HDTV News

Just last week we posted about how LG were talking about releasing their “prototype” 55-inch Curved OLED TV, the LG 55EA9800.

We’re since we leaked / revealed the prototype curved OLED TV back in January,  its intentions were somewhat unclear, indicating that LG wasn’t certain about its future release. But now the release has been confirmed.

The 55-inch curved OLED TV is available to pre-order today! For 15 million Korean won (about $13,500), with “deliveries to begin in the next month”, at 1,400 LG retail stores in South Korea.

As seen in our video embedded below, which we recorded at CES 2013 in Vegas back in January this year, LG describes the product as a prototype / concept, but having already assigned a model number to the TV, we knew there was more to that story.

LG have just confirmed that we will indeed be seeing their impressive curved OLED TV in stores, and sooner than we would have expected!

HDTV News was actually the very first to break the news of the LG EA9800 curved OLED, after it was accidentally leaked by LG, after a few swift phone calls with LG, we quickly buried this news until LG was ready for the grand announcement, giving us a two hour exclusive on the news.

When the LG curved OLED TV was unveiled, the mere fact that it actually has a proper model number was a clear indication of LG’s intentions. LG had a very impressive lineup of these curved OLED TVs on display at CES 2013 and were praising its enhanced viewing capabilities.

One of the cool things we captured while at the Gadget Show Live in England was a very impressive demo of the Grid 2 racing game being played in 4K on the LG 84-inch 4K UHD TV.

While we have seen many of the new and upcoming 4K Ultra HD TVs showing a variety of native 4K content, and upscaled content, we have never seen gaming on any of these TV.

The 84-inch 4K LG 84LM960V / 84LM9600 was being used for the demo, and we were given the impression from the LG staff at the Gadget Show Live in England that it was being fed native 4K content.

While I feel Sony is currently leading the 4K / Ultra HD race, and have just announced the Sony FMP-X1 4K Media Player, LG is right up there in the 4K race with Sony.

LG have teamed with with the NCAA, CBS Sports, and Turner Sports to capture the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Final Four in Atlanta in native 4K.

This makes the event the first time that a major U.S sporting event has been recorded in 4K. The 4K content was demonstrated in 4K Ultra HD on LG’s 84-inch 4K TV as part of a closed circuit demo in private viewing locations in the Georgia Dome.

James Fishler, senior vice president, marketing, LG Electronics USA said, “After being the first to market with Ultra HD TVs, it only seems fitting that we’d be a part of the first major U.S. sporting event produced in 4K”.

LG have launched their 55-inch OLED TV in Harrods in London, making England the second market after Korea.

Know as the LG 55EM970V in the UK and Europe, the 55-inch LG OLED TV is currently on show exclusively at Harrods, and available for pre-order for £10,000, due to ship in July.

We posted this news last month when it was announced, but while recently on a visit to London, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity in getting another look at the beauty, and of course sharing it with my loyal readers.

LG have just officially announced the LG MT93, aka the LG Personal Smart TV Monitor.

The new 27-inch LG IPS Personal Smart TV monitor, to use it’s full name, is a monitor / TV with a high quality 27-inch IPS LCD panel which has been designed to combine the best from a PC monitor, and the best from what you would find on a larger Smart TV in one unit.

Unveiled at CES 2013, we were sure to catch it on film for you guys, and were even provided our own hands on demonstration from the LG staff, so be sure to check out that video below, which goes though its various features.

It’s perfectly suited for college students in a dorm, a studio apartment, home office, or bedroom. The LG MT93 Personal smart TV has been officially launched in Europe, but as I filmed it at CES 2013 a couple of months ago in Las Vegas in sure it’s also headed for a U.S release. Right now we have no dates for the U.S market, and it might appear with a slightly different model name.

We have been following LG’s OLED HDTV ever since they first announced it an wowed the crowds at back at CES 2012.

Known as the LG 55EM970V in the U.K. The OLED TV will become the world’s first 55-inch OLED TV to be released in the U.K. The U.K will be the first European country to get their hands on the OLED TV.

Lets cut straight to the chase. The LG 55EM970V has a price tag of £9,999 and will be showcased exclusively at Harrods in London, and is available to pre-order for delivery in July 2013.

While on the subject of Harrods, they’re also stocking the 84-inch Ultra HD 4K LG 84LM960V if you feel like spending some more cash!

Do you remember the LG Laser TV that LG announced and proudly showed off at CES 2013 last month? The LG HECTO Laser TV / short throw projector has just gone on sale over in Korea under the new name of “LG Cinema Beam TV”.

I guess you can never have too many names! LG like to call this product a TV, where it’s more of a projector than a TV. But it’s far from a traditional projector.

The LG Cinema Beam TV projects a 100-inch 1080p HD image on to the provided screen from just 22-inches away.

That’s the key right there, the staggeringly ultra short throw of just 22-inches. The LG HECTO / Cinema Beam Laser TV unit itself it also pretty small, and with such a short throw it really changes how the projector can be used. You’ll no longer need to mount the projector on the ceiling or put it on an office desk far away from the display.

LG has just made it official that they have purchased WebOS from HP, and plans on using the OS for its future Smart TVs.

LG are investing heavily in their TV business, investing $655 million on a new OLED plant, and now the purchase of WebOS.

The purchase agreement includes acquiring the source code, documentation, related websites associated with webOS, and the engineering talent. LG will also receive the license, and patents acquired from Palm covering the operating system and interface technologies.

So what does this mean for LG, and us? Well, don’t expect to see any webOS powered LG Smart TVs until 2014, so don’t let that put you off looking at that newly announced 2013 models.

As people look to upgrade their HDTVs / TVs, the Smart TV platform and features are now an important selling point to many people, so LG wants to use the WebOS platform to secure themselves as a leader in the Smart TV game.

There are currently two new emerging technologies in the TV market. One is 4K / Ultra HD, providing higher resolutions and sharper images, the other is OLED.

OLED TVs provide a much higher image quality than current LED TVs and Plasma HDTVs with more vibrant colours, deeper blacks, and higher contrast ration. They’re also incredibly thin. But unfortunately right now, they’re also incredibly pricey at over $10,000 for a 55-inch OLED TV.

Both LG and Samsung have been locked in an OLED battle since they showed off their first OLED TVs at CES 2012. At this years CES we saw other TV manufacturers join the OLED battle and new models from both Samsung and LG announced for 2013.

LG beat Samsung to the chase by being the first to bring a 55-inch OLED TV to market, but it doesn’t come cheap at over $10,000.

The only way for OLED HDTVs to really take off is by reducing their prices substantially. LG is investing heavily in OLED and driving down the prices. LG have just announced that they will be building a new OLD TV plant / factory in Paju, Seul in South Korea.