Learn about 4K UHD

Does ultra-high resolution 4K or UHD under the name may be the solution for the future?

• 4K TVs are expensive and not attractive enough / UHD TV - solution for 3D movie

UHD TV LG.

In the era of home entertainment, while consumers are not all crestfallen and understand new concepts appear more like 3D TV, OLED TV, Plasma, LED ..., last year again appears a new entertainment trend is the rise of a new technology called 4K HDTV, or more orthodox, ultra-high resolution UHD (ultra high Definition).

Actually, UHD is a universal concept that generally only about the display has higher resolution (more pixels), color display more realistic and faster frame rate than televisions high resolution (HD_High Definition) is fashionable today. And this year, one of the innovations in this direction continue to appear on the TV new generation, it's 4K resolution, which is evidence that the new TV version unveiled at CES 2014 Earlier this year the manufacturers have announced support this resolution.

But the same also happened with the mainstream 3D and HDTV technology 4K also fall into a vicious circle, "one chicken egg before" when talking about the mutual interdependence between hardware and software (hardware must before they developed new content or content before they have developed new hardware). After 15 months since the first UHD TV appeared on the market, there are no TV channels or Blu-ray disc that supports 4K, only a few dedicated video reader, a couple of clips on YouTube with quality very different, and the promise of high quality online video.

But not so that the trend away from lifting up UHD 1080p resolution does not become trendy. Expected this year, the UHD TVs will soon replace the full-HD version as well as the advanced version of the LED display on the market today - whether that reason they proved superiority over Vietnam, more worthy replacement sometimes irrelevant to the resolution of both.

To prevent consumers from vague on the type of TV resolution, tech magazine CNET has compiled the basic knowledge to understand how the final 4K technology is and what makes the difference between 4K and HD today.

The name and concept 4K UHD and

On May 8/2012, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA_Consumer Electronics Association) first introduced the concept of "super high resolution" UHD, which defines that this resolution "3,840 x 2,160 minimum pixels "with the goal of replacing the concept 4K previous appearance.However, the concept of CEA does not exist to a day soon when Sony announced it will call the new technology is high-resolution "4K Ultra High Definition". This term is then most TV manufacturers to use because it covers two concepts are both 4K and UHD concurrently.

But it should be noted that the term 4K UHD and 4K is not the same.Initially used to only 4K of horizontal resolution with a larger number of 4,000 pixels (4,096 x 2,160 namely pixels, with frame rate of about 17: 9. However, because this ratio does not match the TV civil (mostly screen ratio of 16: 9) so horizontal resolution has been reduced to 3,840 (3,840 x 2,160 pixels). Therefore, the term used 4K UHD later, although there mentioned to 4K, but the minimum resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 just from alone. In fact, consumers will often see the two concepts and 4K UHD used one another when it comes to the resolution of the TV, the first of read, accessory support or program content.

Resolution: the trump card

It can be seen sooner or later, the 4K resolution will replace 1080p, became senior standard resolution for home entertainment as well as the later broadcasts.

4 main resolution.

Thus, with the arrival of 4K / UHD, as of now has 4 main resolutions to be used include: standard resolution (480i / p), high resolution (720p), high resolution full (full-HD) (1080i / p) and ultra-high resolution (UHD) (2160p).

In home entertainment range, 4K / UHD means that the display of the TV with a minimum resolution of 3,840 pixels in width and 2,160 pixels horizontally, fold the right 4 times the resolution full- HD (1.920 x 1080 pixels). Therefore, this resolution initially was named Quad HD on most 4K TVs on the market.

And the original 4K resolution, also known as 4K x 2K (4096 x 2160 pixels), it is used mainly in cinemas, on the high-resolution projector or on the professional version of the camera.

4K UHD If still a new concept, the HD resolution, by contrast, has come a long way. Therefore, this resolution is still the most common resolution through Blu-ray and HD channels. There are three main versions of HD include: Analog full-HD, or 1080p (progressive); alternating full-HD type, or 1080i (interlaced); and HD resolution (720p).

