We got a very brief tease of HONOR’s very interesting TV toward the end of last year. We saw them at one of their launches. Sadly, the staff at the time said that the TV will not be coming to Malaysia.
HONOR Vision X1
This year, they introduced a new TV alongside a whole slew of smart products for your home. They introduced their new HONOR Vision X1 TV. Seeing that we did not have HONOR’s previous TV, we do not know much about it. The new HONOR Vision X1 TV though packs 8K resolution from either a 65-inch or 55-inch. We still do not know whether this will come to Malaysia or not. We are hopeful though.
Source: HUAWEI Central
Source: HUAWEI Central
It packs four 10W speakers to output super powerful and clear audio so that you do not need to spend on new soundbars or sound system. The HONOR Vision X1 also packs Motion Estimate and Motion Compensation technology to prevent blurring when upscaling happens. The Honghu 818 System on a Chip (SoC) within the TV also helps reduce display flickering. At 65-inch it sets you back RMB 3,299 (MYR 2,019) while the 55-inch HONOR Vision X1 will set you back RMB 2,299 (MYR 1,407). That is extremely cheap for an 8K TV to be fair. Let us hope that it makes it into Malaysia before the launch of Sony’s PlayStation 5.
HONOR Router 3
Exactly what it sounds like, they launched a WiFi Router. This is not just a regular router with 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz bands though. It is a WiFi 6+ capable router with 1.2GHz antenna. This also means that the HONOR Router 3 is one of the most advanced routers available in the market at its launch later in July 2020. Again, we do not know if that is coming into Malaysia. Still, you might be able to get them on TaoBao later.
WiFi 6 means more speed and stability. Still, once it meets a wall or two, stability drops. WiFi 6+, according to HONOR anyway, is supposed to solve that issue. With WiFi 6+ signals through the wall should still be stable enough to be useable. Whatever that is, sign me up. It is priced at RMB 219 (MYR 134).
HONOR Choice Home Appliances
They not only launched a new TV and Router for the Smart Home. They also launched a selection of home appliances. They launched an electronic toothbrush that is designed to ensure that there is no dirt build up on the device. They call it their Smart Ultra-sonic Toothbrush. I am not a big fan of electronic Toothbrush though. No prices for this yet.
Source: HONOR
They also launched a Smart Kettle, a Smart Lamp, and a Smart Humidifier. These are items that you may be able to find in the shops though. There is no mention if these smart products are compatible with WiFi connectivity for remote control or not. We do hope that is the case with these products though. They also launched a bladeless fan they call Air Multiplier. No, it is not going to add more air into the room. Like any other fan, it just helps circulate air within a room. That might be useful in the hot and humid weather that is Malaysia though.
They launched a very interesting Smart Vacuum that mimics the more popular handheld, wireless vacuum today. In the launch gambit, they took a stab at Dyson. We know the Dyson wireless vacuum is the best there is in the market. They are claiming that the HONOR Smart Vacuum is more powerful than the Dysons. It packs a 350W 100,000rpm motor with 65 minutes of battery life. Its battery life is more than enough for most homes in Malaysia. It even has ultraviolet-sterilisation cleansing system to keep your floors cleaner than it can ever be. Whether that lives up to HONOR’s hype is yet to be seen though. We do not even know when all these products comes to Malaysia, if they ever come at all.
TWS Earbuds X1
Of course, with the craze with wireless things and wireless earphones, HONOR will not miss out. They launched the HONOR TWS Earbuds X1, their very own, very new True Wireless earphones for the masses.
Its design is very familiar. That is also because it is reminiscent of Apple’s AirPod Pro. It looks like it has a shorter stem though, which also means it is smaller in profile. There is no active noise cancelling on the earbuds though. Still, you get up to 24-hours in battery life with the TWS Earbuds X1 package. We do not know how much of that is down to the case’s battery power.
The TWS Earbuds X1 is priced at RMB 169 (MYR 103). It does not seem like there are any other colour choices except for white. Still, it is affordable. There is no confirmed availability date just yet. We do expect this one to come to Malaysia though.
