But real 4K video sources are still few and between, which means most of us will be watching content in good, old-fashioned "regular" high-def: 1,920x1,080 (1080i or 1080p) or 1,280x720 (720p), both of which have far fewer pixels than 4K.
Here's the problem. Your 4K TV has a resolution of 3,840x2,160 pixels. Pretty much all cable, satellite, streaming, gaming, Blu-ray and other video content is 1,920x1,080 pixels (which is called 1080p and 1080i) or 1,280x720 (called 720p).
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First is a 1,920x1,080-pixel portion of a photo I took. The second image is that same one, sized down to 540x304, then enlarged as to fill a 1,920x1,080 screen. I'm using these resolutions instead of 1080p/4K because the process is the same, this is easier to see, and 4K images would be larger than most computer screens.
So can good scaling make a 1080p image look good on a 4K TV? Compared to that same content badly upconverted, yes. In CNET's reviews of the better 4K TVs, we've found that 1080p Blu-ray upconverted to the 4K screens looks great, although not appreciably better than 1080p on a 1080p TV.
It's also worth noting just because content is in 4K resolution, that does not necessarily mean it's "good." I've seen some convincing demos where pristine upconverted 1080p content was shown on a 4K TV, side-by-side with the true 4K version of the same content on a second identical 4K TV. It was hard to tell the difference, even up close.
But that wasn't a real-world demo. In the real world, most content isn't pristine. In the real world, streaming 4K content from Netflix or Amazon can look worse than 1080p Blu-ray. CNET's hands-on comparisons of 4K streaming (and 4K from a Samsung UHD content pack and from Sony's 4K video player ) versus Blu-ray showed very little difference for the most part, and at times the Blu-ray looked better.
That depends on the TV. Will this older, lower-resolution content still be watchable on a 4K TV? Generally, yes. Some videophiles may balk, but for the most part the image will be soft, but not bad. But again, it can depend on the TV. Which brings us to...
Just because a TV is 4K doesn't mean it has a good scaler built-in. On cheaper 4K TVs, for instance, you probably save money because of a sub-par scaler. So in these cases, 1080p content probably won't look any better (and possibly worse).
Like any marketing, take the claims from TV manufacturers with a grain of salt. Good upconversion can improve the apparent detail in an image; I've seen side-by-side demos that make 1080p look nearly as sharp as 4K. Admittedly these were put on by a company which makes scalers, but the potential is there, just as it was in going from standard to high definition.
To get the most out of your 4K TV, you need good 4K content. There isn't a lot now, but there will be more soon. In the meantime, a TV with a good scaler can make 1080p look slightly more detailed, than it would on a similarly-performing 1080p TV. Presuming, of course, you're sitting close enough.
D-terminal is a connector type used mainly in Japan. The resolutions supported by D1 to D5 are as follows:D5: 1080p / 720p / 1080i / 480p / 480iD4: 1080i / 720p / 480p / 480iD3: 1080i / 480p / 480iD2: 480p / 480iD1: 480i
Set the resolution.Select all resolutions supported by the TV in use. Video will automatically be output at the highest resolution possible for the content you are playing from among the selected resolutions.* * The video resolution is selected in order of priority as follows: 1080p > 1080i > 720p > 480p/576p > Standard (NTSC:480i/PAL:576i).If [Composite / S Video] is selected in step 4, the screen for selecting resolutions will not be displayed.If [HDMI] is selected, you can also select to automatically adjust the resolution (the HDMI device must be turned on). In this case, the screen for selecting resolutions will not be displayed.
The jump to 4K resolution is an effective quadrupling of 1080p. At 3840 pixels across and 2160 up and down, 4K jams four times as much information into the screen, with a whopping total of over 8 million pixels. While not quite the standard, prices on 4K TVs in smaller sizes without higher-end connection ports such as HDMI 2.1 are widely available in the $300 range. While the highest-end 4K TVs reach towards $2,000 at the largest sizes, some of the best models of more modest dimensions are available at a shade under $1,000.
In typical US homes, the main HDTV is a Full HD (1080p) model, but it does not have the ability to stream content from the Internet, limiting your viewing choices to the offerings of your service provider, be it either broadcast, cable or satellite.
Roku comes in three flavors. The entry level Roku HD Streaming Player ($59.99 on Amazon.com) outputs 720p HD and has built-in Wi-Fi. The step-up Roku 2 XD ($76 on Amazon.com) will stream content up to 1080p Full HD resolution. The top-of the line Roku 2 XS ($96 on Amazon.com) adds an enhanced RF remote control for games, a full edition of the Angry Birds game and an Ethernet port for wired Internet connection.
