The Art Mode TV:
A Case Study in Wall Art 2024
By Devices and Delight staff
Are you an art enthusiast looking to buy a TV? If so, then you might wish to consider an Art Mode TV, a high-tech device that doubles as wall art. Just how a television set hanging on your wall would qualify as art, is the subject of this article.
What is Art Mode?
Available only on high-end TVs, and not to be mistaken for a screensaver, the Art Mode feature enables you to display a still image of your choice, be it a painting, photo, graphic, or any other artwork. Thus, when it’s not in regular television mode, the TV becomes de facto wall art.
Central to Art Mode technology are two improvements on 4K and 8K HDTV OLED panel design: a glare-free matte screen and a built-in sensor to adjust picture brightness. These innovations ensure that the displayed works of art appear almost like the real thing. And that in essence is Art Mode television: simulation of wall art.
To reinforce the wall-art concept, all Art Mode TVs are characteristically thin, very flat, and with sides designed to take magnetic bezels for a framed-art effect.
Special Features
Every Art Mode TV is smart. Besides standard smart qualities, Art Mode TVs are loaded with an array of other impressive marks, including the following:
- Art Mode TVs have an ambiance feature that automatically adapts picture brightness to the room’s ambient lighting, thus enhancing the artwork’s realistic appearance.
- Most models have a built-in motion sensor that can switch on and off the art mode functionality by detecting movement within the room.
- Ambient Mode on Samsung models allows the TV to visually blend into the host wall by copying it. This feature can also display various moving images when the TV is not in regular use.
- Many models come with an integrated voice assistant, which allows you to control the TV via voice commands.
- On Art Mode, you can display not only free pre-loaded stock art, but also your own photos, graphics, or purchased artwork.
- These TVs do not burn-in.
- And thankfully, Art Mode TVs have low power consumption when in art mode.
Location and Size
The bigger the Art Mode TV set, the greater the artistic impression. If your living room or family room has the wall space, and other things being equal, go for a big screen, say in the range of 65 to 85 inches, for maximum artistic effect. Although smaller sets are available, we wouldn’t recommend much less than 42 inches.
4K HDR or 8K HDR
Art Mode TVs are either 4K HDR resolution or 8K HDR, although the latter is still rare. These resolutions provide very high-quality, bright images with rich colour and great detail, whether in regular TV viewing or art mode.
TV Panel Type
Samsung, the market leader, as is the case with standard sets, makes QLED Art Mode TVs. Another major brand is LG, which produces OLED Art Mode. Both QLED and OLED technologies offer great picture quality.
Ports
Every Art Mode TV set has HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and USB ports for connectivity to external devices such as laptops, DVDs, Blu-ray, Ultra HD players, media streamers, smartphones, and game consoles. On some models, these ports are located on an interface box that (conveniently and aesthetically) connects all external multimedia to the TV set by a single cable.
Audio System
Unlike standard flat-screen TVs, the Art Mode is designed with high-quality sound, which is even better if the set is connected to a soundbar. Some models are now compatible with state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos technology.
Brands
Art Mode TV is a relatively new and expensive innovation. Patronage is therefore restricted mostly to art lovers with deep pockets, something that seems to discourage many brands from entering the market. Samsung, LG, and Sony are the leading brands. Samsung models include The Frame TV and Ambient Mode TV, whereas LG offers the Gallery Mode TV.
Mounting
Mounting a big-screen TV on the wall is hardly a casual matter. Certainly not your ordinary DIY task. Having spent so much of your hard-earned cash on a high-tech masterpiece, the last thing you want is a mishap. We, therefore, advise that you involve experienced hands to mount your Art Mode TV, unless you yourself happen to be an expert.
The mounting process involves not only correctly positioning the TV on the wall, but also concealing the connection cabling. If the set is mounted to a wood-framed wall, and cabling is concealed within the wall cavity, then expert installation becomes even more critical in order to avert fire issues.
There is also the problem of cable clutter. To counter this, Samsung uses the One Connect Box concept, where a single multimedia cord runs from an external media receiver to the TV. But if mounting is to a masonry or concrete wall, then the TV might not be parallel to the wall, and cabling would inevitably run on the surface, albeit aesthetically concealed in a conduit.
Price
Whatever the brand, all Art Mode TVs are expensive, but well worth it. After all, we are not talking about just any TV set. This is wall art. Something that will instantly connect sophistication. With prices ranging from about US$500 to US$5,000, buying one of these TVs is very much akin to spending on a traditional painting.
Extended Warranty
Every new TV comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty against defects in materials or workmanship. But on top of that, a dealer will offer an extended warranty for the period after the factory warranty has expired. Such a warranty is always a good idea, one you want to consider in the same light as insurance for other household items.
Final Word
With Art Mode TV, not only do you get multimedia entertainment. You also elevate your home’s aesthetic soul with great wall art to cherish and enjoy.
Author: Devices and Delight staff