It started with The Magic Lantern in 1895, one of the earliest recorded functional projectors in history, the technology behind projectors today challenges the concept of flexibility, mobility and visual quality. The projector has evolved in so many aspects but one that is particularly significant: the projector resolution.
Projector resolution significantly affects the image quality and our viewing pleasure; it is a measure of clarity & size of the output image. ‘Resolution’ refers to the number of pixels on screen. A pixel is the smallest element on a screen display which produces a complete image when put together. Hence, greater resolution produces greater image quality.
What are the resolution formats available?
Resolution formats vary depending on the intended input/output device and purpose:
Resolution Format
SVGA (800 x 600 pixels)
An affordable option for business, large venues and classrooms to project simple data, charts and short clips.
XGA (1024 x 768 pixels)
Following the advancement of technology and computers, the XGA format became the native resolution for most desktops and laptops.
WXGA format (1280 x 800 pixels)
The widescreen version of the XGA, a common resolution suited to movie-viewing and video gaming.
WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels)
A standard format for modern desktops and laptops, commonly equipped in large venues due to its bright and high-definition content projection.
Why should we choose a higher resolution at work and schools?
The greater the number of pixels = The higher the resolution = The greater the image quality. When it boils down to image quality, high-resolution formats enrich the quality and detail of charts, graphs, texts and high-definition videos resulting in a sharper, cleaner image[1]. These details are vital for effective classroom learning.
A projector for your home cinema experience
Additionally, high-resolution projectors for home entertainment is an investment for avid moviegoers and film enthusiasts as it allows for an at-home cinematic experience. This allows you to control the quality of your experience to completely immerse yourself in cinematic adventures with more privacy and intimacy.
Resolutions
Recommended Usage
720p (1280 x 720 pixels)
An economical choice for movie projection and is compatible with the standard HDTV format
1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels)
The standard format for home theatre, commonly used for 1080i/1080p HDTV broadcast and Blu-ray formats
4K UHD (4096 x 2160 pixels)
The highest resolution for moving pictures, this means crisp visuals with quality cinematic experience within the comfort of your home
How do we choose the right projector resolution?
It all depends on your content. To guarantee viewing quality and pleasure, the projector’s resolution must be compatible with the content output. For example, the WXGA resolution is best suited with 720p videos and a HD resolution with Blu-ray discs and 1080i HDTV[2]. The projected image quality depends on both the resolution of the content and the projector itself. You may compromise on the content’s quality if the resolution of your input device doesn’t match the resolution of your projector. This happens when your input device (laptop/smartphone), a WUXGA format is projected through XGA formatted projector. The number of pixels will be reduced to fit within the ratio of your projector, reducing the display quality. Hence, making a careful choice in a projector that matches or is higher than the resolution of the input device is necessary to guarantee fine image quality, minimum compression and maximum compatibility[3].
You should opt for solutions that include exceptional image quality with a low total cost of ownership accompanied with excellent reliability and service[4]. Unsurprisingly enough, Epson can provide these and more! Investing in a quality projector, no matter the physical setting and content can improve performance, productivity and ultimately – viewing pleasure.
Samsung’s QLED TV line up has been one of the first that have been pushing 8K and large form factor TVs. Last year, we saw the company push boundaries with a flagship series which capped at a whopping 98-inches. That said, Samsung’s line up isn’t just about size, they tend to also push the boundaries when it comes to technology. With the 2019 QLED TV line up, the company introduced a whole slew of features to help make content more immersive and also stand out. This year’s line up is no different.
Spearheaded by the new Q950TS, the new line up of Samsung QLED 8K TVs continue to bring more enhanced technologies. These technologies are focused at providing better picture quality, more immersive sound and a better, more well-rounded experience when it comes to content consumption.
Smarter AI Upscaling Augmented by Deep Learning
Samsung’s introduction of AI upscaling started with its 2019 line up of 8K UHD QLED TVs. The line up was the first to boast a dedicated Quantum processor to help with upscaling to help address the content gap. This year, Samsung ups the ante with an improved AI upscaling. While still backed by a Quantum Processor, the 2020 Samsung QLED 8K TVs will have better upscaling capabilities thanks to machine learning and deep learning algorithms.
