LG Display's new OLED TV panels bake in the sound system
These "Crystal Sound" displays reportedly make for more-immersive audio.
It wouldn't be CES without LG Display wheeling out its latest panel tech and forward-looking prototypes. This year is no different, with the company announcing it's got all kinds of displays to show off at the convention, including transparent and double-sided OLED numbers. LG Display, which makes the panels that end up in consumer TVs sold by other firms such as LG proper, is also introducing new, "paper-thin" 65- and 77-inch Ultra HD Wallpaper OLED screens intended for wall-mounted sets. "Crystal Sound OLED" is by far the most interesting new tech the company has developed, though, as the 55- and 65-inch Ultra HD panels feature an integrated sound system.
These Crystal Sound displays, heralded as an industry first, host a sound system embedded directly in the panel, which LG Display explains is possible due to the space-saving nature of OLED tech (which doesn't require backlighting). Not only does this make the displays almost fully fledged TVs in their own right, but they apparently make for more-immersive viewing because the sound comes from behind the picture rather than "off-center" speaker setups. What kind of audio quality is achievable from this tech blend remains to be seen heard, but the real stamp of approval will come when manufacturers decide Crystal Sound is ready for retail TVs.
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