Consumer electronics is a hard sell for people — just
because something new comes out, that doesn’t mean it’s
worth tossing out what came before. Think how slow the adoption of the flat
panel TV was in comparison to all the years that tube-TVs held sway. Or how few
people were willing at the early stage to buy into getting a high-definition TV
when all the content was confined to a few TV channels showing documentaries
and outdoor vistas.
Contrary to popular belief, it takes more than just having a new
technology like 4K TVs to buy to make them a viable part of the
culture — something not just wanted by the consumer but expected
as well. It takes more than just having something to watch in 4K too — although
of course that is important moving forward. What is needed is an organization
devoted to promoting 4K technology as it impacts the consumer; devoted to
heightening the awareness and educating the public as to why 4K isn’t
just the “next new thing,” but the “next BEST thing.” There
was such an organization when DVD’s came along, when Blu-ray’s came
along, when HDTVs came along. Why not 4K?
That’s why the announcement of the launch of
the UHD Alliance at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2015) was so important — easily
as important as all of the 4K TVs that overwhelmed the exhibition booths. The
UHD Alliance isn’t just for show — what
it will do will set the standards for how 4K moves forward and how those supporting 4K with other electronic
devices can attach themselves efficiently and effectively into this brave new
4K “World.” This is needed because 4K resolution brings more to the party than just
detail: robust color that is more natural to the eye is comes along for the
ride, as does an improved contrast and blacks that both contribute to making a
picture more lifelike. And while it might sound surprising, audio as it impacts
the 4K view is part of the equation too.
The initial members of the UHD Alliance include such
heavy-hitters in the TV manufacturing world as Sony, Samsung, Sharp and Panasonic, with studios represented by
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Disney and Twentieth Century Fox. Also listed
down is Netflix, DirecTV, Dolby and Technicolor. Mike Dunn, President, 20th
Century Fox Home Entertainment says “The UHD Alliance will benefit
consumers by identifying products and content that will give the true UHD
experience,” while Hyunsuk Kim, President, Visual Display Business at
Samsung Electronics points out that “the Alliance will encourage the
development of high-quality UHD content while distinguishing TVs that provide
the most premium UHD viewing experience.” Pointing
to the superior qualities of 4K viewing, Ron Sanders, President, Warner Bros.
Home Entertainment adds that “these technologies allow us to utilize
a much broader palette to tell our stories while providing viewers with true-to-life
colors, superior contrast and premium picture quality.”
Are there more members soon to be listed for the UHD Alliance? No
doubt they are having the paperwork being filed right now.
Of course the easiest way to understand what 4K TV is
all about is to see one in action — for
that a trip to an electronics store will prove fruitful. And fun. And even a
bit astounding for those of us who think that a HDTV is all that’s
needed for a great picture at home. Seeing is believing, they say, and getting
up close and personal with a 4K TV will prove the point.
Big time.