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LG reveals the future of television

Tuesday 10 September 2013, 3:37PM

By Lily&Louis

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Since New Zealand’s very first official television transmissionin 1960, TV has become an integral part of Kiwi society. As well as entertaining and informing us, it has captured and reflected who we are at crucial points in our history.

Now, with groundbreaking developments in technology and broadcasting, it’s time to reveal what we believe is the future of television. 

LG New Zealand has created a unique installation, The Evolution of Television, to launch the next generation of TVs, including LG’s revolutionary Curved OLED.

TheTVNZ foyer has been transformed into a series of installations, showcasing a typical living room scene from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 90s and 00sto mark the development of television through the decades.

The jewel in the crown isLG’s new 55-inch Curved OLED TV, New Zealand’s first OLED TV which goes on sale on September 11. It marks another moment in history,one that will once again change the way we watch TV.


Glen Chean, National Marketing Manager for LG New Zealand, adds, “TVNZ was a natural place to preview ourlatest television technology, given its prominence as the origin of TV broadcasting in New Zealand. Televisions have advanced from large boxes and small screens to screens that are so sharp it’s unreal. And then there’s LG’s Curved OLED TV and at just 4.3 millimetres at its thinnest point, it is a testament to LG’s role as a pioneer in next-generation displays.”


The television timeline

1925

Scottish inventor John Logie Baird conducts the first public demonstration of televised silhouette images in motion at the Selfridges department store in London.

1936

The BBC begins transmitting the world’s first public television service. NBC begins broadcasting in America three years later, with Australia’s first stations operating by 1956.

1960

New Zealand’s first official television transmission takes place at 7.30pm on Wednesday 1 June 1960. The broadcast includes an episode of The Adventures of Robin Hood, a live interview with a visiting British ballerina, and a legendary performance by the Howard Morrison Quartet.

Early television broadcasts have limited coverage; the first night’s programming lasts just three hoursand is received only in Auckland.

1964

The first episode of Coronation Street airs.

Peter Snell wins two gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, with the Games sparking a boom in the sale of TVs – by the following year, nearly half of all New Zealand households will have a TV. These black and white “consolettes” cost about $4,500 in today’s terms.

1969

1.5 million viewers tune in to watch Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. The first Network News bulletin is read by Dougal Stevenson.

1972

The first live All Blacks test is broadcast from Eden Park. The All Blacks win by a record 38–3.

1973-75

Colour TV arrives. The first colour broadcast is on Halloween, with continuity announcer Marama Martin wearing a purple dress.

The 1974 Commonwealth Games, held in Christchurch, are an important milestone for New Zealand television. Viewers watch the swimming, track and field and boxing events in colour.

In February 1975, the Consumer Price Index shows that CRT (cathode ray tube) colour television sets cost an average of $840 - equivalent to about $7,500 in today’s terms.

1980

By the start of the new decade, 95% of New Zealand homes have a TV. TVNZ is formed with the merger of Television One and TV2.

1990

Sky Television is introduced, broadcasting on the UHF band. They begindigital satellite broadcasting in 1998.

1992

Shortland Street debuts.

2006-2007

Flat panel TVs are becoming increasingly popular – both LCD (liquid crystal display) and plasma. 2007 sees the start of the switch to free-to-air digital television broadcasting with the launch of the Freeview platform. TVNZ  launch their ondemand service.

2013

Fast-forward 53 years from the first limited-content TV transmissions on black and white tubes, andtechnology has brought television a long way. By the end of 2013, all analogue transmissions will have been switched off and the whole country will receive television digitally.

LG the first to offer an 84-inch Ultra High Definition TV globally, followed by 55- and 65-inch options.

LG the first brand to launch Curved OLED TV in NZ

LG are also introducing the future of TV with the extraordinary 55-inch Curved OLED TV. This is the industry’s very first curved screen ergonomic design, providing an “IMAX-like” viewing experience in the home albeit on a smaller scale.

Only 4.3 millimeters at its thinnest point and weighing just 17 kilograms, LG’s curved OLED TV produces astoundingly vibrant images thanks to LG’s proprietary WRGB technology. The unique Four-Colour Pixel system features a white sub-pixel, which works in conjunction with the conventional red, blue, green setup to perfect the colour output. What’s more, LG’s exclusive Colour Refiner maintains the colour accuracy of the image, resulting in images that are extremely vivid, natural and enjoyable to view. The Curved OLED TV also offers an infinite contrast ratio for optimal contrast levels. It includes thin transparent film speakers in the crystal clear stand, providing high-quality sound without compromising the TV’s beautiful design.

This category-redefining TV took the top “red dot: best of the best” honour at the prestigious design competition earlier this year.

The LG Curved OLED TV will retail at $16,999.