4K worth the $$ above 1080p?

[LoneRanger]

I'm looking to replace my old TV at some point in the next couple months. I currently have a 2006 model Hitachi 51" rear projection (CRT) set that only does 1080i max resolution. It works great but was way obsolete a number of years ago. Some here may not even remember how CRT projectors work but basically there's three separate CRT's inside, one red, one green, one blue. They shoot the same tv picture onto a mirror overlaid on top of each other to made a full spectrum color picture. Big time old school stuff. So old it makes DLP (also way obsolete...) look state of the art, LoL.

Is it worth getting a 4K set or is 4K content not common enough yet, and what Mbps bandwidth is needed to stream 4K content smoothly? Would I have to upgrade my 30Mbps internet service to stream 4K stuff?

I like the Vizio sets Walmart sells. They look pretty good among the competitors on display, plus I more or less calibrated my fiancee's Vizio 1080p and the picture quality is really pretty impressive.

As soon as I move forward with a new 55" smart tv I'm signing up with Sling TV and going full stream on all my content and maybe getting an Xbox 1S or PS4. I would need whatever TV I get to support 5Ghz wireless besides 2.4 since I run my network on 5Ghz due to ridiculous congestion in the 2.4 Ghz band in my neighborhood.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Most places online state that you need about 25 Mbps connection for a single 4K stream.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

I bought an LG 4K 55" set (believe it was the 55UH6090) for about $600 from WalMart just before Black Friday...not sure what a comparable Vizio set would cost, but I didn't feel like I was paying a big premium to get the 4K. You know it's likely going to be considered standard in a couple of years, so why not get it now if it doesn't cost too much?
Didn't have to look into the 2.4/5GHz issue because my nearest neighbors are at least 1/8th of a mile away, and I can't find a detailed description of the wifi at the LG website at the moment. I guess it was considered a low end/bargain TV because it doesn't have as many connectors as some sets (3 HDMI and 1 USB), but it meets my needs and I like not feeling that I just bought something new that is sort of a generation behind on the video end. Even if you don't get streaming 4K anytime soon, bluray 4K is likely going to be common before long...just bought a 4K capable player, unfortunately not for the new set but for the old one I moved up to our condo (will probably swap them at some point).

 

[Brolly]

I had a 60" Samsung DLP 2005 and never needed to change the bulb until this year. After that it was never the same and the wife wanted a new TV. So went and purchased a 65" Samsung SUHD 240hz Curved 4k. Big difference to me I have a fairly fast connection and I use Apple TV for everything I do, download speed is up to 150mbps. Havent played any games on it yet. Youtube has 4k options and so does Netflix. The ULED/OLED TVs are pretty expensive and are better with the black colors but the tech is new and longivity is unknown so I went with the SUHD.

 

[MrHorspwer]

At this point 4K is mature enough that the cost is so minimal compared to 1080, there really isn't a reason not to go with it.

4K content is still scarce, but that is rapidly changing. I'd expect to see most major 2017 blockbusters released in Ultra HD Blu Ray when they become available on home media. Television is going to lag the most because of broadcast limitations, but shows funded by streaming services should transition pretty quickly with newer seasons.

I am currently streaming The Grand Tour in 4K through the Amazon app on my LG OLED. Judging by the real time traffic monitor on my router, you'll be fine with your 30 Mbps internet. It barely brushes 10 Mbps.

 

[slug_bug]

Do your homework on Sling TV. A trusted and very technical co-worker found the chronic buffering unacceptable and experienced very poor customer service when trying to cancel, even though he followed instructions to the letter.

As to the 4K, at the current price point I would pay the extra dollars for it.

 

[mehullica]

Got the LG OLED 55" B6 model. Can't beat the picture quality & black levels. Quantum dot was great, but the black levels are no match for OLED. I'm streaming 4K with a 35mbps connection from Amazon with no issues

 

[rshaw125]

Or you can be a real tight wad and get a used 1080 tv. Family member who loves to waste money bought a 4K tv Black Friday. Gave me his old (3 years) Vizio. For sale as new 47 inch $150.

 

[sleddriver]

Wow...I used to clean and calibrate those monsters decades ago (ISF certified + optical background). One I recall was so dusty inside the resulting picture looked like it was underwater! Another Sony G90 or 70 maybe had very dirty lenses, especially the blue, and multiple muffin fans clogged with fuzz bunnies.

Even new digital chassis need calibration. Far too many are in "torch" mode. These things are so bright now that late-night-watching is interefering with normal sleep patterns afterwards. Many don't make the connection....

On the tech side, I wonder just how many of these sets have enough video BW in the amps to actually pass a 4K signal with room to spare. This was a common problem in some HD sets, even with 720P.

You may want to consider a wired ethernet connection vs. wifi. Further, a quality router/modem or even a separate one just to handle the set might help. To get your moneys worth, you'd want to eliminate all weak links in the video food chain. These days, that includes data networks as well...

 

[edwardh1]

tv makers have been reinventing the tv every year or so since the mid 50s.
a lot of it is hype as they move to an all new whatever every 2 years.

 

[bioburner]

I jumped on a LG 43inch 6030 before Black Friday deals and see now the prices have went up. Now with the CES coming up I would think prices on the older 1080 sets and 2016 UHD models should be reduced so I would watch. Have been trying to get a sub 50 inch set for basement workshop last couple days and wished I had just bought 2 of the LG UHD sets. Seems the larger sets are getting the better price reductions right now.
Yes the 4k is worth it I think comparing lower end sets. Comparing to a high end Samsung plasma 1080 that's our main set would be close but the OLED is better so when the plasma blows the OLED sets I hope will be more reasonable.
There's content available on discs for 4k but players are spendy.

