TP Vision Announces Philips' First 4K UHDTVs, the 9000 Series
TP Vision Announces Philips' First 4K UHDTVs, the 9000 Series
Philips has now joined the 4K TV bandwagon. At IFA 2013, TP Vision has also announced the new Philips 9000 series 4K ultra high-definition TVs. Available in 65 and 84-inch screen sizes, they're priced at 4,999 and 14,999 Euros respectively.
Other than a 4K panel with a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, the 9000 series uses an Ultra Pixel HD Engine that does upscaling of non-4K content (such as your Blu-rays and DVDs and broadcast services); Philips calls this function 'Ultra Resolution'. For native content, the powerful picture engine can also work its magic.
For LED backlight control, a light sensor that tracks ambient light conditions is used. The TVs use Micro Dimming Pro algorithms with this information, and are able to dynamically adjust the backlight for the highest possible contrast. The amount of dimming is increased, but we can't help but wonder what stopping Philips from implementing Micro Dimming Premium, its highest-end BLU dimming tech.
Other features include 900Hz PMR (Perfect Motion Rate) for a smooth and natural moving images, remote controls with an integrated full keyboard for fast typing, a pointing app that gives you an easier time navigating the menus, Cloud TV features, built-in Wi-Fi support (including wireless display tech like Miracast), Wi-Fi Smart Screen, multi-room viewing, and of course, Ambilight.
Regarding HDMI 2.0 compatibility, looks like it can't be added via a firmware update (something that's possible with Sony's 4K TVs). Instead, a separate breakout box is needed.
The 9000 series is only available in Europe and Russia at the moment.