The new machine learning and deep learning algorithms are supported by a new neural processing component in the Quantum processors. It is thanks to this neural processing that Samsung’s Quantum Processor is able to upscale content with machine learning and deep learning. The new two pronged approach to upscaling allows better, more natural upscaled content for the large factor QLED TVs.
The first prong of the two prong approach is Samsung’s Machine Learning Super Resolution. This upscaling technology focuses on upscaling content based on identified objects. The company has specified in an online briefing that the upscaling done by this technology preserves the characteristics and details of the objects or subjects of the scene or picture.
To ensure the natural detail of the shot is better preserved during upscaling, Samsung has introduced what they call Deep Learning Super Resolution. It enhances the details and fills in the pixel gaps when the image or video is upscaled. Accessing a neural network, the algorithm intelligently restores details which are lost during the upscaling process. It does this by upscaling the image pixel by pixel. Samsung’s engineers have assured us that the algorithm doesn’t introduce artificial details.
These AI technologies augment the enhancements Samsung has introduced physically in their displays. The new QLED displays come with Array Elite. This new technology allows finer control of the pixels which make up the TV. It allows finer contrast control and better power efficiency as pixels individually powered.
More Immersive Sound with Object Based Surround Sound
Samsung’s new line up of QLED 8K TVs also bring a refreshed approach to sound. In the past, sound seemed to be in the background when it came to TV development. However, Samsung is taking a more holistic approach with their 2020 QLED TVs.
It starts with a redesign of the integrated speakers. Samsung’s new line up comes with six speakers. It has two front firing speakers on the top corners of the screen. It’s placed behind the high resolution QLED panels. More significantly, Samsung has moved the tweeters to the side of the TV. In addition, Samsung is also using wider left and right channels for more complete sound experience.
The redesigned sound system has allowed Samsung to introduce a new, enhanced feature called Object Tracking Sound+ (OTS+). This allows regular consumers, like you and I, to experience sound the way it was designed. OTS+ essentially allows sound to be tied to an object instead of the channels available. This approach allows sound to move as an object moved on and off screen. Dolby refers to this as “audio objects” and is an essential part of its Dolby Atmos certification.
These new technologies enhance old features that came with the 2019 line up as well as enable new ones. The 2020 QLED TVs from Samsung could be one of the most exciting tech that come from the company. This is thanks to the company’s focus on enhancing and augmenting the user experience in its line up with meaningful new features. The new line up is set for its debut soon in Malaysia and has already been introduced in select counties around the world.
Last year, Samsung introduced a new way of cooling your home with its first ever “wind-free” air-conditioning system. The new approach to air-conditioning was a literal breath of fresh air in a space that has become pretty drab over the years. When anyone thinks of air-conditioning, the picture that comes to mind is always a wall mounted machine which actively blows cool air out to cool the room. However, Samsung took inspiration from stones in caves which were able to cool its surroundings.
With this inspiration, the company looked to revolutionize their offerings by offering something similar. Last year, the company introduced it’s R32 rated AR9500M, its first “Wind-Free” air conditioner. The AR9500M brought a new, optimized design of Samsung’s signature triangle air-conditioners. The new design came with over 10,000 micro air holes in the casing. This design allowed Samsung to optimize airflow to allow gentler cooling of the room. It also introduced a new mode of cooling to Samsung air-conditioners.
This year, Samsung’s new AR9500T takes the design of its predecessor and throws it out the window. The new, revamped air-conditioner adopts a familiar, compact design we’ve seen in many other air-conditioners. According to Samsung, the new design was adopted after consulting their partners and service team. They’ve created a modular air-conditioner which is able to be installed and serviced a lot easier than its previous models. The new AR9500T also comes with an increased 23,000 micro holes to create more still air and more efficient cooling.
Aside from that, the AR9500T comes with a new three step cooling process. The air-conditioner kicks into high gear with Fast Cooling mode. It does this by actively blowing cooled air. Samsung claims that the new air-conditioner can blow air further than any model before it; allowing it to cool faster and more efficiently. This is helped by the improved Digital Inverter Boost. After this, the air is dehumidified to optimal humidity. Once the air is at the desired temperature, it uses the wind-free mode to maintain the comfort.
