Talks and listens: a new smart TV with QLED screen

"Yandex" has updated its first TV Station - the middle TV in the lineup. Compared to the previous generation, this TV has a QLED screen. Also inside is still full-fledged voice control and smart assistant "Alice". "Izvestia" among the first to test the new model with support for AI-functions.

What the new TV Station can do

The key feature of the new TV Station is the QLED screen. It supports full voice control and the functions of the smart assistant "Alice". The novelty will replace the existing model and will receive an expanded line of diagonals to meet the needs of even more people: 43, 50, 55 and 65 inches.

Among the key innovations - KSF QLED 4K Ultra HD display with a brightness of 450 cd/m², support for HDR10 and 60 Hz. Also available out of the box is Yandex's AI Picture Quality image enhancement technology. This feature is powered by AI. It appeared on TV Stations for the first time. So, the TV automatically determines what objects are on the screen right now: sky, sea, nature, people or architecture. Depending on the scene, special algorithms determine which set of settings is best for the moment and improve color reproduction, brightness, contrast and detail. As a result, skin tones become more natural and the colors of nature become richer and clearer. For each scene, the AI assistant tries to keep the colors as realistic as possible.

The feature works in online movie theaters and with videos via search on popular sites, as well as in games and with content on USB sticks or via HDMI. It is important to note that if a movie or TV series is encrypted with a copyright protection tool known as DRM, TV Station will not be able to analyze and improve such content. The option is disabled by default, but it can be enabled in the "Image" section of the settings. In total, three levels of image enhancement are available: low, medium and high.

Among other novelties - parental control functions. They include limiting the time of watching TV and video for a child's account and protection by pin-code transition from a child's profile to an adult one. Also, TV Station users have the ability to open sites in the browser using their voice. The first generation of TVs from Yandex does not support this feature.

Who will suit the new line of TVs

The second-generation TV Station runs on the YaOS X operating system, which, according to brand representatives, is constantly evolving and getting smarter with Alice. This means that every month the TV will have more and more new features. For example, for the past year there was a karaoke mode, a children's section with cool content for the youngest, Alice with the neural network YandexGPT, smart functions, remembering users by voice, calls to smart speakers, video search on the most popular sites, as well as new voice scripts for quick brightness control, turning off the screen, starting hockey and many other features.

The creators of smart devices also added new screensavers to the TV Station: masterpieces from the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery, works from the PAF exhibition: "All the flowers", New Year's Eve stories in the style of Soviet postcards and much more. In addition, you can connect a USB flash drive to the TV to watch movies or install third-party applications using an APK file.

Recommended retail prices for the TV vary from model to model - from 49,990 rubles for the version with a 43-inch screen to 84,990 rubles for the version with a 65-inch screen. However, it did not do without minuses - first, importantly, the new generation has a noticeable increase in cost. For example, the price for the first generation of TV Station with Alice on YaGPT with a 65-inch screen is 64 990 rubles, which is 20 thousand cheaper than the version with QLED. Secondly, a significant part of modern video content is DRM-protected, which in turn seriously limits the ability to improve the image with the help of AI.

It should also be noted that the novelty is hardly suitable for gamers because of the screen refresh rate of 60 Hz. It is not as comfortable as more modern solutions (120 and 144 Hz) for watching action movies or dynamic computer games, and also provides a less stable image. In other words, the TV Station is less suited for prolonged work at the TV if you use it as a PC-compatible monitor.

Sales of the new smart TV started on February 11, you need to install the "Home with Alice" app on your smartphone for a comfortable experience.