How smart is your 3D TV? asks LG (CES)

LG is to combine its 3D Cinema technology with Smart TV functions in half of its product line in a bid to overtake Samsung as the market leader in 3D TVs writes Adrian Pennington from CES in Las Vegas

Heralding the announcement at a CES press conference Tim Alessi, the firm's director of new product development said, “We have a track record in smart devices and in home 3D. This year we are asking the question – how smart is your 3D TV?”

For example, while LG ensured it made headlines pre-show by announcing the launch of a 4K (8 million pixel) resolution 3D smart TV, at 84-inches the world’s largest, it has enhanced the experience by including a new 3D Gesture Interface for the Magic motion remote controller.

According to LG’s chief technology officer Dr Scott Ahn, “Using a 3D camera built into the TV, users can not only use their hand to emulate the functionality of the magic remote but they can play 3D games that recognise entire body gestures.”

The Magic remote, which was introduced last year, also now includes voice recognition as well as wheel and point navigation functions. Further, there will be a newly designed home dashboard which will offer more customisation and access to content with fewer clicks. The browser has been upgraded to accommodate HTML5 and Flash video.

The LG 3D Cinema range employs passive 3D glasses, a strategy which Alessi believes people want.

“We are aggressive about passive,” he joked. “People do vote with their wallets. More and more consumers are going toward passive technology. Our market share grown steadily this last year, surpassing Sony and with now in our sights.”

LG is also showing a number of 3D Cinema screen sizes featuring the Google TV software “for users who want more of an interactive experience,” said Alessi. Additional 3D functionality includes a 3D depth control button and a 3D sound zooming technology which it said delivers sound horizontally and vertically. Consumers can access LG's Smart TV ecosystem, which offers more than 1,200 apps and gives users access to a growing range of premium content services. At the 3D Zone, for example, viewers can select from a number of 3D movies.

The electronics maker has further unveiled a 55-inch 3D OLED TV weighing 7.5kg and just 4mm thin it is being claimed as the thinnest, largest and lightest OLED TV around.  This will be available in the second half of 2012.

LG isn’t alone in the race of ultra resolution TVs: Toshiba, for example, has just rolled out a glasses free 3D TV with 4K resolution, while Sharp is ready to sell an 60-inch 4K LCD in Japan next year.

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