TVs are cool. Projectors are cool. But never the twain shall mix. Well, until now...Philips has just announced a new TV placing projectors directly behind the TV screen.
Philips Ambilight technology has grown up – no longer are we talking about a few LEDs dotted around the back of the TV, with the new AmbiLux TV Philips is throwing in multiple pico-projectors beaming the source out onto the area behind the screen.
In a move reminiscent of Microsoft's old Xbox Illumiroom concept, the stunning 65PUS8901 AmbiLux TV uses those nine rear-arrayed pico-projectors to beam the same images displayed on the Ultra HD TV screen onto the wall behind.
A dedicated intelligent overlap technology is used to stitch the nine disparate images together to form a seamless image projection surrounding the rear of the AmbiLux. It takes the original Ambilight concept further, no longer being limited to simply throwing colours out behind the TV the AmbiLux has much more defined imagery.
The idea is to break the boundaries of the 65-inch screen by spreading the image aroundthe viewer's peripheral vision.
Interestingly this isn't Philips' flagship TV though. This Android TV-based offering is rocking the 3840 x 2160 UHD resolution, including its Pixel Precise upscaling technology, but it doesn't have the HDR compatibility of the new Philips 9600 TV.
Flagship
The top-end of Philips' Ultra HD range is the HDR compatible Philips 65PUS9600.
Again it's a 65-inch 4K screen, but with the Micro Dimming Premium direct LED backlighting technology it has been designed to offer the best contrast of any Philips panel.
That also works with the Bright Premium tech to allow the LCD panel to display more average light output than a standard LED backlit TV. The new 9600 TV boasts an average 600Nit output as opposed to the 450Nit of standard televisions. It is also able to produce moments of extreme brightness up to a maximum of 1,000Nits for a short time too.
The enhanced contrast and extra brightness should make the HDR display pop when using what little HDR content there is available right now.
There are no projectors attached to this one though, instead it's rocking a four-sided Ambilight system to bleed colour from the on-screen image out behind the TV.
It's also an Android TV-based device, with both the AmbiLux and 9600 TVs offering a new remote with a QWERTY keyboard, swipe pad and voice control as standard.
Both Philips' new televisions will be available come the end of the year, though pricing is still being a closely guarded secret...
Philips has also shown off it's new 8601 series television, offering a unique sound system.
As TVs have gotten ever slimmer the audio has inevitably suffered, Philips though has added a pair of detachable bars either side of the TV which can be mounted on optional stands to create a wider wireless sound system.
With 16 micro-drivers and two neodymium subwoofers the audio experience of this slimline TV will be much improved.