The AR9500T is the first air-conditioner from Samsung to have A.I. Auto cooling. The new feature is uses data from thermostats which collects temperature data from the outside and inside. The A.I. uses this data in tandem with the user’s usage patterns to optimise cooling and maintenance. This is paired with the ability to control the air-conditioner through Samsung’s Smart Things Platform.
The new Samsung AR9500T Wind-free air-conditioner is currently on the market. Purchases of the new Wind-Free air conditioner is eligible for a new Samsung Air Purifier at 50% off! The promotion starts from 1st March till 31st May 2020.
We love watching our TV, we love watching Netflix and Amazon
Prime Video on our TV. Well, that is the best way to enjoy the streaming services
we subscribe to these days. Even YouTube videos can be enjoyed on TV these days.
It beats the small 15-inch displays on your notebook PC. It certainly beats
your 6-inch smartphone display. You get at least 49-inch of goodness pushed
through and in most cases, better audio that your notebook PC. You can even get
soundbars if you really want.
Sony TVs hold a special place in our hearts. That is to say
that we like Sony TVs for their brilliant details and great contrasts. LED TVs
are also known for their vivid colours; which is true for all Sony LED TVs. I
personally have a Sony TV at home and pretty much adores it. I only get to use
it in the weekends though, sadly.
Source: Sony
Still, the Sony Bravia line-up in Malaysia just got even
better with the new Sony Bravia X80H (KD-X8000H) line-up. Prices start from MYR
3,099 and goes all the way to MYR 9,699. Sizes available would be 49-inch
(49X8000H), 55-inch (55X8000H @ MYR 3,799), 65-inch (65X8000H @ MYR 5,399), and
75-inch (75X8000H). The TVs will be available April 2020 onward and you can
start ordering them from today onward until 31st of March 2020.
Why would you get this over the older X80G TVs? It has the
same 4K resolution that the X80G has. It has a new HDR Processor X1, an
evolution of the X-Reality Pro engine. That also means crisper, clearer, and
more detailed images on your TV screen. Plus, its Object-based HDR remastering
makes your TV viewing experience even better. If you find Dolby Vision compatible
movies, this is really the screen that can take advantage of that.
Thanks to X-Balanced Speakers as well (55-inch and above),
you may save some money from not needing to buy a soundbar anyway. If you do
get a soundbar, you might want to spend a little more is what I am saying.
Still, the X-Balanced speakers are Dolby Atmos certified, which also means that
it should produce immersive audio. Even Spotify will sound good.
The Sony Bravia X80H series comes with Android’s latest 9.0 Pie Operating System, effectively making this the usual Smart TV that is pretty much a compulsory in TVs these days. The smart features is more than just Android 9.0 though. With the Sony Bravia X80H series, connecting to Apple AirPlay and HomeKit is now made easier.
Source: Sony
Pre-orders can be made at selected Sony Stores and Centres
across the nation. If you do pre-order, you get a wireless keyboard and a
Netflix gift card worth MYR 100 together with your TV when you collect it. Of
course, terms and conditions apply. For more information, you can visit their website.
*This article is a contributed article byRavi Saraogi, Co-Founder and President of Uniphore, APAC *
2020 marks the transition into the great unknown. With the emergence of
new possibilities and challenges ahead of us, successful organisations must be
quick to identify and take advantage of opportunities through the power of emerging
technologies. Specific to the customer service industry, brands that utilise
Conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies will improve business
operations and customer experiences.
It is estimated that about 70% of organizations will integrate AI to
assist employee productivity by 2021[1] to
meet the high demand of delivering faster, relevant and holistic services to
today’s customers. More often than not, customers today are frustrated that
broken customer service systems and poorly equipped agents don’t understand
their requests. To fix this, businesses must move away from a siloed experience
and approach service holistically.
