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Businessman Eric Hook received a supersized present from his wife for his birthday recently – an 85-inch Sony television.
“My wife knows I love to watch Marvel and Star Wars productions on the big screen,” says Mr Hook, who is in his 50s. “It fits perfectly on our wall and lets us have a cinematic experience together.”
Like Mr Hook, more people in Singapore are gravitating towards these larger televisions, even as 65-inch models remain the most popular, said Ms Candy Cao, marketing director for electronics retailer Gain City.
“Advancements in technology have made larger television sizes more affordable and more popular around the world. Many people are choosing screens that are larger than 65 inches to enhance their viewing experience, especially for movies, sports and gaming,” she added.
Large Screen TVs gaining popularity
In 2022, a report by market research firm TrendForce estimated that larger televisions, defined as those that are more than 60 inches in size, would take up some 20 per cent of the global television market share.
At present, Gain City’s largest television offerings are 97- and 98-inch models from South Korean brands LG and Samsung respectively.
LG’s 97-inch television ($34,999) is part of its Oled evo Gallery range and was launched earlier in 2023, said Mr Chang Ha Lee, home entertainment product director at LG Electronics Singapore.
LG OLED TV 97 inch Evo G2
Over the past few years, manufacturers have been producing bigger and more immersive screens to cater to demands for a more cinematic viewing experience, he added.
Oled TVs use millions of light-emitting pixels in a bid to provide impeccable picture quality. Samsung, in addition to its 98-inch TV (approx. $19,949) – which is part of its Neo Qled range of smart televisions that use thousands of tiny LED particles in their backlight panels – recently added a 77-inch option.
Samsung also offers a 110-inch Micro LED TV for approx. $252,336.
While these sizes and prices might seem a little too oversized, a survey conducted by Samsung earlier in 2023 suggests that people underestimate just how big they can go when it comes to purchasing a television set for their home.
Prices for 75-inch models start in the low $2,000 range – not drastically different from those of 65-inch sets which start from a mid-$1,000 range.
Given that consumers have largely shifted to over-the-top media services such as Netflix and Disney+, a large television could even be practical, said Mr Steven Koh, senior director for consumer electronics at Samsung Electronics Singapore.
“Consumers now have greater access to foreign content where they might rely on subtitles, and a larger screen size is better able to display larger subtitles. A bigger screen also lets consumers view content more comfortably, with less eye strain,” he noted.
Should I get a big screen TV?
Big screen TV allows us to replicate the excitement of a cinema, stadium or centre stage. But as screen size increase, its performance may decrease. The sharpness and contrast of the images and the sound quality may be compromised, just like the cinema experience. Or is it?
This may have been true a few decades ago. But Sony has figured out the technology to solve these visual and aural problems.
"Back in the day, it felt like TV shows, games and movies were all designed for one size screen, and as soon as you enlarged your screen, the picture quality decreased," says Lionel Lim, Assistant Marketing Manager at Sony Singapore.
8K TV Pixels
"However, with rapid advances in screen resolution – an 8K TV have approximately 33 million pixels, while an HD-Ready TV have only approximately one million pixels – and innovative picture processing technologies, consumers can now enjoy a true large-screen cinematic experience without compromising on picture quality," he adds.
Sony’s 4K X-Reality PRO and X-Motion Clarity technologies use a unique database to convert any motion pictures with enhanced colour and contrast, even when they are the most action-packed scenes. Imagine being able to see the stitches on a soccer ball during the match or the sequins on Beyonce's costume as she dances on stage.
Sony's Triluminos Display technology widens the colour spectrum, which allows it to reproduce more colours than a conventional TV. X1™ 4K HDR Picture Processor analyses and processes data in every image to make colours even more natural and precise, so pictures appear closer than ever to real life. Imagine having a magic paintbrush in Photoshop that can convert low-resolution images into high-resolution ones, but for motion pictures on your TV - that's Sony's technology
A Sony's BRAVIA 85'' TV in an HDB unit. Photo by Builders Plus.
Big TV for small HDB living room
The typical size of a small living room in an HDB flat, based on the size of the living-dining construction module, is about 12 sqm (3x4m) or 130 sq ft.
