Is 4K Ultra HD really worth investing on?

[TatianaSummer]

what is your thinking about 4k Ultra HD. Do we really need it?

[tsmirandameadows]

In my opinion, higher resolution displays have historically always looked better in proportion with their resolution. However, there's always the possibility of diminishing returns, and without having seen a 4K display, it's hard to say if we've passed that point.

[LilyRox]

No, but companies will tell you different. The human eye has its limits and to be honest I doubt you could even tell the difference from 4k and 1080p sitting 10 feet away in a typical living room. In order for the human eye to see these little changes in the fine quality you would literally have to stand like a foot away from the tv (but isn't this what people at Best Buy and other sale places want you to do?). Many places use this trick to sell tv's on the spot then when you get it home it looks great, but it wasn't amazing like it was at the store. The reason why is because when you watch tv you don't watch a 60 inch tv a foot away from your face and because the number of pixels the human eye picks up is greatly reduced after stepping back several feet. The human eye has its limits in depth, distance, frames per sec, etc. While many places will rave about their product having 200+ frames per sec the true is the average human eye can barely tell the difference in quality after 60 frames per sec.

[Wendy Summers]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2006/12/resolution_chart.jpg

I don't know about you, but I'm not sitting more than 20 feet from a TV and never closer than 10 feet in ANY home I've ever lived in. 1080 is fine.

You're welcome.

[ILuvGurls]

No, but companies will tell you different. The human eye has its limits and to be honest I doubt you could even tell the difference from 4k and 1080p sitting 10 feet away in a typical living room.Maybe you should go down to Best Buy and see the difference......to me it's like the difference between standard def and high def.

Now I'm not saying that the price makes it worth it, because they are pricey, but you can see the difference in picture quality.....Also something to think about is what is the source of the picture that you are watching in the stores.

[GroobyKrissy]

I've checked out quite a few of these and there is definitely a difference.

That being said, the real question is, will the additional resolution make for a better (opinion) viewing experience that is worth the investment?

I would say, for about 98% of people, the answer would be "No". For the other 2% who are probably heavily into either gaming, nature programs, or sports, it will be worth it for the extra detail and larger screen sizes. Once console games start being made in 4K, I think that will help drive the market. Until then, I don't see this taking off any time soon.

[giovanni_hotel]

I agree with Lily. This is mostly a tech marketing gimmick. You see this all the time in earbud/headphone marketing.

They sell customers on these highly refined increases in audio playback, yet the human ear has a limited ability to 'hear' incremental fine tuning in headphone design.

Do I really need scientific research level resolution to watch reality TV, Frontline and the NFL??

Get back at me when these sets go for about $300 in 5-6 years.

[Jamie French]

All that ultra HD, high frame rate, 3D nonsense pisses me off. I want warmth and richness from the look of whatever film I'm watching not sharp, crisp video game bullshit.

[moonunit7]

For me, the more realistic it is, the better. If you can't see the difference between 4k and 2 k, you need to check your eyes and the same goes for 60Hz vs 240Hz. I want movies, shows and my computer screen as sharp and lifelike as possible, like looking out a window.

The problem these days is dynamic range. Our eyes have an amazing ability to see the dark areas and the bright areas simultaneously, but cameras don't even come close. This is why the darker areas on your TV look pixally and unclear. Once cameras begin to match displays in rez and dynamic range, will will have no need for 3D glasses.

I understand why some people prefer the old 24 fr and low rez, it's what they grew up watching and they're used to it. But for me, I get far more immersed in the movie if it looks like real life and not grainy and/or blurry, especially in action scenes.

I think porn is an area that would benefit from faster frame rates. It has lots of fast moving objects and usually looks blurry as a result (aside from the fact that most camera operators in porn have no idea how to operate a camera).

[LilyRox]

The problem is unless you have the money to put in a theater room in your house a 4k HD tv probably isn't worth it. 40 inch - 60 inch tv's are caught up in the middle of all this. These average sized tv's aren't big enough to give the average human eyes the enriched detail from sitting on the other side of the room. You would actually see more detail if you were to get around a 22 inch just because you would be more inclined to sit closer to the tv. So unless you want to buy a mini tv or a HUGE tv it may not be the results you're looking for. These stores that sell these tv's make sure they put these tv's in a very narrow pathway, pretty much forcing you to view the tv's detail right next to your face or looking at the tv's so far across the store you would be inclined to walk over because it's too far to see the detail.

[Jamie French]

Yuck. If I want the look of reality I'll stare out the window or at whatever is right in front of me. Proper film at 24fps has a unique and dream like quality to it. It's a living painting, a dream, frigging' perfect for story telling.

All that other garbage turns people's hard work and effort into video clarity, daytime television, Telemundo lookin' crap.


For me, the more realistic it is, the better. If you can't see the difference between 4k and 2 k, you need to check your eyes and the same goes for 60Hz vs 240Hz. I want movies, shows and my computer screen as sharp and lifelike as possible, like looking out a window.

The problem these days is dynamic range. Our eyes have an amazing ability to see the dark areas and the bright areas simultaneously, but cameras don't even come close. This is why the darker areas on your TV look pixally and unclear. Once cameras begin to match displays in rez and dynamic range, will will have no need for 3D glasses.

I understand why some people prefer the old 24 fr and low rez, it's what they grew up watching and they're used to it. But for me, I get far more immersed in the movie if it looks like real life and not grainy and/or blurry, especially in action scenes.

I think porn is an area that would benefit from faster frame rates. It has lots of fast moving objects and usually looks blurry as a result (aside from the fact that most camera operators in porn have no idea how to operate a camera).

[goatman]

Can't I just smoke a joint or get really smashed on 1800 for the same effect?

[lifeisfiction]

I will disagree with some statements. HD is not a new concept. Film is a much higher resolution than HD. Even IMAX and Theater projectors are in higher resolution anything found in the home market. You don't need to sit close or far to see resolution, it depends the signal coming into the TV, the better source the more noticeable the change. There is a huge difference at 720p than 1080p. There is the same for 4k if you know what to look for. Does that mean I should go and buy a 4k. No, you need a source that can play in 4k. Plus 4k is low, 8k will be the standard so any investment in 4k will be more of a waste of money. 4k and 8k is being pushed ahead of schedule. Move when they actually make the amount of products to support the market for better resolution. 4k and 8k televisions where available in Korea last year around this time for 20k. Sleep easy. Just wait till 8k gets pushed to market next year fall with television and movie playing devices capable of playing 4k and 8k.

[bluesoul]

i prefer good storytelling to better frame rates. watching a shit movie in ultra hd doesn't make the story any better, it just makes it clearer shit.

[flabbybody]

my TV still works pretty well

[lifeisfiction]

i prefer good storytelling to better frame rates. watching a shit movie in ultra hd doesn't make the story any better, it just makes it clearer shit.

Nothing couldn't be any truer.

[hiten369]

what is your thinking about 4k Ultra HD. Do we really need it?

it's probably not worth it YET because a lot of the media that we use like video games and movies aren't made for that kind of resolution. In another few years you might see a few games rendered at 4k. There just isn't enough demand for it yet because the content isn't there yet.

[kukm4]

4K Ultra HD: Home Theater Geeks 174 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiBYyNFveg4)

Here is a small clip about 4k Ultra HD on Home Theater Geeks.

[TatianaSummer]

LOL my god... I just wanted an opinion. LOL :):) :ignore: :yayo: