4K and you

Where are you at currently with 4K TV / media?

Here in the UK there is precious little 4K media available outside of Netflix and Amazon (or so I'm told). However, trying to buy a new non-4K TV today on the high street at any size over 40" is almost impossible! At a higher resolution lower res content must look pretty bad? I don't have access to much standard HD TV content without paying extra for the privilege let alone anything better, so what is the likelihood of getting 4K content any day soon?

As a cinema buff in my recent past I acquired over 1000 DVD's. I never "upgraded" to Blu-ray because even today in 2016 only a small percentage of my film collection is actually available in HD. With the promise of 4K Blu-ray around the next corner I was wondering what other members' thoughts are on the latest revolution in screen technology and are any of you fine people going to triple-dip with your most favourite movies? When will it end? 8K is coming soon so should I wait for 32K?

I could buy a 4K TV and wait......my DVD player up-scales superbly to 1080P at 60 Hz or "HD" but the TV would then need to further up-scale this to 4K, no? I am very happy with the picture quality of standard definition DVD's, given that quite a few are older movies / foreign and made with lower quality materials (fair amount are B/W too!) and quite a few are 4:3 format. I'm currently viewing on a Sony 1080P set.

I must admit though on the other hand that the potential for seeing Lawrence Of Arabia and 2001 in 4K definition is very tempting in a way that standard BD never was! Having said that, neither the hardware or the software has a street release date yet in the UK.

 

It's not really on my radar at the moment. When my current TV dies, I suppose it could be. I did receive my first email about 4K discs from Amazon this morning. While I like some of the titles listed, only one or two seemed to be "audio visual spectacular" type demo discs. I like PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, for instance, but I don't know if I see the value of looking at it in 4K. I haven't seen THE MARTIAN yet, but it was one of the titles listed. $30 for the 4K, $15 for the blu-ray.

Oddly enough, when I type 4K, I sometimes hit the shift key early and type $K. Telling?

 

I have seen The Martian and thought it was a good entertaining, if unspectacular film. I would possibly like to see it again but........it was shot in 2.8K I believe. Oh, the irony. At $30 you could buy 2 standard BD's for the price, agreed.

I like the "sign" that typing 4K can turn out to be $K. It is telling!

 

Meh. 2K is fine by me even w/using my projector and a 96" screen.

 

Join us here
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...g-about-buying-4k-equipment-read-this.492659/

 

Yes, it will upscale, but that won't make any real difference if you're viewing a 4k screen that's about the size of your non-4k screen and at the same 'normal' viewing distance. At a normal viewing distance, you simply cannot resolve individual pixels, be it HD or UHD (4k). So, that won't be an issue.

However, this year, TVs will offer a lot more than just 4k resolution (HDR, HFR, DCI-3 wide color, 10-bit color depths, etc) and these things will make a difference IFF you have the source material to feed in. However, while the UHD standard and players implementing it are now officially out, there is still very little such content available. This will remain for a while and the TVs themselves still need to fully implement all the features.

My advice would be to do nothing right now (unless you have to). As we're now in a transitional period, I would wait at least 12 months for things to settle down and keep an eye on things along the way to stay informed.

 

Bit like 3D a few years ago, there was no option all TVs came with the glasses, got to say they are still in the box.

 

Last summer I bought a Samsung plasma (51" F8500) and it's been everything I've ever wanted in a TV. Eventually I'll move up to OLED and I guess by then 4K will have worked out all the kinks, but as of now I'm just not a believer in it. I guess it offers an improvement, but I wonder if an OLED 1080p set would really pale in comparison. I think not.

 

There was a recent shootout between what is generally considered to be the best plasma (Panasonic TC-P60ZT60) and best OLEDs. The result was overwhelmingly in OLEDs favor. This kind of direct comparison you can only make when you have the TVs calibrated, side by side, being fed the same content.

In isolation, I'm sure no one would say that either TV type didn't have an excellent picture quality.

BTW, I have the same Samsung plasma too!