An ergonomically comfortable sofa has a depth between cosy 75cm to roomy 90cm (or extravagant 115cm even).
That leaves a room of two to three metres between you and your TV depending on the room layout. Now, based on this, how big is the TV that you can get?
Answer: pretty big.
Sony's BRAVIA 65'' TV
65" TV Viewing distance
"As a general rule, we recommend the height of the TV to be two-thirds of the distance between the TV and your viewing position," says Lionel Lim, Assistant Marketing Manager at Sony Singapore.
So, yes, a 2 to 3 metre distance is more than enough for a 65" large screen TV.
Sony's BRAVIA TV Series, for instance, needs just one-metre distance for its 55'' TV, while its breathtakingly cinematic 85'' needs only 1.6 metre, which nicely fits a typical living room of a four-bedroom HDB flat.
Big 4K TVs for small rooms
But, will staring at the screen so close damage your eyes? You're probably thinking about the times when your parents scolded you for staring at the screen in close range.
Staring at the screen for too long can, indeed, cause eye strains. But this was prevalent when the TV technology was at its sophomore stage, whose constant brightness quickly wore out your eyes and its colours separated into red-blue-green pixels when you watched too closely.
"Today’s 4K TVs with enhanced resolution keep pictures sharp and smooth, even when sitting close to the screen or watching larger screens," says Lionel.
Sony's unique ambient optimisation technology automatically adjusts picture and sound to your environment.
TV lighting optimisation
On conventional TVs, brightness stays the same regardless of light in a room, resulting in pictures that are too dark or bright.
Sony's ambient optimisation technology features an embedded light sensor that automatically adjusts picture brightness to room conditions, boosting brightness in light rooms and reducing it in dark ones, so you get the perfect view.
Big Screen TV Sound optimisation
Sound experience can change depending on your room environment. Soft furnishings, like curtains or wall panel, absorb sounds.
Objects in front of the TV can also compromise the quality of the sound that reaches your ears. Sony's ambient optimisation technology detects objects and reproduces sound optimised for the room.
The expanse of the big screen TV positions the speakers far apart, which could compromise the sound quality by making the sound you hear feels like it's coming from far away from where the action is happening and or out of sync with the moving picture.
Sony's Android TVs are capable of supporting Dolby Atmos, a technology that enables sound to come from above, as well as from the sides, so you can hear objects moving overhead for a truly multi-dimensional experience – remember that mysterious "All around you..." whisper demonstrated by Dolby at the start of every cinema showings? Imagine having that at home.
On conventional TVs with a speaker located below the screen, the sound is often out of sync with the picture. Sony’s unique Acoustic Multi-Audio / Acoustic Surface Audio technologies (varies by models), enables sound to follow the action on screen for a truly immersive experience. Say goodbye to audio that sounds like you're watching something that's been badly dubbed.
Big Screen TV Price
Now, the all-important question: how much should you spend on a big-screen TV? It is essential to set a budget and seeking the best TV to fit it.
"The good news is, big-screen TV prices have been decreasing in recent year, thanks to more people buying them, so a 75” TV will not deal that much damage to your wallet today," shares Lionel.
On the other hand, Lionel highlights that it is also critical to make a good investment on your large-screen TV.
"Factors like picture quality, sound performance, and user experience should rank at the top of your criteria." he says. "There is really no point going for the largest and cheapest 75” TV in the shop, just to end up with a subpar large screen with poor clarity and dull contrast."
Smart Android TV
Running on Android TV platform (with over 7,000 apps available) with X1™ 4K HDR Picture Processor, Acoustic Multi-Audio technology and beautiful minimalistic design, Sony's BRAVIA TV checks all the boxes.
We might not be able to enjoy front row seats to live performances in a while, or have as many options when we go to the cinema. But thanks to Sony, these experiences are not lost – they have been safely transported to our homes via big-screen TVs, to be enjoyed from the comfort of our living spaces, where every seat in the house is a coveted seat.
So the next time you walk past a Sony's BRAVIA TV in your favourite electronic store, pause and imagine having that in your living room.
Part of this article first appeared in The Straits Times in July 2023.