So where exactly does one get 4K (3840 x 2160) content?

Keith Walters · August 10, 2014

I was perusing the latest offerings of glossy mailbox stuffing in my 3' x 5' single-seat reading room earlier today, and it seems like everybody is suddenly gung-ho to sell "Quad HD" TV sets, in frighteningly large screen sizes, for around 1/4 the price a "name" brand 40" Plasma cost 8 or so years ago.

So, what exactly do you DO with the bloody things, as in: "What do you do that you can't do equally well with your existing vin ordinaire 1920 x 1080 model?"

If it was a really huge screen (80 - 100 inches or so), well, yes, the finer pixel pitch would be some advantage if you insisted on sitting close up to the screen, but other that, where are you going to get video with anything like that resolution?

The only thing I can think of is a high-end video card in a recent model computer, but the only thing that could really show is "4K" stills. There are supposedly stills cameras that shoot "4K video", but if they're anything like most of the "Full HD" models I've seen, what you will invariably get is 2K or less in a 4K container.

I notice that every one of the ads has a little disclaimer pointing out that at present, there are no "UDTV" broadcasts, either over the air or on Australian cable....

Onto another page they have their budget model DVD players, with the note to the effect that: "If you only have an old CRT TV, these are the models for you...."

Quite a few people simply refuse to believe that anybody watches CRT TVs any more. Actually, for a sizable part of the Western World's population, Digital TV never really happened, they've been on PAL/NTSC via cable for many years, and a lot of them still are.

Michael LaVoie · August 10, 2014

I think for now 4K is just a marketing gimmick that educated consumers know is bullshit. You can't really see the difference on a TV sitting back far away on your couch. But for us in production, it's useful on a computer monitor for checking focus and that sort of thing.

I'm still trying to find a 4K computer monitor that's actually 4096x2160. Since I just ordered a DCI4K camera. I like the new 21:9 ratio widescreen monitors but LG is still dragging their heels on the only true 4K model they announced. Even the UHD 34" is still not available here in the states. Been taking forever. I can order a foreign model but I want to hold out for the 4096 version.

Seems like everything in the computer monitor realm is stuck at UHD. I'd love to be able to fullscreen 4K content that's 4096x2160. The only projectors that are true 4K are Sony's line that exceed $10,000 easily. JVC's "eshift" 4K projectors are kind of a ridiculous effort at upscaling 1080. Even the Redray laser projector is going to be in the $10K range.

So there's another problem in that even if there were content, there's no viable way to actually see it. Not yet anyway. But try arguing that point to filmmakers out there who are under the Red 4K marketing spell that was cast so many years ago.

With so many lowcost 4K options out there now, and cell phones that can shoot 4K, when are we going to see an affordable projector? Cause a home theater projector is really your only hope of noticing the increase in resolution.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Michael LaVoie

Chad Lancaster · August 10, 2014

I think for now 4K is just a marketing gimmick that educated consumers know is bullshit. You can't really see the difference on a TV sitting back far away on your couch.

yes you can. You can watch UHD on netflix, youtube, redray, theres some other boxes out there

Edited August 10, 2014 by Chad Lancaster

Jeremy Parsons · August 11, 2014

yes you can. You can watch UHD on netflix, youtube, redray, theres some other boxes out there

Just because you can download it doesn't mean you can WATCH it in 4K. My retina display is still only 2880 x 1800 and resolves way better than my corrected vision can at 3'. My parents still watch on a CRT.

Consumer manufacturers need to push new gear to stay in business. It doesn't matter if it's something the consumer doesn't even need.

Alan Duckworth · August 12, 2014

It's in the mail - literally. One of my sons sells home theatre product for one of the major electronics retailers. They have 4K TVs on demo of course [including a new curved screen model]. Within the last hour he received by courier a 4Gb flash drive from Sony with real 4K content on it. Guess how they have been demoing the 4K TVs up until now.