len_mullen Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Personally, I have been predicting lackluster sales. For starters, there is nothing new out there. Retailers are counting on drones and 4k televisions to buoy sales, but I think they are wrong on both counts. I don't know anyone who wants or wants to give a drone. (Brad, do we need a dedicated drone discussion?) While I think people who are looking for televisions will get 4k sets, I can't imagine anyone replacing a 1080p or even a 720p set with a 4k set. So you are limited to people looking to add a set and we have all bought a LOT of televisions over the last decade.http://www.broadcastingcable.com/sites/default/files/public/1103_NextTV_Chart.jpg I do not know a single person who bought a 4k television. I do not know a single person who is shopping for one. It's hard to search these forums for posts containing 4k, tv, uhd, etc., but I don't see any 4k sets in the 'what i got' thread. I would love to hear from people who actually bought a 4k tv or are actively shopping for one. If you bought one, post a link to the tv you bought and tell us who you bought it for, why you bought it, where you bought it, and how much you paid.
Monstermile Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 It is honestly going to be hard to find a good set that is not 4K. Most of the non 4k sets are being dumbed down with lesser quality displays, less inputs, etc. That is how they are making the 4k sets more appealing. I bought one a few months ago. A Sony 55" Trilumos set with the Android OS. I got a really good deal on it. TBH I can't say that the picture is that much better than a 1080p set for 1080p content. 4k content is not really out there in abundance yet. And I can't say I am really interested in it. It gets to the point that too much detail is distracting. And can be annoying. It brings out flaws. Especially in faces in relation to skin complexion. LOL I just could not constitute paying a few hundred less and getting a far inferior set. And if nothing else this set is futureproof on the off chance that 4k really catches on. But I am pretty sure that will not happen. I run across people every day that still do not have a blu-ray player. Tap'd from my 6 Plus
bribri25 Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 I don't think the sets from 2015 are being dumbed down, but possibly the 2016s will. 4k had barely even taken off in 2015 that they couldn't have expected that enough to start throwing all their eggs in that basket.
Monstermile Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 I don't think the sets from 2015 are being dumbed down, but possibly the 2016s will. 4k had barely even taken off in 2015 that they couldn't have expected that enough to start throwing all their eggs in that basket.Look at the current crop of sets from Sony, Samsung and LG. The better displays (the actual display panel) are only on 4k sets. The 4k sets have more HDMI inputs. Higher refresh rates. Not saying the 1080p sets are junk. But if you want a set with the most features and bang for your buck it will more than likely be a 4K set. As I said I'm not buying into the hype. I am equating 4K to 3D. It is an added feature and selling point that really doesn't raise the price much when comparing apples to apples. Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of decent sets out there that are not 4K. But for me a TV is not an every other year purchase. I want a display and features that I will be happy with for at least 5 years. My current Sony set replaced a JVC DLP set I had for over 8 trouble-free years. For some people basic is more than enough. But you need to know what you are buying. Just because it says 1080p does not mean it is gonna have a great picture. Now curved sets that is a different story. I would not take a curved screen if you gave it to me. Tap'd from my 6 Plus
bribri25 Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Sure. I get that. But, I think the quality screen you get from 1080p is still sufficient for today and multiple years to come. You're not going to notice the picture display difference between a 1080p and 4k set (obviously not in native 4k input) on a 50-60" screen. As for the more HDMI inputs; I'm not sure how many you need. The 1080p sets I come across have 3+. Maybe I'm an exception to the norm and I have a receiver that takes my 2-4 HDMI inputs and I really only need one in my TV. I've had a Sharp 55" for 10 trouble-free years (sure; not a near match for picture quality these days, but gets the job done)Got Samsung 60" & 40" 2 1/2 years ago and those are great. I think one of the HDMI ports is toast, but there's still 2 more.I even have a 27" tube TV that's still going strong and plays DVDs & Gamecube just wonderfully ....The only features it's missing is HD and portability (That sucker is heavy!!!)
Dylansmommy Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 My parents bought a 4K 3D tv (I believe an LG) earlier this year. Honestly, I wouldn't have known the difference if they hadn't told me. I don't mind wearing glasses to watch a 3D movie in a theater, but no way do I want to wear glasses in my living room just to watch tv! The 3D models don't appeal to me. Although the picture on the 4K was beautiful, it wasn't obviously noticeable to me.
