You may be sitting in front of your HDTV quite content with the 1080p (or near 2K) picture resolution. Manufacturers, however, are hard at work on the next big thing, with both Sony and Toshiba announcing 4K sets that will be available by the end of the year. Here are some reasons why super-high resolution 4K and 8K technologies in development won't matter in the near future…
This is an age of technological advancement on the video front, with manufacturers and researchers exploring the next frontier in digital resolution with 4K and even 8K formats. Your standard 1080p HDTV set has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 — near 2K pixel resolution. 4K contains over twice that resolution with 4096x2160 pixels, and similarly 8K is twice that with resolutions of (7680x4320).
Directors and movie studios are excited about 4K because the upgraded resolution meets the quality of film scans (typically at 2000 horizontal lines). 4K cameras and projectors are already used in the industry, and even 4K movies have been released to limited markets. Just like the 3D technology before it, 4K is starting to trickle into the home space via projectors and dedicated sets. 8K is still in its infancy, and may be one of those technologies that the public won't fully adopt until it's available and interesting applications are designed for it.
I've had the chance to view a few of these technologies at the last CES, and although there clearly was a surprising amount of detail and sharpness, the picture didn't 'pop' like some 1080p counterparts. Sharp's 8K set (shown above) had a persistent pink color cast and the overall brightness and contrast were lacking as well. Like an old military shirt or hoodie, the color itself was muted and washed out. 4K HDTVs at the Toshiba and Samsung booths also lacked the depth of OLED sets at lower 1080p resolutions.
At a typical viewing distance our standard 1080p HD is very near Retina display quality
Another big factor, and why 4K and 8K sets may have a hard time gaining traction in the home space, is viewing distance. You'll notice in a lot of press images for 4K and 8K sets, that the viewer is standing right in front of the screen. You really need to be that close to notice the extra pixel density. For most consumers that is just not a feasible viewing distance for the living room.
Some 4K booths had ropes in front of them, not allowing you to get close, and for those the difference between 4K and standard HD was barely noticeable. That's because at a typical viewing distance our standard 1080p HD set is very near Retina display quality, "Retina display" being a term coined by Apple to define a resolution where the human eye cannot resolve individual pixels at a typical viewing distance.
Resolution isn't everything. You need to consider brightness, contrast, the quality of the screen panel, and viewing distance.
When these technologies start making their way to market this year, hold your breath. Just like when choosing an HDTV set, resolution isn't everything. You need to consider brightness, contrast, the quality of the screen panel (which affects viewing angles and color shift), and viewing distance.
I saw dozens of TVs at CES all with the same 1080p resolution but vastly different overall picture quality. Again, brightness, contrast, and panel technology were the key differentiators. Unfortunately, we can't line up and choose a set from the specs either, because manufacturers often exaggerate their numbers. You really have to rely on reviews and in-person demo — you really have to see these things for yourself to believe it and make the best choice.
(Images: 1. Techlife 2. Cnet 3. MSN Canada)
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My best guess is that until content producers such as movie studios and television stations output in a higher resolution, it would not matter to the public with fancy 4k 8k screens....
Netflix streaming won't work with super intensely high resolution videos because of buffering and download times....
If a standard HDTV is great, why re-invent it to make it "greater" and more data heavy, while not improving the quality at all?
The question is going to become-how close will we want to sit from the TV? At 4K resolution, one would have to sit quite close in order to notice a difference and I doubt many of us want to sit that close.
We're only just coming to the end of the first wave of HDTV adoption (I'm sure there are still some holdouts with their cathode ray tube sets), and 3d HDTV has pretty much flopped, I just don't see anyone but the most cutting edge early adopters going for these 4K/8K screens, the tech and content isn't ready yet, and the price will remain astronomically high for quite sometime to come.
Picture quality be danged...what I don't understand is why the current top-of-the-line televisions have such poor sound. You shouldn't have to buy a separate sound system (even though people do). I don't want a home theater -- I just want to be able to hear the dialog clearly.
Rural, that's the catch! Shhh
I specifically only got a 55" for the bedroom because on the larger panels the pixels were clearly visible at 2 meters or so away.
Even at 55" I still can see a banding effect across some colours because of the way that most LCDs work with 2 half pixels per pixel.
Things I want to see before any 4k device is approved for sale:
- some kind of enforced standard for contrast and colour performance measurement
- sanely designed menus (with comprehensive options) and remotes
These should have been figred out in time for the second generation of plasma/LCD TVs, but they're still a problem even now.
If it is bigger and more expensive then someone in my family will be buying one.
The more HDTV advancements come out, the more I feel like a luddite for hanging on to my 32" tube from the '90s that's still working just fine. Someday I'll cough up the $400 or so for a 40" 1080p unit.
Interesting & informative post which is always appreciated. Thanks. That said...
No, the question is not how close one wants to sit to the tv, rather it's how current one wants to appear to be and how willing one is to loosen the grip on his wallet. Honestly, I don't know whether to laugh, scratch my head or cry at those who must, even beyond their means, *keep up with the Jones's.* And all for the sake of appearances.
Technology is a WONDROUS thing but it's not be be-all and end-all of our happiness and fulfillment.. Really LIFE is more important. (and, btw, where are all the tv-banishing AT members here? guess they all skipped over this post?. Not to bash them....I'd banish the tv in my home if I had sole authority but I'm only half of a whole).
I'm likely twice the age of the techie's here. Doesn't mean I don't keep up with the latest tech. I might be older than dirt to most of you but my head is not buried in the sand. That said...anyone else here old enough to recall the 2-head vs 4-head vcr? The other half just HAD to have one. And I mean immediately, despite the fact they were triple the cost of the outdated version. I was furious but by the grace of God, managed to keep my mouth shut. Hooked the old & the new up side by side & asked the other half if his new toy was worth the $. He went on & on about the AMAZING quality of the latest tech to justify his purchase...
Yup...he was *raving* about the OLD tech...couldn't distinguish the dif. BUT he was 'cool' (an aintiquated term but appropriate then, uh-huh). When dvd's/dvr's took first place, I went on the rampage in advance. Fwiw, he other half eventually got the dvr for Christmas....AFTER the initial price dropped by two-thirds.
And yeah, any guest here who wants to watch tv in bed after the household has settled in for the night is stuck with a crt. The tv in the family room is top of the line....as of this time last year. I don't see that changin anytime soon...
I find this whole topic exhausting..just sayin'
I've heard this same old argument before. There are still plenty of people out there who claim they can't see the difference between 720p and 1080p.
These people all need glasses.
I'm still not totally convinced that HD matters.
How many people do you know who watch standard definition cable channels stretched on their HD set? Are we getting more enjoyment from a Blu-Ray disk then a DVD? If HD was so important to gaming, then why is the Wii the best selling system?
I enjoy HD content as much as the next guy, but I don't think people care that much about higher resolution.