Top 10 features your next TV must have - article discussion

I can't remember if the HU7500 supports HDCP2.2 but as long as it does you'll still be able to play 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays.
According to Richer Sounds website the hu7500 is hdcp 2.2 compliant, few. So i believe its just HDR i will be missing out on for a while
 
According to Richer Sounds website the hu7500 is hdcp 2.2 compliant, few. So i believe its just HDR i will be missing out on for a while
By the time we have HDR content in any significant way we might have 8K-Resolution TVs.
 
Must agree with a couple of others about the "Smart" functionality

I never ever use my Sony smart features..... they are just not "smart" enough, and way too slow.

Give me a decent picture and forget about twin tuners, recording and smart features, I don't need / want them. My source provides everything I need, would much rather the manufacturers spent more on nice blacks and even backlighting.
 
Does this mean that we will all need new AV Amps that support HMDI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2 if we want to use the (as yet unreleased) 4k Ultra HD Blu ray players, new Sky boxes etc? If so, this effectively consigns my very quite pricy barely two year old amp to the scrap heap. My Mrs is going to be chuffed when I tell her that if we want to make use of a new 4K TV we will also have to replace pretty much every other component in my equipment cabinet as well unless we only want to watch Netflix / Amazon prime (hardly spoilt for choice content-wise).

I suppose the only alternative would be to route to the TV directly from these sources and either route the audio back to the amp over ARC (delay?) or hope that it is possible to split the audio and video from the source.

I think that I will stay with my current setup (viva Kuro!) until 4k content becomes more prevalent and the associated technology is finalized (will this ever happen?). By that time I expect that the price of the OLEDs will also have come down to a more reasonable level.
 
@Digibit we are hoping that manufacturers listen to us in respect to the new 4k UHD BD Players and give them two HDMI outputs. Like the issues with 3D you would use one HDMI to take the 4K feed to the TV/Projector and the other to the AVR for audio only.
 
Hi Steve, just to add to your excellent article, some TV's and projectors for that matter provide a spec of HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2. In reality the HDMI 2.0 is only a 'level b' type with the old 10.2gb pipeline. This is not compatible with the popular SMPTE HDR10 and appears to be the old HDMI 1.4b with the HDCP 2.2 bolted on. The full fat HDMI 2.0 has a 'level a' designation (not to be confused 2.0a) and has the SMPTE HDR friendly 18gb pipeline. Beyond that is the HDMI 2.0a (upgrade 'a' allows for HDR metadata) and I believe this addition can be attached easily to HDMI 2.0 'level a' with a software/firmware upgrade if it does not already come with the set.

Hope this is not too confusing. Why they make it so mixed up like this goodness only knows.
 
I agree with those saying that TVs are trying to become masters of everything. I definitely do not feel the need for my TV to be able to stream anything, or do smart this or that. I just want it to take in video signals from disparate devices, and display to the best of its ability.

Sure, some of those post-processing functions do assist in this aim, but, as a gamer, I also want to have easy and full control over what I want to be enabled, and not just a platform for the manufacturer to show off its tech.

I have recently replaced our main TV with a Sony KD-43x8309, which seems to do the job. However, the UI is very sluggish, and I'm sure this is all down to the TV having to kowtow to the inbuilt smart features, only very few of which I will ever use.
You cannot just 'Disable Smart features'.

Buying a new TV should not be like being forced to update Windows when buying a new PC, then having to uncover the options you require that are now well hidden away.
 
Steve W.

thank's for such great article!

I hope that shop staf is in this forum too and learning something.

I would build my smart phone with all points and go arround to buy som TV.
After 10-12 years old Loewe Aconda 32" it is probably time to do something ;)

It would be great if you and your crew do some files with all those details when reviewing the new stuff on the market.

Great work you are doing ..

Thank's
 
Steve W.

thank's for such great article!

I hope that some shops staf is in this forum too and learning something.

I would build my smart phone with all points and go arround to buy som TV.
After 10-12 years old Loewe Aconda 32" it is probably time to do something ;)

It would be great if you and your crew do some files - table with all those details when reviewing the new stuff on the market.

Great work you are doing ..

