I said this in another thread, but my biggest beef with 4K isn't whether you can see a difference (you can), it isn't whether it's worth the price (usually it is, the way prices are falling), it's the 4 times amount of bandwidth usage that will chew up the picture quality for all content, whether it's 4K, 1080p, or 720p.
Is 4k worth it. The difference is about $200
- Thread starter robertjp
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 185
- Views 16K
As I understand it, the incandescent bulb used in my RPTV dims gradually, then near the end dims rapidly or just pops.
It's bright enough to keep using it. We don't like torch mode. And the spare I have MIGHT be the last of its kind, a couple more years down the road.
It's bright enough to keep using it. We don't like torch mode. And the spare I have MIGHT be the last of its kind, a couple more years down the road.
What really stinks is that Google is being pissy about an Amazon client.
Amazon has quite a bit of UHD content.
I was shopping recently for a no-name spare and they are now down under $21 w/housing on Amazon. There are several under $35.
FWIW I looked at the Samsung 55JS 8500 ,Sony 55X810C and Sony 55X850C 4K sets for the bedroom /PC executive office desk space and picked up the Sony XBR 55X850C for $1199.00 on sale SAT 11/28 .
My view distance is close in the daytime ~4ft at the desk and ofc further back in bed at nite .
I use the TV for an extended PC screen and for movies,sports and TV ,Dish and OTA and Roku and the TV Android apps and embedded Netflix and Youtube 4K .
The 4K works well at the desk with the TV adjacent to it on a full motion wall mount ofc it probably doesn't hurt otherwise with all that comes with it on *this set * especially the WCG .
The XBR 55 X850C has excellent upscaling and good picture once you tweak it a little ,and ofc Sony color .
The Triluminos WGC ( bt2020 and DCI modes ) they can add to [ good 1080p bt709 content ] and make it better sometimes . I would expect similar results from a Samsung JS8500 .
The Samsung bt709 4K JU 6500 and sony X810C.s look to be decent when on sale @65" and under if you don't want their SUHD or Triluminos WCG ,........The JS 7000 SUHD maybe not so hot ?
OTOH on the X50C turning on HDR luminance usually doesn't work well on 1080p bt709 content .
On a bigger set over 65" the price increase /value on those 4K sets is more of a consideration considering the current state of affairs with HDR luminance content and all ........ YMMV .
Decent 1080p sets are hard to find at all now unless you want a Vizio or something like that
that may not be bad for the money in the 1080p 65" and larger sizes if you want to wait on 4K/HDR + WCG.
At 55" and 65" I'm good with the 4K Sony X850C Triluminos WCG with HDR support and Samsung likewise 4K SUHD JS8500's YMMV .
So to answer the OP's question is a 4K set worth it .........I would say.......it depends ..
OTOH .for me the 4K WCG and sorta HDR is worth it for me in a 55" if something else knocks my socks off in a few years I'll flip this for whatever that might be anyway .
OTOH I'm not looking to see OTA bt2020+ HDR ( to much bandwidth ) or all that from Dish or *DTV 4 K lite they cant even get 1080p right half the time ,OTOH the more doable bandwidth wise WCG DCI is already in the Sony X850C and the SUHD JS8500 ??
I played a bt2020 4K WCG demo loop @ 25MB/s today from an usb hdd into the new TV it was beyond excellent and way better than any of my 1080p sets could do (color and detail ) with the same file downscaled to 1080p in the PC dGPU.
Here's a link to that eye candy download http://demo-uhd3d.com/fiche.php?cat=uhd&id=34
My view distance is close in the daytime ~4ft at the desk and ofc further back in bed at nite .
I use the TV for an extended PC screen and for movies,sports and TV ,Dish and OTA and Roku and the TV Android apps and embedded Netflix and Youtube 4K .
The 4K works well at the desk with the TV adjacent to it on a full motion wall mount ofc it probably doesn't hurt otherwise with all that comes with it on *this set * especially the WCG .
The XBR 55 X850C has excellent upscaling and good picture once you tweak it a little ,and ofc Sony color .
The Triluminos WGC ( bt2020 and DCI modes ) they can add to [ good 1080p bt709 content ] and make it better sometimes . I would expect similar results from a Samsung JS8500 .
The Samsung bt709 4K JU 6500 and sony X810C.s look to be decent when on sale @65" and under if you don't want their SUHD or Triluminos WCG ,........The JS 7000 SUHD maybe not so hot ?
OTOH on the X50C turning on HDR luminance usually doesn't work well on 1080p bt709 content .
