Yo, Time For A New Tube, Y'all

[4everwarriors]

So, I wanna purchase a new HDTV. Callin' on the plethora of knowledge aka my Scoop brothers and sisters. What should I get? Is Ultra HD worth it at this time? Is there enough programming currently for a purchase to make sense?
How 'bout reliable brands for a set about 65 inches? LED vs LCD? C'mon y'all, help a bro out.

[mu03eng]

So, I wanna purchase a new HDTV. Callin' on the plethora of knowledge aka my Scoop brothers and sisters. What should I get? Is Ultra HD worth it at this time? Is there enough programming currently for a purchase to make sense?
How 'bout reliable brands for a set about 65 inches? LED vs LCD? C'mon y'all, help a bro out.

4000K ain't even close to worth it right now.  LED vs LCD really has to do with what your intended purpose for the TV is.....what is the majority of the content you are watching(in which people are wearing clothes)?

[hairy worthen]

If you have a darker room, say a basement rec room or room without natural light, I would consider a plasma if you can get one that big. The picture quality is better and they are much less expensive.  

[rocky_warrior]

So, I wanna purchase a new HDTV. Callin' on the plethora of knowledge aka my Scoop brothers and sisters. What should I get? Is Ultra HD worth it at this time? Is there enough programming currently for a purchase to make sense?
How 'bout reliable brands for a set about 65 inches? LED vs LCD? C'mon y'all, help a bro out.

My advice these days is to get the cheapest "name" brand you can find.  I paid a ton a money for a Samsung that broke in 4 years and was pissed off.  So now I've got a fairly cheap LG plasma that has been going for a few years.

In the 65" class, they're all going to have decent features, so don't waste money on crap that isn't made as well as it used to be...

[4everwarriors]

Primarily used for sporting events and will be placed in a bright, great room area.

[jesmu84]

Unlike Rocky, I've always bought Samsungs and had good experiences.

[rocky_warrior]

Unlike Rocky, I've always bought Samsungs and had good experiences.

Fair enough.  I should clarify that I'm not against Samsung, I just wouldn't overpay for one.  In fact I just bought a cheap 32" Samsung for a guest room. 

[jesmu84]

Fair enough.  I should clarify that I'm not against Samsung, I just wouldn't overpay for one.  In fact I just bought a cheap 32" Samsung for a guest room. 

Yea. I have always bought the previous year's model when i get one. Usually several hundred less.

[rocky_warrior]

I'll point out a decent deal right now...

Samsung 65" smart TV @ dell

About $1400, but when you add it to your cart, you get a $400 dell e-gift card too.  So if there's anything else you'd like to buy at dell, not a bad deal.

[🏀]

4ever has the cash, go high end.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_30564P8500/Samsung-PN64F8500.html?tp=36003

Perfect for a bright room with the matte screen.

[Coleman]

Just go on Amazon. There's usually some good deals there on last year's models.

[augoman]

Remember to check walmart online pricing- free delivery to the nearest store and their great return policy for one year for any reason.  I have 3 from there over the past 4 years and great luck (2 50" sonys and a 32" vizio for the bath).  I actually got $300 back at the store when American TV was going out of business and advertised a sony for 300 less.  I took the ad into walmart and they fired up in cash!!

[mu03eng]

Honestly, I've had nothing but good things to say about my Sony Bravia, and while I don't think it maters much(I have both) I do prefer Sony to Samsung.  Having said that, I'd go LCD and no need to overpay for anything.  Amazon typically has some pretty good deals, that's just as good as anywhere else.

The biggest differentiator for me is whether you need a smart tv.  If you've got wireless and don't feel like wiring up your laptop to your tv or don't have a table top streamer, get the smart tv....otherwise don't bother.  The smart TV is a little overpriced in my opinion for what the functionality set gets you.

[Coleman]

Honestly, I've had nothing but good things to say about my Sony Bravia, and while I don't think it maters much(I have both) I do prefer Sony to Samsung.  Having said that, I'd go LCD and no need to overpay for anything.  Amazon typically has some pretty good deals, that's just as good as anywhere else.

