Purchasing LG's Transparent Television Comes with a Significant Price Tag Increase
Are you fed up with not being able to witness the sunset from your swanky penthouse apartment through your oversized television screen? If you've got $60,000 just sitting around, you can now purchase the LG Signature ZERO8, a completely wireless, translucent 77-inch OLED TV. The manufacturer displayed this marvel at CES a year ago, but now, after twelve long months, you can finally buy it if you're ready to shell out five figures on a single television.
Beyond being see-through, the Signature ZERO8 (you may have guessed it, the “Z” stands for “Zero,” and the “8” signifies the size) is a 4K, 120 Hz smart TV with a true wireless setup. It's ideal for a home with floor-to-ceiling windows, where a television would obstruct your princely, costly view. The TV also includes a black curtain, making the OLED TV appear more conventional. Lowering the shade when the TV is switched off allows you to see through it just like a window.
The ZERO8 is available in only one size, and it's quite substantial at 77 inches. Anyone with the $60,000 will need the space to install it. The goal is to give the impression of additional floor space when you don't have to focus on the colossal television dominating half of your living room wall. On the other hand, if you place it in the corner of the den, you're missing the point since traditional panel light sources will create glare.
The stand is an integral part of the TV, so unless you're willing to dismantle it, you should ensure your decor matches. The $60,000 TV comes with optional side shelves, wide enough to accommodate a potted plant, a PlayStation 5, or an Xbox standing upright, but not much else.
LG includes a special version of its usual Home screen known as “ZEROHome.” Viewers can still see through the TV, but the illusion is diminished when you open one of your applications to enjoy content. An extra “ZEROBar” floats at the bottom of the main menu, showing the time, weather, and a simple news slider. The best feature is the “ZERO-Objet” always-on display mode, perfect for showcasing photographs or artwork.
You connect it to a unique “ZERO Connect Box” that streams everything to the television. This is crucial since there are no ports on the television to plug in an HDMI or your smart TV dongles. The box should project the signal from 30 feet away. You can place the box next to the TV or shove it into a nearby closet, so long as nothing disrupts the signal.
The Signature ZERO8 supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and the usual suspects of HDR10 and HLG. The panel still uses LG's a11 AI Processor 4K, which includes the company's blend of AI upscaling tech. It also has an LG gaming bar and G-Sync, which is compatible with VRR for various consoles.
Even though you can see through the unit, the Signature ZERO8 includes regular TV speakers. During our brief encounter with it, we found the down-firing speakers to sound satisfactory, though with typical TV quality.
As you can probably tell, the Signature ZERO8 is an exorbitantly priced, luxury–brand television not intended for the average consumer. However, the special edition UI suggests that LG might consider expanding its line of translucent offerings in the future, perhaps at a lower price point. LG's OLEDs are already among our favorite TVs of the year, though we were a little less enthused about the company's QNEDs.
The Signature ZERO8's unique features are a testament to the future of tech in home entertainment. Its translucent design and advanced technology make it a standout in the world of high-end televisions.
If LG's success with the Signature ZERO8 indicates anything, it's that we might see more affordable, translucent offerings from them in the tech-forward future of home entertainment.