Thank's
 
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so which tv can you buy right now that has:

HDR support
10 bit panel
HDMI 2.0a
HDCP 2.2 support
HEVC decoding

Are there any available that tick all those boxes?

I want to upgrade my 5 year old Sammy, but i might as well wait until i can get one that will allow me to use all of the features available. if i get a 4k tv now that doesn't have HDCP support then i won't be able to watch or use UHD blu rays in the near future.

Pretty much all the latest "flagship" TVs from most of the major TV manufacturers (with a few exceptions - e.g. Panasonic CX802 which supposedly only has an 8 bit panel) will have all of those features and more (e.g. VP9 codec for YouTube videos).

Most/many TVs that came with HDMI 2.0 only will receive a firmware upgrade to HDMI 2.0a.

For instance, all of Samsung's SUHD TVs (and most of their other 2015 UHD TVs) come with all of those features and have received (or will receive) the HDMI 2.0a upgrade.
(I own the 2015 Samsung SUHD UN65JS9000).
 
According to Richer Sounds website the hu7500 is hdcp 2.2 compliant, few. So i believe its just HDR i will be missing out on for a while

It's always possible that your TV HDMI 2.0 ports may be upgraded to 2.0a through a firmware update.
(If Samsung so chooses)
 
What's the consensus on 3D TVs these days? Is 3D really dying out as they say or is the decline being imposed by the industry? Has anyone reading this been keen on watching in 3D in the past and are now bored with it and prefer to watch in 2D?

I've had my 3D TV for several years now and am keen on 3D as I ever was. I also use it to view my 3D photos taken with my 3D Fujifilm 3D camera, amazing! My next TV will definitely be 3D if they're still available in 4k by then. Trouble is I'm running out of 3D material with the demise of the Sky 3D channel in June. I have a Love Film by post account which is now my main source of 3D movies on Blu-Ray disc but the price is going up by nearly 350% next year. My guess is that this is because Amazon want to eventually phase out sending old style discs in favour of their Instant Video streaming (no 3D content available of course).
 
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Thanks Steve, read my mind. A short while ago I contacted AVforums to specify (if possible which 4K sets have a 10bit panel etc. What would be really useful is to have a table of the key features when buying a new set like hdmi 2.0a, 10 bit panel, etc.. on all 4k sets reviewed. The readers would really find this useful (me thinks).
Hi Zubeir, by reading the list of your av gear, it says you have a Plasma tv they still give better picture up close than any 4K tv's thats for sure
 
I've had my venerable kuro 600 krp for 7 years now, and still enjoy the picture very much

Seems to me that this whole 4k UHD malarkey still has some way to go before it all settles down, so I'm not in a rush to buy though I am tempted

It's also a bit annoying when apparently manufacturers are talking about 8k and prototype models are showing up at expos , makes you think 4k might be very short lived
Keep hold of your Pioneer Plasma tv as long as you can they still give lot better picture than 4K tvs. Go up close to a 4K tv in a shop, picture is not as good Plasma are still King of tvs
 
What's the consensus on 3D TVs these days? Is 3D really dying out as they say or is the decline being imposed by the industry? Has anyone reading this been keen on watching in 3D in the past and are now bored with it and prefer to watch in 2D?

I've had my 3D TV for several years now and am keen on 3D as I ever was. I also use it to view my 3D photos taken with my 3D Fujifilm 3D camera, amazing! My next TV will definitely be 3D if they're still available in 4k by then. Trouble is I'm running out of 3D material with the demise of the Sky 3D channel in June. I have a Love Film by post account which is now my main source of 3D movies on Blu-Ray disc but the price is going up by nearly 350% next year. My guess is that this is because Amazon want to eventually phase out sending old style discs in favour of their Instant Video streaming (no 3D content available of course).

Unsure if your aware, however there is 8/9 pages of 3D Content via the On-Demand sections pal.
 
What's the consensus on 3D TVs these days? Is 3D really dying out as they say or is the decline being imposed by the industry? Has anyone reading this been keen on watching in 3D in the past and are now bored with it and prefer to watch in 2D?