The biggest differentiator for me is whether you need a smart tv.  If you've got wireless and don't feel like wiring up your laptop to your tv or don't have a table top streamer, get the smart tv....otherwise don't bother.  The smart TV is a little overpriced in my opinion for what the functionality set gets you.

Especially when you consider a $50 Roku will essentially do everything a Smart TV does.

That said, its a nice convenience and saves on the wires around your tv, so if a clean look and only having 1 remote is important to you, it might be worth it.

[uncle zeffy]

My advice, buy last years model and scout the open box items at a Best Buy or a other retailer.

The open box items still come with a 1 year manufacture warranty, a 15 day return window (at Best Buy at least) and you have the option of buying the service warranty too if you would like.

I just got an open box 32" Samsumg LED for $200, list price last year was $350. So what it was missing a power cable and the stand "didnt work", a new power cable runs between $2-5 on Amazon and to fix the stand it needed new screws because some degenerate stripped it, 4 screws at Ace cost me $0.40. $2.40 in parts got me $150 off a TV...

[Benny B]

I'll throw in a plug for Amazon... bought an LG LED for the bedroom last year and couldn't be happier with the price, next-day shipping, or return policy. Although UPS drivers are smart enough not to leave TV boxes on an unattended doorstep even in the 'quon, you're probably going to take the day off work anyway to get things set up.

If you a) want a Black Friday deal but can't wait until November, or b) absolutely insist on having the most high-end, I don't think anyone in the retail industry can touch Costco's 90-day return policy on TVs.  Wait until late-August to buy, and when the new models are launched in time for the holidays, you can always "upgrade" or cash in on BF savings later.

The biggest differentiator for me is whether you need a smart tv.  If you've got wireless and don't feel like wiring up your laptop to your tv or don't have a table top streamer, get the smart tv....otherwise don't bother.  The smart TV is a little overpriced in my opinion for what the functionality set gets you.

+1.  If you don't stream over the web, forget about the Smart TV crap; if you do, get a Roku or Apple TV.  If you want something pretty you can show off to your friends, get a new car, not a TV.

[Stronghold]

Just check out the reviews on this one, can't go wrong.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-UN85S9-85-Inch-Ultra-120Hz/product-reviews/B00CMEN95U

[augoman]

what great reviews!  I wondered why there were so many before checking them out...,

[Spotcheck Billy]

Most of the apps on Smart TVs are also on most Blu-ray players. As far as 4K/Ultra HD, there is really nothing (program material)except games and Blu-ray disks that are even 1080P let alone 4K. You might need to start watching out for HDMI 2.0 soon to be future-proof (not sure if available on current models yet).

My Sammy plasma has been fantastic the last 3 years - even with a bright room we do not have any problems with daylight viewing but my model does have a screen coating to reduce reflections. AKAIK plasmas are being discontinued, I think Samsung already dropped them and Panasonic might have as well.

[Spotcheck Billy]

4000K

???? So is that like 4,000,000 lines resolution LOL?



sorry I couldn't resist esp. from an engineer 

[mu03eng]

???? So is that like 4,000,000 lines resolution LOL?



sorry I couldn't resist esp. from an engineer 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIMrFpnfvyI

[DegenerateDish]

As someone who works in the commercial display industry (for a mfg), I will say we can not make 4K displays fast enough. Company I work for has a 98" coming in October, already sold out. Consumer side will be year(s) behind, but 4K will not be a fad like 3D.

So everyone knows, all LED's are LCD's. LED is simply the backlighting.

55" is the sweet spot in consumer/commercial right now, it's what 46" was a year ago.

Panel prices are going to go up Q4 or Q1 2015, so would suggest buying now. Smart TV's are a waste of the $100-$200 upsell.

[Jay Bee]

You can barely see, old man. Spend $800-$1,200 for a 60-65" LED. TigerDirect.com, Best Buy, Amazon.. whatever it takes.

[4everwarriors]

Thought you'd be at the Home Run Hittin' Derby tonight, Chief?

[reinko]

Thought you'd be at the Home Run Hittin' Derby tonight, Chief?

Nah,  JayBee is spittin rhymes at an after party.

[ChicosBailBonds]

We have several Samsung HD televisions at home, one is a LCD and one is a LED, though technically a LED is a LCD.  Never had any issue with the Samsung tv's.  At work, must have 1000 of them in the office dispersed in offices, lobby, etc, etc. No issues.

