Is it worth getting a 4K TV?

[vito]

I see a lot of the newer TV's are advertised as 4K, and the demo playing in the store (in 4K) is really impressive. But will the TV I watch through my cable box be of this high quality, even with a so-called 4K box from the cable company? What about Blue Ray DVD's? My current flat screen Samsung is pretty nice, but honestly, what I was looking at in the store on the 4K TV was mind blowing in its color and detail. I just wonder if watching movies on Netflix, or On Demand TV programs, or TV shows recorded on the DVR will really look what I saw in the store, or look more like what I already have.

 

[exavid]

I replaced our old 1k TV with a new Samsung 65" 4k TV. Magnificent! There isn't a lot of 4k available on the usual channels though the system does some electronic upgrading that improves the picture over the 1080HD but on Youtube there are some beautiful videos in 3k. I was watching a video on Youtube that was a travelog in various parts of the world that had spectacular detail and color. I don't do much of Netflix because there are so few movies I want to watch so I can't say for sure but since Youtube does it I'm sure the other sources other than the usual networks do some 4K broadcasting.
In my opinion my 4k isn't as big a jump as when I first went to 1k HD but it's still a worthwhile improvement. Also I'm pretty sure there is going to be a growing amount of 4k broadcast if the networks and such want to keep current with new trends. I give it a thumbs up!

 

[Conservative]

Is such broadcasting generally available or ...?

Yeah, I can afford it, but won't bother if it's sparely broadcast.

 

[pisgah]

I'll be honest with you. We had two TVs; one died. The second seems to be on its last legs now ... and honestly, I can't wait for the !@#$% thing to croak. When it does, that's it for me and TV. The programming's gotten so crappy that there's absolutely no reason to have one.

 

[Conservative]

There's a lot of good tv.

Alaska Frontier and a lot of good cooking shows.

Live PD is great.

I don't know what you're watching, but there's good stuff out there.

 

[gasbag]

I'll be honest with you. We had two TVs; one died. The second seems to be on its last legs now ... and honestly, I can't wait for the !@#$% thing to croak. When it does, that's it for me and TV. The programming's gotten so crappy that there's absolutely no reason to have one.

I'm with you.
We dropped cable 2 years ago.
My I.Q. went up 43 points in the first month.
It's up to 67 now. :mrgreen:
We have one tv in the bedroom now and have Netflix.
We watch one episode of mostly British crime dramas each night.
I don't miss cable one bit.
Especially the screaming talking heads on the news shows.

 

[exavid]

Take a look at this video on vimeo. It isn't crappy. Bush pilots of Ketchikan. A friend of mine (Dale Clark) got his mug in it. He built an Avid Flyer after he flew mine. He flew DeHavilland Beavers on the job and his Avid for fun.
https://vimeo.com/79908357

 

[Mobuck]

Not to me. I'm happy with a $200 Sony.

 

[mohavesam]

"...what I was looking at in the store on the 4K TV was mind blowing in its color and detail." (The TVs playing on display are cranked way up in color and sharpness, usually running videos in HD with vibrant panoramic... y'know this).

I can't find any 4K TVs without "smart" features. A Smart TV is a two-way device, actually sending information (about you) to various companies, so that they can profile you and send you advertising endlessly... as well as sell your info as-collected to other unknown entities.

Not a conspiracy nut here; my IT daughter advised against agreeing to be monitored by unknowns. Remember the TV listens too!

I look for "non-Smart TV, until I learn ho to disable the worst features. I'm happy with what we've got today.

 

[rugerguy211]

4K? I thought you were talking about the price of a new TV!

If 4K is the latest thing, I say no to the purchase unless you are replacing a dead TV.
In 6 months there will be something even better.
On the other hand, I still use a flip phone, so what do I know about technology.

 

[Conservative]

"On the other hand, I still use a flip phone, so what do I know about technology."

Me too.

 

[hdonlybob]

Ha Ha,
I am old...as when I read your post I thought you meant is a TV worth $4K as in Thousand Dollars ....
My immediate reaction was NOT
Geesh, Ol' HD is losing it.. LOL
Cheers

 

[Pat-inCO]

How much money do you want to waste?

