What is Ultra HD or 4K TV?
Ultra HD (4K), or Ultra High Definition, is the next big step in HDTV resolution. An Ultra HD television is defined as one the that displays at least 8 million active pixels. This is around four times what your current 1080p set can display. This brings your TV viewing experience to a new level.
Why is it called 4K?
Because the images are around 4,000 pixels wide (1080p resolution was named after height).
Do I need all of those pixels?
More pixels means more information. More information means sharper pictures. You will experience stunning colors, deep contrasts, incredible brightness and so much more nuance and detail.
Will I see a big difference?
When most people went from a 480 to 1080p set, there was a good chance they were making a big jump in both TV size and resolution. This time screen sizes are staying about the same, with the most popular models falling in the 40-70 inch range (currently all available 4K Ultra HD TVs are in excess of 50 inches). You might feel less of a thrill than when you upgraded from your old CRT to a flatscreen, but you will definitely appreciate the noticeably sharper picture.
Should I sit closer?
Yes! The ability to get up close to the screen without the image breaking down is one of the most exciting things about 4K. Sitting closer allows the same sized screen to fill more of your field of vision, making it a more immersive experience. You can comfortably watch a much larger screen from the same seating position as your current Full HD panel.
Is content available:
Netflix is the first content provider to release HDR (high dynamic range) video in 2015. Netflix is testing the 4K streaming waters with select shows (House of Cards, Breaking Bad, The Blacklist) and films (Ghostbusters, The Smurfs2) if you own a Samsung, Sony or LG 4K TV and have a 25Mbps internet connection. In addition, Amazon recently announced that it would begin streaming 4K content to TVs by select manufacturers in October.
Because every 4K fame contains four times the information of HD, 4K content is four times more bulky than regular HD content in terms of raw file size. That makes it a challenge to get it to you. Broadcast TV hasn’t made the 4K switch yet (it’s only recently that hard drive sizes have gotten big enough to manage DVRing HD programs comfortably).
Should I buy a 4K TV now?
If you want the best TV right now, then 4K is it! It is awesome and programming will increase over the next couple years. It is similar to the transition a few years back with the move to HD.