 

Do you have a link to that shootout? I'm really interested in reading about those results. I have no doubt that OLED smokes plasma, but I'm just not yet sold on 4K. I'd like to see a side-by-side comparison between OLED 1080p (if a set exists) and OLED 4K UHD.

 

Yes, it's in my previous post.

 

One of my former co-workers talked a lot about being a cinephile and anything he didn't catch in a theater he would buy on blu-ray so that he "could see it in the best quality possible." I thought that was interesting and while we were talking about TVs one afternoon, I mentioned that I had recently bought that plasma. He replied that plasma was "bad technology" and stated he would never buy one. I asked him to explain and he went into how plasma was "outdated" and how much he enjoyed his LED, which was $600 until he brought the price down to practically nothing after using a bunch of Best Buy coupons. I realized then that he was not nearly as smart as I had thought and indeed, all of my co-workers were idiots.

I have a feeling that he hasn't even calibrated his set.

 

The guy's an idiot. The only two things wrong with plasma: 1) they were hard to make, and 2) they cost more than equivalent-sized LCDs. In terms of quality, they were fine. I actually prefer OLED, but there's still some consistency and lifespan issues with them right now.

 

Not interested for a few years hopefully.
Who know plasmas may make a comeback like vinyl.

 

Same here. Missed the last of the Panasonics so had to bite. Great TV and in no hurry to get back into tv shopping.

 

Until OLED is finalized and tops plasma/CRT....I'm fine. Someday I'd like to try a high end Kuro or other plasma but right now despite its inherent issues, the image on my Sony xbr960 still surprises me.

 

I got an 80" a few years ago and it has a great picture. By the time it dies I'm hoping they have OLED perfected. I will go with whatever has the best picture at the time, and it will likely be 4K

 

Think 70" will be the new 50/55" in a few years, just like the 50" took over from the 32" wegas from 15 years ago.

 

Whether 55" or 70" becomes the new normal, there will be no 85"+ OLED which is affordable anytime soon. Plus, what about the 40% or so scope aspect blu-rays? UHD will become important for front projection in a few years and I've gotta wonder if that will be the time consumers (who watch tons of movies) begin to move away from the panel.

 

I have a Philips HD/LED-tv for about four years now and with a little luck 4K will be more standard when this one is worn out. I think the demonstrations are impressive, but at the moment I'd be glad if more tv-station transmitted in real HD instead of watered down/blown up stuff. When streaming capacity gets higher and memory space will be cheaper still, it will be great.

 

I'm fine right now with my old 50 inch Panasonic Plasma.

Next TV I get will be a 25K Holographic with Smellavision.....after the price comes down of course. Don't laugh, I'm sure it's already in the pipeline. It's just impossible it seems to stay current with TV's for any extended amount of time anymore.

 

True, but tech advances are good for informed consumers. So few are informed, but that isn't our fault. Affordable HDTV can be made easy by buying for size and quality at bargain prices and then paying an expert for an ISF calibration.

 

Don't forget to keep this distance chart in mind. You need to be sitting awfully close to see the full benefit if 4k. For example, on a 75 inch screen you need to be sitting 5ft or closer. When most folks make these decisions they are inches away from the screen at some showroom and it looks like a dramatic improvement. I just bought a new 75 inch TV and sit 13 feet away so I went with standard HD.

http://carltonbale.com/does-4k-resolution-matter/

 

won't be touching them until (a) the price decreases and (b) the technology becomes more prevalent

right now it holds no appeal to me

 

I just looked at a few 4K units at Best Buy earlier today. Was shocked to see a Samsung 40inch so cheap. My Philips 32" 720 is getting a little long in the tooth and want to see my options for a replacement in the bedroom. Saw a 43 inch Sharp there also and surprised that they weren't as big as I thought they would be. Guess I need to do some homework to see which is the best choice. Don't want anything swallowing up my room! I'm leaning towards 4K next for one reason the refresh rate. Didn't know the older 1080 panels are only 60...the same as the 720 ones.

One thing is for sure, when I AM ready, wish I could do a true evaluation instead of watching a damn test disc.