IF you have enough to spend on that,
AND you like your information passed on to others (you don't know)
AND you have all the ammo you can ever use
(you see the trend there?)

It's your money.
I'll use mine for something else. :roll:

 

[7p's]

You need to call your cable provider - I seriously doubt any providers have 4K programming - I've checked with Comcast and Cableone, neither has 4K. Netflex has a couple movies that are in 4K, but I don't know their names or listed category - overall, you're just spending more money that you need to, if you purchase a 4K unit over the non-4K unit, which will give you the same quality picture the vast majority of time spent watching television. That said, I purchased a 4K unit a year ago betting on the come, which isn't coming.

 

[Rei40c]

I honestly wonder how much the human eye really needs. I've been completely satisfied with 1080p. I really don't personally feel a need for anything better. I think 4k may be a case of technology outpacing humans. Our eyes at the end of the day are only sensors with limits. While 4k no doubt is slightly better I don't think the amount of improvement is worth a large investment. And this trend will continue as the returns get smaller and smaller, while technology bounds beyond us.

 

[SamV]

For me, I would only buy one when one of mine dies. The prices have really dropped on them and they are nice, but I am too cheap to upgrade.
As far as smart TVs go, I am not enthusiastic about them. But if you have any service, cable or dish, I can assure you that they know everything that you watch or search.
Many decades ago, we were a Nielson family. They installed a monitoring system for our tv. We had it for about a year and they made it financially worthwhile. Now everyone is providing tv viewing info through their provider. Really the only ones that are not are those that only use over the air broadcast antennas.

 

[Conservative]

I with Rei40c on this.

Diminishing returns for maximum dollars.

1080 was good enough for Grandpa, so it's good enough for me.

Kidding aside, I'd like to see a side by side view of a 1080 vs a 4K as I haven't a clue what a 4K broadcast looks like.

I also ask (again) how much programming is available to be viewed in 4K and what might it be?

Pro wrasslin, nah, not for me.

Nascar, no thanks.

Netflix movies, yeah.

 

[Pat-inCO]

I think 4k may be a case of technology outpacing humans.

I'll disagree.
I think it is MARKETING outpacing humans. :roll:

.

 

[vito]

Well, yesterday I said "why not" and plunked down $1500 for a highly rated LG brand OLED 4K TV (highly rated by Consumer Reports) that was $800 below MSRP. Got it home, hooked it up, and it was TERRIBLE! The picture was far too dark (with no way to manually adjust the brightness, only a selection of "picture modes") and no sharper than my older Samsung flat screen that is not LED nor 4K. I was really, really disappointed. So after a few hours I packed it back up and will be returning it to Target later this morning. With the money I "saved" I now think I am obligated to at least buy a gun for "only" $600-800 as a consolation to my hurt feelings.

 

[powder smoke]

Was time for a new TV we Just got a 4K a week ago. Must say it has an amazing
picture. Sad part it will be old technology in about a week. ps

 

[GLASSMAN]

With the money I "saved" I now think I am obligated to at least buy a gun for "only" $600-800 as a consolation to my hurt feelings.[/quote]

Yep. Thats MY way of thinking.

 

[Conservative]

If a broadcast is done in 1080 will a 4K improve it or will come out the same as a 1080?

 

[vito]

When I said the picture was terrible on the OLED 4K set I bought I was referring to more than just the live TV coming through the Comcast provided Xfinity DVR/cable converter. I also tried a Netflix movie via my Roku, and a movie on a Blue Ray disc. All shared the same dark and not amazingly sharp image. I have no idea how much, if any, of what comes to me via cable is in 4K format, but channel searching for a couple of hours, sampling sports, a National Geographic travel type show, and a movie on HBO all led to the same, disappointing conclusion.

To powder smoke: what did you watch that was so good in 4K? Maybe I was premature in running this set right back to the store the next day, but I was angry at spending that much money and not immediately seeing something better than my several year old 50 inch flat screen LCD Samsung TV. I am still a bit bummed out by this whole experience because the image showing on the TV at the store was the most amazing thing I have ever seen on a TV screen, and what I got at home was nothing remotely like it. My guess is that what was shown in the store was coming from a flash drive or something similar that contained data specifically made to optimize the set's capability but nothing like what is received from the cable TV company.

