AMAZON HAS LAUNCHED its own range of Fire TV-powered flatscreens in the UK, led by a QLED flagship 4K model dubbed the Omni. The move is a serious escalation by the online giant, as it looks to establish itself as a genuine force in connected TV.
We've seen sets running the Fire TV OS before (from the likes of JVC and Toshiba), but this is the first time Amazon is using its platform to compete with the likes of Sony and Samsung - and it's not content with being a budget-priced pick-up either.
The new own-brand Fire TVs don't skimp on features. At their European unveiling, I had a chance to take a close look at the range, and was impressed by both their functionality (not always a strong point when it comes to Amazon Fire TV media players in the past), and general picture quality.
The range-topping Omni is available in 43in, 50in, 55in and 65in sizes, priced £550, £650, £750, and £999 respectively. Its QLED panel features variable full-array local dimming, with up to 80 zones on the largest set, and built-in support for both the HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR formats. There's also an Adaptive Brightness feature to dynamically adjust brightness levels depending on ambient lighting conditions. My impression was that these are screens designed for bright-room viewing.
Ready for an Ambient Experience?
The Fire TV platform has been a huge success for Amazon, with over 200 million Fire TV devices sold worldwide, plus licensing of over 260 TV models with Fire TV built in.
Yet with these new, own-brand TVs, there's the promise of even greater personalisation and innovative new features, including Al generative art - just ask Alexa to create an Al image as a TV backdrop, and a few moments later a custom piece appears on your screen. And, yes, you can do this hands-free rather than using an Alexa Voice remote, as the Omni has built-in far-field microphones.
この記事は Home Cinema Choice の May 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Home Cinema Choice の May 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
AV Avenger
You should think twice before accepting an invitation to play Resident Evil 4 with spatial audio in a haunted prison, warns Steve May
Catalogue classic Star Wars: Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi → Ultra HD Blu-ray, Disney
Forty years on from the movie's cinema release, Anton van Beek ponders what might have been if things had gone a little diff erently during the making of Return of the Jedi…
Feedback
Got an axe to grind? Need to comment on current tech? Want to share your knowledge with our readers? Team HCC is here to help
M&K Sound V12
TIME ON TEST: Three years REVIEWER: Steve Withers
Sony 'bar demands to be upgraded
This well-specified Dolby Atmos soundbar may have a mid-range price tag, but you'll soon want to spend more, cautions Steve May
Short and sweet
Marantz's compact AV receiver returns with a new look and boosted features – Jamie Biesemans slips it into his AV rig
Discreet delivery
A slim, stylish Scandinavian on-wall system impresses Mark Craven with its handling of the sweet stuff
One project, two rooms
Dan Sait reports on a custom install where a JVC PJ/ Atmos system is joined by a stylish media den
THE KING OF B RDA HOLLYWOOD
Three of his movies have taken over $2billon at the global box office, he's pioneered SFX and 3D technologies, and he's been to the very bottom of the Pacific Ocean. That's James Cameron by the way, not Anton van Beek
System selector!
Given three similar budgets, Mark Craven, Steve May and John Archer assemble three different AV setups focused on movies, streaming and gaming