
The 4K TV
The heart of the
home theater is the television and the bigger the better. But what's even more
important is that the resolution be 4K. A 4K TV has the distinct advantage of
possessing 4X the resolution that a standard HD TV has. This also translates
into more vivid color with better contrast and much better blacks than
otherwise would be the case. All of this makes the viewing experience more
immersive and enveloping. And thanks to
the 4K TVs ability to upscale content to near-4K
quality, that DVD/Blu-ray library that took years to accumulate won't be left
to gather dust.
4K Content
As is obvious,
the best things to watch on a 4K TV is content that is in native 4K
resolution. There are three ways to enjoy 4K content:
1) 4K TV
broadcasts
Cable companies
and satellite receivers are making 4K broadcasts available, although there is
not an endless stream of them available. Still, the number of events and
sport events which are getting 4K views
is gaining ground.
2) 4K Streaming
A number of
online venues are offering content in 4K resolution. Providing the TV set (or
video source) has the ability to stream 4K, and the Internet connection the
speed to "grab" and maintain it, there are plenty of venues for
watching high resolution. Examples can be found on Netflix and Sony’s Ultra 4K
Movies & TV and YouTube, among others.
3) 4K Blu-ray
Discs
For prerecorded
content, there's now 4K Blu-Ray discs. These discs are used in exactly in the
same manner as the HD Blu-Ray discs that came before. The difference is that
the 4K discs present their images with a greater clarity and more detail
because of the higher resolution. And of course the 4K TV likes and knows how
to handle the 4K video that it's receiving.
For playing 4K
discs, a 4K Video player is needed. These players have the
necessary technology to take the 4K disc and transmit its signal to the 4K TV. A 4K video player also comes equipped with 4K streaming
capabilities as well.
The Audio
Sound also needs
to be robust and exciting if it’s to drive the home theater. There’s two
solutions for doing this, and the first is the more traditional. An A/V Receiver is connected to speakers that stand in
the room and envelops the listeners in surround sound. The other solution is to
use a sound bar — these can be placed in front of the
TV, if on a stand or mounted to the wall beneath the TV (should the TV be
mounted to the wall also). Either solution — sound bar or AV Receiver — will allow for the high resolution
audio that is now standard with 4K presentations to be heard.
Having a 4K home
theater requires patience and a bit of planning. What results every time you
sit down and watch will be well worth it.