2014 - First Year of the 4K TV Era

2014 is the first year of the 4K era, according to this 35-page report.

Four things have happened that make 2014 the first year that 4K will be broadly available:

1. new technologies
2. affordable 4K TV sets
3. increasing amount of 4K content
4. content distribution 

Unlike 3D, prospective and paying consumers are genuinely appreciating the superior quality and enhanced viewing experience that 4K has to offer.

This report examines a range of trends in 4K including 4K TV sets, content availability, technological developments and the impact on the broadband and pay TV industry.

Some extracts are available to download here
 
  "2014 - First Year of the 4K Era” contains re-edited articles about 4K that have been curated and sorted by topic from the last few months’ issues of The Online Reporter. The report shows how much momentum 4K has gathered and makes clear that we have entered the 4K Ultra High Definition era.

Presented in easy-to-navigate sections, this report studies aspects that make 2014 the year 4K will be widely available and accepted:

• Technologies that enable the widespread availability of 4K that have been developed. This includes:
• HEVC (H.265) compression/decompression that enables 4K to be broadcast and streamed using a reasonable amount of bandwidth. HEVC is not necessary for 4K but it makes distribution easier.
• Upscaling, which takes 1080p HD and makes it look like 4K. In side by side tests, consumers could rarely tell the difference.
• Affordable 4K TV sets that retailing for under $1,000 will be available this year from the US TV bestseller Vizio, plus Polaroid, TCL and Seiki. Others are expected to be launched during the year.
• 4K Content from all the studios, plus other content creators that are already shooting in 4K.
• Distribution of 4K video will be available from OTT services Netflix, Amazon and YouTube, plus pay TV services DirecTV, Comcast, studios such as Sony Pictures, and others. Some Comcast subscribers have been given access to 4K experimental feeds from this year’s Sochi Winter Olympics.
• 4K-enabled consumer electronics and software, such as 4K cameras, computer monitors and video editing software. GoPro has released 4K-capable cameras for consumers to use to record their personal video, which is priced around $500.

4K is not a parlor trick as some have called 3D. Just as they did with 1080p HD, viewers instantly see how much better 4K is — it is instantly and noticeable better. Not only are the resolution and colors better but it creates an experience of being there, which is why “immersive” is the word most frequently used to describe it.

Who should read "2014 - First Year of the 4K Era"? We have written this report for Pay-TV companies including Cable, Satellite and Telcos, Movie and TV Studios, TV networks, TV and Device Manufacturers, Makers of Set-Top Boxes, Home Networking Gear, Chipset Makers and the Infrastructure that delivers video to the home, Local TV Stations, Financial Analysts and Industry Consultants.

The pricing for the "2014 - First Year of the 4K Era" report is as follows: Number of readers Single reader license                   $495 License for 2-3 readers               $790 License for 4-5 readers               $1,085 License for 6-10 readers             $1,720 License for 11-25 readers            $2,350 For 26 or more readers, please call for quotation

To order, please complete this order form and return to paperboy@riderresearch.com

We will send you a copy (as an Acrobat file) upon receipt.

For more information, please contact Simon Thompson at simon@riderresearch.com 

or call (225) 769-7130  or  +44 (0)1280 820560


Table of Contents for the "2014 Is the First Year of the 4K Era" Report

INTRODUCTION 4K Is Not the Only UltraHD Standard

CONTENT FOR THE 4K SCREEN OTT Services Will Be First to Offer 4K Content Sony’s Services Offer a ‘Gold Standard’ in 4K Picture Broadcast Sports May Be Slower to Join the 4K Revolution 8K Is Already on the Horizon

4K & UHD TV SETS
There’s More to ‘UHD’ than Just Pixels

Pricing Wars Are Already Brutal 4K TV Set Makers Get Aggressive about Prices during Holiday Promotions TV Makers Announce 4K Sets at CES

HEVC AND OTHER 4K TECHNOLOGIES Cablecos, Satcos and Broadcasters Deliver 4K (and 8K) Consumers Need Faster Broadband to Stream 4K Digital Television Group, Dolby Want Improvements to 4K Specification Security for 4K to Be Toughest Hurdle for OTT Delivery Nagra Shows Off 4K-Centric User Interface at CES 8K and the Future

4K-ENABLED CONSUMER ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT NanoTech Showcases $299 4K OTT Player at CES Other CE Makers that have Announced 4K Devices

4K FORECASTS & STATISTICS Forecast for the Future of 4K Looks Bright Analysts: 4K is Here to Stay

CONCLUSION 4K Ecosystem Will Be in Place in 5 Years and Will Be Mainstream in 10-15 Years