Ambient lighting, when synced to the content on a TV, can add to the immersion of a great TV show or film. The Hue Play Sync Box promises to make Philips' smart lights change color in sync with whatever's on the screen. It sits in between the TV and video sources like streaming boxes and consoles, analyzing the color data in the HDMI signal before passing it along. For obvious reasons, an existing Hue system is required, and it will be available starting October 15th.
Debuted earlier this year as a commercial product, Sony's module Crystal LED system is now available for residential use. Using ultra-fine, micro-LEDs measuring half the width of a human hair, it seamlessly scales from Full HD at 110" up to a mind-boggling 16K — or 64 times the pixels — at 790". As a result it's well-suited to a wide variety of applications and spaces, wowing with precise HDR color reproduction, an extremely wide viewing angle, and high frame rates.
The world's first 8K OLED TV, the 88-inch 88Z9 from LG, is a room-dominating display. To drive all those pixels — four times the resolution of 4K — LG is leaning on a deep learning algorithm to power the Alpha 9 Gen 2 chip inside. It can automatically recognize incoming content quality and pick the best way to upscale it, adjust the tone mapping curve, and even refine Dolby Vision content for ambient conditions to optimize the picture. The set also supports HDMI 2.1 and Dolby Atmos with virtual 5.1 sound, has Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built-in, supports Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit, and sits on top of a sleek, open stand.
Disney+ arrives on November 12, and for fans of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, it's going to be a must-have. Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian will be there day one offering new Star Wars content, and will be joined over the first year by Marvel's The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, the Monsters, Inc.-based Monsters at Work, and The Imagineering Story, a docuseries looking at the masters behind the magic of the company's theme parks, among many other original shows and films. Of course, the service will also be home to the company's huge back catalog of movies and shows — now including The Simpsons — and will support four simultaneous 4K streams at a time. Quite affordable as a standalone service, it will also be available as part of a bundle with Hulu and ESPN+ for only $6 more, per month.
Bright enough to watch in the middle of the day and heavier than many cars, the C Seed 301 is a gargantuan outdoor screen. As the name suggests, it measures 301 inches from corner to corner and rises from a covered underground lair when it sits, folded, until it's viewing time. It then rises 19 feet in the air and unfolds its titanium and carbon fiber body in a little over a minute, displaying your favorites in 4K resolution. It can withstand gusts of up to 30 mph, but if you've got the funds to buy it, odds are you aren't sitting outside in anything less than ideal conditions.
Samsung's modular microLED technology is coming home with The Wall Luxury. Designed for permanent display in upscale homes, it can be configured in a variety of sizes and aspect ratios, from a 73-inch, 2K build to a 292-inch, 8K monster. Less than 30mm thick with a bezel-free design, it's meant to blend into its surroundings, switching to Ambient Mode when turned off for display of curated paintings, photos, and video art. It will be available globally next month.
More and more of our shared content is vertical (not necessarily a good thing), which makes our horizontal main screens ill-suited for viewing it. Samsung aims to fix this with the Sero. This 43-inch QLED display sits on a floor stand that allows it to rotate from horizontal to vertical as needed. NFC makes beaming content from a phone or tablet simple, and built-in 4.1-channel, 60W speakers provide surprisingly robust sound. It launches exclusively in South Korea this May.
For Issue 05, we gathered ten of the world's best Barn Finds, ten of the most interesting caviar-and-potato chip pairings, three spectacular places to stay in Italy, and thirty stunning objects of desire.
One magazine, six languages: English / Deutsch / Français / Italiano / Español / 日本語
200 pages / Heavyweight paper / Book-style cover / Free shipping in U.S.
The Movember Foundation has been raising money for men's physical and mental health issues since 2003, using the power of community to help spread awareness. Now they're teaming with Swiss watchmaker Oris and Yankees manager Aaron Boone — someone who knows a thing or two about the power of a team — on the Movember Edition watch. Based on Oris' iconic Chronoris model, it has a 39mm stainless steel case and a black dial with rose gold-plated hour and minute hands. It also features an orange second hand, and white indices that come together to create a pleasing vintage feel. An Oris 733 automatic movement powers the timepiece, which arrives on either a brown leather strap with a Movember signature mustache imprint or a stainless steel bracelet. It's packaged in a special presentation box with a leather travel pouch and a more casual red and white NATO fabric strap — a perfect bonus for those who know the importance of getting out and spending time in their community.
