If you buy a 4K/UHD TV today.. what's the point?

[quikah]

There's no 4K content on cable/dish/netflix/webstreaming (99% of viewing). Hell, it's 2015, they don't even max out 1080p yet.

Netflix and amazon have been streaming 4K for almost a year now...

 

[StrangerGuy]

except that isn't even close to the same thing... did you consider the switch from 480p to 720p/1080p to be a gimmick? Its an increase of resolution, 3D was obviously just a gimmick. The increase from 1080p to 2160p is a straight up increase in the resolution, more pixels means crisper image. Sure it wont be as directly noticeable as the jump from 480 to 1080, but with 4k content you can easily see how it looks better than 1080p when directly compared, and I dont think anyone will complain when 4k becomes the standard in 4 years and it will be a bitch to even find a 1080p tv. Just as people don't bitch that it's hard to find 480p TVs new in 2015.

4K is less gimmicky than 3D for sure but adoption is still gonna mostly being offered as a standard feature than actual consumer demand.

 

[NutBucket]

Netflix and amazon have been streaming 4K for almost a year now...

So does Youtube but does that mean any of that content is higher quality than a blu-ray disc?

 

[mnewsham]

4K is less gimmicky than 3D for sure but adoption is still gonna mostly being offered as a standard feature than actual consumer demand.

I agree, I just dont think 4k is a gimmick in the way 3d was.

 

[maddogchen]

i can't really tell the difference at the Apple store when I watch 4k youtube videos on their 5k iMacs... Although their wifi can't keep up with the vid.

 

[quikah]

So does Youtube but does that mean any of that content is higher quality than a blu-ray disc?

Not really a fair comparison. It is better than the 1080 stream http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/4k-streaming-201404063713.htm

Whether it is enough to justify a 4K TV is debatable.

 

[ultimatebob]

Look at the bright point... they are stimulating the flagging Chinese economy!

 

[AdamK47]

PC gaming at 4K is glorious. That is, if you can get 60hz and maintain good framerates.

 

[Sonikku]

144hz > 4k

 

[AdamK47]

4k > everything else

 

[WaTaGuMp]

One point for those of us who wait, we get the better prices over the early adopters.

 

[Homerboy]

except that isn't even close to the same thing... did you consider the switch from 480p to 720p/1080p to be a gimmick? Its an increase of resolution, 3D was obviously just a gimmick. The increase from 1080p to 2160p is a straight up increase in the resolution, more pixels means crisper image. Sure it wont be as directly noticeable as the jump from 480 to 1080, but with 4k content you can easily see how it looks better than 1080p when directly compared, and I dont think anyone will complain when 4k becomes the standard in 4 years and it will be a bitch to even find a 1080p tv. Just as people don't bitch that it's hard to find 480p TVs new in 2015.

SOrry... I was sort of being sarcastic. I clearly understand the difference between the 2 and why they are a completely different sales pitch.

 

[_Rick_]

I get 4k, it's simply moar, and helps with getting bigger screens. Too bad projectors, where 4k would be properly at home, are still far from mainstream.

What I don't get is curved screens on flat-panel TVs.
There's no reason to do it, and you only introduce geometric distortion, and make mounting more awkward. Sure "it wraps around", but until your camera sensors/rendering projection surfaces are also curved, you're lowering image fidelity.

 

[JSt0rm]

That's also because people are cheap and/or don't understand that you need a big screen to enjoy watching it. When most people see our 65" TV (which we have about 9' from the sofa) they think it's too close when in reality that's proper viewing distance for good source material.

you should be 7' from that screen. Im like 5' from my 64" plasma. I want it bigger but wont get closer for pixel reasons.

 

[Imp]

What? They're not peddling 3D anymore?

 

[purbeast0]

That's also because people are cheap and/or don't understand that you need a big screen to enjoy watching it. When most people see our 65" TV (which we have about 9' from the sofa) they think it's too close when in reality that's proper viewing distance for good source material.

shit ... i'm 13 feet away from my 120 inch screen lol. wish i could have gone even bigger.

 

[NutBucket]

you should be 7' from that screen. Im like 5' from my 64" plasma. I want it bigger but wont get closer for pixel reasons.

Exactly my point. Closer would be OK but then the furniture layout would look funny

 

[CZroe]

For people with HTPCs there's plenty of 4K content on YouTube. We already know that the content is coming with 4K UHD BD and Netflix.

Wouldn't a 1080p source stretched to fit 4k however look as fuzzy as 480p upscaled to 1080p? I know whenever I saw the Nintendo Wii games playing on a 1080p kiosk in the store that they always looked like shit.

I got news for you: those PS3 and XBOX 360 games were scaled too. Only a few puzzle games and stuff supported 1080p. Many MAJOR titles were internally scaled from sub-HD resolutions (IIRC, think Halo 3 was 600p).

 

[Jumpem]

The limited 4k content available on Netflix looks amazing. Regular 1080i/p looks much improved upscaled. Beyond the resolution, sets with Wide Color Gamut (nano-crytals, etc.) and HDR offer even better visuals.

 

[mikeford]

For people with HTPCs there's plenty of 4K content on YouTube. We already know that the content is coming with 4K UHD BD and Netflix.

I meant content I want to watch, not amazing displays of what 4k is like, although some of that is nice, its not what I watch media for.

 

[JackBurton]

I'll wait for 8K

 

[purbeast0]

Netflix and amazon have been streaming 4K for almost a year now...

this is exactly why 4k is selling to general consumers - because they are ignorant like this guy and buy into marketing.

 

[Jumpem]

this is exactly why 4k is selling to general consumers - because they are ignorant like this guy and buy into marketing.

How is much improved picture quality just marketing?

 

[mnewsham]

How is much improved picture quality just marketing?

because in order to stream 4k they cut the bitrate to hell so the actual quality is lower, despite a larger resolution. It will be a few years before decent 4k streaming is going to happen.

 

[quikah]

because in order to stream 4k they cut the bitrate to hell so the actual quality is lower, despite a larger resolution. It will be a few years before decent 4k streaming is going to happen.

Proof? I linked a comparison article earlier, the 4k stream is superior.