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Are future-proof UHDs finally here?

3K views 82 replies 30 participants last post by  oink 
#1 · (Edited)
I have been looking around for a 75-80 inch UHD to replace my old Mits. and am hoping to find one by the end of the year.

So far, I have looked at an LG 79" model and the Sony 850C.
The color reproduction is exceptional with both, at least when playing the demo material.
Unfortunately, the motion reproduction, not so much (particularly the Sony:eek:).

Anyway, I'm not brand-specific...I just want something that won't be terribly obsolete in a couple of years.
I'll be using it as my HT display for DirecTV, DVD, BD, and the upcoming 4K BD.
And 3D would be nice too.

Right now, there is a confusing mix of features, connections, and manufacturer hyperbolic branding nonsense.
This has kept me from buying in previous years.

Can anyone recommend something currently on the market or coming shortly that would fit my requirements?
Any input would be appreciated.:)
 
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#5 ·
Budget isn't the problem.

Sorry, I forgot to mention I don't like the curved screens.


You need so shop around for a TV that support HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2. You always want a TV that will support HDR. You should be all set with that.
Very helpful, thank you.


Samsung JS9500 with the one connect box is probably going to be the most future proof.
Will it support everything Symtex mentioned?
 
#17 ·
The 65EF9500 is a flat OLED. It's out now and people will be receiving it very very soon.

We don't know yet if it can escape the low gray uniformity issues, and this includes the L/R edge darkening. Oye.
 
#9 · (Edited)
There really in no future proof. 8K will start to hit the market in 5 years. That's when I think broadcasters will begin to jump on board and upgrade their equipment to 8K. They will skip 4k as to them it's just a brief transition before 8K becomes mainstream. 4K is the betamax of tv. In essence, we may never see 4K broadcast material, and will have to rely on UHD blu ray, 4K PPV and compressed 4k streaming material for the next several years. However, if ESPN would decide to do all their live sports in 4K@60p, then that could force the hand of other broadcasters to adopt 4K, as 4k sports would get more people to buy UHD tv's.
 
#11 ·
I'm not sure I agree with this. 4k as it is, offers limited quality improvements in picture from standard distances. 8K will offer even less benefits, you would have to be painfully close to see the improvements in pixel density.

What 8k would do, is cause bandwidth to quadruple, increasing costs for all source material. Why pay for much higher bandwidth when the customer is not gaining any benefit? Likewise, why would the average consumer pay for 8k resolution, and see no improvement in PQ? 4k is already running into that issue.

Of course, no one can predict the future, so who knows what will happen.
 
#10 ·
In the past, adult entertainment have always been at the forefront of new technology adoption. They were really the pushing force behind vhs vs beta and sure were a dominant factor in the adoption of the DVD format. I work for a TV provider and we still broadcast at 1080i. We are preparing for 4K but our STB are all obsolete and would need to be replace. That's a huge cost for the company to subsidize the STB replacement.

I think this time around UHD Blu-ray and Netflix will be the main factor for 4K adoption. Newer smartphone are now support 4k video and DSLR/Mirrorless camera are coming out with 4K also. We are almost at the tipping point where we will see a paradigm shift moving toward UHD.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Future proof? Perhaps in the 3535 if man is still alive.


I really wanted to buy something this year but I'm definitely waiting for next year. I want something that really has HDMI 2.0a, something really fully HDR ready, a faster processor, no side speakers or at least removable side speakers, (dolby vision would be nice but I'm not sure I'll wait for it) and a non curved screen in the 75" to 85" range. If someone put a gun to my head and made me by something this year I might get the 940c but I'd regret it. Perhaps we'll see a 950d without side speakers next year.
 
#25 ·
Future proof? Perhaps in the 3535 if man is still alive.
LOL, nice one.

I really wanted to buy something this year but I'm definitely waiting for next year. I want something that really has HDMI 2.0a, something really fully HDR ready, a faster processor, no side speakers or at least removable side speakers, (dolby vision would be nice but I'm not sure I'll wait for it) and a non curved screen in the 75" to 85" range.
Sounds like you and I are pretty much looking for the same thing.;)


Depending on your definition of future proof, I'd still be inclined to wait for more quantum dot sets to hit market and reach mass production prices before buying, probably by early 2016. Brands like Hisense, Vizio, and Phillips and others using QD Vision will be released by October and then price wars will commence while HDR and other standards are ironed out and able to truly be tested with theater quality subject matter. Regardless, by 2018, many will be looking to buy cheaper printed OLEDs by Samsung, LG and others so going totally top end this generation might be a bad buy.
Seems like a long time out...and I got the itch.:(


If your old Mitsubishi works fine and is a 60"+ RPTV at 1080P and has HDMI connections, I'd consider waiting just a bit longer unless it's a fading DLP with hard to find sub $50 bulbs.
It's a 10 year old 73" that still works well.
Unfortunately, the color wheel or fan is getting louder.
Other than that, I don't really have any complaints.
 
