Comparison Samsung UE-49MU6103 49 " vs LG 49LJ622V 49 "

The type of matrix used in the TV. Among them, OLED, QLED, QD-OLED and NanoCell deserve the most attention, which are found in TVs of the relevant price category. Now more about each of them and other more classic options:

— OLED. TVs with screens that use organic light-emitting diodes — OLED. Such LEDs can be used both to illuminate a traditional LCD matrix, and as elements from which a screen is built. In the first case, the advantages of OLED over traditional LED are compactness, extremely low power consumption, backlight uniformity, as well as excellent brightness and contrast ratios. And in matrices, consisting entirely of OLED, these advantages are even more pronounced. The main disadvantages of OLED TVs are the high price (which, however, is constantly decreasing as the technology develops and improves), as well as the susceptibility of organic pixels to burn-in during long-term broadcast of static images or pictures with static elements (TV channel logo, information panel, etc.).

— QLED. TVs with screens using "quantum dot" technology — QLED. Such screens differ from conventional LED matrices in the design of the backlight: multilayer colour filters in such a backlight are replaced with a thin-film light-transmitting coating based on nanoparticles, and traditional white LEDs are replaced with blue...ones. This allows to achieve a significant increase in brightness and colour saturation at the same time as improving the quality of colour reproduction, besides, it reduces the thickness and reduces the power consumption of the screen. The disadvantage of QLED matrices is traditional — the high price.

— QD-OLED. A kind of hybrid version of matrices that combine “quantum dots” (Quantum Dot) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) in one bottle. The QD-OLED modification was introduced by Samsung at the end of 2021 in response to advanced OLED panels from LG. The technology takes the best from QLED and OLED: it is based on blue LEDs, self-luminous pixels (instead of external backlighting) and “quantum dots”, which play the role of colour filters, but at the same time practically do not attenuate the light (unlike traditional filters) . Thanks to the use of a number of advanced solutions, the creators managed to achieve very impressive characteristics, significantly superior to many other OLED matrices. Among them are high peak brightness from 1000 nits (cd/m²), excellent contrast and black depth, as well as colour coverage of over 90% according to the BT.2020 standard and more than 120% according to DCI-P3. Such matrices are found mainly in flagship TV panels.

— IPS. A type of matrix originally designed for high quality colour rendering. Indeed, IPS screens produce bright and rich colours, have a good colour gamut, and demonstrate wide viewing angles. The initial disadvantage of this technology was the low response time, but in modern modifications of IPS this point has been practically eliminated. Matrices of this type are very popular in the advanced budget and mid-price segment of TV panels.

— *VA. In this case, we mean one of the varieties of VA (Vertical Alignment) type matrices - MVA, PVA, Super PVA, etc. Specific varieties may vary slightly in properties, but they all have common features. In fact, *VA matrices are a more affordable alternative to IPS panels: they are relatively inexpensive, provide fairly good colour reproduction and viewing angles of up to 178°. The main disadvantage of such screens is the long response time, but in modern models this has been practically eliminated thanks to the constant improvement of technology. *VA matrices are used in TVs that are positioned as functional and at the same time affordable models.

— PLS. In fact, it is one of the varieties of the IPS matrices described above, developed by Samsung. According to the manufacturer, in such matrices it was possible to achieve higher brightness and contrast than in traditional IPS, as well as to slightly reduce the cost.

— NanoCell. Matrix based on quantum dots. This type of matrix is used in LG TVs and was first introduced in 2017. NanoCell matrices use the structure of classic LCD displays. But unlike the latter, they use so-called quantum dots instead of the classic general backlight, which provide monochromatic light. NanoCell technology reduces power consumption while increasing colour gamut and viewing angle. It is worth noting separately that NanoCell matrices are not the only ones using quantum dot technology. Similar solutions are offered by: Samsung (QLED matrix), Sony (Triluminos matrix), Hisense (ULED).

The type of coating used on the TV screen.

