The first electronic television set was invented in 1972 by Philo Taylor Farnsworth before then TV was mechanical, where images were scanned mechanically and transmitted onto a screen. From the times of Farnsworth till today, TV has undergone massive changes. We are now in the era of smart, flatscreen, and even wireless TVs. We have advanced so far in technology that we have now declared wires and cables on TVs redundant.
The Wireless TV
Now thanks to TV manufacturer LG as of 2023 wires on our television sets have become optional, yes you read right. Not only can your TV be smart, and connect to WiFi and your mobile devices but it can also be a screen that doesn’t need to be physically connected to anything in your house.
The Displace 4K OLED recently launched boasts 16K resolution, is 55 inches, and weighs less than 9kg. Just imagine playing FIFA23 or play bonanza slot without the hassle of wires or a remote. The wireless TV doesn’t need permanent mounting and is easily transportable.
- How does it work?
You plug in a receiver in the tv and receive signals using your computer network or a wireless network. The TV comes with a transmitter box that has HDMI plugs and other necessary plugs like the USB, antenna, and ethernet, which you can use to connect to other external devices like your computer and blu ray player. The plug-in receiver in the TV receives its signals from this box, there is a specific algorithm designed for the TV that identifies the optimal transmission path between the box and the TV. This means that transmission will not be disrupted by other WiFi or Bluetooth connections present. LG’s M3 OLED TV is also voice-recognition enabled meaning there’s no need for a remote.
- Cost
An LG 43-inch smart tv starts at around $459.98 while an OLED 55-inch can be as much as $1746.99 from Amazon. At the top end of the scale you get the Sony Bravia OLED for $2,998 or the Samsung 65-inch QLED for $2,599.
All the impressive technology on the new wireless will not come cheap, and even though LG has not released prices yet, there are rumours and expectations the retail price of the LG 97-inch OLED M3 start from $25 000, which could be true considering the OLED 88 inch was available for $30 000 at pre-order.
Do We Need This TV?
The thing with technological advancements and innovations is that they give us solutions to problems or answer troubling questions, sometimes we don’t even know we had those problems. The old bulky CRT TVs provided us with basic information and entertainment in black and white. Then came colour TVs which made for a better picture and understanding of what we were watching. Flat screens gave us better resolution, clearer pictures, and better sound. Smart TVs have integrated our lives into their screen, from entertainment, internet access, information sharing and even gaming our TV screens have become a focal point in our houses.
With wireless TVs, we can do all the above with the hassle of connecting different cables and trying to figure out which cable goes where. We still get stellar viewing and all the functionality of a smart TV. So maybe a wireless TV is not a primary need but it does offer some welcome convenience.
That’s A Wrap!
Wireless television much like augmented reality and 5G networks is just another example of how fast technology is advancing and how interconnected our lives have become. These technological advances also demonstrate how reliant we are on the internet and wireless network systems. This has been a cause of concern for many especially when it comes to data collection and possible spyware that can be attached to our smart TVs and even devices.
