The technology quickly becoming standard across suppliers’ flagship televisions — interchangeably referred to as 4K or Ultra High Definition — is closer to becoming standardised and easier to explain to customers.
In the USA, trade body the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has unveiled the new logos for 4K Ultra High Definition TVs, monitors and projectors that will be used on packaging, marketing material and promotional activities.
The logos are designed to help consumers identify 4K products and also standardise the terminology used to describe the emerging category of display products with more than eight million pixels – four times the resolution of Full HD.
“The new logos mark another important milestone as the inevitable evolution to 4K Ultra HD continues,” said CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro. “These logos and consistent nomenclature will help consumers navigate the 4K Ultra HD marketplace and assist them in having a great experience at retail and at home.”
Across the 2014 TV releases 4K Ultra HD has been a consistent feature. Sony refers to its 2014 Bravia range as being 4K, Samsung’s are Ultra High Definition or UHD for short and LG has dubbed its 4K Ultra HD.
The CEA revealed two logos: 4K Ultra HD and 4K Ultra HD Connected.
The CEA decided to include a ‘Connected’ logo because it said one of the first ways consumers will have access to native 4K content is via internet streaming on ‘connected’ Ultra HDTVs. Essentially to qualify for the ‘connected’ title a TV must receive IP-delivered Ultra HD video through a Wi-Fi, Ethernet or other appropriate connection. Although Smart TVs are common, 4K Ultra HD monitors and projectors may lack this functionality.
The CEA points out that this is a revenue stream that was virtually non-existent three years ago and in July it revised its sales forecasts for 4K Ultra HD products from 485,000 to 800,000 in 2014. Revenue from 4K Ultra HD displays is projected to exceed US $5 billion in 2015.
The lack of 4K content available has been a criticism of the technology. However amateur 4K content is being produced from smartphones cameras and cameras.