Pnambic Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 So I went out and bought a 4k TV... I kid! Just looking to make Len spit his coffee all over his keyboard. Monster, you're dead right in that going forward, we're likely to see manufacturers focusing all their attention on the 4k TVs. At least until OLED's are here. I think 4K is just as useless as 3D, perhaps even moreso, but it should be an easier sell to the uninformed masses since you don't need to wear any head gear to enjoy the almost entirely placebic improvement in picture quality. They'll be offering the best other stuff besides 4K on them in order to move as many as possible. And the best other stuff might actually be worthwhile. Quantum Dot should be awesome. High Dynamic Range (if/when a format is ever nailed down) should be awesome. OLED IS awesome. I fully expect my next TV to be a 4K set simply because there won't be any other reasonable option by the time I'm in the market again. But I won't be buying it because it's 4K. I'll be buying it because it's an OLED with HDR and lots of other worthwhile cool improvements. By the way, most 4K TVs do NOT have higher refresh rates. Remember, you have to have a 4K TV that can quadruple the number of pixels its refreshing at the same rate just to stay even with a 1080P TV refresh wise, the next step up would be 8 times as much. We don't see jumps like that real fast generally. I've done a ton of looking and almost every 4K TV I've seen has a real refresh rate of 60Hz (regardlss of the number that explicitly doesn't have a Hz next to it that they put on the box trying to fool you). Look it up in the manual for the specific device. Most manuals have been surprisingly candid about the refresh rates if you're willing to look for it. Outstanding read: http://www.cnet.com/au/news/why-ultra-hd-4k-tvs-are-still-stupid/ And Monster - I'm glad I'm not the only one who completely misses the draw of curved screens...
Kanyon71 Posted December 1, 2015 Posted December 1, 2015 Never had a desire for a curved TV. Now affordable OLED I'm all over that. 1
len_mullen Posted December 1, 2015 Author Posted December 1, 2015 I kid! Just looking to make Len spit his coffee all over his keyboard. Mission accomplished.
bribri25 Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 I'm not sure a curved TV would ever work for me, either. My setup thrives on the fact that you can effectively watch the TV from a 5 degree angle. If the TV was curved, you'd only see the back of the TV. 1
len_mullen Posted December 2, 2015 Author Posted December 2, 2015 Curved screens are a bizarre marketing scam. No one watches television that way. Even Samsung concedes that the experience maxes out four feet away from the television. What is the curved screen supposed to be accomplishing? Oshin Vartanian and colleagues at the University of Toronto's Department of Psychology have been working in the the field of neuroaesthetics. This is the study of what neurological factors play a role in the things we find pleasing to the eye, or not. Research by Vartanian and his team suggests that we naturally find curved objects more pleasing than those with straight edges. which I kind of get 1
Kanyon71 Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 Some curves work very well Others (tv's) not so much.
Pnambic Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 I get the feeling this thread is only barely staying on the rails.I am exercising extreme restraint here folks....hahaha
Monstermile Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 (edited) @Pnambic Honestly the only reason I got this set is because Best Buy cut me an awesome deal because of a screw up on a much higher end open box Sony set I purchased. The price I paid for my Sony 4k set was only about $150 more than one of the best 1080p sets. Mine has actual 120Hz refresh rate, Trilumos display and is HDR compatible. It has the android OS (which IMO is much better than Sony's own OS) and is 3D (which I could care less about). I compared and researched and this set was the best picture and best received sets of the current crop of 4k sets. Again 4k to me is a hype. It will not catch on. Most consumers are just starting to upgrade to 1080p and blu-ray players. No one is going to want to start over again. And most people will look at a 4K set compared to a 1080p set and not see the difference. I think the only place 4k will shine is cloud based and streaming services. 4k disc and media player will be for elitist who want the new hotness. Streaming services will work better because it will give consumers the option between 4k and 1080p and won't alienate those that don't feel the need to upgrade. Tap'd from my 6 Plus Edited December 2, 2015 by Monstermile
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