Presented by Oris.
It's not easy to make a five-figure TV seem cheap, but all one needs to do is look at the price of the 98-inch Sony Master Series Z9G to make its 85-inch counterpart look like a steal. While the still-huge 85-incher will sell for $13,000, the wall-sized 98-inch set is priced at a staggering $70,000. Both sets are powered by the Picture Processor X1 Ultimate chip, with an algorithm developed specifically for 8K that can detect and analyze each object in the picture for optimal detail and contrast. Built-in speakers are tuned to position the sound to match what's on the screen and are also compatible with Dolby Atmos. Netflix Calibrated Mode and IMAX Enhanced further ensure the best picture quality possible, and the sets run on Android TV with Google Assistant for hands-free operation.
Televisions have slowly evolved from handcrafted pieces of furniture into the giant black screens of the current age. Inspired by the wood consoles from the 1960s, this Classic Console is handmade from Mahogany with a large volume Mahogany dial. The retro piece houses a 19" 4:3 monitor with full-range loudspeakers and a built-in Raspberry Pi computer. The computer runs all the best video game emulators — from SNES to Atari 2600, and the 1280 x 1024 screen has HDMI inputs on the back to give games and streaming video a visual upgrade. The screen even uses a custom barrel-distortion effect to mimic the curve of a retro monitor.
Controlling your entire home theater using nothing but your voice is nice. Getting everything to work correctly, not so much. Until now. Logitech's Harmony Express sidesteps the various skills and hacks previously necessary by baking Alexa right into the remote. When combined with the IR blaster/hub, it can control most TV sets, cable boxes, gaming consoles, streaming sticks, and speaker systems via voice command. The companion app makes configuration a breeze, and also has a remote finder that will ping the real remote should it disappear into the couch cushions.
Enjoying first-run films from the comfort of your own home is a dream for many. Red Carpet Home Cinema makes it possible — for a price. First, your application has to be approved, and only a select few get in. A special in-home media server is required, which includes professional installation, and we assume a load of anti-copy protections. Once that's all set up and taken care of, you can access select films from 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, and Annapurna, at the cost of $500-3,000 per film, with two viewings allowed within the 36-hour rental window. Currently available in Los Angeles and New York, the service hopes to expand to new markets in the near future.
It's been an open secret that Apple's working on a streaming TV service. Now we've got the name and (some) details. Apple TV Plus launches this fall inside the redesigned Apple TV app, which will be available not just on Apple's devices, but on TV sets from Samsung, Sony, LG, and Vizio, as well as on Roku and Amazon streaming devices. The original programming runs the gamut from comedies to documentaries and is backed by some of the biggest names in the business, including Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, and J.J. Abrams. Pricing has yet to be announced, but we do know that new shows will be added every month, will be entirely ad-free, and will be available for offline viewing via download.
Debuted in concept form at the 2018 CES, LG's roll-up TV is now a real product. Dubbed the R9, it has a 65-inch OLED display that rolls up into a sleek metal box, which also houses a 100W Dolby Atmos audio system hidden behind Kvadrat fabric. While the entire screen can hide away inside the enclosure, the Line View mode leaves a quarter of it visible for tasks like music playback. Powered by the α9 Gen 2 processor with deep learning AI, it supports Dolby Vision with automatic picture adjustment, has Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built-in, and will also support Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit when it arrives in stores later this year.
Samsung's MicroLED debuted last year in the guise of a 146-inch screen dubbed The Wall. This year brings a more practical, still not ready for production example: a 75-inch, 4K display. As with the prior set, MicroLED's self-emissive qualities enable it to deliver incredible picture quality, including true blacks and brilliant colors. Thanks to its bezel-free, modular design, the display can also be configured or expanded to fit the owner's needs, including adopting different aspect ratios with zero compromises in picture quality.
