Sony’s unveils 84-inch 4K television with 4 times the quality of full-HD
If you find your 55″ 1080p TV set is just too small and pixelated, you’ll be thrilled to know the next generation of ridiculously enormous, ultra-high-resolution smart TVs are on the way. Get ready for 4K TV.
On Wednesday, Sony introduced the 84-inch XBR-84X900, a 3840 x 2160 resolution LCD TV. It incorporates a detachable 10-speaker audio system that offers “virtual” 5.1 surround sound. It also features built-in WiFi so you can slurp down video and music from Netflix, Pandora, and around 50 other providers through the Sony Entertainment Network.
The 84-inch display will provide a much more immersive, cinema-like experience for the home. But much to the chagrin of some cinephiles, the set also offers 3-D, which you’ll need to enjoy with the accompanying 3D glasses. Consumers have repeatedly shown that they’re not into popping on a pair of glasses just to attempt to enjoy 3-D at home.
For the unfamiliar, 4K resolution displays boast 8 million pixels and a resolution four times that of full HD. And the number itself can be a little confusing. 720p and 1080p displays are for the number of vertical pixels, but the 4K term refers to the number of horizontal pixels.
Previously the stuff of high-end projectors , 4K has made inroads into televisions as of late. LG introduced its own 4K television set at CES 2012. Other manufacturers like Sharp and Toshiba have released smaller 4K TV sets .
While there’s not that much 4K resolution video out there, Sony has a list of its 4K movie releases online. You can get a taste for the 4K experience with a handful of videos posted on YouTube .
Price and availability for Sony’s XBR-84X900 haven’t yet been announced, but it won’t be cheap. Toshiba’s 55-inch 4K set , announced last December, was priced at nearly $12,000. Sony says the set will ship some time this year.
