Can 4K TVs Make 'Regular' HD Content Look Better?

June 4, 2015

If you listen to the marketing from TV manufacturers, it seems TVs with 4K resolution will deliver a massive boost in picture quality.

And, if you're lucky enough to actually have a source of real 4K video -- one with the same 3,840x2,160-pixel resolution as 4K TVs -- you may well be able to see additional detail. (4K TVs -- also known as Ultra HD sets -- are so named because that 3,840-pixel horizontal resolution is almost 4,000 pixels wide. 4K TV is less of a mouthful than 3.84K TV.)

But real 4K video sources are still few and between, which means most of us will be watching content in good, old-fashioned "regular" high-def: 1,920x1,080 (1080i or 1080p) or 1,280x720 (720p), both of whichhave far fewer pixels than 4K.

Since that'll be the case for many years to come, how much would a 4K TV actually improve the picture?

The short answer is that a 4K TV could improve the picture a bit in the best cases -- but don't expect miracles. Most 4K TVs use a process called upconverting (or upscaling) to convert incoming sources to fit their 4K screens. Done right, it can add to the perceived detail of the image, but you'll have to look pretty hard, and sit pretty close, to see the difference.

Read More:
http://www.cnet.com/news/can-4k-tvs-make-1080p-look-better/