Live from CES: LG’s W-Series sets new thin benchmark and expands HDR support

The LG W-series can be mounted to within 4mm of a wall to appear as if it is one with the wall

Dave Vanderwall, VP, marketing for LG Electronics Home Appliances and Consumer Electronics, introduced a new OLED TV, the W-series, that is only one-tenth of an inch deep (for the 65-inch version) and hangs on the wall via magnetic brackets that allow it to be only 4mm away from the wall surface. “It takes the OLED concept to a new level of minimalism and perfection and is a new definition of simplicity,” said Vanderwall. “It offers a unified look with the wall and a natural sense of immersion. And that is only possible because of OLED technology because there is no need for backlighting.”

Featuring Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos sound, the new lineup includes a total of ten different models, highlighted by the 2017 CES Best of Innovation Award winner, the 77-inch LG SIGNATURE OLED TV W, featuring an entirely new Picture-on-Wall design.

“Led by the LG SIGNATURE OLED TV W-series, our TV lineup at CES 2017 demonstrates our commitment to innovation and leadership in OLED and the premium TV market globally,” added Tim Alessi, head of product marketing at LG Electronics USA. “With Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos integrated into our newest OLED products, viewers can recapture the magic of the cinema and experience their favorite movies with their original clarity, depth and imagination intact.”

The LG 2017 OLED TV lineup, consisting of the following models: the 77- and 65-inch W7, 77- and 65-inch G7, 65- and 55-inch E7, 65- and 55-inch C7 and 65- and 55-inch B7.

The W7 OLED TV series builds on LG OLED’s revolutionary pixel dimming control technology, which renders perfect black without any light leakage to offer a limitless contrast ratio, and over one billion possible colours. What’s more, all LG’s 2017 OLED TVs use ULTRA Luminance technology to deliver greater brightness where needed.

LG is also expanding its HDR support as last year its models supported both HDR 10 and Dolbyvision formats.

“This year we are adding two more HDR options: Hybrid-Log Gamme and Advanced HDR by Technicolor,” said Vanderwall. “It gives consumers even greater access to the full spectrum of HDR content with no limitations.”

Vanderwall says a proprietary algorithm will process HDR content on a frame-by-frame basis and then inserts the data depending on the content needs for the format.

“It offers the best picture, regardless of whether or not the picture includes dynamic, static, or no HDR metadata,” he adds. “And our HDR Effect feature can process SDR images.”

Sandra Carvalho, Technicolor’s group chief marketing officer, was on hand to discuss the relationship between LG and Technicolor and the work the two companies are doing to improve the consumer viewing experience.

“We now have a Technicolor Expert Mode in LG’s Super UHD and OLED TV sets that has advanced calibration and highly accurate color rendering to recreate the artistic intent of the content creator,” she said.

The superior picture quality delivered by the LG SIGNATURE OLED TV W-series is complimented by incorporating next-generation Dolby Atmos surround sound for an unrivaled home entertainment experience.

As the first TV in the world to incorporate Dolby Atmos, 2017 LG OLED TVs can deliver content with both cutting-edge imaging and state-of-the-art sound technologies simultaneously, creating an entertainment powerhouse. Together, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos deliver a comprehensive solution supported by professional content creators and distributors the world over. Over 80 studio titles are compatible with Dolby Vision and more than 100 titles are currently available for Dolby Atmos, with 25 available in both formats. What’s more, over 100 hours of original content is available in Dolby Vision across leading OTT providers worldwide, and soon consumers will have access to Dolby Vision titles on Ultra HD Blu-ray disc, with anticipated availability in 2017.

Giles Baker, Dolby Laboratories, SVP, said that the LG OLED sets are the first to have Dolby Atmos within the TV’s speakers. “It fills the room with sound all around you and excites the senses for a powerful audio experience,” he said. “It creates a home entertainment powerhouse and you can be certain there is no better TV in the marketplace.”

Leveraging the high dynamic range (HDR) technology that powers Dolby’s most advanced cinemas around the world; Dolby Vision elevates the home TV viewing experience by delivering greater brightness and contrast as well as a fuller palette of rich colors. Dolby Atmos puts viewers inside the action with rich sound that fills the entire room – even the space overhead – with powerful, moving audio that flows around the audience. Dolby achieves this by isolating the relative location of each sound to create incredibly intricate audio that is as rich and multi-layered as the real world.