On a bigger set over 65" the price increase /value on those 4K sets is more of a consideration considering the current state of affairs with HDR luminance content and all ........ YMMV .
Decent 1080p sets are hard to find at all now unless you want a Vizio or something like that
that may not be bad for the money in the 1080p 65" and larger sizes if you want to wait on 4K/HDR + WCG.
At 55" and 65" I'm good with the 4K Sony X850C Triluminos WCG with HDR support and Samsung likewise 4K SUHD JS8500's YMMV .
So to answer the OP's question is a 4K set worth it .........I would say.......it depends ..
OTOH .for me the 4K WCG and sorta HDR is worth it for me in a 55" if something else knocks my socks off in a few years I'll flip this for whatever that might be anyway .
OTOH I'm not looking to see OTA bt2020+ HDR ( to much bandwidth ) or all that from Dish or *DTV 4 K lite they cant even get 1080p right half the time ,OTOH the more doable bandwidth wise WCG DCI is already in the Sony X850C and the SUHD JS8500 ??
I played a bt2020 4K WCG demo loop @ 25MB/s today from an usb hdd into the new TV it was beyond excellent and way better than any of my 1080p sets could do (color and detail ) with the same file downscaled to 1080p in the PC dGPU.
Here's a link to that eye candy download http://demo-uhd3d.com/fiche.php?cat=uhd&id=34
Last edited:
Samsung isn't participating in the Google TV project yet (while LG is) so the apps they offer are different.
I won't have to worry about that because of what I read you will need 25Mbps to stream 4K.
So I will have to be satisfied to stream 1080p and let it upconvert to 4K on Netflix and Blu ray,because I can only get AT&T Elite DSL which is 6Mbps/512Kbps.
When I first got this 4K UHDTV my Dish receiver's screen resolution was 1080i and ever since I changed it to 720p I have to report the 720p setting looks better to me upconverted to 4K.
I'm not talking just about streaming. I'm talking about Dish, Direct and other providers clogging up their existing lineup of channels by squeezing in more 4K channels. I'd rather see additional capacity and more advanced compression (h265) be used to deliver less compressed 1080 content, not more compressed content across the board.
From a common sense approach,I agree.
From a financial sense approach,there will probably be a 4K channel.
I put this in the other thread, but...
4K OTA tested successfully. Looks like new receivers for everyone! (Yes, I know this is many years away).
http://www.tvtechnology.com/news/0002/sinclair-demos-hdr-4ktv-over-atsc-30-in-vegas/277546
4K OTA tested successfully. Looks like new receivers for everyone! (Yes, I know this is many years away).
http://www.tvtechnology.com/news/0002/sinclair-demos-hdr-4ktv-over-atsc-30-in-vegas/277546
Rec 2020 will arrive with UHD Blu-Ray
The consumer noticeable difference of HDR vs WCG is astronomical. Especially when you consider compression. It's hard for people to notice WCG. HDR can be spotted easily.
This is very interesting to say the least,Thank You for this post.
Let's also hope the information they are talking about is the complete program guide information for all these new OTA channels we can receive now and it's at least 10 days( or 14 days) of OTA program guide information.
I bought a Sony XBR49X830C last night at Best Buy for &799.00. I would have liked to have gone larger but 49 inches was the largest I could go and still fit in the armoire. The picture difference is incredible with Dish broadcasts. I have not tried it on a 4K broadcast.
I haven't seen WCG have seen HDR.
Yes. HDR will make a big difference but people I have talked to that have seen WCG have said the difference is very big. Most have said once watching WCG material then going back without it makes material very flat.
At this time WCG is the better technology (different than HDR) because it is the same standard on TV's. It can be readily seen and does add to the overall picture by increasing colors. HDR is a mess, likely not worth paying extra for now. There is not a standard, and/or was not when the current crop of 4K TV's were manufactured. In fact there is already a rift between the Dolby HDR type, and others.
On top of that, when the precious little HDR material there is is being watched on an HDR set such as a high end Samsung, it takes over the calibration controls to achieve the effect, making the overall picture worse. You can't control the settings when HDR is present.
Then to make it even worse than that, HDR was not envisioned on what many manufactures use for their LCD panels. They have a hard enough time keeping black areas black. When HDR kicks in it makes the darker areas light along with the other highlights it makes. In fact, I see recommendations to buy the Samsung models down from the ones than have HDR, to save money, and not have the problems mentioned should HDR become more prevalent soon in material for 4K. If the set was one of the very expensive OLED ones like from LG, HDR would probably have a much better effect. Of course, there is now a question as to OLED surviving.
