"AI Provides Customized Sound" LG Uplus Launches 'UHD4' Set-Top Box

AI Sound System Delivering Customized Spatial and Content Audio
Collaboration with LG Electronics from Design Stage

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] LG Uplus announced on the 20th that it has launched the 'UHD4' set-top box, which provides optimized sound tailored to space and content.

The 'UHD4', a standard set-top box, is a new product released three years after its predecessor, the UHD3. Although it is a basic model without built-in speakers, it is the first IPTV device to feature a high-performance AI chip, delivering high-quality sound comparable to the latest TVs even on older TV models.

LG Uplus collaborated with LG Electronics from the product design stage to enhance audio quality. By utilizing the AI sound features embedded in the UHD4, customers can experience sound optimized for the space where they watch TV. When TV sound collected through the microphone on the remote control is transmitted to the set-top box, the high-performance AI chip inside compares and analyzes millions of data points to automatically adjust the sound optimized for the customer's viewing environment.

A function that emphasizes the voices of characters so they can be heard clearly without increasing the volume has also been introduced. Through a 'virtual 5.1 channel' that simulates sound from five speakers and one woofer, even older TVs can deliver immersive audio. The device also includes a feature that automatically adjusts volume differences between live broadcasts and video-on-demand (VOD) content. This will eliminate the inconvenience of customers suddenly startled by loud volume and hastily searching for the remote control.

The processing speed of the set-top box has also improved. The central processing unit (CPU) in the UHD4 is about 2.3 times faster than its predecessor, the graphics processing unit (GPU) is about 1.9 times faster, and the memory (RAM) has improved by about 1.5 times. A newly added neural processing unit (NPU) enables AI computations. This allows customers to use U+tv services as well as online video services (OTT) such as YouTube, Netflix, and Disney+ more stably and quickly.

The UHD4 supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos so that users of the latest TVs can enjoy high-quality content more vividly. Dolby Vision provides visuals as if seeing the world inside the TV right in front of you, while Dolby Atmos delivers sound from all directions including height, creating an immersive audio experience as if you are inside the movie scene. Installation is separate.

The rental fee for the UHD4 set-top box is 4,400 KRW per month based on a three-year contract, the same as the existing UHD3. Customers using previous generation set-top boxes can also exchange them without additional cost through customer service.

Geonyeong Lee, Head of Media Services at LG Uplus, said, "As media viewing time at home has increased due to COVID-19, we planned this product to meet customers' expectations for the most important elements of TV viewing: picture and sound quality." He added, "Through the premium set-top box Soundbar Black released last year and the UHD4 for general customers, we will provide an outstanding media experience in any viewing environment."