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Wait - is this the world's first wireless TV?

6.1.2023

Translation: machine translated

The South Korean TV manufacturer LG wants to declare war on cable clutter. The LG Signature OLED M3 no longer has HDMI inputs. These are now in a separate box that streams content to the TV.

It's usually Samsung when a TV manufacturer comes up with innovative ideas for TVs and interior design. I'm thinking of the Frame or Serif. At CES 2023 in Las Vegas, however, it's South Korean competitor LG that piques my curiosity: with the world's first wireless TV, according to the press release.

The LG Signature OLED M3.

Wireless - yes, almost, not quite

We've all made fun of the advertising photos in which televisions are completely cable-free. The reality is often different. For me, for example, it's that way. My cable credo: out of sight, out of mind. LG goes one step further with the OLED M3. External playback devices such as consoles, Blu-ray players or set-top boxes are no longer connected directly to the TV, but to a separate Zero Connect Box. This then streams the video and audio signals to the TV with UHD resolution and up to 120 Hz. The OLED M3 has already been honoured for this in two categories with the CES 2023 Innovation Award.

Below: The Zero Connect Box, which streams video and audio signals from connected devices to the TV.
Source: LG Newsroom

The 97-inch OLED TV is not completely wireless after all: it still draws its power from a cable. The same applies to the Zero Connect Box. And the tangle of cables shifts more than it disappears. Namely where the Zero Connect Box with its HDMI inputs is located. And: Samsung already has something similar up its sleeve with its One Connect Box. However, the box is also connected to the TV via cable.

Nevertheless, the idea that at least the TV wall is tidy is appealing. The transmission technology also sounds impressive, at least from a technical perspective. To ensure the wireless transmission of data from the Zero Connect Box to the TV, LG claims to have developed an algorithm to identify the optimum transmission path. The algorithm should also help to minimise transmission errors or interruptions. For example, by recognising changes in the immediate environment and adapting the transmission path accordingly. For example, when people or animals move around in the same room.

And what about the sound?

If LG has its way, the OLED M3 will ideally be combined with LG's new wireless soundbars - the LG SC9 and SE6. This includes the new "WOW Orchestra" and "WOW Cast" technologies. Thanks to the latter, the Zero Connect Box communicates with the LG soundbars via Wi-Fi. "WOW Orchestra", on the other hand, ensures that TV speakers and LG soundbars sing as a duet. The Zero Connect Box also integrates LG's voice recognition technology. This should make it possible to operate and manage not only the TV, but also the connected devices using voice commands.

There are still suspiciously few cables in the picture. But the LG OLED M3 looks quite smart.
Source: LG Newsroom

Exact prices or dates for the LG Signature OLED M3 and WLAN soundbars have not been announced. The energy efficiency class is also still pending. Measured against LG's Signature range, however, I expect a hefty price tag above the 10,000 francs mark. However, if the technology proves its worth, I can well imagine that it will also be found outside the Signature series in the coming years.

Find more TV news from CES 2023 here:

News + Trends
CES 2023: The most important TV news summarised
by Luca Fontana

Cover photo: LG Newsroom

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Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I write about technology as if it were cinema, and about films as if they were real life. Between bits and blockbusters, I’m after stories that move people, not just generate clicks. And yes – sometimes I listen to film scores louder than I probably should.

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