CES is the show where there’s a race to be first, and also a fair bit of “hey look at what we can do” but things that might never come to market. Welcome to 2024 where “Transparent” TVs are the new battle ground, but LG has one that is real, and is coming to market.

While Samsung was across town teasing a new Transparent Micro LED technology they will show at CES, LG are basically saying “hold my beer” and reminding us they’ve had Transparent OLED displays and screens on display and in demo rooms for several years, but in 2024 they have an actual product to show, one that people will be able to buy this year.

It’s called the LG Signature OLED T – T for Transparent of course!

I remember just last year on the LG booth here at CES in Las Vegas a Transparent OLED panel which was really a demonstration of the technology, a reminder they can do it. It’s something I understand that LG has been doing in some commercial and even advertising displays before now, but never have we seen an example, or an actual TV for someone’s lounge room that was transparent.

Until now.

This thing is wild!

I saw it with my own eyes today, and it’s equal parts baffling, and and mind blowing.

Baffling because I can’t see a time I’d think it was right for me. But, I’m not a wealthy individual with a remarkable eye for fashion, and interior design. Someone with a sitting room just waiting for this style of TV, or a Lounge room with such elegance that a big black box on the wall, or an artwork based TV really works.

However, I do see how it could fit if that was your style.

LG have displayed this as a TV built into a bookshelf. So you can’t really tell what is the “TV” and what is the furniture. If I were them, I’d sell it exactly like that.

Here’s what I found MOST interesting. Areas of a screen that ARE black, show as transparent. So even just the Amazon Prime opening screen (Above) shows as transparent. Very cool.

This is a 77 inch OLED TV, that when it’s in “transparent” mode, allows you to see what sits on the shelf behind it. Be that a vase, a picture frame, or whatever items you choose.

In it’s transparent state, it can be watched, ANY content can be watched on it. A movie, regular TV – whatever. What happens though, when you press a button on the remote is, a black contrast film is unrolled upward to the top of the TV which gives you the full regular OLED experience. You’d definitely choose this for movie viewing.

However, when not watching content, LG’s WebOS will be customised to suit this format, with new apps and widgets to display news content on the T-Bar at the bottom which is not transparent (this is the bulk of the TV where the rolled film goes when in transparent mode). Or perhaps display a virtual fish tank or the weather and calendar info, as if they were a hologram in your room.

In transparent mode it really has this strange, but appealing extra dimensional effect. No, it’s not 3D, but it gives you a sense of that.

Add to all that, it’s also got the Wireless module from the M3 series TV last year, allowing you to put the control box and HDMI inputs on another side of the room – to keep this shelf clean.

Honestly, very impressive, I’m sure some rich multi-millionaire will love showing off to their mates when they invite them round just to show them their new LG Signature OLED T 🙂

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