LG’s 4K TV in Time for Christmas?

LG is aggressively undercutting Sony for its first ultra-definition TV, which goes on sale across the Tasman from November 19.

Although its availability and price have still to be confirmed here, chances are the first displays will be in a handful of shops before Christmas.

In Australia the 84-inch monster will sell for $A16,000, which will be about $A10,000 below Sony’s asking price. (In NZ, Sony’s UD TV will sell for $35,000 from December.)

The resolution of the UD TV is 3840 x 2160 pixels — or  four times that of 1080p HD and Blu-ray, and comparable to the resolution of movies screened in digital cinemas.

LG’s 84LM9600 model will also have a 50-watt, 2.2 speaker system, 3D technology and the Smart TV functions the company launched earlier this year in its top-of-the-line HD range.

According to The Australian, LG general manager of marketing Lambros Skropidis said at the UD 3D TVs launch that it could “upscale” HD media to provide much finer resolution — so users would enjoy the benefits of a near UD experience even without 4K media to screen on it.

He said 81% of Australians surveyed were concerned about picture quality, in contrast to ease of use (64%), smart TV features (35%) and design (38%).

“The UD TV market is still in its infancy but it is important for LG to show leadership in this space.”

PC World says LG won’t be targeting the mass market with its UD TV, “instead aiming for a ‘sniper’ approach targeting individuals with ‘very high disposable incomes, almost like an exclusive club.’

“The television will be stocked in 30 key stores hand-picked by LG around Australia, and LG will host experiential events and create buzz over social media.”

Channel News dubbed the image “jaw dropping” and the TV “a beauty”.

“The first thing you notice apart from the size of the screen is the depth and richness of the 4K content; it really is a big improvement on high-end 1080p HD content.

“Images are sharper and with a resolution of 3840 x 2160, you suddenly realise that you can watch this TV closer than a Full HD 1080P TV.”