Photo by mahdis mousavi on Unsplash
In terms of the adoption of the adoption of AI in Malaysian businesses,
it was revealed that only 26% of companies in Malaysia have actually begun
integrating AI into their operations, according to a survey that was conducted
in 2018. The low adoption rate is attributed to two key barriers that are
related to organizational culture on AI and limited employee skill sets2.
Thus, the time is now to blend the capabilities
of people and AI and better understand conversations in real-time for
businesses to stay ahead of the race.
New Power to Customer Voice
With technological capabilities, it’s about time we start hearing what
customers really want. Customers today are time poor, distracted and empowered
by lots of products and services to choose from. Instant gratification is their
modus operandi. With other factors like price point and product quality being at
par, superior customer service remains challenging and is often a deal breaker.
In a competitive landscape, customers demand a seamless experience when
interacting with a brand.
That said, poor customer experiences are not difficult to resolve at
all, more so today due to machine learning, AI and automation. This is because AI
is now helping brands to truly listen to the voice of the customer and
understand their needs in order to quickly resolve customer queries, deepen customer
engagement, and deliver superior customer experience at scale.
Making Headway with Conversational Service Automation
Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Gobind Singh Deo emphasises
Malaysia’s potential in the development of AI in both public and private
sectors, and the importance of ensuring the local government and industries
capitalise on the opportunities at hand.[2]
The use of AI is becoming more prevalent in the customer service industry as conversations become more complex. There is a small window of opportunity for brands to deliver personalised customer service, particularly when your engagement happens across diverse channels. Being equipped with an understanding of context, sentiment, behaviour and real intent, and being able to act on such insights in real-time becomes even more crucial.
Photo by Joseph Pearson on Unsplash
Conversational Service Automation is about enabling front office
automation in contact centres. Consider this scenario: A customer starts a
conversation with a chatbot for quick self-service. The bot is able to provide
some quick and valuable updates based on the customer’s previous interactions.
If the conversation gets more complex, the voice bot politely hands the call to
a human agent via a live transfer. The agent is assisted through real-time
analytics and chat transcripts to be able to make the next best offer which the
customer gladly accepts.
This automation backed by real-time analytics is continuously
self-learning, enabling real-time listening of conversations across channels
and then converting them into actionable insights. As a result, a win-win
situation is created where businesses can reduce work pressure on call center
agents, improve accuracy of information and greater customer satisfaction.
Getting Ahead of the Race with Voice and AI
We are in the midst of a customer experience transformation and
conversational AI technology is leading this change. There is a positive acceptance
from both businesses and customers to adopt newer conversational AI
technologies. This is driven by the try-before-you-buy and pay-as-you-go models
offered, which enterprises find appealing and less risky. Brands can take
smaller bets, test-and-learn and then scale up.
Automation has successfully allowed computers to respond to contexts
within queries, monitor customer behaviour and improve overall customer
service. Moreover, contact centre agents can now receive real-time alerts and
recommendations for upsell and cross-sell. The time is now for companies to
leverage conversational AI to deliver a quantum leap in customer service, in an
industry that is full of potential. It is good to note that brands that embrace
conversational service automation will be the ones who stay ahead of the
competition and thrive in the new decade.
Sony Malaysia announced a new entry to their line up of home sound systems. The newly announced Sony HT-S20R soundbar is a compact sound system complete with a 3ch soundbar, a sub-woofer and 2 rear speakers. Powering the system is Dolby Digital technology which promises crisp, immersive sound with a variety of content.
The new HT-S20R system comes with HDMI ARC support. This allows you to minimise wire clutter and use a single cable for all your sound entertainment needs with compatible televisions. If you don’t have a television with ARC support, the HT-S20R comes with optical and analogue input. Bluetooth connectivity is available on the HT-S20R for those living the wireless lifestyle. Prefer old school USB? The soundbar has you covered!
In addition to its impressive array of features, the soundbar is also easy to setup. This is partially due to the HDMI ARC support on the Sony HT-S20R. Sony claims that it’s as simple as positioning your back channels and sub-woofer and plugging the soundbar in.
What’s more, users are able to change the sound mode with a simple click of the button on the remote. Users will be able to select from Auto, Standard, Cinema and Music modes. Also available are Night and Voice modes.
