LG 55EM9600 55" OLED Cinema 3D Smart TV Preview

LG Electronics unveiled "the future of home entertainment" - and you know what, we'd have to agree. I know, OLED has been rearing its head for years, but both LG and Samsung have all but promised large-format models that will come out this year. The 2012 CES was where LG chose to reveal (literally at the very end of their press event) their new 55EM9600 55-inch OLED HDTV. The new TV is incredibly thin - just 4mm, in fact and is powered by LG’s TRIPLE XD Engine. Picture quality has been pretty advanced with LED backlit TVs - and it's only been getting better, but OLED ups the ante, with self-lighted organic pixels. This means that OLED TVs can exhibit precise color, absolute contrast and blazing clarity. LG gives the 55EM9600 OLED TV a contrast ratio of over 100,000,000:1, claiming it is fifty times greater than that of LED/LCD display panels. Honestly, the point is that the pixels, when of are, well... OFF. So the contrast ration is actually infinite - in which case they might as say the ratio is a google-to-one (I mean, why not?) Additionally, OLED TVs offer vivid colors and the fine details, particularly in dynamic or contrasty scenes with dark lighting and bright pinpoint light.

What else does OLED offer? Speed. LG's OLED TV delivers lightning picture & pixel refresh rates of under 0.1 microseconds. This means that the issues with LCD_based motion blur are gone. OLED TVs can display rapid movements and motions in a crystal clear manner with no blur or bleeding.

LG's TRIPLE XD Engine features three core components: Dynamic Color Enhancer, which provides superior color reproduction; and Contrast Optimizer and the Resolution Upscaler which further fine tune the OLED picture detail.

While the picture is amazing, it may be the ultra-slim bezel (enabled by LG’s "Cinema Screen" Design) that sets the OLED TV apart as a truly incredible minimalist piece of art. Since an OLED TV doesn't require a lamp or bulky support structures, LG was able to get it down to just 4mm (3/16ths of an inch) thick. And the weight? Just 16.5 pounds. Remember those old commercials with the flat panel mounted on the ceiling? You might actually be able to pull it off with one of these.

For more information and product images, please visit http://www.lg.com/us/ces/

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.