Sony leads the Ultra-HD charge
3D NEWS> ULTRA HD
A number of TV brands are bringing out Ultra-HD sets but few have as big a focus as Sony which is attempting to seed the market with 4K content writes Adrian Pennington
Arguing that “4K is injecting new life into the CE industry” Sony made considerable noise at CES about its higher than HD resolution prowess, relegating 3D to a whisper.
It was one of ten TV manufacturers collectively showing around 50 Ultra-HD TV models on the CES showfloor, even though analysts predict that market penetration will be minimal in the short-term.
Sony is putting a major effort behind Ultra-HD, or rather 4K since the company has chosen to stick with its existing 4K branding rather than follow the CEA's decision to adopt Ultra-HD as the universal moniker.
It has two new 4K Bravia screens coming out this spring, a 55- and a 65 inch model “at a more accessible price range,” said COO Phil Molyneux to the $25k price tag attached to its existing 84-inch Bravia LED. “We recognise that an 84-inch TV is not for everyone.”
It also unveiled a splendid looking 56-inch 4K OLED screen, alas just in prototype, and a world's first 4K consumer camcorder – again in prototype.
What's more it is supporting take-up of 4K hardware with a new 4K video distribution service, also dubbed a world first. This is an extension of the company's previously announced arrangement by which purchasers of Sony 4K screens received a suite of 4K movie and TV content bundled in and stored on a server. It is for the US only at present.
Sony hasn't forgotton 3D – it remains as a function in pretty much every product it produces, including the Ultra-HD TVs. But it is no longer the unique selling point.
NEVER MISS AN ULTRA-HD STORY. FREE WEEKLY EMAIL NEWS VIA SIGN UP BOX ON RIGHT
Sony wasn't the only vendor talking up Ultra-HD. Samsung's new flagship TV range, the F8000, is equipped with a powerful quad-core processor which is being used to make these sets the first in the market to decode HEVC video, the codec which not only makes 4K and 8K broadcasts possible but also significantly ups the quality of streamed video.
Heralding “the next frontier” of home viewing, Samsung also previewed two 4K Ultra-HD displays including a 85-inch and a 110-inch model both capable of upscaling from HD in order to fill out the scarcity of 4K content, and containing speakers built into the frame for immersive 120 watt audio.
It debuted a 55-inch OLED screen, the F9500, which had the cunning knack of being able to display two full HD programmes at once viewable at the same time provided viewers wear 3D glasses. These come with personal speakers built in, providing stereo sound for the corresponding programme.
Elsewhere, LG has new 55-inch and 65-inch 4K displays expected to retail later this year for around $10,000. An 84-inch version is already on the market for $20,000. It also has a 55-inch OLED costing $12000.
In total, around ten vendors are showcasing around 50 Ultra-HD models on the CES showfloor including Hisense, Sharp, Haier, Changhong, Westinghouse and Toshiba.
Ultra HD may be moving toward a reality but it's a limited market opportunity at present, according to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), US trade body to the CE industry.
Just 23,000 Ultra-HD sets will be sold to the US (to dealers, not homes) in the coming year, rising to 1.5 million or 5% of the US market by 2016, while the opportunity for growth in other markets is even less than that, it said.
“We are not expecting this to be a technology that ramps very quickly,” said Shawn Dubravac, Chief Economist and Senior Director of Research at the CEA. “The bigger story is that this trend toward high density pixel count is happening on all screens. We are seeing 1080p HD screens on phones which has huge implications for the demand for hi-res content streamed over the web.”
Panasonic curiously made no mention of either Ultra-HD, 4K or 3D in its press event, choosing instead to focus on the interactive features of its Viera sets.
FREE WEEKLY 3D NEWS BULLETIN –
