4K TVs Are Forked. You Should Wait Before You Buy One

[Victorious Secret]

 
So you fancy getting a 4K TV/Monitor for yourself eh? While I applaud the decision to take the plunge into our UHD/DCI fuelled future, you might want to hold off for a little while to give everyone time to get their affairs in order before getting tied into a product that might not support everything you need. 

We know that 4K content is still sparse and its pricey to obtain. Like streaming? Well, you better have a minimum 25 down to handle streaming bitrates from Netflix much less any other site that has higher bitrates. You might want to hold off on getting a streaming box for sake of paying a lot more just for a tiny bit of content. 

Wired goes into pretty good detail with this one, it was a good read. This isn't just like Blu-Ray vs HD-DVD. This like having multiple standards vying for support and a consortium of companies that hasn't gone and put the "official" label on everything from blu-ray player support, network receivers and codecs for our 4K filled future. 

Or go ahead and buy whatever you want. 4K sets are pretty awesome. 
 
 

Inside the Fork Drawer: OS Wars, Exclusivity, and Blessings
 
This new wave of smart-TV platforms will diverge in terms of their OS underpinnings. Samsung will use Tizen, LG utilizes WebOS, Panasonic runs Firefox OS, while Sharp and Sony will use proprietary systems alongside Android TV. That could make app development a chore, but the bigger issue is that the content available on each brand of set will be governed by exclusivity deals.
 
For example, only some UHD sets work with 4K streaming services from Netflix and Amazon; last week, Netflix announced a “Recommended TV” program that will allow certain manufacturers to show its UHD content. M-Go and Comcast have 4K apps exclusive to Samsung’s TVs. Sony’s Video Unlimited 4K service may have the deepest 4K catalog right now, but it requires a compatible TV and a $700 media player.
 
Codecs remain something of a barrier too. Both Netflix and Amazon use HEVC/H.265, which rapidly is becoming the compression standard. Google backs its own 4K-friendly codec, VP9, which also will be used for UltraHD YouTube videos. Many of this year’s new 4K TVs support both codecs. But even if a 4K set has an HEVC decoder, it may not be compatible with all the services using that codec. That goes back to the certification processes streaming services use to put their stamp of approval on certain TVs.
 
From Broadcast to Broadband
 
Let’s say you find a set compatible with every 4K service available—and it looks like Samsungs are the best bet right now. You’ve still gotta worry about bandwidth. 4K video is beefier than HD video—four times the resolution means a hell of a lot more data—and not all home networks can handle that rushing river reliably.
 
Netflix recommends 25Mbps download speeds for streaming 4K video, while the service’s 1080p streams require about 3Mbps. If your streaming setup buffers and stutters with the average HD video, 4K will be a struggle. According to Akamai’s most recent State of the Internet report, just 19 percent of U.S. homes had “4K-ready” connection speeds of 15Mbps or greater. According to Ookla’s Net Index, the mean broadband download speed in the US is 32Mbps, but there are major speed variances from ISP to ISP and state to state.
 
Welcome to the Era of Amazing 1080p TV Deals
 
The waiting is the hardest part, but at least you’ll have a 1080p set until the 4K train gains momentum. And guess what? They’ll practically be giving away high-end 1080p sets in the years to come.
 
At CES 2015, none of the major TV manufacturers highlighted new 1080p sets for the coming year. On the downside, that means things like quantum-dot color enhancement, OLED panels, and impossibly thin sets likely won’t show up in many (if any) 1080p offerings. Manufacturers will save all that cutting-edge stuff for their top models, and all those high-end models will be 4K TVs.

 
http://www.wired.com/2015/01/everybodys-going-buy-4k-tv-soon-dont-want-one-just-yet/

[GlassBomb]

Umm. We have 100 Mbit/s down. And my Nvidia shield Tablet supports 4k output via HDMI as well. No problems for me.

[Toddwjp]

Umm. We have 100 Mbit/s down. And my Nvidia shield Tablet supports 4k output via HDMI ad well. No problems for me.

 

this it doesnt matter what software is on the tv itself as long as it can act as a dumb display.

[Geekazoid]

Nice read and you have a good point. There's not enough 4K content or bandwidth to warrant buying a 4K TV yet. This is slowly changing though. We just have to wait for everyone to catch up and start delivery their movies, TV shows, etc. in 4K and until then a nice 1080p TV should suffice.

@Victorious Secret

[terrytek]

I have dialup. I win automatically.

[GrimNeo]

4k while not just go 8k lol jk. I agree with op on this. Im going to wait for everything to support 4k and for broadband to go up in speed before I even consider one. The highest they offer in my area is 20mbps down and 1 up. Also cable companies in my area only broadcast in 1080i. You heard me they dont even support 1080p so 4k support will be a long time away and no Im not going with dish or directv.

[PowerPigeon]

I honestly can't see a time where I'd buy a 4K TV in the foreseeable future. I haven't personally experienced 4K yet, so maybe I really am missing out. I still think it's too early to justify the expense, even if it is getting cheaper. I honestly don't think I would make the jump to 4K until the Early/Late Majority stage in its adoption lifecycle.

 

"DiffusionOfInnovation". Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DiffusionOfInnovation.png#mediaviewer/File:DiffusionOfInnovation.png

[Yoinkerman]

Some people have money to spare and don't care.

[StingBull]

Honestly 4k never really interested me. It's the eventual future yes but I don't see the reason for the huge push it's getting.

