Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JUNE 2020 54 I f there is one thing we can say about the 2020 TV offerings from AVB's consumer tech distribution arm Expert Warehouse, it's that they surely are eating their Wheaties. Consumer displays are getting bigger every year, it seems, and this year is no exception. So much for huddling around a flickering 35-inch CRT to watch ET on basic cable! LG Electronics came back to town with its acclaimed and well- appointed OLED series, the original upon which all other OLED TVs are based (and manufactured from!). The company has started to mass produce its 8K TV line now, all the way up to 88 inches big. The 8K TVs have double the lines of resolution as a 4K set, and even though there is no native 8K material being broadcast over the airwaves, YouTube and Vimeo are streaming 8K content now, and other sources are sure to follow. Taking a step back, to be classified as a true 8K TV the unit must feature: • 7,680 pixels horizontally and 4,320 vertically • At least one HDMI input capable of accepting that resolution at 50/60 frames per second with HDR (high dynamic range) • The ability to receive and display 10-bit color content • The ability to upconvert lower resolution signals to 8K The last point, upscaling, is the key. All lower-resolution material will be upconverted to 8K, so families everywhere will be ready to reap the benefits of this technology. Hollywood has shot several films in 8K: Guardians of the Galaxy 2 was the first (take that to your next trivia night), and it's only a matter of time until 8K movies become more commonplace. While LG's OLED line tops out at 88 inches, you can get 8K in 77 inches as well as OLED technology in the more common 4K resolution in 77-, 65-, 55- and now 48-inch screen sizes. With a brand-new Alpha 9 Generation 3 processor, the TVs now adjust color based on genre and machine learning to give you the best picture possible. And all LG Nano and OLED sets have the WISA (Wireless Speaker and Audio Association) protocol built in for a truly wireless surround speaker experience. Moving over to our friends at Samsung, their very popular Frame TV makes a comeback this year with some new sizes (75 inches and, later in the year, 32 inches) that join the familiar 43- to 65-inch range. An updated art store experience and stronger infrastructure for the TV itself make it a sure bet to be a best seller this year. Also bet on the 32-inch model with its unusual and quirky optional colored frames (pink! platinum! lemon!) to be a big hit with interior designers. Samsung also moves up in size in the 8K weight class, adding an 85-inch display to the mix with the new 950 series. The QLED/ Quantum Dot display with its unparalleled lumen levels will enhance any space, even very bright areas, with top-tier color. The company even brought back its 98-inch 8K unit, which still stands as the biggest set in the 8K realm. Once the COVID-19 crisis subsides, 2020 looks to be a bigger, brighter time for the TV business. Here's hoping this finds you and yours healthy, happy and ready to make some money on consumer electronics this year. Stephen Paczkowski Consumer Electronic Trends MAKE STAYING HOME MORE TOLERABLE WITH AN 8K TV Stephen Paczkowski, Buyer/Channel Manager at Expert Warehouse, the tech distribution arm of AVB/BrandSource. RO

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