 

[Acorn]

My guess is that what was shown in the store was coming from a flash drive or something similar that contained data specifically made to optimize the set's capability but nothing like what is received from the cable TV company.

I think that definitely is the case. I think the images are "sweetened" and the tv's tweeted to give a misleading expectation.
That being said Sam's had a UHDEF tv on display that was nothing short of amazing to me at least. It looked as though you could reach inside and touch what you were seeing.
For now my old Sony Wega 32" gives very nice picture. When it dies who knows what will be available.

 

[7p's]

In the store you're watching a 4K Movie - that's what 4K is suppose to look like if & when your cable provider starts broadcasting in 4K, which they currently aren't. I think you can purchase some movies that are being produced in 4K.

I have no earthly idea why Vito got a lemon right off the bat, as a 4K set should have the very same brightness control as his ole set, although it might be a little challenging learning how to master those controls in that "smart television". I still don't have much of a clue, so when nothing seems to work for me, I call 911 Grandkids or my wife for assistance.

Some kids who have watched some programs on Netflix with my 4K Samsung curved screen say the human face images are "scarily looking" - I haven't a clue what that really means, but they talk about the faces having a 3-D image, not to me, as everything looks about the same to me - sharp, bright, perfect color - same as my ole 1080 Sony that went belly up 14 months after purchase - that company lost me as a customer right after hanging up with customer service for the third time - I tried 3 times in 20 minutes to get a person who would attempt to assist me in getting that TV repaired under warranty. Darn good TV viewing for 13 months.

https://www.lifewire.com/what-you-need-to-see-4k-1847330

 

[Ugly Hombre]

I would just buy a cheaper TV that works-

My wife likes cable TV, I hate it 99 percent stupid stuff, if it was just me here in the rude hut- I would just watch old movies on DVD- used cowboy ones

 

[Rick Courtright]

On the other hand, I still use a flip phone, so what do I know about technology.

Hi,

Maybe a LOT! Like "I want something that works... when I need it to?"

Rick C

 

[kramden]

Bought a 4K to put in another room. We have an 8 year old Samsung in our room. I thought boy, can't wait to see the improvement. Can't say I can tell any difference at all. No big deal.

 

[RalphS]

I will give you the technical answer and you can decide for yourself -

ESPN broadcasts 720P
NBC broadcasts 1080i (i = interlaced)
Fox, ABC, CBS are either 720P or 1080i. Don't remember which. You can check this yourself on your TV by pushing the "info" button or something similar on your remote.

Nobody broadcasts in 1080P. Hard to believe but true.

4K is a marketing term. The number of horizontal lines is 2160. The number of vertical lines (actually number of pixels in a horizontal line, since the scan is horizontal) is about 4K. So, they used to quote the horizontal lines and now they quote the number of pixels in line because it sounds better. With 4K you are getting twice the number of lines and twice the pixels per line.

So, if you can't even get a 1080p signal from the cable provider, why should you buy a 4K TV? The answer lies in streaming video. Most video streams are 1080P. Netflix and some others are starting to support 2160P (ie 4k) but they need at least a 25Mbps channel to your tv. That's alot of data. If you are able to get 4K streaming video and willing to pay the data rates to support it, then go for it.

 

[Rei40c]

I will give you the technical answer and you can decide for yourself -

ESPN broadcasts 720P
NBC broadcasts 1080i (i = interlaced)
Fox, ABC, CBS are either 720P or 1080i. Don't remember which. You can check this yourself on your TV by pushing the "info" button or something similar on your remote.

Nobody broadcasts in 1080P. Hard to believe but true.

4K is a marketing term. The number of horizontal lines is 2160. The number of vertical lines (actually number of pixels in a horizontal line, since the scan is horizontal) is about 4K. So, they used to quote horizontal lines and now they quote the number of pixels in line because it sounds better. You are getting twice the number of lines and twice the pixels per line .

So, if you can't even get a 1080p signal from the cable provider, why should you buy a 4K TV?

On the other hand, if you are streaming video, most video streams are 1080P
Netflix and some others are starting to support 2160P (ie 4k) but they need at least a 25Mbps channel to your tv. That's alot of data.

Very interesting. I suppose the question now would be is there any accurate estimate on how long before we can expect cable broadcasts in 4k?