As I always do I have spent (too) much time in advance of buying by reading and learning and going to the various stores to see 4K vs 1080P, and a 4K sets displaying 1080I or 720P from cable or OTA. With 100% certainty, if you don't get a 4K set, usually a higher end one that does upconverting very well, the result is a worse picture than even a mediocre 1080P capable set. Vizio actually has a little better blacks than some of the much more expensive TV's and can come close to competing with 4K material. But feed it a cable channel and uggh. Next to the Samsung I am contemplating or almost any 4K Sony, you will see a dramatic difference of a better picture on those brands over a Vizio.
I can also confidently say you may, possibly, perhaps see a little better picture, meaning PQ not colors or contrast, on a new 4K TV showing cable/satellite/OTA content than on a 1080P TV. If the 1080P tv is calibrated well, and is a solid performer chances are less. When the 4K tv does have a slightly better PQ, that along with generally better colors and contrast and a few other advancements does make the overall experience better for watching non 4K material.
But though I know some here are not on board with it, you MUST be sitting close enough to see whatever better PQ there is with non 4K material. You can see the better colors and contrast but not the slight better PQ when there is one unless you are close. And everyone at P.C Richard when I was there all said they were having problems seeing enough difference to pay more, one woman said it, then others were agreeing till they got close to the TV with 4K material. It can be stunning just as HD was when it was new to our eyes. If there is an HD set next to a 4K set (showing 4K) stand close and it's the wow factor, a feeling of depth. Stand back and it quickly looks much more similar, the depth increase just isn't there though sometimes with better colors etc. There are some terrific prices on very good 1080P sets if you need a TV, not looking to upgrade to 4K.
On top of that, when the precious little HDR material there is is being watched on an HDR set such as a high end Samsung, it takes over the calibration controls to achieve the effect, making the overall picture worse. You can't control the settings when HDR is present.
Then to make it even worse than that, HDR was not envisioned on what many manufactures use for their LCD panels. They have a hard enough time keeping black areas black. When HDR kicks in it makes the darker areas light along with the other highlights it makes. In fact, I see recommendations to buy the Samsung models down from the ones than have HDR, to save money, and not have the problems mentioned should HDR become more prevalent soon in material for 4K. If the set was one of the very expensive OLED ones like from LG, HDR would probably have a much better effect. Of course, there is now a question as to OLED surviving.
As I always do I have spent (too) much time in advance of buying by reading and learning and going to the various stores to see 4K vs 1080P, and a 4K sets displaying 1080I or 720P from cable or OTA. With 100% certainty, if you don't get a 4K set, usually a higher end one that does upconverting very well, the result is a worse picture than even a mediocre 1080P capable set. Vizio actually has a little better blacks than some of the much more expensive TV's and can come close to competing with 4K material. But feed it a cable channel and uggh. Next to the Samsung I am contemplating or almost any 4K Sony, you will see a dramatic difference of a better picture on those brands over a Vizio.
I can also confidently say you may, possibly, perhaps see a little better picture, meaning PQ not colors or contrast, on a new 4K TV showing cable/satellite/OTA content than on a 1080P TV. If the 1080P tv is calibrated well, and is a solid performer chances are less. When the 4K tv does have a slightly better PQ, that along with generally better colors and contrast and a few other advancements does make the overall experience better for watching non 4K material.
But though I know some here are not on board with it, you MUST be sitting close enough to see whatever better PQ there is with non 4K material. You can see the better colors and contrast but not the slight better PQ when there is one unless you are close. And everyone at P.C Richard when I was there all said they were having problems seeing enough difference to pay more, one woman said it, then others were agreeing till they got close to the TV with 4K material. It can be stunning just as HD was when it was new to our eyes. If there is an HD set next to a 4K set (showing 4K) stand close and it's the wow factor, a feeling of depth. Stand back and it quickly looks much more similar, the depth increase just isn't there though sometimes with better colors etc. There are some terrific prices on very good 1080P sets if you need a TV, not looking to upgrade to 4K.
Last edited:
Speaking of the LG OLED. Saw it the other day. Same as I remember Farrah Fawcett in the swimsuit poster in the 70s.
Drop dead gorgeous
Drop dead gorgeous
Yep, bought a 24", 32" (720p) and 40" (1080p) Samsung for our FL home, to replace the "tubes" for less than $600. Bought articulating arms for two...makes screens even "bigger".