The Apple TV MD199LL/A ($99 on Apple.com) is probably the best known media player. Unlike the previous model, the updated version will now output up to 1080p. You get Netflix as well as the iTunes Store to buy or rent TV shows and movies. It also permits streamed content including music from iTunes on your computer. Other streamers offer more movie services. The Apple TV sells for $90.98 from Amazon direct.
Western Digital makes two models. The entry version WD TV Live ($89.99 on Amazon.com) offers Netflix, Blockbuster and Hulu plus movie and TV services. The Western Digital WD TV Live Hub 1 TB Media Center ($169.99 on Amazon.com) adds a 1 terabyte hard drive for storing your own photos and home videos.
The Panasonic DMP-BDT220 ($129.99 on Amazon.com) is a 3D ready Blu-ray player and includes built-in Wi-Fi. Panasonic offers movie and TV content from Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu plus, CinemaNow and Vudu as well as apps, music, Skype video calls (with optional camera) and social networks. The LG BD670 3D Wireless Network Blu-ray Disc Player with Smart TV ($89.99 on Amazon.com) offers movie and TV content from Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu plus, Cinema Now and Vudu. This is a 2011 model.
The best 4K Blu-ray players are made to deliver the best picture quality you can get for watching movies and TV series. Streaming services are popular, but Blu-rays deliver video at a much higher bitrate than streaming services, bringing you more detail and realism.
You also need to consider compatibility and your current set-up. To make the most of a new 4K Blu-ray player you'll need a 4K TV, although it will still work on an HD display the picture quality will be limited to only 1080p.
When it comes to colour standards, HD TVs offer an 8-bit video specification known as Rec. 709, or BT.709. HDR steps up to 10- or 12-bit Rec. 2020, or BT.2020, which represents 60 times more colour combinations with smoother shade gradations. Those numbers don't really mean anything in themselves, they're just the standard defined by the ITU (International Telecommunications Union) but you'll often hear TV manufacturers saying that they conform to BT.2020, for example.
However HDR isn't linked to resolution, so there are some HDR-capable TVs that are full HD (1080p rather than 2160p), just as there are phones and tablets with HDR displays at a wide range of resolutions.
If you have an Ultra HD Blu-ray player, you'll likely find it has two HDMI connections on the rear so you can route video to the TV and audio your sound system directly to get around this. Of course, the most important thing is that your TV supports HDR - and if it does, it should have the right HDMI connection on the rear to support HDR inputs, although if you're streaming HDR content from the TV's own app, that doesn't matter.
HDR10 is a 10-bit video stream, over 1 billion colours, and if you have HDR-compatible devices, it will support HDR10. This is included in the specification defined by the Blu-ray Disc Association for those Ultra HD Blu-rays, and it's HDR10 support that's included in the Ultra HD Premium certification we've talked about.
Amazon announced in July 2015 that HDR content was available through its video service. It now offers episodes of its original series in HDR at no additional cost to paid Prime subscribers, as well as a lot of other content. You can access Amazon in HDR through TVs directly and via most streaming sticks and boxes.
Before we can clear up the confusion, we must establish two important things about video. First, you can't add detail beyond what is already in the source footage (you can synthesize information with image processing, but it doesn't actually add detail that isn't there; it only polishes it a bit). Second, the vast majority of video source footage doesn't exceed 60Hz. When you stream a movie online or watch a Blu-ray disc, you see a 1080p or 4K picture at up to 60 frames per second (fps), though it is more likely either 24 or 30fps.
Although motion smoothing can make movies and TV shows look strange, it can be helpful for live sports and video games. When you're watching sports, for example, and the camera pans quickly horizontally, you might notice choppiness or "tearing" (the effect in which part of the image seems to hang behind what's on the rest of the screen for a moment). This is a common issue related to how TVs draw frames. Motion smoothing can help reduce this effect with live sports without producing the soap opera effect as it would with with TV shows and movies captured at a lower frame rate.
Generally, if what you're watching involves seeing real people talk, disable the higher refresh rate so they don't look like creepy dolls. If what you're watching involves seeing real people run into each other (sports) or fake people attacking each other in an artificial environment (video games), enable the higher refresh rate mode. We recommend you set the refresh rate to a low or a medium level if you have the option, though; the most zealous motion modes can still make the picture look unreal. 2ff7e9595c
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