8K
High Definition TVs (which have 16 times the resolution of
today’s HDTVs) are still 10 years or so from being a common fixture in the living
room. As we make that transition, an emerging technology will replace the heavy
HDTV sets that we are used to: OLED TVs. What does this mean for you?
OLED
Did you think that your television was one of the thinnest
and lightest HDTV’s on the market? Not for long.
OLED TVs are only a few millimeters thick and are
light. LG’s OLED TV at this year’s CES is only 7.6mm thick. More importantly, they provide deep black
color, more color accuracy, much better viewing angles, and are more energy
efficient. The bad news is that these TVs will come out sometime at the end of
this year and cost anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000. Furthermore, the longevity
of OLED TVs are still a question mark, though it’s safe to assume that
manufacturers will only release them when they can promise a decent life span. The
good news is that as technology improves, the prices of these bright TVs will
go down, making them more affordable. Look for them to become as affordable as
current HDTVs in 2015.
The dramatic thinness of OLED TVs may be a head
turner, but the main selling point of HDTV OLEDs will be their never before
seen color accuracy. Reporters who have seen an OLED TV in real life note that
the colors “have to be seen to be believed “ and that blurred motion on
preceding plasmas and LEDs is a thing of the past. While Samsung and LG are
working on improving color accuracy, TV manufacturers are also working on taking
HDTV resolution to another level…
4K and 8K
While OLED TVs may be coming to your local Best Buy
this year, 4K and 8K TVs are still maybe a decade away from becoming common
place. Today, even if the average consumer could afford to buy a 4K or 8K TV,
he or she wouldn’t be able to get content to it.
4K resolution video is already available. But if
you attempt to view it on Youtube,
for example, you’ll see why a lot needs to be done with connection speeds
before high resolution content is readily available.
This year, in terms of improved picture, expect dramatically
improved color accuracy in the form of OLEDs. A decade or so from now, expect
the next generation of super high resolution television sets, first with 4K,
and then with 8K.
