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LG 2013 Google TV's

post #1 of 4
12/25/12 at 3:50pm
Thread Starter 
LG has announced 2 new Google TV models which will be showcased in the next couple weeks at CES 2013. The new models include the GA6400 which comes in screen sizes from 42" to 60" and the GA7900 which comes in 47" and 55" sizes. The GA6400 is an edge lit LED/LCD & 120Hz, the step up is an edge lit with local dimming LED/LCD & 240Hz. If these are anything like most of LG's 2012 lineup they'll be mediocre performers in terms of all things relevant for PQ. So this draws question with me, is this where TV's are headed, at least for the next 5-10 years until other display techs come into fruition? Average performing LCD's (since PDP's won't be around past 2014-ish) that don't center around PQ but rather the UI and connectivity aspect and attempt to make the TV an AIO (all-in-one) device (obviously we have the never ending slew of the iTV rumors from Apple which I don't believe we'll see until Q1 2014, and the thought of the iTV centers around Apple's hope to master the AIO art.) Personally I was not impressed with very many of LG's FP's in 2012, PDP line included. The only model I was impressed with was the LM7600 and the LM9600 however IMO the LM9600 failed to muster the performance you'd expect for the high price tag it came with, especially since the Sony XBR-HX950, Panasonic VT50, GT50, & Sharp Elite all outperformed for roughly similar price ranges.

So if one of the world's major players in the FP business is doubling down on Google TV (which I also have not been impressed by) and not necessarily PQ are we going to see other manufacturers continue the trend? You've seen Samsung incorporate the Smart Interaction, we're seeing LG do some of the same things in their 2013 line, will others follow suit?

Opinions? Thoughts?
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post #2 of 4
12/25/12 at 4:29pm
I am mystified that LG keeps doing this, to be honest. There is no traction or consumer interest in Google TV. I am pleased that Google keeps trying, but this is multiple years of failure and disinterest already. They punted the set-top business because the cable companies basically told them "no" to GoogleTV inside the set-top boxes.

As to whether features are trumping picture quality, that's not at all news, I'm afraid. Unless we are talking about old news. I mean that's been going on for several years and is likely to continue. And it will become an especially ludicrous mixed message from LG:

"Picture quality is paramount, witness our really expensive OLED TV."

"Features matter most, witness our really nice GoogleTV-equipped LCDs."

The fact that TV manufacturers continue to force consumers into choices like this is why there's such a big opening for the Apples of the world to do something different.
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post #3 of 4
12/25/12 at 4:38pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rogo View Post

I am mystified that LG keeps doing this, to be honest. There is no traction or consumer interest in Google TV. I am pleased that Google keeps trying, but this is multiple years of failure and disinterest already. They punted the set-top business because the cable companies basically told them "no" to GoogleTV inside the set-top boxes.
As to whether features are trumping picture quality, that's not at all news, I'm afraid. Unless we are talking about old news. I mean that's been going on for several years and is likely to continue. And it will become an especially ludicrous mixed message from LG:
"Picture quality is paramount, witness our really expensive OLED TV."
"Features matter most, witness our really nice GoogleTV-equipped LCDs."
The fact that TV manufacturers continue to force consumers into choices like this is why there's such a big opening for the Apples of the world to do something different.

Oh it's old news, I'm more disheartened by the fact that end is drawing nearer. Like you said people don't care about these features, Google TV has been an illusion of what Google, LG, Vizio and Sony tout it to be. The content was pulled before it ever existed.

I know, mediocre LCD's have been dominating the market for years, but now we've reached the point where we've been forced to accept needless features like gesture recognition instead of having a foundation of solid FP's that can reproduce accurate images top to bottom. And the worst part is that the manufacturers lie through their teeth about it.

Troubling times in the kingdom indeed.

frown.gif
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post #4 of 4
12/26/12 at 1:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoozthatat View Post

Oh it's old news, I'm more disheartened by the fact that end is drawing nearer. Like you said people don't care about these features, Google TV has been an illusion of what Google, LG, Vizio and Sony tout it to be. The content was pulled before it ever existed.
I know, mediocre LCD's have been dominating the market for years, but now we've reached the point where we've been forced to accept needless features like gesture recognition instead of having a foundation of solid FP's that can reproduce accurate images top to bottom. And the worst part is that the manufacturers lie through their teeth about it.
Troubling times in the kingdom indeed.
frown.gif

I kind of wonder what we're going to even see at CES this year. Samsung showed off that nifty voice and gesture stuff last year; the demos were excellent. But as soon as I left the demo room I had two quick observations: (1) That wasn't very useful even though it was cool (2) No one is going to pay real money for that.

As 2012 went on, I learned that (a) in the real world, the technology didn't even work especially well and (b) in my own experience, the technology's analogue was frustrating. I have, you see, a Kinect -- which I suspect is much better than what Samsung has built in. While some of the games work OK, as a control device, it's actually really irritating. I certainly don't like it to navigate menus at all. It's slow enough and erratic enough that most of the time, I'd rather just go grab a remote or a controller.

GoogleTV -- for all its nifty features -- is certainly not the future of television. It's poorly integrated and hacky. It's in no way my vision of the future of TV. And let me be clear, nothing out there is. What we all dream of, some integrated, better than the best DVR, single UI across many sources, just isn't there. Something grafted on -- like GoogleTV -- is very far from it.

And the idea that you heard hashed out when GoogleTV first come out (every channel is an app) is actually among the most dreadful ideas of them all. That would be among the slowest, least searchable ways to watch TV imaginable.

I want one app, searchable. fast, that gets me what I want to see. Ideally it has a cloud DVR, integrated VOD, access to my Netflix, Amazon, pay per view, etc. all in one. Call me when someone offers that.
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