AWE’S SCREEN TEST

The type of content that will be watched the most is a big factor in screen choice

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE

Mara Lucio, Sales Executive at AWE, goes through some key considerations when choosing the right TV for each project.

With hundreds of TV options on the market, how do you know which is the right model to take pride of place in your installation? and what really matters when you’re specifying a TV?

CONTENT

It is incredibly important to understand what content the client will use the TV for, as this information plays directly into specifying the right screen. Whether they watch broadcast TV, films, gaming, sports or streaming services, picking the right screen is the difference between a good or bad viewing experience. Let’s take a look at these options and the different requirements they demand.

FILMS

All the major streaming services and 4K Blu-rays are releasing content encoded with HDR, so we require panels with a fantastic contrast ratio to ensure we’re getting both the brightest whites and the detail in the black levels. TVs such as Panasonic’s JZ2000 range feature Dolby Vision IQ and Filmmaker Mode, which provide you with a picture that is exactly how the director intended – and in any lighting environment. When it comes to the audio, the likelihood is that you’re adding a separate sound system or soundbar, but some TVs have great in-built speakers. In fact, the Sony A90 OLED can be used as a centre channel in a surround sound system, which delivers a very clean look to the installation and means that speech will come directly from the screen, rather than a speaker below it.

APPS AND STREAMING SERVICES

Clients who are dependent on streaming services shouldn’t rely on a Wi-Fi connection, make sure you hardwire the television onto the network. This will allow you to achieve better bandwidth for the apps, and will make IP control more reliable from the automation system.

GAMING

The latest generation games consoles and gaming PCs require HDMI 2.1 inputs. This provides you with a variable refresh rate (VRR) that is more in line with that of a dedicated gaming monitor. The LG OLEDs feature G-Sync and FreeSync to work directly with the latest graphics cards. You also need an incredibly fast refresh rate and no discernible delay from picture processing. Again, the LG TVs have set the standard with their Auto Low Latency Mode at only 1 millisecond.

BROADCAST TELEVISION

If the client is using a free to air service such as Freeview or Freesat, you’ll need to make sure the TV has the appropriate tuners built in. This is not a factor if you’re relying on a satellite or cable box.

Prestigious yet affordable

Motion CI series

MDA8 MDA16

The Motion CI series

With Martin Logan’s prestige, acclaimed sound quality and a high-end fit and finish that provides a discreet luxurious feel, what isn’t there to like? Whether you listen to music, movies or a little bit of everything, Motion CI gives you a true high-end audio experience at an outstanding price.

The MDA series

Martin Logan also offers power with the robust MDA models - fully matrixed distributed audio with easy-touse independent room correction for each loudspeaker. MDA Series is the most flexible and adaptive distribution solution available today, delivering dramatic levels of performance where it matters - in the room.

These models are a small selection of Martin Logan’s vast CI portfolio. If you want to know more, please get in touch.

SPORTS

For fast action sports like football and Formula 1, the higher the resolution and the higher the refresh rate, the less blur will be seen on screen.

INSTALLATION

For high end TV installations, there are only two options – OLED or full array local dimming LED TVs. You shouldn’t even consider edge lit LED screens, as these cannot create an adequate black level and curved TVs, (as these are frankly, a defunct technology) or 3D TVs, as there is very little good content available for these screens and as a result, they are dying off.

If the room is very bright and there’s no option for light control, then LED TVs offer the highest brightness. But, for the ultimate experience, OLED provides you with by far the best black levels, without any halos around bright objects. This is due to each pixel in an OLED being individually powered. Therefore, no back light is required.

This also means that the screen can be much thinner. A great example of this is the LG Gallery Series OLEDs that are only 2cm deep and flush mount to the wall with a concealed bracket.

There is a limit on size though, with the largest available OLED televisions being 88in. If you need to go bigger, then you’re back to LED, with Sony bringing out a sensibly-priced 100in screen this year.

For larger than 100in, there are microLED panels available at a high cost. Alternatively, at this point, the right answer is to consider moving to a projector.

At AWE, we distribute Sony, LG and Panasonic televisions, providing you with the largest choice in technologies, styles and sizes to fit any budget.

Lots of Apps to deal with? get a wired connection to the network