Is 4K Ultra HD just another 3D TV fad?

I’ve worked in the consumer electronics retail industry for over 13 years, selling everything from VCRs, digital cameras, and DVD players to Blu-rays, A/V receivers, and big screen TVs. So I’ve seen a lot of fads and gimmicks come and go. The hottest topic today is 4K Ultra HD TVs. Customers ask me all the time, “So what’s the deal with 4K?” Many of these queries are sarcastic and sarcastic in tone simply out of skepticism; but an equal number of people are genuinely curious and want to learn more about this exciting new technology. before making a purchase decision.

I think this is just another 3D fad? Absolutely not. 4K (also known as Ultra HD) TVs have four times the pixel density of Full HD (also known as 1080p) TVs, so your pictures simply look sharper. It’s simple math. If Full HD displays have 2 million pixels and your images already look great, imagine how amazing an image with 8 million pixels would look? A sharper image is a sharper image; there is no way to refute that. Home 3D, on the other hand, doesn’t make images look sharper or more realistic as it proposes. In fact, despite numerous attempts to embellish the technology over the last three years, the viewing experience remains uncomfortable and misleading if you ask me. What creates the visual effect from 2D to 3D is not, in fact, the native clarity of the TV; it’s simply a menu setup with 3D-enabled TVs along with the paper-thin colored glasses you’re required to wear, together that trick your eyes and brain into thinking you’re seeing extra depth fields that aren’t really there. For the most part, consumers have already figured out that the 3D experience in the home isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

From a popularity standpoint, you might think that 4K flat panel technology is just at the tip of the iceberg.

– As we expect more native 4K content to roll out in the next 2-5 yearsThe promise of future 4K streaming is one of the main reasons anyone in the market for a new TV today should choose a 4K set over a 1080p set.

– Another reason is that 4K Bluray is coming. Any day now, the Bluray Disc Association expects to release a 4K BD format that uses 100GB triple-layer discs. The new system is said to also support high frame rate processing, so all action movie fans should get ready for an epic home theater move.

– It’s also worth mentioning the fact that 4K web streaming is already here. Netflix, for example, offers a conservative selection of movies and shows in 4K right now, but they add new titles almost every day. And guess what? Even if you already have a Wi-Fi enabled Smart TV and a Netflix account, none of this wonderful content is available to you unless your connected Smart TV is also a 4K display.

Lastly, for those of you who are unmoved by any of this fancy new evolution of mombo jumbo, but are more concerned with the here and now, I have news for you too.

– Top-tier brands of 4K Ultra HD TVs have the ability to upscale 1080p images from your current Bluray library, as well as network HD broadcasts and satellite signals. So if the other reasons I presented weren’t compelling enough, the upscaling power of today’s 4K TV processors makes choosing a 4K TV over a Full HD TV a no-brainer.

As for 4K prices, yes, they’re still pretty high for newer sets, but they’re falling fast. For example, the first generation Sony 65″ 4K cost almost $6,000 about 2 years ago. Fast forward to today, their new top-tier set costs almost half what it used to, and it’s better than the old ones. As manufacturers increase their production to meet the growing demand for 4K displays, it is inevitable that prices will continue to fall.

So whether you buy a 4K TV now or later ultimately depends on your sense of urgency and your wallet. If you’re definitely in the market for a new flat-panel TV, but you’re still on the fence about whether to make the big investment today or wait, here’s what I suggest you do—unless you’re in dire need of a new TV. big screen, just wait. Technology will only improve and prices will continue to fall. I think given enough time you’ll be able to spend on a new 60-inch 4K TV what you would have spent today on a 1080p TV of the same size. If you buy it today, you might feel like kicking yourself tomorrow… but maybe not. Follow your gut, okay? LOL!