— Matte. Historically, the first type of coating for LCD screens, which is often found today. Screens with such a coating generally have average characteristics of brightness, saturation and colour reproduction quality, in terms of these indicators they are inferior to glossy counterparts. However, the matte coating has one important advantage: it has virtually no glare from ambient light. In some situations, this can be an important advantage — for example, if the TV is installed opposite the window. And for some users it is more pleasant to look at the screen without glare, albeit relatively dim.

— Glossy. A coating designed to improve the brightness and colour quality of the visible image compared to matte screens. The creators have managed to achieve this goal: "glossy" screens really provide rich, vibrant colours and a brighter image. The key disadvantage of such screens is the appearance of glare from ambient light on them — this can ruin the whole viewing experience. Because of this, the classic glossy coating is practically not used today, anti-glare solutions have taken its place (see below).

— Glossy (anti-glare). Modification of the glossy coating, created, as the name implies, in order to eliminate the main drawback of the classic gloss — glare from external lighting. This is not...to say that such screens do not glare at all, but there are much less reflections on them than on ordinary glossy ones. As for the image quality, it is at least not much worse, and often even better (especially since such coatings are constantly being improved). Thanks to all this, most modern TVs of all price categories are equipped with anti-glare screens.

Screen resolution - its size in pixels horizontally and vertically. Other things being equal, a higher resolution provides better image quality, but such a screen costs more and requires relevant content.

The set of resolutions found in modern TVs is quite extensive, but they can be roughly divided into several groups: HD, Full HD, Ultra HD 4K, Ultra HD 5K and Ultra HD 8K. Here are the main features of each option:

— HD. Screens designed for HD 720p. The standard frame size in such a video is 1280x720, however, for a number of reasons, most HD TVs have somewhat larger sizes — 1366x768. In addition, this category usually includes models with resolutions from 1280x768 to 1680x1050, as well as 1024x768 screens. In general, HD 720p resolutions are mostly found on low-cost TVs with relatively small screens.

— Full HD. TVs designed for Full HD 1080p video, with a frame size of 1920x1080. Most models from this category have exactly this screen resolution — 1920x1080; other options are noticeably less common — in particular, 1920x1200 and 2560x1080. In general, Full HD screens provide good detail at a relatively low cost, making them extremely popular in mid-range models and inexpensive large-format TVs.

— Ultra HD 4K. This format provides different options in resolutions, however, for TVs, the...actual standard is 3840x2160, other options are almost never found. In general, this is a fairly high resolution, which is typical mainly for premium models; a common feature of such models is the large size — from 40" and more.

— Ultra HD 5K. The Ultra HD image format is more advanced than 4K, but it is extremely rare in TVs — these are mainly ultra-wide models with a resolution of 5120x2160.

— Ultra HD 8K. A standard that assumes a size of about 8K pixels horizontally; one of the options for this resolution, found in TVs — 7680x4320. Thus, UHD 8K is twice the size of 4K on each side and four times the total number of pixels, resulting in extremely sharp and detailed images. On the other hand, such screens are very expensive, despite the fact that nowadays even 4K is already considered a very advanced standard. Plus, there are not many video devices and content that meet this standard. Therefore, 8K TVs are still extremely rare, they include mostly high-end flagship models with a size of at least 65".

The highest frame rate supported by the TV.

Note that in this case we are talking specifically about the screen’s own frame rate, without additional image processing (see “Index of dynamic scenes”). This frequency must be no lower than the frame rate in the video being played - otherwise there may be jerks, interference and other unpleasant phenomena that degrade the quality of the picture. In addition, the higher the frame rate, the smoother and smoother the movement in the frame will look, and the better the detail of moving objects will be. However, it is worth noting here that playback speed is often limited by the properties of the content, and not by the characteristics of the screen. For example, films are often recorded at a frequency of only 30 fps, or even 24 - 25 fps, while most modern TVs support frequencies of 50 or 60 Hz. This is enough even for viewing high-quality content in HD resolutions (speeds above 60 fps in such video are extremely rare), but there are also “faster” screens on the market: 100 Hz, 120 Hz and 144 Hz. Such speeds, as a rule, indicate a fairly high class of the screen; they also often imply the use of various technologies designed to improve the quality of dynamic scenes.

