4k

First 4K movie available for sale

At the risk of sounding reductive, New Zealand is most famous for three things: "Lord of the Rings," those guys on HBO, and sauvignon blanc.

Now you can add a fourth item to the list: New Zealand is the home of what claims to be the world's first film to be sold to the public as a 4K resolution file you can actually own at home. Called "TimeScapes," the movie is the brainchild of Orange County photographer and former serviceman Tom Lowe and New Zealand composer Nigel Stanford. It's a 50-minute film featuring some … Read more

Westinghouse shows off 4K TV

While Westinghouse positions itself as a budget brand, it has shown it's also willing to experiment with cutting-edge technology. The 55-inch is the company's first TV to feature a 4k resolution, and is planned to be released in the first quarter of 2013.

The TV features a Quad HD resolution, which is essentially a consumer version of 4K, and measures at 3,840x2,160 pixels (or four times 1080p).

Interestingly, 3M researcher Dave Lamb recently told CNET that 4K would only have benefits in sizes above 55 inches. Based on a brief demo of mainly static images in … Read more

Canon hits 4K at NAB 2012

Canon's big news for this year's NAB show are the announcements of a $15,000 4K-capable version of the EOS-1D X, dubbed the EOS-1D C, and a prototype preview of the C500, a 4K- and 2K-capable new model in its Cinema EOS line. And while the prototype sounds quite interesting, I suspect the 1D C will trigger more irritation than jubilation for Canon video shooters.… Read more

NEX-FS700 pushes down Sony's 4K videocamera prices

Some folks satisfied with conventional 1080p video think the push to higher 4K resolution is silly -- but Sony execs are not on the list.

The company announced a new 4K videocamera today with interchangeable lenses, super-slow-motion options, and a Super 35mm-sized image sensor. Initially it'll shoot only conventional 1080p video, Sony said, but it's "4K-ready," meaning that with a planned firmware update it'll also be able to produce video imagery about 4,000 pixels wide.

Other high-end features include built-in 2-, 4-, and 6-stop neutral density filters, which can block light so videographers can … Read more

What is 4K? Next-generation resolution explained

As if LED and 3D TV weren't confusing enough, in the last few months we have seen a new HDTV technology called 4K, or its official name, Ultra HD. It's being heralded as the next high-def, and judging by the show floor at CES 2013, manufacturers are lining up to bring you a new array of products.

But just as was the case with 3D, it's the hardware chicken before the software egg: there's no consumer 4K content available. Still, if you listen to the industry, it'll tell you it's the last resolution you'll ever need. So what is 4K anyway, and what makes it different from high definition?

Editors' note: This was post was originally published January 23, 2012, and has been updated several times thereafter with expanded information, most recently on January 17, 2013.… Read more

Toshiba glasses-free 3D TV demo: It works, just not very well

LAS VEGAS--Although Toshiba's glasses-free 3D TV is coming to the U.S. in the next couple of months, and at a price we expect to be north of $10,000, it still has some issues.

Fellow CNET TV reviewer Ty Pendlebury and I both got the chance to check out the set here at CES 2012, and while the head-tracking technology is impressive, and the fact that you can actually see 3D effects without glasses is kind of mind-blowing, the TV we saw definitely felt more like a prototype than a product ready for prime time--especially for that price.… Read more

Sony unveils 'Crystal LED display' at CES

Sony has its eye on cranking up TV screen resolution.

The electronics and entertainment giant kicked off its CES press conference this evening by unveiling a prototype "Crystal LED display" that uses miniature light-emitting diodes in place of pixels. The technology, which uses 6 million LEDs mounted on the front of the display, is superior to LCD and plasma and promises "super contrast and superwide color gamut," Sony CEO Howard Stringer told those assembled.

While Sony has this 55-inch prototype on display at the conference, it is nowhere near production or consumers' hands. (CNET staffers at … Read more

LG ships largest LCD TV this summer; will its 4K rez help passive 3D?

LAS VEGAS--LG's pre-CES teaser release already confirmed the company's plans to ship a massive 84-inch 4K resolution LCD TV this year, but now we know when, and can speculate whether it will provide "lossless" passive 3D images.

The LG 84LM9600 will be the largest LCD confirmed for U.S. shipping this year, outdoing the 80-inch Sharp. LG has shown the screen size before but this is the first time it has promised a U.S. ship date: June or July of this year, according to the company rep we spoke to, price TBD.… Read more

LG's eye-poppin' 84-inch 3D ultra-def TV heading to CES

Looks like LG has already given up its TV goodies for CES 2012.

First, it said it's bringing the world's largest (at least for now) 55-inch OLED TV, and now along for the ride is an 84-inch 3D ultra-defiinition 4K TV, another world's largest.

The 3D UDTV has four times the "resolution clarity" of a full HDTV (3,840x2,160 versus 1,920x1,080 pixels), which is nice and it apparently will make LG's 3D experience that much better. The extra resolution won't matter much for consumers right now, though, because you'll … Read more

Stunning sample 4K image from a PS3

There've been previous reports that a PlayStation 3 will soon be able to output ultra-high-resolution 4K (4,096x2,160) still photos, and we finally got to see some samples at the recent Sony VPL-VW1000ES media launch. They were breathtakingly detailed and faithfully rendered by this $24,999 4K home theater projector. … Read more