Samsung's original The Frame took advantage of a clever Yves Behar design to blend into a wall of other static frames, displaying artwork when turned off. The 2019 version does the same but employs QLED technology for deeper contrasts, deeper and darker blacks, and 100% color volume. In addition, The Frame's Art Store has expanded to provide access to over 1,000 pieces of art, a tenfold increase compared to launch, and it still uses a nearly-invisible cord for discrete connection of other components.
Buying a pre-owned timepiece can be a little daunting. StockX takes the stress out of the process with their online marketplace. After purchase, every watch is sent to their authentication center for inspection by a team of master watchmakers. This ensures your new accessory is the real deal and in excellent condition before it even reaches your doorstep. Plus, their selection includes everything from the most sought after Rolex Explorer and Cartier Tank, to more accessible options like the Seiko Prospex, so picking just one will be the only hassle.
Presented by StockX.
Protecting your property shouldn't involve drilling holes and running wires. The Simplisafe Home Security System requires none of the above, and is easy to install yourself. It starts with a base station that connects to their service via WiFi with a backup cellular connection for emergencies. You can arm and disarm it from the keypad, with a key fob, or with your phone. Add on as many entry, motion, smoke, glass break, and CO sensors as you need — the system is easily expandable to fit your needs, and comes with the assurance of 24/7 monitoring.
Presented by SimpliSafe.
As seen in Uncrate Issue 04.
Capable of displaying a 90-inch image just two inches from the wall, LG's latest CineBeam projector provides massive visuals in a compact package. Its laser-powered Ultra Short Throw engine produces 2,500 lumens of brightness, and when placed seven inches from the display surface, creates a 120-inch image, with visual accuracy achieved via 12-point keystone adjustment. ThinQ AI technology is also onboard, allowing it to accept voice commands, including those for the built-in streaming services.
Filmstruck was great for movie fans, in no small part thanks to its partnership with the Criterion Collection. It's gone, but the world's best collection of streaming films lives on through The Criterion Channel. Launching in Spring 2019, the service will offer major Hollywood and international classics and hard-to-find discoveries from around the world, alongside special features like commentaries, behind-the-scenes footage, and original content.
You can mount it like a normal projector and be very happy with the picture its laser light-powered 4K DLP engine provides. That would be a shame. What makes the LG HU80KA so special is its tower-like design, which lets you grab it by the integrated handle and plop it down on the floor/ground/table/wherever to enjoy that same outstanding picture quality at up to 150" in size. Two 7W speakers and a built-in retractable power cord team up with built-in Smart TV wireless streaming to ensure you won't need to run a ton of cables every time you move it, and the mirrored lid folds down to protect the lens during transport.
Roughly the size of a soda can, the original Nebula Capsule provided quality picture and sound from a highly portable package. The Capsule II only improves on the same formula. It offers a resolution bump from 480 to 720p, using DLP technology to project images up to 100" on nearly any surface. The speaker system has been significantly improved and is now 60% louder with deeper bass, and Android TV, autofocus, and built-in Google Assistant support make setup and finding content a snap. The battery lasts for up to three hours, and charges in less than that.
The original Caavo was an ambitious attempt to let you control all your various devices from a single interface. The Caavo Control Center Universal Remote aims to do the same, for a quarter of the price. The new box has four HDMI inputs for connecting streaming boxes, DVRs, game consoles, and more, and lets you switch seamlessly between them using the Caavo remote. Search for a show and it looks through all the available services, switching directly to the right app on your preferred device. It supports voice control via the remote or Alexa or Google Assistant and also supports 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos for the best possible picture and sound.
There are lots of ways to replace traditional cable or satellite service. Many of them ignore your local channels, which are often available over-the-air for free. Amazon Fire TV Recast bridges this gap. It connects to an HD antenna to pull in stations like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, and The CW, with multiple tuners and internal storage for DVR capability. It then streams live channels and recorded shows to any TV with a Fire TV attached, Echo Shows, or your smartphone via the free Fire TV app, and lets you set recordings, search for shows, and change channels with Alexa.
