[Experience] Tried U+tv Soundbar Black... The Impact of 'Kwang' Explosion and Loud Noise

LG Uplus IPTV Set-Top Box Released with Dolby
Design Featuring Restrained Beauty
Sound Effects Like Split Syllables in Bass and Treble
Need for Improvement in Areas Lacking Free Proprietary Content

Visiting the LG Uplus Experience Center at the Seoul Yongsan Headquarters, watching movie VOD through LG Uplus's new IPTV set-top box 'U+tv Soundbar Black'. Photo by Cha Minyoung

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] LG Uplus launched the IPTV set-top box 'U+tv Soundbar Black' targeting home theater enthusiasts on the 12th. This is the first case domestically and internationally where both Dolby's Atmos technology and Vision technology from the renowned global audio equipment specialist 'Dolby' are integrated into a set-top box.

Recently, I visited LG Uplus's Seoul Yongsan headquarters experience center to try out the new product U+tv Soundbar Black. Although it was an experience center, the environment was implemented to closely resemble a typical household, allowing a direct experience of the product's performance.

The most noticeable feature was the device design with 'restrained beauty.' The front of the Soundbar Black is made of thick fabric material. Four round LEDs are attached to the front, indicating the current status such as volume. On both sides, two speaker grills are located. Despite its somewhat heavy-looking exterior, the perceived weight of the device was about 3 to 4 kg, light enough for one man to hold with one hand.

The Soundbar Black was different from the moment the TV screen was turned on. When using the general LG Uplus UHD set-top box, the first screen shows a guide screen with general video on demand (VOD), event news, and the Idleunara service. However, with the Soundbar Black, 'Watch Dolby VOD Content' was immediately placed at the top left. Initial concerns about how senior customers over their 60s would find content proved unfounded. The intuitive user interface (UI) designed with user consideration stood out.

I played a recent movie VOD and took a moment to enjoy it. The biggest feature of the Soundbar Black was that the sound came from above or behind the head in sync with the content scenes. The vibration, bass and treble, and sound effects broken down into each syllable added vividness. It partially evoked the excitement of going to a movie theater for the first time in childhood.

The secret to the rich sound lies in its structure. The two upward-facing speakers installed in the Soundbar Black output sound toward the ceiling, and the reflected sound travels down behind or above the listener's head. This meets the sound output from the front speakers, filling the space around the listener.

I wondered if there was any free content available besides paid VOD. Searching 'Dolby' on Netflix yielded many movies including 'Kingdom: Ashin of the North.' Even though I had watched the content once before, watching it through the Soundbar Black felt different. Dolby Vision technology, which expresses black as a deeper black, made the remote forest setting and the main character 'Ashin' more three-dimensional.

Visiting the LG Uplus Experience Center at the Seoul Yongsan Headquarters, watching movie VOD through LG Uplus's new IPTV set-top box 'U+tv Soundbar Black'. Photo by Cha Minyoung

From a consumer perspective, price considerations could not be overlooked. The U+tv IPTV fee consists of the set-top box rental fee and the IPTV line usage fee. For the Soundbar Black, the rental fee is 6,600 KRW per month, which is 2,200 KRW higher than the general UHD set-top box. Calculated over a 3-year contract, the total is about 240,000 KRW. Considering that soundbars typically cost from several hundred thousand to millions of KRW, this is relatively affordable. However, the requirement to maintain the LG Uplus IPTV line for 3 years can be a burden.

Since the service is in its early stages, there are some disappointing points. The biggest issue is the seemingly limited amount of free content. Although it is early in the launch, most content with Dolby technology is high-priced paid movies, which can cause cost concerns. Collaborating with online video services (OTT) such as Netflix, which are pre-installed on LG Uplus IPTV, to open a 'Dolby exclusive section' could be a good approach.