Advertisement

LG Display's 65-inch OLED prototype screen doesn't need speakers

That's because it is one.

LG Display's best prototypes here at CES 2017 were definitely its unusual 65-inch OLED Ultra HD panels with speakers integrated right into the display itself. How does that work? It's all thanks to the slender nature of OLED tech, meaning an organic LED screen can act as a membrane for audio. A pair of tiny speaker drivers then delivers vibrations into the huge OLED screen, producing sound. (The entire screen itself vibrates while doing so.)

According to the company, these "Crystal Sound" displays should make for a more immersive audio experience, with sound coming directly from the image you're watching, not from the sides or from underneath. In reality, the sound produced was a bit too tinny and weak; there's obviously not much depth to work with when your speaker membrane is a very narrow OLED screen. The effect of the sound coming directly from within the screen is a cool one -- it just needs a bit more oomph. At least it's something for the prototype engineers to work on in time for CES 2018.

Update: It looks like Sony had similar ideas. Its new Bravia OLED TV has a similar audio solution that it's calling "Acoustic Surface." Great minds, eh?

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.