LG just upped its total Ultra HDTV model count to five with the unveiling of two new Ultra HDTVs at the CEDIA 2013 show in Denver. As we first reported a few weeks back, the LA9650 Series arrives in 65- and 55-inch screen sizes priced at $5,000 and $3,500. These join the company’s current higher-end 55LA9700
A key difference between the LA9700 and the LA9650 Series is the presence of a Nano Full Array LED (e.g., local dimming) backlight on the former. The new models have an LED Plus edge-lit backlight, along with an IPS LCD panel, a Tru-ULTRA HD Engine for HD upconversion, H.265 (HEVC) decoding (for compatibility with future UHD broadcasts and streamed content) and the company’s Magic Remote-controlled Smart TV platform. Four pairs of passive glasses are provided for 3D viewing.
Viewed up-close, the new 9650 Series sets have the same ultra-thin bezel as the 9700 Series. The main difference is a silver speaker bar that runs the full screen width on 9650 sets — a feature the sleeker-looking 9700 Series lacks. The new UHDTVS are also supported by a pair of feet as opposed to the more stable-looking stand that comes with 9700 sets. The full line of LG UHDTVs on display at the company’s CEDIA event had a store-demo “torch mode” look that ultimately made any assessment of picture quality difficult. They sure are bright, though!
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A big question surrounding the new sets — and other UHD TVs as well — is whether the company has an HDMI 2.0 upgrade path in the works to enable display of 4K signals at 60 fps. When HDGuru asked an LG rep about the company’s HDMI 2.0 plans, we were told they are working on a solution, and that it would most likely be a hardware-based one requiring an in-the-field upgrade. We’ll report more when we hear specific details about that from LG.
Also unveiled at CEDIA was the company’s new LAP340 “SoundPlate,” a 4.1-channel audio system with two built-in ported subs. At 1.4 inches high, the LAP340 can be positioned beneath a TV to provide a low-profile audio-for-video solution. LG didn’t specify a price in its press release, but the LAP340 should be available at retail stores in October.
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