Never mind about eating healthily, giving up smoking, calling your mum more…etc. Here are the truly exciting resolutions for 2014.
Samsung & LG’s 4K Ultra High-Definition Televisions
Up to now, 4K has been the digital cinema standard at 4096×2160 but now you can view your monstrous 110 inch 4K Ultra HD TV with extra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio, in the comfort of your own home.
Two days ago in Las Vegas, ahead of CES: the giant tech show, Samsung introduced the S9 whopper: A curved (yet bendable) 110 inch screen. And if you can’t fit that into your home, there are also the 95 inch, 85 inch and 55 inch screens – all curved and all with the new 4K resolution. In Samsung’s U9000 range are the 78 inch, 65 inch and 55 inch. LG will launch their version at CES in the next day or two. When it comes to image quality, these UHD TVs are rewriting the rulebooks with an almost photographic emulsion of smoothness.
4K has existed for a good year now, but with no suitably large vehicle for the home viewer to view on, nor much content to watch. A year ago, astronomy photographer Tom Lowe made and sold the first ever publicly released 4K film: TimeScapes, available on his website. At 160GB it arrives on an external USB drive! Here is a clip (in much lower resolution – obviously)
In 2014 however, one of the first ever major tv shows will be available in 4K: Season 2 of House of Cards – mastered and edited in 4K and available on Netflix.
So how much will a 4K UHD TV set you back?
Supposing you have a wall big enough and an even bigger bank balance, the LG 84 inch 4K Ultra HD Smart TV is available from Richer Sounds at a snip under £15K.
The price tag of the new 110 inch Samsung 4K UHD TV when launched to the public, is rumoured to be in excess of £35k. If that’s not a problem here is the Which guide to buying one!
As for your other New Year’s Resolutions for 2014, I recommend skipping the gym membership and just concentrate on saving money for your own home cinema experience.