#21 ·
As a couple others have already said, the JS9500 is probably one of the most if not THE most future proof TV out right now. Here are my top 3 reasons why:

1. Samsung has already said that they will update every SUHD model to HDMI 2.0 for free. In addition to that update, the JS9500 uses the One-Connect box which allows for even more future proofing. (the 2015 One Connect box enabled last years HU9000 to display HDR content).

2. The JS9500 supports the SMPTE HDR standard which is what all HDR content will be built off of (Dolby Vision and Technicolor HDR are just optional layers). Furthermore, the JS9500 has a 1000nit peak brightness which is currently the top peak brightness for any consumer ready HDR TV (other HDR TVs are limited to 500nits - 800nits).

3. For the foreseeable future, the industry will be sticking with the DCI color gamut. REC 2020 seems to have a few bad side effects (and its hard to reach anyways). The JS9500 can accurately display around 92% of the DCI color gamut. This has been tested and approved by a few reviewers.

The biggest things that will make a TV future proof right now are HDR support (and backlit LED is always better for HDR), wide color gamut support and HDMI 2.0. The JS9500 has all of these features and beyond that, its just a very good looking TV (both in PQ and in hardware design). By now you might be thinking "I hate the curved screen" right? Well let me assure you that the curve is very slight and after watching for a while you will most likely forget that its curved.

If I was in your position, I would definitely heavily consider the JS9500. All of the competing TVs are a half step behind (lower peak brightness, edge lit).
 
#26 ·
As a couple others have already said, the JS9500 is probably one of the most if not THE most future proof TV out right now. Here are my top 3 reasons why:

1. Samsung has already said that they will update every SUHD model to HDMI 2.0 for free. In addition to that update, the JS9500 uses the One-Connect box which allows for even more future proofing. (the 2015 One Connect box enabled last years HU9000 to display HDR content).

2. The JS9500 supports the SMPTE HDR standard which is what all HDR content will be built off of (Dolby Vision and Technicolor HDR are just optional layers). Furthermore, the JS9500 has a 1000nit peak brightness which is currently the top peak brightness for any consumer ready HDR TV (other HDR TVs are limited to 500nits - 800nits).

3. For the foreseeable future, the industry will be sticking with the DCI color gamut. REC 2020 seems to have a few bad side effects (and its hard to reach anyways). The JS9500 can accurately display around 92% of the DCI color gamut. This has been tested and approved by a few reviewers.

The biggest things that will make a TV future proof right now are HDR support (and backlit LED is always better for HDR), wide color gamut support and HDMI 2.0. The JS9500 has all of these features and beyond that, its just a very good looking TV (both in PQ and in hardware design). By now you might be thinking "I hate the curved screen" right? Well let me assure you that the curve is very slight and after watching for a while you will most likely forget that its curved.

If I was in your position, I would definitely heavily consider the JS9500. All of the competing TVs are a half step behind (lower peak brightness, edge lit).
I will go take a look at one...thanx.
 
#22 ·
For just TV watching, either the Samsung 9500 or any of the LG HDR OLEDs would be long-lasting to support the majority of the planned mainstream (DCI P3 + HDR10) UHD content out there quite well.

But for games, no way. Within a year or two you will want VRR and higher bandwidth than HDMI 2.0a can provide, possibly through a USB-C DisplayPort 1.3 connector which could enable 120hz 444 UHD at 10 or 12 bits per pixel. That would really be something.

And higher and higher nits for things like Dolby Vision would be another boost. Going from 1000 to 10000 nits peak white range should be a similar step up as SDR to HDR10 which represents a 100 to 1000 nits jump, so, a factor of ten. HDR is really going to happen in two steps. But, I wonder if the second step will even be Dolby Vision or HDR 12 some kind of open standard. The entire industry is moving towards streaming and there's a huge incentive for companies to standardize the HDR formats they use without having to pay royalties for nothing.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Depending on your definition of future proof, I'd still be inclined to wait for more quantum dot sets to hit market and reach mass production prices before buying, probably by early 2016. Brands like Hisense, Vizio, and Phillips and others using QD Vision will be released by October and then price wars will commence while HDR and other standards are ironed out and able to truly be tested with theater quality subject matter. Regardless, by 2018, many will be looking to buy cheaper printed OLEDs by Samsung, LG and others so going totally top end this generation might be a bad buy.


If your old Mitsubishi works fine and is a 60"+ RPTV at 1080P and has HDMI connections, I'd consider waiting just a bit longer unless it's a fading DLP with hard to find sub $50 bulbs.
 
#29 ·
I'm in a similar boat and here is how I see it:

In two years, you will be able to purchase a flat 77" OLED with 12-bit Dolby Vision HDR and >100% DCI-P3,color gamut and that should be enough to future-proof you for the next half-decade or so.