However, also has to recognize that, although both HD and 4K are fashionable, many television programs, video content online or on DVD continues to appear only with standard resolution (equivalent analog or NTSC broadcast standard, approximately 480 current common line).Standard resolution still has its own life, unless there is a revolutionary innovation in the digital switch to the radio as happened in the US in 2007 with the digitization trend through a standard TV broadcast ATSC.

The beginning of digital cinema and 4K resolution

Sharp 4D TV.

Despite being touted 4K resolution is the future of broadcasting technology and watch online video, especially with the advent of new data encryption standard H.256 HEVC, advertising is more effective than with current HD (H.264 AVC). But what the original development of 4K stems from the cinema.

George Lucas (known through to the last Star Wars movie series renowned, The Adventures of Indiana Jones as well as the father of the THX cinema standard) when preparing to shoot Star Wars series in the late 1990s, he saw that new digital formats will soon become the standard for films due to production costs, transportation and storage of plastic film becomes too expensive. He said that if the cinema just simply manipulate digital download movie files, shown on a projector screen with a dedicated digital entertainment industry, then this can save a lot of money. In the fierce battle with cable TV service to watch movies on demand and online, the cost reductions that can be made for the cinema become much more competitive.

After filming Star Wars Part I Exposure phantom (The Phantom Menace)part with HD resolution, George Lucas continues rotating part II Attack of the clones (Attach of the Clones) entirely in camcorders Digital 1080p.This was very helpful for the debut film as Blu-ray disc format later. But experts soon realized then that even 1080p is not enough for the giant screen in theaters. If the viewer sits in the front row and watch the content with 1080p resolution, they easily recognize images look more blurred, or even see the individual pixels on the screen.

So the entertainment industry see the need to have a resolution sufficient to ensure perfectly even when sitting near the screen viewers than optimal movie viewing distance (optimal distance is calculated by 1 , 5 times the screen height), and this resolution should definitely higher than 1080p.Since then, in 2002, the Alliance Initiative Digital Cinema (Cinema Initiatives DCI_Digital) was formed with the goal of creating a new digital standard. The result is the DCI specification announced two new formats: 2K, 4K and then in 2005.

The film version first 4K resolution film robotics Crime (Blade Runner: The Final Cut) 2007, a remake of the 1982 original director Ridley Scott.Unfortunately, at that time, very few cinemas have sufficient means screened this film at full resolution. Dreams take place theater 4K completed only after a colleague Ridley Scott, James Cameron launched the first 3D film Avatar in 2009.

3D has become a "launching pad" for 4K like?

Surely viewers still impressed by the 3D movie Avatar on the Green Giant, directed by James Cameron each storm in the cinema for a while. Few people know that this film helped put Sony's 4K projectors are themselves in cinemas around the world. Film production studios do not miss the opportunity to offer a new series of 3D movie titles - which are mostly adapted from 2D system has made 4K-equipped theaters are constantly being expanded. Even until now, the trend is gradually in 3D but the system decline of 4K-equipped theaters still there, waiting time for a different development trends.

Now the entertainment industry is cold faded with 3D, they became more careful to avoid the mistakes have had when equated with 3D 4K. Yet it must be clearly recognized that 3D has demonstrated certain advantages thanks to 4K resolution, especially on the TV screen. So as the standard high-definition 4K will become necessary for the app to view 3D glasses on TV later generations.

From movie theaters to watch movies at home

While 4K resolution proved quite perfect for the big screen in cinemas this advantage seems dimmer than when watching movies at home, because at home, sitting in the audience mostly normal distance.

According to Dr. Dave's Lamp 3M Laboratories, when upgrading from standard definition to HD resolution, viewers can immediately see a big difference in picture quality. But from 1080p to 4K, the difference is this is hard to find, especially in the under 55 inch screen.

Similarly, the specialist technology magazine Cnet said they did not spend less ink when writing articles comparing UHD TV with 1080p TV, such post comparing Samsung and Panasonic TC-L65WT600 UN65F9000. In all tests, results showed UHD resolution of the TV, when viewed from a distance of conventional seats, are not bringing significant advantages compared to 1080p, including the image quality .

4K TVs have become materials for future standards

Most TV manufacturers, even though small, have promised to release the UHD screen version with advertising in 2014 will be the "nail" her.Accordingly, at CES 2014 earlier this year, a series of new UHD version was introduced, from the affordable 50-inch line to the crisis line, such as 105-inch curved screen of LG and Samsung. But to prove himself with a full-HD TV, we still need to have something truly exceptional.