The soundbar will be available in Malaysia starting in June 2020. No pricing details have been released just yet. Do stay tuned as we’ll update you as soon as we have information.
A television, in most cases, is a center piece of your
living room. There are homes these days that does not have a television set in
their living rooms anymore. Some families do not even have TVs anymore, because
they do not watch TVs for some reason.
Thing is, TVs are not just things that you use to watch things from the regular fixed channels anymore. You do more than just switch it on, get bad reception from channel providers (in Malaysia it is RTM, and Media Prima), and watch shows with fixed programming, at a fixed time. It is now smarter than that. Plug it into a TV box, and you get all the goodness of the internet from your couch. If you get more modern smart TVs, you do not even need a TV box, get it to connect to your home WiFi and you get the power of the internet in your palms while you imprint your butt on the couch.
The modern TV then, is an entertainment powerhouse for the
family; for the living room. You get to watch on-demand Over-The-Top contents
from the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO, and what not. All of them
built-into the TV itself, making your TV the perfect movie machine. A gaming
console is perfect too for the modern 4K UHD TV set.
You do not have to spend too much too if you are looking
into one. Depending on the target size of the TV you want, you get one for not
very much money. Specifically, you can get your hands on this TCL 55-inch 4K
UHD TV for less than MYR3,000 MYR 2,829 to be exact. The question is; should
you? Would it be wiser to spend a little bit more for a big brand TV? Let us
find out.
Design
When you get a TV set, you usually set it in the living
room. The TV is usually the center piece of the living room, the home as we
mentioned. So, you want the TV to look good. You also want the thing to look
timeless, because it might sit there for the next 5 years or so. I know my TV
at home has sat there for more than 10 years.
This TCL 55-inch UHD TV is just a pane of glass on metal stilts mostly. In a lot of sense, it looks modern; very modern with the super slim bezel for the TV. Little bezels are important in the modern TV, it gives that borderless feel of the TV. It also optimises the space consumed by the behemoth of a thing you call a TV these days. By today’s standard, 55-inch is quite a normal size though.
Still, 55-inch is sizeable enough if you sit about
1.8-meters away from the TV. It is perfect for small to medium sized homes. If
you live in a condo, quite perfect; 55-inch is not too big, it is not too small
either. You can get 43-inch TVs, but Netflix should be enjoyed on a bigger
display.
The 55-inch TCl 55P8S is made mostly out of aluminium and
feels premium despite the price. When we say that the bezels are at a minimum,
we do not mean that there is an aluminium frame that eats into the display
panel real estate. The aluminium frame is pretty much hidden from view if you
look at it from the front. At a glance, the aluminium frames are pretty much
non-existent. While it holds the whole TV together, you do not really see the
aluminium frames.
The stilts, or the legs are premium milled aluminium pieces too. You get three of them as a set in the box and they are fixed separately via the provided screws. You either stand the TV on those stilts or you mount it on the wall with whatever generic TV mount you can get your hands on in the market.
Once you set them on the legs, the TV is quite sturdy. You
will not have to worry about your cat walking past from behind and knocking the
TV over. The strange thing though is that the stilts are actually quite small,
they do not look like they can keep the TV standing with a light push. They do
work though and are quite sturdy at it.
They say less is more, in the case of the TCL 55P8S, it
might be true. Even from behind you cannot really tell that this is a TCL TV.
You can only find the TCL logo and branding at the bottom aluminium lip of the
TV. It sits very close to the LED indicator that tells you if the TV is on or
not. You will not find any buttons in front of the TV as well; they are all hidden
to keep the clean look of the TV. Plus, you have the remote control anyway.
Features
Android TV
Nowadays, buying a TV set is never just about buying a
screen that can be plugged into the satellite and other media boxes. It is
about buying a display filled with contents and an Operating System (OS). You
would be pleased to find the TCL 55P8S coming with an Android TV 9.0 Pie, the
latest and greatest from Google in other words.
Android TV is one of many TV specific OS of many out there though. Still, TCL does not have their own OS at this time, so Android TV is the best option, since it is open source too anyway. Still, Android TV is a powerful OS on its own rights.
