"ULED" is nothing more than a marketing term but the LCD TV that Hisense showcased at IFA is still notable. It is based on a 65-inch LCD panel with more than 1000 local dimming zones and 2200 nits peak brightness.
Hisense 1056-zone FALD LCD
Hisense has, together with Samsung and TCL, formed the QLED Alliance so expect the misleading ”ULED” moniker to elegantly morph into the even more misleading “QLED”. If you, however, can ignore such shenanigans, Hisense has some promising LCD technology to show you.
At IFA in Berlin, Hisense showcased a 75-inch U9 model that was based on a full array local dimming LCD panel. It delivers, according to Hisense, 2200 nits peak brightness and covers the DCI-P3 color space in full, which is the first step towards the wider Rec.2020 color space. The TV also featured 4K resolution.
This is possible because Hisense has implemented a total of 1056 local dimming zones as well as quantum dots. As you probably know, Samsung is also pushing quantum dot technology hard but the Korean giant has no FALD LCDs in this year’s line-up.
Chinese TV makers have in recent years showcased advanced TV technology on numerous occasions. With 1056 local dimming zones, the U9 model even exceeds the Sony Z9D and the Panasonic DX900 that are generally considered to be the two best-performing LCD TVs on the market, primarily due to their FALD LCD panels.
8K TV and ”invisible cable”
At IFA, Hisense had also brought its U8 series, which is an extremely thin TV measuring just 5.9 millimeters in depth. Connection ports and circuit boards have been moved to a separate box that connects to the TV via a single ”invisible cable”.
Lastly, Hisense exhibited a 65-inch LCD TV with 8K resolution (7680x4320). 8K offers four times as many pixels as 4K resolution. Hisense was not alone in showcasing TVs with resolution beyond 4K but it appears that 8K is still 1 or 2 years away. Some pieces still need to fall into place.
The TV already had a model number (MU9800) but it is worth pointing out that this is not the first time it has been exhibited in public.
And that in many ways defines Hisense who is one of several Chinese TV makers trying to break into the US and European markets. Like other Chinese TV manufacturers, Hisense uses every opportunity to showcase its latest and greatest prototypes but the impressive TVs rarely make it to market. So don’t hold your breath.