LED is a little thinner, uses less energy.  I'd go with LED over LCD.

4K will be offered by television providers likely in 2015.  Unless you are buying a really large screen, 4K probably not needed.  Its nice, but IMO only shows its true colors in very large TVs.  My two cents.  The prices will continue to drop, as well, but if you have the coin and price is not a major issue than certainly a consideration.  Just know that content is limited and even when tv distributors start to deliver it, the options will be limited because the file sizes are so large (bandwidth hogs).


Just make sure your new tv has at least three HDMI ports, many now come with four.  You're going to want some flexibility for multiple inputs.  Wireless WiFi built it in is fairly standard as well.

Samsung H7150 is a nice set at 65".  If you want something smaller, 46" costs about $1200.

Good luck

[DegenerateDish]

We have several Samsung HD televisions at home, one is a LCD and one is a LED, though technically a LED is a LCD.  Never had any issue with the Samsung tv's.  At work, must have 1000 of them in the office dispersed in offices, lobby, etc, etc. No issues.

LED is a little thinner, uses less energy.  I'd go with LED over LCD.

4K will be offered by television providers likely in 2015.  Unless you are buying a really large screen, 4K probably not needed.  Its nice, but IMO only shows its true colors in very large TVs.  My two cents.  The prices will continue to drop, as well, but if you have the coin and price is not a major issue than certainly a consideration.  Just know that content is limited and even when tv distributors start to deliver it, the options will be limited because the file sizes are so large (bandwidth hogs).


Just make sure your new tv has at least three HDMI ports, many now come with four.  You're going to want some flexibility for multiple inputs.  Wireless WiFi built it in is fairly standard as well.

Samsung H7150 is a nice set at 65".  If you want something smaller, 46" costs about $1200.

Good luck

Prices will not be dropping. They'll either stay flat or rise in Q4 and most of 2015.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

Prices will not be dropping. They'll either stay flat or rise in Q4 and most of 2015.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-07-14/what-hardcore-pornography-can-teach-us-about-asset-bubbles

Price bubbles in everything. Get out the popcorn when it all comes down again.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Prices will not be dropping. They'll either stay flat or rise in Q4 and most of 2015.

Ok.  In my new job, working with Sony, Samsung, Roku, Apple, etc.  My Samsung guy says prices are dropping. 

[Benny B]

Prices will not be dropping. They'll either stay flat or rise in Q4 and most of 2015.

When you say "prices will not be dropping" are you saying a 2014 model is going to sell in 2015 for more than it did when originally released or that the 2015 models will sell for more than the 2014 models?

[ChicosBailBonds]

The 4K manufacturers are trying to goose their sales and have dropped prices dramatically.  The content distributors (cable, satellite, telco) don't want to invest in delivery of 4K unless consumers can afford to purchase the tv's, thus the critical mass we have.  Same thing happened with HD a number of years ago.

This is the bet that people are making and the relationships with the manufacturers are saying those sets will continue to come down in price to help seed the market.

[DegenerateDish]

Ok.  In my new job, working with Sony, Samsung, Roku, Apple, etc.  My Samsung guy says prices are dropping. 

That's because he's with Samsung.

[DegenerateDish]

When you say "prices will not be dropping" are you saying a 2014 model is going to sell in 2015 for more than it did when originally released or that the 2015 models will sell for more than the 2014 models?

Glass prices are going up for production starting in, most likely, early Q4. Big boys like Samsung and LG will fight it out with big box retail to absorb some of those costs, they always do. To the consumer, you may not see as many aggressive promo's around the holidays, I would expect consumer stays flat.

Bigger phones plus higher demand in notebooks/tablets=glass shortage.

[Coleman]

Glass prices are going up for production starting in, most likely, early Q4. Big boys like Samsung and LG will fight it out with big box retail to absorb some of those costs, they always do. To the consumer, you may not see as many aggressive promo's around the holidays, I would expect consumer stays flat.

Bigger phones plus higher demand in notebooks/tablets=glass shortage.

Phones use different types of glass than TVs. I doubt that 60" TVs use gorilla glass, although if they do I will stand corrected.

