4K is a cool piece of picture technology that, though super hyped, is not going to revolutionize television watching the way digital did. 4K, put simply, offers more pixels than HD does, in an effort to make your television’s picture as clear as possible. The thing is, most regular Joes and Janes won’t likely be able to really tell a huge difference between HD and 4K. Other than that, it will be pretty expensive to upgrade to a 4K television, especially considering that there is a serious lack of 4K content available. Truth is, by the time the available content catches up, there will be new generations of 4K televisions out there with the latest and greatest technology; you’ll be behind the times again.
As though my above negative thoughts on 4K weren’t enough, Sony announced that they will have a 4K movie streaming service available at the hefty price of $30 per movie. WHAT. I don’t even like paying Amazon or iTunes $4 or $5 for an HD movie. I mean, I do it sometimes, but it makes me cranky. There is no way that I can justify $30 to watch a movie at my house on my couch. I can pay $10 or $15 and go to one of those fancy theaters that have nice leather recliners (way better than what I have at home). You also have to pay $30 whether your 4K television inches are in the 30s or 60s (or whatever is available so far).
Movies aren’t the only thing that will cost you extra money in the 4K realm. If you want to access the (very limited) amount of 4K content that will be on Netflix, be prepared to cough up an extra $12 a month. My thought is that HD content isn’t something that I feel leaves me longing so if it ain’t broke, I don’t think I’m gonna try to fix it.
Why I MIGHT Pay $30 for One Movie
OK, all my big talk aside, I do still think that 4K is cool. Maybe it’s because everyone has been hyping it up so much. Or maybe it really is the amazing experience that everyone says it is. Either way, I do have to say that I’m willing to find out. While I am hesitant to invest in such new technology – I prefer to wait until the second or third generation – I am not ruling it out. And the truth is, if I had 4K, I’d want to watch as much 4K content as possible, even if it means shelling out $30. Of course, Sony will offer a few free 4K movies with their service, so that you can see how amazing it is and get hooked.
Why I Probably Will NOT Pay $30 for One Movie
If I’m being realistic, though, I’m probably going to hold off mostly because 4K just seems like a money pit right now. I’ll be much more interested when 4K content is as common and standard as HD content is now. In the meantime, you can find me at CES and the electronic stores, staring at the 4K televisions and content.
Photo by: John Karakatsanis