TV support for high dynamic range technology — HDR.

This technology is designed to expand the range of brightness reproduced by the TV; Simply put, an HDR model will display brighter whites and darker blacks than a regular TV. In fact, this means a significant improvement in colour quality. On the one hand, HDR provides a very "live" image, close to what the human eye sees, with an abundance of shades and tones that a normal screen cannot convey; on the other hand, this technology allows to achieve very bright and rich colours.

However for the full use of this feature, you need not only an HDR TV, but also content (movies, TV broadcasts, etc.) that was originally created for HDR. Also note that there are several different HDR technologies that are not compatible with each other. Therefore, when buying a TV with this feature, it is highly advisable to clarify which version of HDR it supports (HDR10, HDR10 + or Dolby Vision). And the following are found:

— HDR10. Historically the first of the consumer HDR formats, less advanced than the options described below but extremely widespread. In particular, HDR10 is supported by almost all streaming services that provide HDR content, and it is also common for Blu-ray discs. Allows to work with a colour depth of 10 bits (hence the name). At the same time, devices of this format are also comp...atible with content in HDR10+, although its quality will be limited by the capabilities of the original HDR10.

— HDR10+. An improved version of HDR10. With the same colour depth (10 bits), it uses the so-called dynamic metadata, which allows transmitting information about the colour depth not only for groups of several frames, but also for individual frames. This results in an additional improvement in colour reproduction.

– Dolby Vision. An advanced standard used particularly in professional cinematography. Allows to achieve a colour depth of 12 bits, uses the dynamic metadata described above, and also makes it possible to transmit two image options at once in one video stream — HDR and standard (SDR). At the same time, Dolby Vision is based on the same technology as HDR10, so in modern video technology this format is usually combined with HDR10 or HDR10+.

A decoder can be broadly described as a standard in which digital audio (often multi-channel) is recorded. For normal playback of such sound, it is necessary that the corresponding decoder is supported by the device. Dolby Digital and DTS were the first in multi-channel decoding, gradually improving and introducing new features. The final stage for 2020 is Dolby Atmos and DTS X decoders.

– Dolby Atmos. A decoder that uses not a rigid distribution of sound across channels, but the processing of audio objects, due to which it can be used with almost any number of channels on a reproducing system — the sound will be divided between channels so that each audio object is heard as close as possible to its proper place. When using Dolby Atmos, ceiling speakers (or speakers facing the ceiling) are highly desirable. However, in extreme cases, you can do without them.

— DTS X. An analogue of the Dolby Atmos described above, when the sound is distributed not through individual channels, but through audio objects. The digital signal contains information about where (according to the director's intention) the object audible to the user should be and how it should move, and the processor of the reproducing device processes this information and determines exactly how the sound should be distributed over the available channels in order to achieve the required localization. Thanks to this, DTS X is not tied to a specific number of a...udio channels — there can be as many as you like, the system will automatically divide the sound into them, achieving the desired sound. Also note that this decoder allows you to separately adjust the volume of dialogues.

Among the features of the TV, first of all, it is worth noting its communication features, which include AirPlay 2, Wi-Fi(in particular Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6), Miracast, Chromecast, Bluetooth. As a control, in addition to the classic remote control, there can be voice control, voice assistant. As well as special features in the form of Ambilight from Philips. More about them:

— Airplay. TV support for AirPlay technology, usually in the AirPlay 2 version. Initially, this technology was created to broadcast multimedia content from Apple gadgets (iPhone, iPad, etc.) to external devices, including TVs. At the same time, it allows not only to play such content, but also provides many additional features — broadcasting additional information (title of the sound track, album cover), playback control from the TV remote control, etc. In AirPlay 2, in turn, the "multi-room" format was added — the ability to simultaneously broadcast several signals to compatible devices installed in different places at home (for example, a movie on a TV and an online radio programme on sound system in the kitchen). In addition, in this version, support for voice contro...l via Siri has appeared and a number of technical issues have been improved (in particular, buffering of streamed content).

