The Future of Resolution: 8K Reasons 4K is Here to Stay
When they write the history of resolution, they will say the reign of 4K began in 2010, 但2015年是迷雾散去的一年，大多数人停止了战斗. 他们还会说，是谷歌打响了对标准高清的第一枪, 称其早期对YouTube上4K流媒体的支持是点燃超高清革命的绿灯.
Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait a while to read that book—and, in the interim, 忍受一些挥之不去的迷雾，这似乎表明4K已经面临来自市场上新推出的更高分辨率的威胁.
事实上，你现在可以在沃尔玛买到4K显示器和电视，这意味着这项技术显然已经进入了大众市场, 苹果和LG分别推出5K和8K显示屏，这一事实导致许多人质疑4K是否已经过时. 这些怀疑论者是正确的，因为它可能不再是技术的顶峰, nor has it been for some time. However, it is not peaks that ultimately matter in broadcasting and consumer electronics; it’s universal standards that matter, 4K将在相当长一段时间内成为分辨率的标准——这与IMAX尚未在体育酒吧和客厅流行起来的原因基本相同.
For the vast majority of users, 购买分辨率高于4K的显示器实际上是一种退步, not forward, and this will hold true for years to come. 在其他条件相同的情况下，五千个和八千个水平像素肯定比四千个高. However, all things are not equal, 因为整个行业已经花费了数年时间来改进其基础设施以处理4K内容——而不是多一个像素(更不用说多两倍了)。.
我们可能会等待有线电视和卫星电视提供商为下一代4K广播套餐剪彩, 但我们已经有能力升级1080i频道(包括从HBO、Showtime到AMC的所有频道), NBC, 和天气频道)的分辨率远远超出了高清硬件的能力. We can’t officially call this “4K content,” but we might as well. Meanwhile, we’ve already got genuine 4K streaming by way of YouTube, Netflix, Vimeo, and Amazon, 更不用说下一代4K“超高清蓝光”光盘将于2015年假日季面世.
As a result, 到今年年底，4K显示器的内容将不会短缺, 但我们应该把所有这些内容升级到4K以上的想法是, quite literally, a bit of a stretch. 如果你打算在2015年购买一台显示器，那么4K分辨率很可能是最适合你的. 尽管现有的技术记录的分辨率要高得多, 在相当长的一段时间内，还不存在用于查看它们的基础设施.
Still, the next few years are likely to see a rise in exaggerated displays for the same reason we have 41 megapixel camera phones when professional photographers are happy with half that amount; however, we won’t see a wealth of actual content beyond 4K, 这将使高分辨率显示器对大多数人来说有点毫无意义. 成为你所在街区第一个拥有8K显示屏的人可能是一个值得夸耀的好机会, 但接下来的几届超级碗在4K显示器上看起来可能也一样好, if not better.
That’s not to say higher resolutions are useless. 它们只是最好保留用于比当今大多数用户需要的更特定的用途. 苹果5K显示器等硬件的最大吸引力在于，它们足够大，可以同时观看全分辨率4K内容和视频编辑工具(对编辑来说是一个很好的优势)。. For everyone else who might prefer to watch content full-screen, those extra pixels stand to water down the resolution, 当你接近8K或更高的分辨率时，这种效果只会增加.
Doubtless, 我们最终会看到老旧的4K显示器在每一个旧货拍卖会上都标价出售, 但那个时代还很遥远，取代它们的技术也不会是目前可用的替代品之一. 没人能预测我们会用什么硬件来观看下一个四十周年纪念 Saturday Night Live但我们现在最好是看4K电视，而不是看它的老大哥.
The same holds true for the camera industry, 它仍然专注于将4K录制功能引入消费级单反相机. 佳能(Canon)和尼康(Nikon)等巨头需要数年时间才能将整个产品线升级到4K, 在他们完成之前，他们不会通过拥抱更大的东西来进一步分割自己.
As a result, 在再次垂直攀升之前，市场并不缺乏水平增长的空间, 因此，与我们在科技领域看到的相比，将4K购买视为长期投资是安全的.
Add the fact that Breaking Bad and House of Cards 现在有4K流媒体，没有理由拒绝升级.
[This is a vendor-written article. Streaming Media accepts submissions from vendors, and the publication is based solely upon their value to our readers.]
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