Thomson is a brand that many may have a relationship with. The French manufacturer has been on the sidelines for a while, but at this year’s IFA show at the beginning of the month, they made a comeback with a broad portfolio of TV and audio products, as well as ultra-light laptops. The goal is to recapture some of the glory that Thomson experienced in the 90s and early 2000s, with a more “European” philosophy of product development. Technology and design are only valuable qualities if they add value to the user experience, Thomson believes. But of course, you also have to put on a show!
Thomson Scenium makes a comeback in the TV market
The TV models from Thomson carry the name Scenium, which is a tribute to the classic Scenium TVs from the early 2000s. Both LCD/MiniLED and OLED models with Google TV user interface will be launched.
The Thomson Scenium Mini LED range includes two screen sizes, 55 and 65 inches, with 4K UHD resolution, 144 Hz panel, HDMI 2.1 and Dolby Vision compatibility. The Thomson Scenium Mini LED models also feature Google TV for easy access to all content with personalised programme recommendations.
Thomson Scenium OLED, as the name suggests, uses OLED panels from LG Display with all the familiar benefits of colour reproduction, contrast and viewing angle. Scenium OLED TVs are available in a wide range of screen sizes from 42 to 77 inches, with 120 Hz and HDMI 2.1.
Thomson Scenium Transparent OLED
Thomson also showed a curiosity at IFA in the form of a transparent OLED screen. The advantage of a transparent TV is that the screen becomes virtually invisible when not in use. This way, it blends in with its surroundings and avoids being the usual “black hole” in the centre of the living room.
We took a closer look at the screen in Thomson’s exhibition at IFA, and of course it looks fascinating to have a TV that you can see straight through. But when it comes to the practical use of watching TV, we have our doubts, as the contrast and picture experience naturally depends on the background on the screen.
We’re looking forward to testing further, and it looks like we’ll be able to – Thomson expects to put the TV into production from next year.