And rumor is that many phones will now start using sapphire crystal for their screens anyway.

[DegenerateDish]

Phones use different types of glass than TVs. I doubt that 60" TVs use gorilla glass, although if they do I will stand corrected.

And rumor is that many phones will now start using sapphire crystal for their screens anyway.

Yes, you are correct. Although some higher end products are using gorilla glass.

I should have re-phrased...factories are turning out glass production for phones/notebooks more than they are for TVs/displays. It 's demand at the factory level that is causing this.

[brandx]

Yes, you are correct. Although some higher end products are using gorilla glass.

I should have re-phrased...factories are turning out glass production for phones/notebooks more than they are for TVs/displays. It 's demand at the factory level that is causing this.

And as we get cheaper and flimsier laptops/tablets, demand for FRUs has risen big-time.

[mu03eng]

http://www.nature.com/news/graphene-the-quest-for-supercarbon-1.14193

In all seriousness, if you can get in on this new product, do it now...it will revolutionize TV, phone, and laptop/computer manufacturing.

Gorilla glass will be obsolete in 10 years

[Jay Bee]

Thought you'd be at the Home Run Hittin' Derby tonight, Chief?

It was pouring rain last night. Would have been dreadful.

I went in '85. Not there tonight. Hope the AL wins and my city makes a lot of money.

[4everwarriors]

Thought you'd be in Patterson's luxury box?

[77ncaachamps]

website I recommend watching for TV deals:



www.slickdeals.net


like this one:

40" Vizio E400i-B2 1080p WiFi Smart LED HDTV + $150 Dell eGift Card $398 + Free Shipping

http://slickdeals.net/f/7061934-40-vizio-e400i-b2-1080p-smart-led-hdtv-397-99-150-gift-card-free-shipping-dell-com

[ChicosBailBonds]

That's because he's with Samsung.

Fair enough, but at the end of the day if they cut their margins to move sales, the prices will drop for the consumer...that's ultimately what I'm saying.  To the consumer, especially the avg Joe who has no idea how economics work or margins, costs, bill of materials, etc, he\she just cares what they are spending.

From what I understand, to move product they are going to keep slashing their prices.  Sony, in particular, got clobbered in sales of TV's last year and apparently is willing to discount heavily to win back market share, or so I'm told.

[77ncaachamps]

Or this:

Sharp 32" LC32LE451U, $219 minus $125 GC = net $94

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A7524881&dgc=CJ&cid=47997&lid=4279734&acd=10550055-4485850-7343d73f3e434a8f8332f68864b32bdf

[ZiggysFryBoy]

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-07-14/what-hardcore-pornography-can-teach-us-about-asset-bubbles

Price bubbles in everything. Get out the popcorn when it all comes down again.

I see what you did there.

[g0lden3agle]

As someone who works in the commercial display industry (for a mfg), I will say we can not make 4K displays fast enough. Company I work for has a 98" coming in October, already sold out. Consumer side will be year(s) behind, but 4K will not be a fad like 3D.

So everyone knows, all LED's are LCD's. LED is simply the backlighting.

55" is the sweet spot in consumer/commercial right now, it's what 46" was a year ago.

Panel prices are going to go up Q4 or Q1 2015, so would suggest buying now. Smart TV's are a waste of the $100-$200 upsell.

At what size is 4K really necessary?  Can the human eye even distinguish 4K from 1080p on a 50-60" screen from 6' away or so?  Same question as "is 1080p really necessary on my 5" handheld device?"

[Coleman]

Can the human eye even distinguish 4K from 1080p on a 50-60" screen from 6' away or so?  Same question as "is 1080p really necessary on my 5" handheld device?"

Probably not. And no, of course its not necessary.

But how else will electronics manufacturers sell anything if they don't have some new feature to push on Americans with money to burn?

[Spotcheck Billy]

Probably not. And no, of course its not necessary.

But how else will electronics manufacturers sell anything if they don't have some new feature to push on Americans with money to burn?

Exactly, every year its something else be it 240hz refresh rate or LED. Similar to Dolby ATMOS in the audio realm, the first gen home receivers are going to be mostly gimmicks rather than real implementation.

