Like everything else, the television is experiencing a lot of improvements powered by newer ideas and technologies. To truly appreciate how far we have come, take a look at the evolution of this very central part of our lives in many households. My first TV experience as a child for example was my parents’ 14 inch CRT though I do seem to remember a neighbor who had a 21”. These were black and white and were sometimes decorated with a static rainbow screen to give the illusion of colour TV. This was back when someone had to occasionally go outside to rotate the aerial receiver. Dark days those.
You may remember CRTs by their characteristic hunch back that meant that TVs were cumbersome, heavy, fragile, and given the looks of modern TVs, quite an eyesore. They took up a lot of space and often times required dedicated furniture to hide the back. Such a sharp contrast to modern TVs which are more feature packed than ever, and yet so thin they could pass for picture frames. I can’t imagine what a 65 Inch CRT would weight and how much space it would take up.
Fast forward and over time, TV manufacturers have been gradually upping their game into other technologies like Plasma Display Panel (PDP), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and Light Emitting Diode (LED). These technologies have brought massive possibilities in the world of television and improved the viewing experience tremendously. For instance, we are now able to enjoy big screens on lightweight TVs, and crystal clear picture without pixilation or distortion. We are also able to pair TVs with third party apps to make the viewing experience even better.
I’ve had the pleasure of using the Samsug 65” Crystal UHD 4K TV for the last few weeks – a beautiful addition to my place that despite its size fit in seamlessly without requiring me to move things around. The TV needs very minimal set up and this is good news for those who feel intimidated by electronics.
In terms of looks, it is not only a statement piece in the house, but a highly functional one. It comes with very thin bezels, which makes the screen all yours to enjoy. A bezel is basically the frame around the TV, that holds everything together. It has small sturdy feet which I love for their minimalistic look, and they are removable for those who would like to mount it. With WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, the TV did not bring with it a cable situation either especially when connecting to my phone and to the Samsung sound bar.
At the back of the TV, we have useful connection ports like USB and HDMI. These come in handy for connecting external output like keyboards, mice, DVD, projectors or monitors. HDMI is cabling technology that transmits video and audio simultaneously. The TV also have screw holes for mounting. I haven’t mounted mine but from what I can see, it takes flat to the wall.
The remote control is sleek and easy on the hands, and there’s also a control panel on the bottom right side of the TV for when remote use is possible for whatever reason. The remote has a mic and it acts as a smart voice assistant for voice control functions like Samsung Bixby, Alexa or Google assistant. It follows that the TV itself has built in voice recognition. This makes searches much easier than using the remote to select letters one by one on the TV.
Seamless running of the TV is courtesy of the Samsung Crystal Ultra HD Processor. This is the brain of the TV, much like the processors in phones and laptops. This is what is responsible for processing data, sending instructions and automations to the right places, and executing. From my chair, all I’ve had to do is sit back, select features, and experience good television.
The TV comes with 4K. 4K is a cinema standard that calls for film makers to shoot content in high resolution of 4096×2160. To the user, this translates to pixel packed picture and therefore vivid colour and crystal-clear details. For gamers, the combination of a big screen, high resolution and good speeds thanks to the processor takes gaming to another level.
If one is purchasing a TV today, one of the must haves I would advise to look out for is 4K. Why? Because 4K is present and future television. High resolution TV is a joy to watch, and streaming services are already producing content in 4K and will continue to do so especially with the rising popularity of corresponding televisions. There is also 8K but that’s a story for another article in future.
The good people at Samsung were kind enough to bring a 2.1 channel wireless sound bar and subwoofer along with the TV. Here’s the thing. TV sound is not all that and for users to get fully emersed in great picture, great sound is also a must. I still tried the sound on the Samsung Crystal UHD 4K TV and it is decent enough, with a good panel for equalizing. External sound will always be my thing though and I’m glad that superior sound systems are now coming wireless and easy to set up.
To tie together my whole experience with this TV is third party apps that expand its capabilities and user options even more. First off, the remote control has a dedicated Netflix button. This, along with Amazon, Spotify and of course YouTube are my go-to for content and are on the quick access menu at the bottom of the screen. There’s a whole lot more to explore.
There is also the Samsung SmartThings – an Android App that will turn your whole space into a smart home with interconnected devices including the TV. I haven’t explored this a whole lot but I’ll certainly document the process when I do.
I love my experience with the Samsung Crystal UHD 4K smart TV and would not hesitate to give it a thumbs up.