So with all of these 4K TV's coming out my question is will a 4K tv upgrade(up convert) the 1080p picture of the apple tv to 4K while watching it?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
4K and Apple TV
- Thread starter littlepooch21
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
yeah i saw that Netflix is going to have 4K content so that is pretty sweet. I just have so many movies through iTunes that I really hope that 4K tv's upscale like blu ray does to dvd's or something.
I'm having a hard time finding any info about bitrates for 4K since it's not a consumer format yet. But the Apple TV currently looks to top out in the mid to high 20's (25-29Mb/s) when playing H.264.
And so far it's looking like H.265 might be the agreed upon compression format for 4K distribution. However, that requires all new hardware assisted decoding. So a simple firmware upgrade isn't going to be able to fix that.
My gut feeling, knowing Apple's previous practices, is that they will not add the capability to what is basically their 2nd cheapest product.
And so far it's looking like H.265 might be the agreed upon compression format for 4K distribution. However, that requires all new hardware assisted decoding. So a simple firmware upgrade isn't going to be able to fix that.
My gut feeling, knowing Apple's previous practices, is that they will not add the capability to what is basically their 2nd cheapest product.
ckorhonen
macrumors regular
But only on selected tv's - there is no point in streaming 4k to the AppleTV app since it can only output 1080p.
With the exception of the now extinct CRT all tv's and monitors upconvert or downconvert the source to match the native screen resolution. The question is how good the result. That I'm sure will vary by model and manufacturer.
In specific areas and only with specific televisions.
Widespread 4k is a long long way away.
d21mike
macrumors 68040
Content may take a while. But but not 4K TV. Visio is coming out with relative low cost 4K TVs this year. In 2015 / 2016 will see much more TVs sold with 4K just because it will not be that much more then 1080P. Like when TVs went from 720P to pretty much all 1080P now. Content will follow. The ATV 2 was 720P and the ATV 3 is 1080P. ATV 4 could easily be 4K if Apple wants it to be.
----------
Netflix CEO says 4K streams at 15Mbps. A lot of broadband customers can support that. My FIOS is 75Mbps. Apple iTunes Movies could lead the way if they wanted to.
Menel
Suspended
4K and Apple TV
Blurays 1080p content around 28mpbs? Isnt it?
Id rather have crisp 720p at 15mbps rather than compression artifact 4k super compressed to 15mbps.
Blurays 1080p content around 28mpbs? Isnt it?
Id rather have crisp 720p at 15mbps rather than compression artifact 4k super compressed to 15mbps.
More like 30-40Mbps. BD Media maxes out at 60Mbps, currently I've only seen 3D movies come close to that.
Don't forget, 4K at that bitrate will be encoded with H.265 HEVC codec.
d21mike
macrumors 68040
Seems like those that have seen the Netflix 4K like it. I will wait and see. But I like what I hear.
http://www.stuff.tv/netflix/ces-2014/eyes-we-feast-our-peepers-netflixs-4k-streaming-video/news
http://www.stuff.tv/netflix/ces-2014/eyes-we-feast-our-peepers-netflixs-4k-streaming-video/news
Menel
Suspended
Forgot about h.265
Seems I also saw where quad-core arm can decode it in software, which from power consumption isn't critical from a wall plugged ATV. Plausible.
Still, I wouldn't put any money on it happening this year.
But it really has nothing to do with 4K that makes people like it. All it really means is Netflix is going to deliver a higher quality encode with the extra bandwidth. But you see that today when you look at the difference between their HD and "Super HD" encodes. The fact that they are switching to a more efficient codec will help too. But their "4K" streams are really just higher quality streams due to increased bandwidth being used. It is a bit disingenuous to say they are streaming 4K video IMHO. My guess is their 4K streams will end up giving users close to Blu-Ray quality video (but not quite there just yet).
carjakester
macrumors 68020
jnpy!$4g3cwk
macrumors 65816
There is no way the current shipping AppleTV can either decode 4K or output it, at least at 60 fps. It would make sense for a new version of AppleTV based on, perhaps, an A7 to be able to decode H.265-compressed 4K. You still need the right 4K format for HDMI. You need HDMI 1.4 for 4K @ 30 fps and HDMI 2.0 for 4K @ 60 fps. Most or all currently-shipping TVs are HDMI 1.4 today, but, HDMI 2.0 is now ready for use and if I'm not mistaken, at least one big company, Sony, says they are going to start shipping 4K TVs with HDMI 2.0.
So, theoretically, Apple could come out with an A7-based AppleTV with HDMI 2.0.
Pointer to the new Sonys:
http://gizmodo.com/sonys-brand-new-4k-tvs-no-gimmicks-just-beautiful-1495948192
No. That is 1080p with an improved bitrate. It can look pretty darn good, depending.
Prices of 4K TVs are tumbling, at least for those models below the the biggest in the line up: e.g. Sony's awesome 85" 4K TV is $25k, but the 65" is on sale for $4k. The thing about that is, though, just like 720p vs. 1080p, you only get to see the difference if you have a large screen and/or sit close to it.
The only thing that a non-giant 4K TV can do for you now is passive 3D because, as it's resolution is essentially 2x 1080p, it can render both left and right eye images in full 1080p simultaneously.
I am going to upgrade to an 80" (or maybe 90") unit soon. My plan is to go with a 1080p model, available for +/- $3k, and wait until the 4K content availability has improved and the prices of the TVs has come down in a few years.
The only thing that would tempt me right now would be a 4K projector onto a 150" screen. The up-scaling of 1080p content on that would be worth the investment, I think. Of course, I don't have room for such a set-up, so for me it's moot.
The only thing that a non-giant 4K TV can do for you now is passive 3D because, as it's resolution is essentially 2x 1080p, it can render both left and right eye images in full 1080p simultaneously.
I am going to upgrade to an 80" (or maybe 90") unit soon. My plan is to go with a 1080p model, available for +/- $3k, and wait until the 4K content availability has improved and the prices of the TVs has come down in a few years.
The only thing that would tempt me right now would be a 4K projector onto a 150" screen. The up-scaling of 1080p content on that would be worth the investment, I think. Of course, I don't have room for such a set-up, so for me it's moot.