound of a player kicking the ball into the net and the crowd roaring with delight. On Samsung 2018 QLED TVs, sound is optimized for a wide variety of content, so that sports fans can hear the action on the field and the voices of commentators with crystal clarity.

During a major sporting competition or tournament, several events can take place at the same time, so finding exactly what you want to watch can be time-consuming. Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs are equipped with a Universal Guide, which shows a selection of content updated in real time. Based on users’ preferences and the latest local trends, the Universal Guide recommends content, compiling TV broadcasts and streaming content, viewers to easily locate their favorite games. Viewers can also use the TVs’ intelligent assistant, Bixby*, to search for sport content via voice command.

Go Mobile

With competing nations in multiple time zones, it’s likely that many viewers will need to catch a game or two on the go. Busy people who still want to get the most out of their experiences can keep on top of their scheduled viewing with the Galaxy S9 and S9+.

The Super AMOLED screens and Infinity Displays of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ maximize definition and space allowing viewers to see more. The HDR-capable display provides impeccable accuracy and Adaptive Contrast Enhancement achieves clear definition, even in direct sunlight. With an aspect ratio of 18.5:9, viewers are further captivated by the ever-so-slim top and bottom bezels so that the overall experience is like holding the green field in your hands.

Fans will be pulled even further into the game by the stereo speaker sound system of the Galaxy S9 and S9+, tuned to meet the high standards set by AKG. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ also integrate Dolby Atmos® 360-degree surround sound technology, which benefits all content through enhancements to sound quality and consistent playback volume, bringing entertainment to life through both regular stereo headphones and the device’s built-in speakers.

For the true multitasker, Multi-Window** allows users to simultaneously manage two windows on their screen, meaning on-the-move sports fans can keep an eye on the game in one window and use another app in the other window. For even greater flexibility, users can enable Landscape Mode and view the two windows side by side horizontally.

No matter how or where people watch an event, their viewing experience will be crystal clear and fully immersive, as Samsung’s IoT devices, TVs, and smartphones work together to create the dream team for this summer’s sporting events.

*Availability may vary by region.

**The Multi-Window feature may or may not be supported depending on the apps.

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 Full HD 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 4K 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.”