4K TVs have been affordable for a while, but until recently, 4K projectors were prohibitively expensive. Which is a shame: the merits of 4K on a 50-inch set are debatable, but there's no questioning the benefits of extra resolution when you're looking at a screen over 100 inches in size. The BenQ HT2550 4K Home Cinema Projector uses DLP technology and high-quality glass to deliver razor-sharp images without taking a blade to your wallet. In addition to 4K, it has support for HDR with Rec.709 color accuracy for realistic color reproduction, automatic keystone correction for easy setup, and a lamp life of up to 15,000 hours, so it'll likely go years without needing a replacement.
Here you thought 4K content was hard to find. Samsung's new Q900R is the company's first commercially available 8K set. To combat the complete lack of native content, it has AI-powered upscaling, as well as support for HDR+. Its specs are impressive for such nascent tech, including 4,000 nit peak brightness, 100% Color Volume, and features like Ambient Mode and an invisible connection to allow it to more seamlessly blend into its surroundings. Available in 65-, 75-, 82-, and 85-inch models.
For decades, the XBR series represented the pinnacle of Sony's TV lineup. No more. The new lineup of Master Series TVs is named such for their ability to approach the quality of the professional-grade monitors used to create the movies and shows they display. Both the OLED-based A9F and LCD-based Z9F are powered by the new Picture Processor X1 Ultimate, which automatically detects and analyzes every object on the screen, remastering each individually for accuracy, detail, texture, and depth. There's also support for CalMAN calibration software, a new Netflix Calibrated Mode developed with the streaming service to deliver the absolute best picture quality, and new Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology that hides the center sound actuator behind the screen, just like at a theater. The new range will be available this fall in sizes ranging from 55" to 75".
Powerful enough to create a 100" screen yet small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, the Pocket Pico Projector from Kodak is a portable powerhouse. Thanks to a built-in wireless connection, you can stream media directly from your iOS or Android device, as well as load videos onto an SD card or connect via HDMI. Built-in speakers provide adequate sound, and the rechargeable battery lasts for up to two hours.
Building on the success of their original portable projector, the Nebula by Anker Mars II improves on its predecessor in several ways. Most notably, it features auto-focus technology that delivers a sharp 720p image in as little as one second, making setup even faster. It offers four hours of battery life — an improvement of one hour over the original — and runs Android 7.1, letting it support the latest streaming apps. Yet it still offers dual 10W speakers, HDMI and USB inputs, and a compact design with a built-in handle that makes it easy to take to the campsite, the backyard, or just the next room.
You can use an Echo to control your Fire TV and a universal remote. Or you could just buy an Amazon Fire TV Cube. The latest Alexa-enabled gadget, it combines the voice powers of the Echo with the streaming capabilities of the 4K Fire TV, while adding in an IR array to control everything from your legacy cable box to your soundbar. It can control your TV over HDMI, so it can turn it on and off as needed, whether it's to play a show or just show you additional information from Alexa.
Turn the deck of your superyacht into a high-end theater with the C Seed Supermarine Outdoor TV. Available in 144- and 201-inch models, it uses a series of LED panels paired with a hydraulic drive system to take up just 31 inches of space below deck. It can go from fully concealed to fully open in just one minute, offers outstanding contrast and brightness — necessary when you're out on the water in the middle of the day — and pairs perfectly with the company's retractable Supermarine speakers.
We welcome the day when TVs are invisible until we turn them on. Until then, there's Ambient Mode on 2018 Samsung QLED TVs. While in this semi-passive state, they can display information like weather or news, play music, and, most impressively, mimic the wall behind them, seeming to disappear into your room. They also have a single ultra-slim cable to connect both data and power, letting them hang up to 45 feet away from the nearest outlet, Direct Full Array backlighting for added contrast, and Bixby-powered voice control. Available in sizes ranging from 55 to 88 inches.
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