“For those of you not in the know, 4K, also known as UHD (Ultra-High Definition), is a resolution that is 4 times higher than that of traditional 1080 HD TV set or display. There is just one little catch to the promise of 4 times greater image quality — it doesn’t really matter,” Mark Reschke writes for T-GAAP. “Unless you are looking to purchase a 65″ set or larger, 4K will not make a hill of bean of difference, even if you pay an extra $400 – $800, versus purchasing a 1080 HD set. And it certainly won’t matter if your new Apple TV is 4K or not. Beyond the near complete lack of 4K gaming and video content, here is why.”
“To make this easy, let’s examine a 50″ TV set to reach some understanding as to why 4K really does not matter. Stand roughly 12-inches away from a 50″ 1080p set, and you can clearly see individual pixels. But stand back 6 feet and the pixels will have disappeared into one smooth, good looking image,” Reschke writes. “With 4K, dots are also visible at extremely close range, and it is immediately recognizable at just how much higher the resolution in a 4k set is versus a HD set of same size. Backing away from a 4K TV the pixels quickly dissipate into a brilliant image. In fact, according to THX, at just over 3ft from the TV, the dots will blend into one single image. And that right there is actually the reason most consumers will never need 4K.”
Reschke writes, “Viewing a 1080p HD or 4K 65″ set from 8ft away, one cannot tell the difference.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: So much apologizing with so much misinformation. It’s not about discerning individual pixels, it’s about the level of detail. Owners of 4K Ultra HD displays know that you can quite easily see the difference between one and a 1080p HD display because you are simply presented with more visual information and you can see the difference in the detail.
To see for yourself, watch the following video fullscreen and in the highest resolution possible:
On our 65-inch Sony 4K Ultra HDs vs. a 65-inch 1080p TV, the difference in clarity and detail is stark. The only people who claim you can’t tell the difference are those who don’t yet have 4K TVs.
Apple should have future-proofed the Apple TV with 4K capability and no amount of apologists will be able to change the fact that, to the general public, Apple looks to be greedily setting up planned obsolescence with the current Apple TV by omitting 4K capability.
After all, if Ultra HD doesn’t matter, why do iPhones shoot in 4K and why have iMacs been upgraded to 4K and even 5K models?
All that said, the Apple TV is a relatively low-priced device and offers much, much more than just simply replaying video. 1080p is perfectly acceptable, will keep bandwidth demands lower for any Apple streaming service that may someday actually appear, and upgrading to 4K Apple TV units next year shouldn’t be all that expensive (especially if you simply sell your current Apple TV unit(s) and apply the proceeds). For the App Store, the Siri Remote and all it can do, and everything else the Apple TV currently offers, we highly recommend the device. It’s awesome, even in its spotty and unfinished state! We’ll just get our 4K content from the Netflix app built right into our Sony 4K TVs instead.
Now, cue the inevitable “4K doesn’t matter” comments from those who don’t yet own 4K Ultra HD TVs. We remember hearing the same exact type of comments when HD TVs first hit the market.
SEE ALSO:
Apple TV and the 4K Ultra HD conundrum – October 8, 2015
Amazon embarrasses Apple with new 4K Fire TV box or something – September 17, 2015
Amazon unveils $100 Fire TV box 4K video support, Alexa voice control – September 17, 2015
With the all-new Apple TV, Apple changes the game, yet again – September 14, 2015
Analyst: Apple TV streaming service on the way, could cost at least $40 a month – September 14, 2015
Local media streaming app Plex coming to Apple TV – September 14, 2015
What Apple got right in Apple TV’s user interface – and what needs work – September 11, 2015
New Apple TV has the potential to do for television what iPhone did for mobile phones – September 11, 2015
Apple preps to conquer living room with all-new Apple TV – September 11, 2015
Hands-on with the all-new Apple TV – September 10, 2015
Gruber: Apple TV will define how all TVs will work in a few years – September 10, 2015
Here’s how much RAM is inside Apple’s iPhone 6s/Plus, iPad Pro and new Apple TV – September 10, 2015
New Apple TV sounds great, but where’s the 4K? – September 10, 2015