We are advocates of Android TV because we use the OS on our
own. The reason? The vast number of apps and contents available for an Android
TV is close to impossible to beat at this time. The only thing missing is Apple
TV App for now. That said, the OS is not perfect.
On certain older TVs, Android TV can be a little sluggish,
especially the 8.0. That is no thanks to the Processor and GPU fitted into the
TVs themselves of course. The new 9.0 though, Android TV is smooth and
responsive; plenty more so than before. Android TV actually feels optimised for
modern TVs. It is smooth and quite snappy mostly on the TCL 55P8s.
Android TV 9.0 as well brings some visual changes to the
User Interface (UI). There is a new grid system that cleans up the ol’
cluttered look that Android TV 8.0 had. The icons are smaller and cleaner to
look at. It is somehow a little more intuitive to navigate through as well.
Access to your favourite apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube is
even easier to find now. Oh, of course, there is Google’s great Chromecast capability
with Android TV.
AI IN
Another common terminology when it comes to Smart TVs these
days are Artificial Intelligence (AI). Thing is, this could be an overused
terminology. That is a different topic for another day though, for now we will
stick with their terminology of AI.
The built-in AI is not, as expected from an Android TV, the trusty Google AI Assistant. Instead they fitted it with their very own AI interface they call the AI IN. While it may not be a Google AI Assistant, it is not half bad either.
Like any other AI built into a TV, it is activated mostly
via voice command. You press a mic button on your remote control and voila, you
have a smart home component in your hands. You can search for all kinds of
things as well, from weather reports, latest news, to opening your favourite TV
apps or even music apps. You can even play specific music or find specific
titles exclusive to the content app if you are that lazy or confident of your
search result.
The AI functions, on the surface at least, sort of ends
there. Of course, there is more to the AI implementation than just a mere voice
assistant. Smart upscaling for one is part of the curriculum of AI IN. Oh, yes
there is Smart HDR10+ on this thing too, thanks partly to Android TV but mostly
AI IN.
Smart HDR10+
With any 4K UHD TV, you really want HDR. HDR is short for High Dynamic Range, fi you have not known already. Basically, HDR gives you better detailing in dark images, better contrasts between colours, more vivid colours, and better realism.
HDR10+ is the gold standard in HDR standards. While the
standard HDR that was introduced some 5 years or so ago is great, HDR 10+ means
your contents look even better, your details and colour contrast are much
sharper and closer to real life than ever. You can see in the dark, quite literally.
The TCL 55P8S is already an OLED TV, which also means that
colour contrasts and colours are already great in the first place. Blacks are
super black, and greens are so bright that your garden suddenly looks boring
and plastic. Oh, yes that is thanks to HDR10+ too.
Unlike most budget TVs though, the TCL 55P8S actually works
really well with HDR10+. The picture you get out of the TCL 55P8S are very
crisp and colours are great. At a comfortable distance, or in a living room.
The images are smooth and sharp with very smooth colour gradients. That is also
a testament to the processor and the display quality itself. Enjoying Netflix
Formula 1 is really not hard with the TV. Even watching sports matches are
really enjoyable on the TCL 55P8S.
Noise Reduction
When upscaling videos from 1080p Full HD or 720p HD format,
you tend to see things you do not want to see in your media. You tend to see
blemishes and imperfections in the image or the make-up of the actor. Those are
things you may have to deal with though.
What you might not have to deal with is noise. Noise the
probably the most annoying thing about upscaling your contents. It does not
just happen on upscaling though, since upscaling produces minimal enough
graining and noise on your films. Your cable TV tends to be a little noisy too.
AI IN has a noise reduction function to reduce all these and make your contents looks crisp and properly made for 4K TVs instead of some downgraded TV show with no budget for a camera. We found that the noise reduction does not work on all sorts of contents though.
Most contents on Netflix looks really good with Noise
Reduction on. We found that animation style shows do not work well with Noise
reduction. Any sporting broadcast could use the clever noise reduction too, to
make you feel like you are part of the action.
