Ultra HD Television: Should You Invest In One?

While most of India is still getting used to the HD phenomenon, the world has been hit by the 4K television saga, also known as the Ultra HD TV. Now, with the likes of Sony, LG and Samsung stepping up the action, these flat panels are making their way to India as well. But the question remains – is it a good choice to invest in one?

But first, what is an Ultra HD TV?
A basic full HD TV has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 (1080p) and supports 16:9 aspect ratio. This is now supported by most flat panel frames, ranging from 32 to 90 inches. An Ultra HD or 4K TV doubles the pixel amount on the same screen size, but follows the same aspect ratio. The resolution supported by an Ultra HD set is 3,840 x 2,160 (2160p). Similar to a higher pixel photograph that displays more details, a 4K TV will portray better graphics and moving pictures than an HDTV. In addition, the colour density and vividness also get a boost.

What’s the difference between an Ultra HDTV and an HDTV?
Both TV sets target general users. Apart from the resolution, there is not much difference between the two. Both support HDMI and composite input. Like the HDTV, an Ultra HD television also supports 5.1 channel surround sound audio and virtual surround sound. However, there are talks that these new-age TV sets will support 7.1 audio channels.

So, should one buy an Ultra HDTV in India?
India is just warming up to the concept of high definition viewing and surround sound units. The HD content is starting to flow freely now, but still is not at its optimum. HD movies are available, but there are just 25-30 HD TV channels available from various DTH (direct-to-home) vendors. But at this point, Ultra HD content is not available in any form to the Indian consumer. Yes, movies that will support 4K resolution will soon be available in India, which can be downloaded using the TV itself. They might come to the nearby movie stores as well, but no timeline has been given for that yet. Also, to run 4K movies on these TV sets, users will have to buy Ultra HD movie players as well.
But the biggest hindrance to buying an Ultra HD TV is its price. The cheapest 4K-ready flat screen from leading manufacturers like Sony will set you back by Rs 3 lakh for a 55 inch TV. This is a huge amount to pay for a TV set that does not have the 4K content available in any form. So our suggestion is to wait for the prices to dip south and let the 4K content come to our shores. Then pick one up.