I don't think the jump from 1080p to 4k will be as smooth as the jumping from SD to HD. It will take longer. And really no one needs 4k that badly.

[bcredeur97]

if 4K tv's came with display port i would consider them.

 

I hate 30hz. HDMI 2 solves this partially at least, but displayport will still be better on its next update.

[Trik'Stari]

Obvious information is obvious.

 

4k content basically does not exist, as such, 4k tv's do not need to be bought.

[Psykomantis00]

Clickbait title. OP should be slaughtered. 

[Marvzl1357]

I thought everyone knew that 4k is currently more of a gimmick than anything else?

[Bensemus]

I have dialup. I win automatically.

Your profile gif gets me every time 

[LAwLz]

I am surprised that they didn't mentioned that there is next to no 4K content to begin with. Even if you have one of the services that has 4K content the library is tiny.

 

What the hell is NetFlix doing though? Why do they have some certification program with seemingly arbitrary rules for allowing 4K content? Shouldn't it just be enough to be able to play the video? Apparently if NetFlix don't think your TV looks good enough they will artificially block you from 4K content. To me that sounds like NetFlix trying to double dip. "Oh sorry your TV doesn't pass our tests... But I am sure there is a way to fix that *wink wink*"

[Mew]

I am surprised that they didn't mentioned that there is next to no 4K content to begin with. Even if you have one of the services that has 4K content the library is tiny.

 

What the hell is NetFlix doing though? Why do they have some certification program with seemingly arbitrary rules for allowing 4K content? Shouldn't it just be enough to be able to play the video? Apparently if NetFlix don't think your TV looks good enough they will artificially block you from 4K content. To me that sounds like NetFlix trying to double dip. "Oh sorry your TV doesn't pass our tests... But I am sure there is a way to fix that *wink wink*"

 

I wish Netflix would allow for 4K streaming on computers, even if there's only a 1080p display attached just for the higher bitrate. But then again, their 4K package costs more and available content for it is pretty small.... Which reminds me when is the new House of Cards season coming? I heard that is available in 4K.

[-TesseracT-]

minimum 25 down? not so bad.

[silberdrachi]

@kurahk7

Feb 27th it seems like

 

Products like this are sold on content. Thats why 3D went bust (aside from technical limitations), and now is relegated back to being a very exclusive experience.

 

And there is no way im going to 4k tvs until the majority of content is in 4k, or my 1080p tv dies and a 4k tv is the same price to replace it. I dont have cable so i stream or download everything i watch, and its just not necessary to have it in 4k or 8k or whatever. I would much rather TV manufacturers focus on things like improving local dimming technologies (or maybe OLED?) that can improve 1080p displays that arent as expensive to make and have a wealth of content. And i honestly think a good 1080p tv with great black levels and bright colors looks waaaaaaay better than some of the 4k tvs.

[Poohy14]

if 4K tv's came with display port i would consider them.

There is only 1 company that does that and its Panasonic, Looked into that already a month ago.

[Guest Kloaked]

Clickbait title. OP should be slaughtered.

You should be banned for the dumb comments you make.

[Psykomantis00]

You should be banned for the dumb comments you make.

Yea but they won't do it.

[flibberdipper]

I honestly can't see a time where I'd buy a 4K TV in the foreseeable future. I haven't personally experienced 4K yet, so maybe I really am missing out. I still think it's too early to justify the expense, even if it is getting cheaper. I honestly don't think I would make the jump to 4K until the Early/Late Majority stage in its adoption lifecycle.

 

"DiffusionOfInnovation". Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DiffusionOfInnovation.png#mediaviewer/File:DiffusionOfInnovation.png

For gaming hardware I'm a Laggard.

[Enderman]

I am surprised that they didn't mentioned that there is next to no 4K content to begin with. Even if you have one of the services that has 4K content the library is tiny.

 

What the hell is NetFlix doing though? Why do they have some certification program with seemingly arbitrary rules for allowing 4K content? Shouldn't it just be enough to be able to play the video? Apparently if NetFlix don't think your TV looks good enough they will artificially block you from 4K content. To me that sounds like NetFlix trying to double dip. "Oh sorry your TV doesn't pass our tests... But I am sure there is a way to fix that *wink wink*"

I am surprised at how many people think tvs can only be used to watch tv...

You can connect a tv to a computer and have PLENTY of 4k content.

Not only are there ltos of 4k videos on the internet, including youtube, but you can pay games at 4k, use programs at 4k, browse the web at 4k, have multiple 1080p windows open at the same time, have 4x more screen realestate, etc...

 

there is SO MUCH MORE you can do with a 4k tv if you connect it to a PC...

who still has a cable subscription anyway? lol

[The Benjamins]

I wish Netflix would allow for 4K streaming on computers, even if there's only a 1080p display attached just for the higher bitrate. But then again, their 4K package costs more and available content for it is pretty small.... Which reminds me when is the new House of Cards season coming? I heard that is available in 4K.

Netflix 4k is in HVEC h265. Most pc's will have a hard time decoding that. My 4770k uses 50%-70% CPU to decode some 4k HVEC content.

[Mew]

Netflix 4k is in HVEC h265. Most pc's will have a hard time decoding that. My 4770k uses 50%-70% CPU to decode some 4k HVEC content.

 

gg, so you're saying that a 4K tv is more powerful than my computer?

IIRC, the new Maxwell chips have built in h265 decoders right? Not sure what AMD has.