— Wi-Fi. The presence of a built-in Wi-Fi module in the TV; the supported version of this technology can also be specified in this section. Nowadays, Wi-Fi can be used both for wireless access to the Internet and local networks, as well as for direct connection with other devices (for example, broadcasting video from a smartphone/tablet). The specific application of the wireless connection may be different, depending on the functionality of the TV; in addition to Internet access, examples include DLNA, receiving or transmitting video via Wi-Di or Miracast, and using a mobile gadget as a remote control. However, almost all models with this feature belong to Smart TV (see above).
As for Wi-Fi versions, the most relevant nowadays are Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E. Also note that, in addition to these Wi-Fi standards, earlier ones are usually supported — so compatibility problems does not occur.

— Miracast. TV support for Miracast technology. This technology allows you to broadcast video and audio signals via Wi-Fi technology (both to the TV and from it to portable electronics), while both devices are connected directly (Wi-Fi Direct) and do not require additional equipment, and the bandwidth is sufficient for Full HD video transmission and 5.1 multi-channel audio. Some time ago, TVs used a similar WiDi technology, but nowadays it is almost ousted from the market, and most manufacturers use Miracast.

— Chromecast. Chromecast technology allows you to quickly and easily stream video and audio from your smartphone, tablet or computer to your TV. In fact, Chromecast is a network media player, because after setting up this function, you can wirelessly display the video recorded on your smartphone on your TV with just one touch.

— Bluetooth. Bluetooth technology (any version) is used for direct wireless communication between different devices. How it is used on TVs may vary, depending on the functionality of a particular model (and version of Bluetooth). So, it is almost mandatory for Bluetooth TVs to be able to transfer sound to wireless headphones or speakers. In addition, other use cases may be provided: connecting keyboards, mice and game controllers, direct file exchange with a laptop, remote control from a smartphone or other gadget, etc. These details should be clarified separately. As for specific versions, in many models these details are not specified at all — for use for the intended purpose, “just Bluetooth” is enough. However, there are exceptions, and here the following options are relevant for modern TVs:

• Bluetooth v4.0. A version that combines traditional Bluetooth 2.1, a high-speed standard for transferring large files, and "Bluetooth Low Energy" for small amounts of information. All subsequent versions are built on these three components (with various improvements), and v 4.0 was the first where they appeared all together.
• Bluetooth v 4.1. Improvement of version 4.0, in which compatibility with mobile devices of the 4G LTE standard has been improved — so that the LTE and Bluetooth modules do not create mutual interference while working nearby.
• Bluetooth v4.2. Further development of version 4.0; updates that are relevant for TVs include mainly improving the reliability and noise immunity of communications.
• Bluetooth v5.0. One of the key improvements in version 5.0 compared to previous editions of the protocol was the presence of two special “Low Energy” modes – increased range (due to reduced speed) and increased speed (due to reduced range).
• Bluetooth v 5.1. Update of the v 5.0 version described above. In addition to general improvements in the quality and reliability of communication, this update has implemented such an interesting feature as determining the direction from which the Bluetooth signal is coming. Thanks to this, it becomes possible to determine the location of connected devices with an accuracy of up to a centimeter (for example, a remote control).
• Bluetooth v 5.2. The next, after 5.1, is the fifth-generation Bluetooth update. The main innovations in this version are a number of security improvements, additional power optimization in LE mode, and a new audio signal format for synchronized parallel playback on multiple devices.
• Bluetooth v 5.3. The Bluetooth v 5.3 wireless protocol was introduced at the beginning of 2022. Among the innovations, it accelerated the process of choosing the communication channel between the controller and the device, implemented the function of quickly switching between the state of operation in a small duty cycle and high-speed mode, improved the throughput and stability of the connection by reducing the susceptibility to interference. In case of unexpected interference in the Low Energy mode of operation, the procedure for selecting a communication channel for switching is now accelerated. There are no fundamental innovations in protocol 5.3, but a number of qualitative improvements are seen in it.

