For years I have been covering televisions at THOSE and not much surprises me. I’ve seen wild screens, those that roll up and those so big they are basically video walls, but early versions and prototypes prepared me for those. When I walked into LG’s suite at a hotel in Las Vegas, the thing I saw across the room was a big surprise.
And I mean large. It’s a 97-inch OLED TV, which I first saw when LG introduced it last year, and it remains the largest OLED TV in the world. And since OLED offers the best image quality available, it’s damn impressive in person at this size. But that was no surprise. For me the dropper came when the LG rep told me the handsome and massive 4K the image was transmitted to the TV without any wires. Wireless TV is real and coming this year.
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On the other side of the room, next to the television, was the wireless transmitter box. On the back of the box were standard hdmi jacks and a handful of other connections, and an HDMI cable to a Blu-ray player. The image on screen was from a Blu-ray disc, sent wirelessly – and perfectly, in my eyes – from the box to the TV. The top of the case can be rotated to direct an internal antenna towards the TV.
The TV comes with a transmitter box. The tab at the top shows the internal antenna, which can be rotated to aim at the TV.
James Martin/CNET
The TV itself had no video inputs, just blank metal where TV inputs usually reside on the back. The idea is to reduce the wiring, this secular bugaboum of beautiful TV installations. You, who can afford a 97-inch OLED TV, store your AV equipment in a cabinet out of sight, along with the transmitter box that everything plugs into. That leaves only the TV’s power cord, a wire that LG has cleverly hidden inside one of the stand’s feet.
Of course, any number of TV stands can also hold your gear. But the wireless connectivity allows the TV to stand on its own, which is impressive on one of LG’s easel-style stands (pictured above) and it can greatly simplify a wall-mounted installation.
LG says the box can be located up to 30 feet from the TV. I asked if the wireless connection was a potential hazard, especially if you’re sitting between the box and the TV, and the company reps told me it wasn’t because it uses any technology similar to standard Wi-Fi routers. They also stated that it will not be affected by other Wi-Fi traffic. The signal can handle up to 4K resolution, 120Hz, which is about the maximum for today’s games. It’s also the highest resolution and frame rate that most TVs, including LG’s regular 4K OLED models, can handle.
The back of the junction box is where you plug in the equipment.
James Martin/CNET
The box has three HDMI inputs, surprising since most high-end TVs have four, but that’s not a deal-breaker in my book. The rest of the ports are typical of a TV: antenna, two USB, Ethernet and optical digital outputs, as well as a serial port for home automation control.
Wireless televisions have been sold in the past, and wireless technology has also appeared in projectors. You can also buy wireless HDMI extender kits for $100 or less, but they usually can’t handle such high bandwidth. This is the first time in years that I’ve seen it integrated into a TV. A company called Move the TV also showed off a wireless OLED model at CES, but it’s a 55-inch battery-powered display designed for portability.
Along with the 97-inch size, LG will launch its wireless OLED, dubbed the M3 series, in 83-inch and 77-inch sizes. LG says it will arrive in 2023 with pricing, like the rest of LG’s 2023 TVs, yet to be determined. For reference, LG charges $25,000 for its standard 97-inch wired OLED TV and $2,900 for a 77-inch TV, so regardless of size, the M3 won’t come cheap.
Aside from the M3, LG also featured three other series of wired OLED TVs at CES 2023.
This product was selected as one of the best products of CES 2023. Check out the other Best of CES 2023 award winners.
