H8ers gonna H8: Hisense H-series TVs go for low-cost HDR and high-end ULED
Want a 4K HDR TV for $400? Hisense has it, along with a brand new H8 TV range, more of its proprietary ULED display technology, and a new range of the Sharp Aquos brand. (Yeah, Hisense owns Sharp.)
Strong, optimistic and agile: According to Hisense that's the definition of a leopard. Oh, and also the Chinese electronics company itself, who used CES 2016 in Las Vegas to reiterate its commitment to the North American market.
Last year, Hisense showed off a 100-inch "laser cinema" projection TV, a drinks fridge and a Nascar sponsorship. This year, there was a little more on the plate: 22 new TVs in its own H-series, 25 new Sharp TV models (a brand it acquired in August last year) and new look simple Smart TV interfaces for both.
With 4K Ultra HD almost commonplace these days, High Dynamic Range (HDR) is the new buzz here at Vegas and Hisense wasn't about to be left out. All of the company's 4K TVs will have HDR, including the 2016 version of the H7 range and the brand new H8, which adds full-array local dimming, something that's been a popular addition to Vizio's TVs. The price is right as well, with a 43-inch H7 starting at $399 (approximately £270 or AU$560.)
Hisense's proprietary ULED technology got launched in August last year, but the company promised a new generation of ULED in 2016, as well as a 55-inch H9 series to join the flagship H10.
Over on the Sharp brand, the 25 new models will run the gamut from Full HD to 4K, from 32-inch to 75-inch. The new flagship is the Aquos N9100, which will have both quantum dot technology and HDR, a first for any Sharp TV product. That'll hit retail in mid-2016, both in a flat 70-inch panel and a curved 65-inch.
The new Smart TV interface for the Sharp range.
New smart TV interfaces were rolled out for both Hisense and Sharp as well. Both are designed to be a simple ribbon style interface with an infinite scroll. The Sharp interface was based on Linux and designed specifically for the American audience. Featured are the usual suspects when it comes to apps: Netflix, Amazon Video, Pandora and more.