[ChicosBailBonds]

At what size is 4K really necessary?  Can the human eye even distinguish 4K from 1080p on a 50-60" screen from 6' away or so?  Same question as "is 1080p really necessary on my 5" handheld device?"

HD on your small device, your eye isn't going to catch the difference....totally agree with you.

However, I've seen 4K demo'd often, and yes the human eye can discern a noticeable difference between 4K and 1080p.  That said, in my opinion the benefits are more with the largest of the large screens.  Is it worth the money, in my view today it is not worth the premium. 

One of the benefits of 4K is overlaying other data.  For example, you could dedicate 3K of the bit rate to the picture and 1K to data and carve up the screen a bit.  This is tricky and has to be done at the streaming insertion level, but creative companies are working on this.   

[ChicosBailBonds]

Exactly, every year its something else be it 240hz refresh rate or LED. Similar to Dolby ATMOS in the audio realm, the first gen home receivers are going to be mostly gimmicks rather than real implementation.

Agree on 240hz, but disagree on LED a bit.  Depth of screen footprint is one reason, lower energy consumption as well as glare angle benefits.

ATMOS is an interesting question which I believe depends on your ability to discern audio....some folks are really good at it.  For me, doesn't matter, but I know people that can tell 128K bit compressed song on iTunes instantly vs one at a higher bit rate.  For those people, I suppose it makes a difference. 

[Spotcheck Billy]

LED was a bad example for gimmickry because it does have benefits but most people don't realize its just the backlighting is LED vs. fluorescent and think its an all new technology.

ATMOS for the home is being implemented without the system being able to discern the speaker location which most of today's systems are already capable of with Audyssey etc.. To avoid the lead time of designing new components by adding more processing power most makers are dumbing down the processing in order to add ATMOS. Best to wait for the 2nd generation or more.

Regarding 4K, my 1st question is what/how much programming material is available to watch in 4K? To this day there is not much even in 1080p. 

[DegenerateDish]

In the commercial space, the company I work for can't keep 4K in stock. Demand is huge in commercial space right now, can't even call it an early adopter life cycle.

4K is sweet, and yes, you can distinguish the difference between 1080 and 4K. As someone who doesn't care about the consumer space, I hope it's years until 4K takes over in consumer. It's one of the few true differentiators that exists right now between commercial/consumer that most people get (outside of LAN).

2x2 video walls will be obsolete soon thanks to 4K.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Regarding 4K, my 1st question is what/how much programming material is available to watch in 4K? To this day there is not much even in 1080p. 

I'm confused on the latter part of your question.  There is a ton of stuff available in 1080p format.  Do you mean 1080p uncompressed content, like BluRay content?  If so, then you are correct.  TV distribution companies or even broadband enabled providers (Netflix, etc) are going to compress their signal or use an Adjusted Bit Rate delivery. 

As far as 4K, not much content now, but its coming.  Some of the television productions out there are already starting to shoot series in 4K because the cameras have come down so much in price.  As a result, they can still downconvert and provide it in HD, but it is there in native 4K for down the road.  TV content distributors (cable, satellite, telco) will start to deliver in end of this year or early next year most likely.  Limited content at first, because the bandwidth needed is very high.  Netflix has 4K right now, but it's only through Smart Televisions and only if you have a minimum 15.4Mbps download speed.  I do not know how much they are compressing their stream.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I'm confused on the latter part of your question.  There is a ton of stuff available in 1080p format.  Do you mean 1080p uncompressed content, like BluRay content?  If so, then you are correct.  TV distribution companies or even broadband enabled providers (Netflix, etc) are going to compress their signal or use an Adjusted Bit Rate delivery. 

yes, go uncompressed or go home! Why pay for a TV that gives a great 1080p or 4K picture and feed it a compressed signal? You might as well buy a 700hp car and only drive it under 3000rpm all the time.

[ChicosBailBonds]

yes, go uncompressed or go home! Why pay for a TV that gives a great 1080p or 4K picture and feed it a compressed signal? You might as well buy a 700hp car and only drive it under 3000rpm all the time.

It just won't happen, not for many years.  For cable and telco, too many things on the wire to provide uncompressed video and also allow for voice, data, and all the other video channels they are providing.  At least for now.  Unless compression gets better where they can reduce the sizes of other things without compromising quality (or improving quality of today).

