The world’s first fully wireless OLED TV is fully operational
Wireless TVs aren’t entirely a sci-fi idea – LG shows off a 97-inch wireless OLED on CES 2023, where it is one of the most eye-catching elements on a crowded company stand. But far away in a quiet, isolated corner of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall, there’s something more intriguing: a fully wireless 55-inch 4K OLED TV.
Completely wireless as in no no wires – not even a power cord (which LG’s 97-inch wireless OLED has). Replace the TV created a display powered by four lithium-ion batteries that provide a month of viewing for six hours a day before requiring a recharge. The TV, wireless base station, batteries and charger cost $3,000 a lot, and four TVs can be purchased from the company for $9,000.
Why do you need four Displace wireless TVs? Because you can combine them together to create a 110-inch 8K TV. The headsets have cameras mounted on top that track your hand movements, and with a pinch-and-expand gesture, you can project the image on one of the screens to zoom in and fill all four. (The Displace TV Wireless Base Station, which streams to displays over Wi-Fi 6E, has multiple video inputs to allow simultaneous viewing of different sources, as well as a Smart TV interface.)
Witnessing this “slide and unfold” feature was a little mind-blowing, but it was even more fun to watch the TV mounted on the wall.
Displace TV’s patented active-loop vacuum technology, which draws low battery power, attaches the set to a surface without any mounting hardware – just grab the tabs on the sides of the panel, pull, and the vacuum seal is released. Then you can move the lightweight TV (about 16 pounds) to another room, push it to securely mount it to the wall, and resume watching.
While I was impressed with Displace TV in action, the current version has some downsides. When multiple TVs are grouped, there is a gap between the panels. This is a far cry from the smooth images you get with 100+ inch MicroLED displays, which are also made up of multiple panels. The TVs also have a highly reflective screen surface – something that was easy to see at trade shows with bright overhead lighting.
But considering the cutting-edge technology and the relatively low price you pay for a 110-inch 8K OLED TV (LG’s 97-inch 4K OLED TV costs $25,000 and uses wires), the Displace TV deal is quite a bargain.
