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Can 8K Become the New 4K?
March 08, 2020
For many consumers, the differences between images shown on 4K and 8K displays may not be that obvious, but 8K is being positioned as the wave of the future.
8K resolution is also very suitable for large-size digital signage and TV walls designed to play informative, instructive or promotional films in public places.
To combat the argument that consumers can see little difference between 4K and 8K, TV makers argue that it takes large screens to notice the difference. 8K can also perform well at large-size concerts or entertainment events gathering thousands of people, allowing the audiences to see high-resolution images on larger on-site TV walls. However, resolution offered by most movie theaters is only 1080P, prompting 8K display solutions providers to push for a revolution for theaters to adopt micro LED technology to replace the existing "projector + screen" display solution.
8K TV walls can also be used to replace green screen at photography studios, and can also be applied to small screens at hospitals to locate symptoms of patients or spot defects of medical products. Nonetheless 8K displays are expected to first penetrate the enterprise application market before gaining popularity in the household entertainment market. To take a more scientific approach to the conundrum, Pixar, Amazon, LG, ASC and Warner Bros carried out a double-blind study to determine if viewers can tell see the difference between 8K and 4K content on an 88-inch 8K OLED TVs.
Figure 1: The study was described by comprehensively
Can 8K Become the New 4K?
March 08, 2020
For many consumers, the differences between images shown on 4K and 8K displays may not be that obvious, but 8K is being positioned as the wave of the future.
8K resolution is also very suitable for large-size digital signage and TV walls designed to play informative, instructive or promotional films in public places.
To combat the argument that consumers can see little difference between 4K and 8K, TV makers argue that it takes large screens to notice the difference. 8K can also perform well at large-size concerts or entertainment events gathering thousands of people, allowing the audiences to see high-resolution images on larger on-site TV walls. However, resolution offered by most movie theaters is only 1080P, prompting 8K display solutions providers to push for a revolution for theaters to adopt micro LED technology to replace the existing "projector + screen" display solution.
8K TV walls can also be used to replace green screen at photography studios, and can also be applied to small screens at hospitals to locate symptoms of patients or spot defects of medical products. Nonetheless 8K displays are expected to first penetrate the enterprise application market before gaining popularity in the household entertainment market. To take a more scientific approach to the conundrum, Pixar, Amazon, LG, ASC and Warner Bros carried out a double-blind study to determine if viewers can tell see the difference between 8K and 4K content on an 88-inch 8K OLED TVs.
Figure 1: The study was described by comprehensively
Source: Techhive
For the double-blind study seven different native 8K HDR10 video clips (see box on the above) were shown on an 88-inch 8K OLED TV (LG 88Z9) to 139 participants over three days. The 4K clips were downscaled from the 8K clips and then upscaled again to 8K on a PC using four-pixel duplication (cubic).
- "In each session, the 4K and 8K versions of each clip were played in three sequences, though the sequences for each clip were not presented one immediately after another. In two of the sequences, the 4K and 8K versions were randomly assigned the labels “A” and “B” and played twice in an alternating manner—that is, A-B-A-B—after which the participants indicated which one looked better on a scoring form (see Fig. 3). In the third sequence, the 4K version was played four times, though the participants still saw the labels “A” and “B” alternate and scored them as before. This provided a control group to assure more robust statistics," Techhive explained and added that "each participant was evaluated for their visual acuity".
Since it was a comprehensive study that also took into account the viewers' visual acuity, for example 20/20 vision or 20/10 vision, results were presented in several different ways.
- "In the average of all results, the 8K clips were rated 'marginally slightly better' than the 4K clips," said Techhive.
When evaluating only results from viewers with better 20/10 vision, two 8K clips (A Bug's Life and the nature footage) were rated "slightly better" than the 4K clips.
Lastly, all "slightly better", "better" and "much better" responses were combined into a single "better" score to account for the nuance that people may have different perspectives on what is, for example, "slightly better" as opposed to "better". The outcome was these two graphs.
Figure 2. LEFT: Distribution of Scores - RIGHT: 3 Grades Of "Better" Combined Into Single Score
- "In each session, the 4K and 8K versions of each clip were played in three sequences, though the sequences for each clip were not presented one immediately after another. In two of the sequences, the 4K and 8K versions were randomly assigned the labels “A” and “B” and played twice in an alternating manner—that is, A-B-A-B—after which the participants indicated which one looked better on a scoring form (see Fig. 3). In the third sequence, the 4K version was played four times, though the participants still saw the labels “A” and “B” alternate and scored them as before. This provided a control group to assure more robust statistics," Techhive explained and added that "each participant was evaluated for their visual acuity".
Since it was a comprehensive study that also took into account the viewers' visual acuity, for example 20/20 vision or 20/10 vision, results were presented in several different ways.
- "In the average of all results, the 8K clips were rated 'marginally slightly better' than the 4K clips," said Techhive.
When evaluating only results from viewers with better 20/10 vision, two 8K clips (A Bug's Life and the nature footage) were rated "slightly better" than the 4K clips.
Lastly, all "slightly better", "better" and "much better" responses were combined into a single "better" score to account for the nuance that people may have different perspectives on what is, for example, "slightly better" as opposed to "better". The outcome was these two graphs.
Figure 2. LEFT: Distribution of Scores - RIGHT: 3 Grades Of "Better" Combined Into Single Score
Source: Techhive
Many viewers rated the 4K version higher than the 8K version, which obviously should not happen.
- "I believe the reason you see a large number of people rating ‘4K better than 8K’ is that they really can’t see a difference and are simply guessing. The more interesting point is the fact that for all clips except Clip 7 , most people scored ‘4K the same as 8K.’ And ‘8K better than 4K’ is second most scored option. For Clip 7, it’s different, and most people scored ‘8K better than 4K,’ which was an interesting take-away," said Michael Zink, VP of Technology, Warner Bros. From: flatpanelshd
A Contrary Opinion
It is highly likely that a 7-year old article exists, where one can perform the following “Find and Replace” steps:
- "I believe the reason you see a large number of people rating ‘4K better than 8K’ is that they really can’t see a difference and are simply guessing. The more interesting point is the fact that for all clips except Clip 7 , most people scored ‘4K the same as 8K.’ And ‘8K better than 4K’ is second most scored option. For Clip 7, it’s different, and most people scored ‘8K better than 4K,’ which was an interesting take-away," said Michael Zink, VP of Technology, Warner Bros. From: flatpanelshd
A Contrary Opinion
It is highly likely that a 7-year old article exists, where one can perform the following “Find and Replace” steps:
- 42” or 55” for 88”
- 4K for 8K
- HDTV for 4K