Satellite could do it, but they would have to also kill off other channels or data services and from a monetary perspective, makes no sense.   That being said, as Dish and Directv ween off people from SD (both are providing HD and SD to customers) over the next few years, a tremendous amount of bandwidth is going to open up in the process.  In addition the launch of reverse LnB opens up more radio spectrum.  It will be curious to see how they use the bandwidth, to offer uncompressed video is an option, but is it financially prudent?  How many more customers do you get, or how many can you make stickier when current 1080p is good enough for most?  I suspect what will happen is they will provide more bits to the current broadcasts to make them better (less compressed), but we'll see.

[DegenerateDish]

3 big letters are going to eventually push people (certainly not all) to 4K in consumer.

N
F
L

Company I work for helped coordinate an MLS game to be shot in 4K in 2013, we were given rights to keep content, and it blows away 1080. It's not a coincidence the NFL and it's broadcast partners are investing in 4K, and doing it quickly.

[ChicosBailBonds]

3 big letters are going to eventually push people (certainly not all) to 4K in consumer.

N
F
L

Company I work for helped coordinate an MLS game to be shot in 4K in 2013, we were given rights to keep content, and it blows away 1080. It's not a coincidence the NFL and it's broadcast partners are investing in 4K, and doing it quickly.

True, though many others are as well.  CBS is shooting a ton of stuff in 4K right now, not just sports.  I have a buddy that shoots Wheel of Fortune, and even that is being shot in 4K now. 

I still think the size of the screen matters.  I've seen side by side 50" 4K vs 1080p and though there is a difference, it is small IMO.  You start getting into the 70"+ and some of the mega screens way bigger, and it is really beautiful.

[DegenerateDish]

True, though many others are as well.  CBS is shooting a ton of stuff in 4K right now, not just sports.  I have a buddy that shoots Wheel of Fortune, and even that is being shot in 4K now. 

I still think the size of the screen matters.  I've seen side by side 50" 4K vs 1080p and though there is a difference, it is small IMO.  You start getting into the 70"+ and some of the mega screens way bigger, and it is really beautiful.

Agree 100%, 70" and above is the sweet spot. We only had an 84" until we just came out with a 28". 98" this fall. The best feature of the 28" 4K is splitting the screen up or into thirds, and maintaining 1080 res in all zones.

[Jay Bee]

Hey geeks,

What's the latest on best rules of thumb.. distance vs. TV size? Have seen diff suggestions over the years...

...and does 1080 vs. 4k change that measurably?

(PS - I mostly watch sports and non-fiction stuff.. none of that pansy breaking bread or throne wars)

[4everwarriors]

Good question BeeJay. 'Bout time you did somethin' constructive 'round here, Chief.

[Spotcheck Billy]

It just won't happen, not for many years.  For cable and telco, too many things on the wire to provide uncompressed video and also allow for voice, data, and all the other video channels they are providing.  At least for now.  Unless compression gets better where they can reduce the sizes of other things without compromising quality (or improving quality of today).

Satellite could do it, but they would have to also kill off other channels or data services and from a monetary perspective, makes no sense.   That being said, as Dish and Directv ween off people from SD (both are providing HD and SD to customers) over the next few years, a tremendous amount of bandwidth is going to open up in the process.  In addition the launch of reverse LnB opens up more radio spectrum.  It will be curious to see how they use the bandwidth, to offer uncompressed video is an option, but is it financially prudent?  How many more customers do you get, or how many can you make stickier when current 1080p is good enough for most?  I suspect what will happen is they will provide more bits to the current broadcasts to make them better (less compressed), but we'll see.

Most people aren't going to buy 70" or larger screens because they can't fit that in their room. Most source material is compressed (all broadcast and streaming sources). How many are going to invest in a new TV under 70" just because it has 4K? Most will get a 4K set if and when their current TV dies kind of why I have a smart TV with 3D (that no one wants to watch).

I don't see much of a consumer market except the usual 'early adopters' buying 4K in the near term. Now if compressed 4K blows away compressed 1080p on Ma Kettles 36" Vizio then that changes the above somewhat.