That TV does not exist today, so your choices are either to get as close as possible by purchasing one of the following 5 TVs late this year:

1/ Sony 75X940C (flat 75" 84-zone FALD w/ 10-bit SMTPE HDR (hopefully ;))

2/ LG 65EF9500 (flat 65" OLED w/ 10-bit SMTPE HDR, 90% DCI-P3)

3/ Vizio R65 (flat 65" 384-zone FALD w/ 12-bit Dolby Vision HDR)

4/ Panasonic 65CZ950 (curved 65" OLED w/ 10-bit SMTPE HDR, 90% DCI-P3, internal LUT) - if it comes to the U.S. market...

5/ Samsung 78JS9500 (curved 78" 100-something-zone FALD w/ 10-bit SMTPE HDR)

Or alternatively, to forget about HDR for now, plan on 'camping out' for 12-18 months with what you have or alternatively, go for the value-leader in large 4K high-effective-contrast displays:

A/ Vizio M80 or M75 (flat 75" or 80" 32-zone FALD w/ SDR UHD but no HDR)

Oh, and if price is truly no object and you can fit 120", the R120 from Vizio is probably the most future-proof display on the market today and only costs a paltry $120,000 ;)
 
#33 ·
I've been considering the move to 4k as well but want to manage the various new standards in HDMI, HDCP, HDR as well as getting FALD. Has anyone published a comparison matrix of all the current models and their features or is the above the best summary of top of the line models?
 
#38 ·
Depending on your budget, I'm not sure there is any reason to wait.

You can get an M70 for $1700 right now, and if that is your budget, there is nothing that is going to compete with that except perhaps the LG 55EC9300 OLED if you are willing to step down from 70" to 55".

If you don't want to go lower than 65" and have a budget of $4000-6000, waiting to see the Reference Seties announced in early October might make sense, but it apparently won't be available until late November.

And if you have the budget to spend $4000-6000 for a 65"-75" TV, there are other currently-available options to consider, including the LG 65EF9500 OLED and the Sony 75X940C...

The only surprise we might learn about in early October from Vizio is anything they might announce regarding a successor to the 2014 P-Series. That might be a more affordable option for a large-screen with Diolby Vision HDR support, but they would have to pull a true rabbit out of their hat to have it available in the channels on your 6-week timeframe...
 
#72 ·
I was told by a TV seller explaining a difference in pricing that SONY is shipping the 75" 940C with both 8 bit (made in Asia) and 10 bit (made in Mexico) panels. Can anyone confirm that?
That's not true. You may have heard that from retailer Nice Electronics which is showing up on Google searches as a low price leader in electronics. Its a scam. Bait and Switch fraud tactics. I expect that company to be shut down at some point. (after you buy it, they tell you that you bought the 8-bit version and ask you to pay hundreds more to upgrade.)

Allegedly.
 
#51 ·
The term "future-proof" is a sales gimmick only. ;)
 
#60 ·
If you do some web searching on the issue, there is a Federal investigation ongoing involving Dolby, the STMPE, Sony, Warner and other players regarding collusion during these Dolby Vision meetings to bypass industry standards based upon wiki leaks info dumps. This is the one thing that may put a slow down on things since everyone of late is jumping on the DV bandwagon.
 
#70 · (Edited)
As far as I can see, Future proof TVs don`t exist. The main reason to my eyes is that there is currently no set in stone HDR standard. Sure some maufacturers are releasing sets with upto 1000 nits brightness etc. However, nobody has any clue when it comes to getting the HDR signal to be displayed on the panel. There is a mini format war going on with different firms taking differing views.

My advice? Wait a year and then, once some HDR standards are finalized, a truly -future proof for the next few years- TV will be around.

Its that, or we will have an AVR type situation where each TV will have to support upteen numbers of alternate HDR standards.

http://mesalliance.org/blog/me-daily/2015/07/06/a-different-and-quiet-format-war/
 
#71 ·
After reading the announcement of the specs for the Vizio "R" series, I have to pass.
65" and 120" screen size won't cut it (too small and too big).
I was really hoping it might be the ticket.


Looks like the Samsung is the way to go for me.
Time to start shopping...
 
#76 ·
I am now looking at Black Friday deals.

With the current products available, it has come down to the Sony 940C and the Samsung JS8600.
Each has a couple of weaknesses IMO.

The Sony is only 75" (just 2" bigger than my old 73" Mits.) and has side speakers.:(
But does have FALD and 3D.:)

Unfortunately, the Samsung is not FALD and doesn't do 3D.:(
However, it doesn't have the side speakers and is 78" :)

GRRRRRrrrrrr.....:rolleyes:


BTW, I just noticed Sony has a model identified as 950B.
Anyone know how it compares to the 940C?
 
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