Motion Smoothing
AI IN also features a clever Motion Smoothing overlay. This
is where your 30fps videos can look like 60fps videos. While it is cool, we do
find it a little off and looks odd from time to time.
When you watch sports matches from the regular broadcast, or
even YouTube and what not, motion smoothing makes the medium look really good.
It really feels like you are watching the matches and competition live from the
VIP box at times. When they do a close up of the athletes, you might as well be
there.
On the other hand, motion smoothing does not work with
everything. You do not want motion smoothing on animation type shows because
you start to see some very weird overlay on the animations themselves. You
would want to turn Motion Smoothing off for Netflix too, we notice a little bit
of flicker when you watch Netflix with Motion Smoothing on, which can be quite
jarring.
Picture Modes
Of course, like any other smart TV, or any other display you get these days, there are multiple picture modes for you to choose from for different channels and applications. For example, you can set your HDMI 3 channel connected to your gaming console to be in Game Mode. So now every time you switch to HDMI 3, your TV will always go into Game Mode with optimised settings.
While there are limited options in the picture modes, we
figured out some best use case for the more popular modes. If you are going to
switch on Netflix and watch animation style shows, we find that Game Mode looks
best. In any other case, cinema mode or sports mode will do fine; just remember
to turn off motion smoothing. Sports mode work well with YouTube contents
somehow. Then again, if you are just going to watch Netflix on your TV, just
leave it at its default settings. Our suggestion though is to take the time to
create your own settings and find what looks best to you.
Harman Kardon Dolby 5.1 Surround
Watching your shows is never complete without getting the
right sound to it. After all, watching a movie is not just about getting the visuals
in. It is about an experience of taking in the visuals and enjoying excellent
sound designs. That is why when you buy a TV, you most probably would be looking
to get a sound bar as well to complete the experience.
The thing is though, buying a sound bar is an additional cost to buying a TV. If you are on a tight budget, or if you do not have the extra space for a sound bar, you might not want to spend beyond the MYR 2,899 that you caked out for the TV already. In that case, you really want to find a TV that has decent speakers to begin with.
Usually, in this case I would recommend anyone to go for the
Sony TVs for their superior sound quality. In those cases, you may just need to
find cheap subwoofer to fill up the dynamics. There are not many TVs in the
market that comes with decent speakers in the market these days. Well, since
people are going to get sound bars to accompany their TVs anyway.
The TCL 55P8S though, has a Harman Kardon 5.1 Virtual Surround
Sound speakers. That also means you may not need to get a separate sound bar or
speaker set, in theory anyway. The result of the Harman Kardon speakers is an
excellent audio experience with great high and mid frequency. Unfortunately,
the lower frequencies suffer because the speakers just do not have the capacity
to pump the lower frequencies properly. For that, you need a subwoofer. Then
again, low frequencies (the bass, the boom) have always been a problem for TVs
with no external speakers or separate sound bar.
Still, the TCL 55P8S works without the sound bar. The crisp
and clear mid and high frequencies really make up for the lack of a dedicated
sound bar. The only thing you need to get after this is the subwoofer. You do
not need to spend thousands on a subwoofer though.
TCL 55P8S – Value Fun for The Whole Family
The TCL 55P8S, on TCL’s own Lazada store will set you back
MYR 2,829 currently. For the same money, the only thing we think comparable to the
TCL 55P8S is a Sony TV. The thing is you do not get the voice command enabled
AI IN. You will not get the Harman Kardon sound speakers too. You do not Get
HDR10+ too for that kind of money.
Of course, if you look at the other Chinese brands you may be able to find offerings that are quite similar too. For most of the Chinese brands, you may not get the same sort of built quality and assurance that TCL can give you. The brand has been one of the best-selling brands in the United States, if not the top selling, for a reason. That reason is great value paired to great reliability and performance. In all fairness, we do like the 55P8S very much for its price. If you ask us, this is one TV that we would buy, if we are looking for a TV for our homes. Why? HDR10+, AMOLED, AI IN, Android TV, Harman Kardon; nuff’ said. You can get yours from Lazada Malaysia or an Sen Heng outlets across Malaysia.
