Samsung launches Curved 4K TVs

Samsung has recently announced the launch of its new 4K (UHD) television series in Pakistan. It also includes curved UHD TVs, starting with a screen size of 55-inches.

An event was held at Expo centre Lahore, where John Park, MD Samsung Pakistan, and other officials briefed media about the new devices.

The futuristic curved TV look a little weird, but Samsung claims that it allows for a more realistic viewing experience, even from different angles. Moreover, the curved screen brings the edges closer to you, creating a wider field of vision, which means the screen seems even bigger than it is.

The new curved UHD TVs are bundled with “Depth Enhancer” software feature, which identifies the background from an image and enhance the depth, color and brightness to give you 3D look without requiring glasses.

The PurColor feature reproduces color expressing more detailed shades.

The display units were playing high definition content, so how does our “low res” cable channels will look on this TV? when asked; Samsung representative claimed that built-in upscaling technology takes the ordinary feed and converts lower resolution contents into UHD picture quality enhancing the details of video images.

Exact pricing details of the new curved UHD TV’s were not revealed but 55-inch model will set you back around 5 lac rupees.

Keeping the price tag in mind, I am happy with my 20 years old CRT TV, but you can go ahead and enjoy the innovation and amazing TV experience with Samsung’s UHD TVs.

Technical Info

65-inch LCD TV
3840 x 2160 pixels
2x Freeview HD, 2x Freesat tuner
7-day EPG
stereo speakers with 2 x 10W amplifier
4 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x SCART, 1 x component (YPbPr)/composite
stereo phono audio input
digital optical audio output
3.5 mm headphone jack
10/100 ethernet, 802.11ac Wi-Fi built-in/Wi-Fi Direct
screen mirroring
2 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0
HEVC decoder
84W specified power consumption
234W measured power consumption (100 percent red field)
1451 x 848 x 111 mm (whd, without stand)
26.8 kg 

Additionally, any onscreen EPG, be it the set's own Smart portal or the Planner on a Sky box just looks warped and wonky. The curved affectation should be considered a design and style novelty more than a performance benefit.

The set Active Shutter 3D support, with two pairs of glasses supplied, and while this suffers from mild crosstalk double imaging, dimensional imaging is bright and impressive  motion handling is potentially excellent, provided you pick the right interpolation setting. Our preferred mix is the Motion Plus Custom mode with Blur reduction set to between 8-10, and Judder Reduction set to zero.

Audio performance is good, plumped by a welcome mid-range presence, however there's not an over abundance of volume.

Input options comprise four HDMI (with 2.0 support for high frame-rate 4K and MHL 3.0 for mobile devices), three USB (one up-to-date as USB 3.0), Ethernet, component video via an adaptor, optical digital audio output and CI slot.

The unit also features high-speed 802.11ac Wi-Fi. The Smart Evolution box connects to the panel using a single, thick umbilical. No separate power supply is required.

A pebble-shaped Bluetooth cursor remote is supplied alongside the standard IR zapper. It's very similar to LG's Magic Remote, and supposedly makes browsing easier, although the need to call up a virtual onscreen keyboard for general menu inspection is a bit of a faff. Using it is something of an acquired discipline.

Samsung has made some minor changes to its Smart portal for 2014, adding a casual games slate plus split-screen Multi-View feature. You can also do more with the twin tuners this year, including watch non-tuner content (streaming media, Blu-ray, etc) while recording two channels.

With an eye on the World Cup, the brand has also updated its Soccer preset, which now auto-records match highlights onto an external USB HDD, triggered by crowd noise.

Image quality, both with full-HD and 4K content, is at its best stunning. The HU8500 offers dynamic, punchy contrast and vibrant colour fidelity. While upscaling is arguably not quite as refined and convincing as that seen on Sony 4K screens, all 1080p content clearly benefits from the panel's lack of visible pixel structure. Images appear smooth and photographic.

Truimphantly, the HU8500 really comes into its own with 4K content. Currently, Netflix is streaming House of Cards Season 2 in Ultra HD, along with a selection of travelogues. You'll need a fast fibre broadband connection to enjoy them though, given it pours forth at 15.6 Mb/s.

After watching Kevin Spacey cavort around Capitol Hill in 2160p, regular hi-def looks positively blurry. The screen also play backs YouTube 4K content, but here compression artefacts are generally rife, even if high-detail clips can be impressive.

Any benefit that the curved screen brings is debatable though. Samsung maintains that the curvature creates a more panoramic, cinematic viewing experience. Which is true if you sit close (less than 2 m). However, there's also an obvious viewing sweet spot; sit off to the side and the screen geometry appears to contract.

Additionally, any onscreen EPG, be it the set's own Smart portal or the Planner on a Sky box just looks warped and wonky. The curved affectation should be considered a design and style novelty more than a performance benefit.

The set Active Shutter 3D support, with two pairs of glasses supplied, and while this suffers from mild crosstalk double imaging, dimensional imaging is bright and immersive.

Motion handling is potentially excellent, provided you pick the right interpolation setting. Our preferred mix is the Motion Plus Custom mode with Blur reduction set to between 8-10, and Judder Reduction set to zero.

Audio performance is good, plumped by a welcome mid-range presence, however there's not an over abundance of volume.