Haier has unleashed its latest TV ranges at IFA 2014: 4K Ultra HD sets rub shoulders with stylish smart TVs, TVs running Android and a budget range of 1080p Full HD panels.
A total of 15 new products have been unveiled at the Berlin-based trade show, including two new 4K sets.
Haier’s slender H6600 4K TVs come in two sizes – 41 and 50-inches. The edge-lit LED TVs boast a contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1, which Haier says promises vibrant colours and deep, rich blacks. Despite promising such wonders, Haier says its 4K tellies shouldn’t make a huge dent in your energy bills as they’re rated A for energy efficiency on the EU’s scale.
Whether or not this can compare to the richness and vibrancy of LG’s OLED 4K TVs is another thing – we’ll have to see them side by side to compare.
Confusingly, the third TV announced today that’s part of the H6600 range – the 65-inch 65H6600 – is actually a Full HD 1080p TV, not a 4K one. Despite the differences in resolution – 3840×2160 compared to 1920×1080 – the specifications are otherwise identical.
Haier H6600 series specifications
- DVB-T/C twin tuner or DVB-T/C/T2 triple tuner
- 5,000,000:1 dynamic contrast
- 100Hz with F2R600 fast image refresh rate
- 1 USB port (USB recorder, Timeshift and USB video)
- 3 HDMI ports (1.4a)
- CEC and ARC (HDMI1)
- CI+
- 1 headphone socket
- 1 PC D-Sub15 socket
- 1 scart connector
- 1 coaxial cable
- 2x 8W loudspeakers
- Automatic volume limiter
As well as 4K TVs, Haier has announced five new smart TV models in its K5000 series. With this range the emphasis is on style. The 40, 50, 55 and 65-inch Full HD TVs all place a premium on design, boasting brushed aluminium finishes, as does the 32-inch 720p HD model.
The three HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) ports means you’ll be able to send audio from the TV to ARC-compatible devices without the need for an extra audio connection, so it you’ll cut down on cable clutter too.
While Haier says that its first range of smart TVs will come with a number of catch-up and on-demand TV apps, no names have been mentioned yet. We’d expect UK versions to come with access to at least BBC iPlayer and YouTube.
Haier K5000 series specifications
- DVB-T/C/T2 triple tuner
- Haier Smart TV with application hub and internet browser
- HbbTV
- 5,000,000:1 dynamic contrast
- F2R400 image refresh rate
- 2 USB ports (USB recorder, Timeshift and USB video)
- DLNA
- 3 HDMI ARC ports (1.4a)
- CI+
- 1 headphone socket
- 1 PC D-Sub15 socket
- 1 scart connector
- S/PDIF digital interface
- Automatic volume limiter
- 2x 8W loudspeakers
Haier is also unveiling three Android-based smart TVs. It should be noted that this is the same version of Android we’ve seen on TVs before and is not the new optimised Android TV platform.
Available in 39, 48 and 55-inch editions, the M7000 Haier TVs offer viewers the chance to watch content from services including Google Play, YouTube and Prime Instant Video – or LoveFilm, as Haier seem to be calling it – maybe no-one sent them the memo.
The remote control that comes bundled with the M7000 series includes a QWERTY keyboard which Haier says allows for quick and easy typing. We think that those who want to have an Android experience on their TV might want to wait and see how Android TV shapes up. That, or get a Chromecast if you want some semblance of Android TV right now.
Haier M7000 series specifications
- DVB-T/C/T2 tuner
- Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
- Integrated Android system: Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, 1.5Ghz dual-core AML8726 Cortex A9 processor, 1 GB RAM memory, 4 GB flash memory, dual-core Mali 400 graphics card
- 6,000,000:1 dynamic contrast
- 50Hz, F2R400 rapid refresh rate,
- WiFi
- 3 USB ports (USB recorder, Timeshift and USB video)
- 3 HDMI ports (1.4a)
- 1 headphone socket
- 1 scart connector
- 1 S/PDIF digital interface
- 1 Ethernet port
- CI+
- Integrated 2.1 sound bar with 2x 10W loudspeakers and a 12W subwoofer
- Automatic volume limiter
Finally, Haier is also launching a new series of budget-friendly HD TVs for those who want a new TV set but don’t want to break the bank.
The 40, 50, 55 and 65-inch versions are Full HD 1080p (1920×1080) panels while the 24 and 32-inch models are 720p (1366×768) TVs. While these last two TVs should be able to receive HD channels like BBC HD and Channel 4 HD they will be downconverted to fit on to the smaller screens.
Haier B8000 series specifications
- Triple tuner DVB-T/C/T2/S2
- 5,000,000:1 dynamic contrast
- 50Hz F2R200 rapid refresh rate
- 1 USB port (USB recorder, Timeshift and USB video)
- 2 CEC and ARC HDMI ports (1.4a) for the 32’’ model and 3 CEC and ARC HDMI ports (1.4a) for the 40’’ model
- CI+
- 1 headphone socket
- 1 scart connector
- 1 coaxial cable
- 1 PC D-Sub15 socket
- 2x8W loudspeakers
- Automatic volume limiter
UK prices and release dates haven’t been announced by Haier.
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