I've had my 3D TV for several years now and am keen on 3D as I ever was. I also use it to view my 3D photos taken with my 3D Fujifilm 3D camera, amazing! My next TV will definitely be 3D if they're still available in 4k by then. Trouble is I'm running out of 3D material with the demise of the Sky 3D channel in June. I have a Love Film by post account which is now my main source of 3D movies on Blu-Ray disc but the price is going up by nearly 350% next year. My guess is that this is because Amazon want to eventually phase out sending old style discs in favour of their Instant Video streaming (no 3D content available of course).
I still watch films in 3D at the cinema whenever possible and own 50+ 3D blu-rays which i watch in 3D if i am alone.

I have found though that quite often the cinema hasn't been tuned properly and the 3D is off, sometimes by quite a lot, not going to convince people of watching it when its done so poorly.

When i have spoken to friends about it (none of which are interested in 3D) it comes across that some of them just want things flying out the screen at them and the others are trying to focus on the blurry part of the background picture wondering why its not coming into focus.
 
Pretty much all the latest "flagship" TVs from most of the major TV manufacturers (with a few exceptions - e.g. Panasonic CX802 which supposedly only has an 8 bit panel) will have all of those features and more (e.g. VP9 codec for YouTube videos).

Most/many TVs that came with HDMI 2.0 only will receive a firmware upgrade to HDMI 2.0a.

For instance, all of Samsung's SUHD TVs (and most of their other 2015 UHD TVs) come with all of those features and have received (or will receive) the HDMI 2.0a upgrade.
(I own the 2015 Samsung SUHD UN65JS9000).

This is ok but I too would like these features, the only problem is that the space I can fit this tv is limiting my options to a maximum of 50" screen size.
 
A big factor for some is that Panasonic have decided to design the stands on most if not all of their current 4K range full width. My stand width is approx. 125cm and I have enough room to accommodate a 65"+. Panasonic didn't think about so many consumers who won't have a stand as wide as the tv. Couldn't they have designed the tv with a central stand.
 
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Unsure if your aware, however there is 8/9 pages of 3D Content via the On-Demand sections pal.

Thanks Jonny76, I'm aware there are a number of 3D movies on demand but I cancelled my Sky Movies subscription as I could get the same movies and more on Love Film for a fraction of the price. Then Amazon announced the price increase but it still works out cheaper. There are ten 3D box set available on Sky but they're the same ones as were on there in June and I already had them recorded. There were lots of amazing 3D programmes on the Sky 3D channel, luckily I still have lots of them recorded but there's no new 3D content now. If there's more 3D available on Sky than I'm aware of above, please let me know where to find it.
 
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I still watch films in 3D at the cinema whenever possible and own 50+ 3D blu-rays which i watch in 3D if i am alone.

I have found though that quite often the cinema hasn't been tuned properly and the 3D is off, sometimes by quite a lot, not going to convince people of watching it when its done so poorly.

When i have spoken to friends about it (none of which are interested in 3D) it comes across that some of them just want things flying out the screen at them and the others are trying to focus on the blurry part of the background picture wondering why its not coming into focus.

I have only about a dozen or so 3D blu-rays as once I've seen a film I generally don't want to see it over again (apart from films like Avatar of course).

I've not had those 3D problems at the cinema. Our local is Vue, is that the same as where you have had the problems and was it recurring?
 
3D had a novelty factor which lasted about five minutes with me. I am not a fan of 3D but maybe when the glasses-free 3D TVs come out I might be
 
Anyone have any idea on just how future proof HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2 will be? Are we talking throughout the lifespan of 4K or will they conveniently miss something again like the 3D & ethernet additions no-one uses? Only I plan on buying a new processor (Marantz AV7702mk2) soon that comes with the above specs, but don't want to find out a couple of years down the road when/if I do actually go 4K, that I now need HDMI 2.1z & HDCP 38.7 (bit of an exaggeration, but then maybe not) :)
 
I have only about a dozen or so 3D blu-rays as once I've seen a film I generally don't want to see it over again (apart from films like Avatar of course).

I've not had those 3D problems at the cinema. Our local is Vue, is that the same as where you have had the problems and was it recurring?
Cineworld
 

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