A new feature that this TV generation is promoted, which is HDMI 2.0 specification. One of the advantages of this new standard is that it supports a higher frame rate than the current HDMI 1.4 specification. The reason for supporting HDMI 2.0 becomes important is that the 4K content at speeds up to 60 frames / sec.

Although now, in addition to games on the computer, almost no data content to take advantage of the high frame rate 4K, but also so it can find support HDMI 2.0 specification will soon became an indispensable feature if the developer wants UHD TV. So, in addition to equipment specifications for UHD TVs this year, manufacturers also started shipping the upgrade package supports HDMI 1.4 to HDMI 2.0 from the 2013 version UHD life.

Watch the video online for entertainment will unfreeze 4K home

In May 7/2012, the film directed by Tom Lowe TimeScapes become the first 4K movie allows viewers to download (using the Red Epic camera and Canon 5D Mark II), however, this solution did not exist Hot Pot.

At CES 2014, several alliances like Samsung / Amazon or Sony / Netflix began to announce plans to release online content for 4K TVs this year.YouTube also has quietly explored with the opening of a number of its 4K content on the network from mid-2010.

Although current technology of US cable television is still absent from the set-top box supports 4K, this sector has shown a determination to pursue a broadcasting standard can support 4K resolution. Therefore, as soon as a new birth, a new encoding standard HEVC or H.265 has become the target of both the producers and the TV world as a cure-all for the compression and transmission of a 4K economic data tedious.

The arrest of TV channels with the new HEVC compression standard will require new set-top box, so the manufacturers began immediately welcomed this trend with the launch of the UHD TV version features integrated support code products for HEVC standard at CES 2014.

Sony also makes the game more exciting by stating that the new 4K camera FDR-AX100, 4K content will be more this year, from movies, to the fashion show, or even the FIFA World Cup games. However, it is unclear whether this content is distributed or not, or only screened in theaters as a direct narrative sessions.

Recall, around mid-2013, Sony is also one of the first companies to announce first 4K player FMP-X1 name, a first multimedia entertainment special can only be used with the UHD TV groin.

A cult name at the forefront of technology as RED 4K camera has also announced special reader Redray his support for the film with its own RED format. Accordingly, along with his partner Odemax site, which will allow viewers to download the content to 4K.

And in January of this year, Blu-ray Disc Association has officially announced that it would study the 4K standard for Blu-ray discs to be published later this year up. Manufacturers such as LG also very supportive of this move when Tim Alessi, director of development of the consumer electronics LG has stated that he hopes will be at 4K Blu-ray can be supported, because sit home trends can still watch high resolution movies is what most customers expect.

While the content 4K still absent, a temporary solution is given, it is the ability to upgrade (upscale) signals from HD 1080p resolution, or even from standard definition, on the 4K resolution. Accordingly, manufacturers such as Sony and Oppo are currently launching the reader with the ability to upgrade to Blu-ray standard 4K UHD TV and new capabilities also support the upgrade signals.

But not always 4K would be the ultimate goal of resolution, perhaps the NHK unconsolidated Japan since 2008 has taken root test and 8K resolution at previous CES 2012, Sharp has begun to introduce version TV slideshow templates capable 8K resolution.

Conclude

Does higher resolution of 4K filmmaking better not. That will depend on the original movie was filmed in any format. Moreover, even had to upgrade the resolution and quality of the film depends on the quality of chip processor upgrade UHD resolution on your monitor.

Even when comparing an internal resolution video at 4K is displayed on the screen or slide show on the projector with the corresponding version in full-HD resolution, the quality no differences and no is pronounced like the upgrade from standard definition to HD resolution. Of course, this comparison is done at a distance watching normal. Only when watching real close, like when a viewer sitting in the front row at the theater, the new 4K resolution proved to be little advantage compared to full-HD.

4K or 8K However, consumers also need to remember that the manufacturers always have more tips for marketing your products. They always have the ability to turn those features may not excel technically becomes the features that users feel very "trendy" and "indispensable" in the TV later generations.