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted By: sleddriver
Wow...I used to clean and calibrate those monsters decades ago (ISF certified + optical background). One I recall was so dusty inside the resulting picture looked like it was underwater! Another Sony G90 or 70 maybe had very dirty lenses, especially the blue, and multiple muffin fans clogged with fuzz bunnies.

Even new digital chassis need calibration. Far too many are in "torch" mode. These things are so bright now that late-night-watching is interefering with normal sleep patterns afterwards. Many don't make the connection....

On the tech side, I wonder just how many of these sets have enough video BW in the amps to actually pass a 4K signal with room to spare. This was a common problem in some HD sets, even with 720P.

You may want to consider a wired ethernet connection vs. wifi. Further, a quality router/modem or even a separate one just to handle the set might help. To get your moneys worth, you'd want to eliminate all weak links in the video food chain. These days, that includes data networks as well...


Yeah, I clean my Hitachi insides about once every year to year and a half, including the lenses. I use pec pads and Spray Way plastics-safe no-ammonia foaming glass cleaner followed by fine water condensate misted onto the surface (i.e. I exhale onto them up close, LoL) and more lint free pec pad wiping. The picture quality, for what it is has good clarity, color fidelity, and blacks but it can't hang with the new 1080p's and such... it just can't. It looks like a 720p and not a 1080.

The mirror seems to stay clean so I leave it alone. Part of that is no smokers in the house, and pretty good hvac filtration (25x20x5 merv12 hepa filter) with one of those ultraviolet light deals that sits in the return air plenum coming into the furnace to help mitigate mold.... supposedly. Not sure it really does much though.

 

[Tomioka]

Originally Posted By: edwardh1
tv makers have been reinventing the tv every year or so since the mid 50s.
a lot of it is hype as they move to an all new whatever every 2 years.


Remember 3DTV? It was the hype back in 2010 where you could bring home the 3D theater experience. On top of the TV you needed the special active shutter glasses and it made some people nauseous. It's extinct now.

4K matured pretty quickly and 4K TV's are now becoming affordable. I wouldn't have recommended 4K two years ago due to the lack of content (only computer games and lacking HDMI standards) and still developing tech (now you have HDMI 2.0, HDR, Dolby Vision, 10-bit color) but with many streaming content offering 4K I'd make my next TV a 4K unit.

 

[Donald]

I would certainly consider a 4K but still would do homework. Consumer Reports did not think much of curve however. The most content is likely to be on satellite as it has massive bandwidth capabilities.

If entire communities streamed 4K TV the 6Gb backbone could not handle it.

 

[KitaCam]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarcher/2...e/#7d6492d7bcc0

 

[GrtArtiste]

My sister next door just got a 4K tv and it looks nice, but we both see the same broadcast channels delivered in 720p/1080i by Time Warner and I can't tell a difference between hers and my 2010 Samsung LCD 1080p. If you're going to be streaming 4K content or playing a lot of 4K DVDs...then go for it. If not, 1080p should still be more than adequate unless you have a need to brag about having the latest and the greatest.

 

[MCompact]

I'm keeping my Kuro until OLED sets drop a bit more and more 4K sources become available.

 

[LoneRanger]

Okay, tons of excellent info guys, thanks on that !!

Leaning toward a 55" 4K likely in the Vizio brand, buy the longest ext warranty on it that wally world offers. I'm not usually a buyer of the ext warranty pushed at point of sale but on a tv... yes, simply because of the higher failure rate of these new tv's vs the old school ones.

I think I also want to get a Sony Playstation 4 Pro. Been looking at PS4P vs Xbox 1S and while the X has the 4K Blueray player I rarely watch discs anymore always doing On-Demand or Streaming, and the PS4P blows the XB1S into the weeds on gaming power (graphics processing). PS4P also has the VR headset, although spendy.

53 and looking at getting a console, LoL. But then I'm a nerd from way back. Never had a console before, always messed with PC gaming, but fiancee's family is into consoles and at their gatherings so far I've been getting destroyed trying to play PS4 against her nephews and nieces, plus will help to have one here when they visit to keep them entertained.

As far as an HDR capable 4K tv as it relates to the PS4P not sure I want to go that far probably just stick with regular non-HDR 4k. If I'm understanding 4k tech correctly that HDR capable is another price class up.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

The 55" LG 4K TV I got at WalMart for $600 is supposed to support HDR10, but it looks like there are people complaining on the LG website that this is not compatible with a PS4. I actually had no idea what HDR was before I saw your post...looks like there is a Dolby HDR spec that is 12 bits along with the 10 bit HDR devised by a group of TV makers, maybe the PS4 uses the 12 bit version??
My wife just got a new CR in the mail with a big TV article and my particular TV (55UH6090) was not especially well rated by them in the budget category for its size, although it was at least close to the cheapest in the group. There was a Samsung at that size that ranked substantially higher for about $100 more, but we are very happy with the LG so far...I might try to track down the Samsung if I were buying the TV now, though. Seemed like the biggest black mark for the LG was motion blurring...

 

[MrHorspwer]

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
The 55" LG 4K TV I got at WalMart for $600 is supposed to support HDR10, but it looks like there are people complaining on the LG website that this is not compatible with a PS4. I actually had no idea what HDR was before I saw your post...looks like there is a Dolby HDR spec that is 12 bits along with the 10 bit HDR devised by a group of TV makers, maybe the PS4 uses the 12 bit version??


Sony is the biggest supporter of HDR10. They are certainly not using Dolby Vision on their console.

As for why a television wouldn't display HDR content from a PS4... bargain-bin HDMI cable (HDR10 needs a 2.0a HDMI cable) or HDR not supported in whatever "mode" being used (most "game modes" on televisions turn off HDR because of the additional input lag) would be two guesses.