[g0lden3agle]

Hey geeks,

What's the latest on best rules of thumb.. distance vs. TV size? Have seen diff suggestions over the years...

...and does 1080 vs. 4k change that measurably?

(PS - I mostly watch sports and non-fiction stuff.. none of that pansy breaking bread or throne wars)

http://www.techradar.com/us/news/television/ultra-hd-everything-you-need-to-know-about-4k-tv-1048954

How far should I sit from a 4K TV for the best picture?

4K Ultra HD is a much more intimate viewing experience than Full HD. In many respects, the best way to view 4K is analogous to the way we view films in a cinema. Old style cinemas were shoe-box shaped and most patrons sat typically 3-5 screen heights away, because that was the most comfortable viewing distance.
Contemporary cinemas are wider, and now the optimum viewing distance is 1.5 screen heights back. From this vantage point you can take in all the visual information that's available and comfortably fill your field of vision. Translated to the home, that makes the most comfortable distance to view a 65-inch 4K screen approx. 1.5m. Of course, in many homes that simply isn't practical. Consequently, a large 4K screen is probably best viewed at a distance of between 2-3m; time to rearrange your furniture?

http://s3.carltonbale.com/resolution_chart.html

Seems like for a house 4k doesn't make too much sense unless you're either a) buying a massive set. or b) don't care about sitting so uncomfortably close to the set that you can actually tell the difference.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Hey geeks,

What's the latest on best rules of thumb.. distance vs. TV size? Have seen diff suggestions over the years...

...and does 1080 vs. 4k change that measurably?

(PS - I mostly watch sports and non-fiction stuff.. none of that pansy breaking bread or throne wars)

I've never seen porn called "non-fiction" before.  Just more proof that the actors are really in love with each other.

How's the slo-mo porno pull in 4K?

[Benny B]

I've never seen porn called "non-fiction" before.  Just more proof that the actors are really in love with each other.

How's the slo-mo porno pull in 4K?

The use of actors who are not analogues of their characters doesn't preclude the work from being classified as non-fiction.  Demonstrations, documentaries and artistic displays are typically considered works of non-fiction.  "Porno" can be short for "pornography," which may or may not be non-fiction in nature, or it can be short for the "pornographic arts" which would be considered non-fiction.

That said, most porn is fictional in nature.  For example, if the opening scene shows a hot actress walking up to a guy and saying, "Hey Ziggy's Fry Boy... you're looking pretty hot, why don't you come back to my place" you know that's fiction.  But if said actress said "Hey Benny... would you mind watching my purse while I go bang this guy in the bathroom" that would be non-fiction.

[Benny B]

We should probably start a separate Scoop Porno Thread... I would suspect that we have many Scoopers who could invaluably contribute to such a topic.  And since it's art (most of the time - that amateur stuff is pretty gray area, if you ask me), it carries a cultural and educational benefits unseen in threads such as "Why Can't We Recruit Bigs," "This Bubble Blows," "Problem With the Catholic 7" and "Hoping Texas Sucks."

Incidentally, if I ever end up producing porn, my first four titles will be "Recruiting the Big," "Blowing Bubbles," "Problem Catholic Girls, Part 7" and "Hope Sucks Texas."

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

We should probably start a separate Scoop Porno Thread... I would suspect that we have many Scoopers who could invaluably contribute to such a topic.  And since it's art (most of the time - that amateur stuff is pretty gray area, if you ask me), it carries a cultural and educational benefits unseen in threads such as "Why Can't We Recruit Bigs," "This Bubble Blows," "Problem With the Catholic 7" and "Hoping Texas Sucks."

Incidentally, if I ever end up producing porn, my first four titles will be "Recruiting the Big," "Blowing Bubbles," "Problem Catholic Girls, Part 7" and "Hope Sucks Texas."

Well done.

Post of the summer.

[4everwarriors]

Any of y'all frequent the Parkway?

[Spotcheck Billy]

One of my buds back in the early 80's was a cop downtown and would warn guys that if you parked your car in the lot by the Parkway and someone asked you for $5 to watch your car you better pay up because they knew you'd be gone for an hour or more leaving them plenty of time to smash and grab your stereo.