— Ambilight. Screen backlight technology. In this case, the TV case illuminates the wall/partition located at the back, due to which a blurry halo appears around the screen contour in the colour of changing scenes. This effect visually expands the screen area, making watching TV more enjoyable. There are three types of backlighting in total: classic Ambilight (on the sides only), Ambilight Surround (on the sides and top), Ambilight Full Surround (from all sides). But manufacturers continue to work on improving the backlight. So, relatively recently, the Ambilight Spectra backlight has appeared, in which the colour matching algorithm has been significantly improved and the LEDs themselves have been optimized.

— Voice control. TV support for voice control allows you to dictate certain commands through the remote control. However, not all functions are covered by voice control and recognition accuracy may require re-entering the command. If you need a more extensive range of functions, then pay attention to the voice assistant.

— Voice assistant. For a long time now, device control has been shifting to voice commands. For this, certain interfaces and systems are used. The most popular are Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, as well as Samsung's own Bixby assistant. For "apple" devices, this is Apple Siri, but this technique is not presented on TVs. At the same time, unlike the voice control function, the voice assistant does not just turn on this or that function, mode, makes it louder, quieter, but allows you to perform certain operations in applications, whether it is to launch the desired clip in Youtube or display the weather in the browser.

— Coaxial (S/P-DIF). An interface for transmitting audio in digital format, which allows to transmit multi-channel audio via a single cable with an RCA connector (“tulip”). In terms of resistance to interference, this standard is somewhat inferior to the optical one (see below) — this is due to the fundamental differences between these interfaces. On the other hand, electrical cable is more reliable than optical fibre and is not as sensitive to pressure and bending.

— Optical. An output for transmission of a digital audio signal on a fibre optic cable; allows the transmission of multi-channel audio. Notable for its complete insensitivity to electromagnetic interference. On the other hand, fibre optic cable is quite fragile, it must be protected from bending and strong pressure.

— Mini-Jack (3.5 mm) for headphones. Standard 3.5mm headphone jack. Headphones can come in handy if you need to keep quiet and you can’t use the TV speakers – for example, at a later time of the day; or vice versa, if the environment is noisy and the sound of the TV is hard to hear. Most modern "ears" use a mini-Jack plug, so this connector is the standard headphone output in TVs. And in some models, this output can also be used as a linear output — for example, to connect individual speakers, a sound recording device, etc.

— Subwoofer. A separate output for...connecting a subwoofer to a TV is a speaker for reproducing low and ultra-low frequencies. Audio systems without subwoofers usually reproduce these frequencies quite poorly. The use of subwoofer allows you to achieve the most deep and rich sound, which is especially important when watching movies with a lot of special effects or high-quality recordings from concerts. At the same time, it is worth noting that such outputs are quite rare in TVs: it is assumed that a full-format external audio system is more suitable for a demanding listener than a separate subwoofer.

— Line. Standard analogue audio interface; usually, provides the transmission of two-channel stereo. It is used primarily to connect active speakers and other audio equipment (for example, audio receivers or power amplifiers) to TVs. It can use different types of connectors, but most often it provides either a 3.5 mm mini-Jack or a pair of RCA jacks for tulip cables. Note that it is a separate line output that is meant here; in some models, this function can be performed by a 3.5 mm headphone jack (see above), but for them the presence of a line-out is not indicated.

Most TVs have a VESA wall mount which may vary in size. The basis for such mount is a rectangular plate with four holes for screws in the corners. The main characteristic of such a mount is the distance between the holes — it is measured along the sides of the rectangle and is expressed in two numbers. The original VESA format is 100x100, these mounts are used for most medium-sized LCD TVs. For small screens, 75x75 mounts are provided, for large ones — 200x200 and more (up to 800x400).

However, there are also models that are equipped with a standard (proprietary) mount from the manufacturer. Mostly these are either ultra-thin TVs or designer lines. Anyway, the mount in the kit is suitable only for the selected model.