This probably isn’t the year to buy an Ultra HD TV for that special holiday someone. Despite nearly-reasonable prices ($1400 for this Samsung 55-incher), there just isn’t a lot of 4K content yet to enjoy on a new TV.
However, if you’re dead set on the idea, there’s good news coming at you from DirecTV. The satellite provider has started to deliver 4K content to Samsung TVs that are paired up with the Genie HD DVR. Initially, the 4K catalog only includes nature documentaries along with 19 movies from Paramount Pictures and K2 Communications. But DirecTV says there are “more titles to be announced soon.”
DirecTV also makes a point of noting that it is “the first multi-channel video provider to offer 4K Ultra HD programming direct to customers’ TVs.” Back at CES in January, Comcast said it would launch a 4K app for Samsung TVs before the end of the year, but that’s looking less and less likely by the day. Bet we’ll have more announcements at CES 2015!
Davem that Samesung 55 inch UHD Samsung TV will be on sale for $899 on Black Friday at Best Buy.
You can get the curved one at Sames Club on Black Friday for $1299. Not too shabby.
We should chat before CES. :D
Is that really the one on sale, or is it a special one just for BestBuy, that has fewer bells and whistles?
Never mind UHD. Who want to watch low bit rate streaming or DBS content when $5 to $10 Blu-Ray Discs are in the bins and Amazon. My four year old 58″ Samsung plasma died after a dry mop incident on Sunday. Within two hours I was home from Best Buy with a new bottom of the line 60″ dumb plasma for $855. Some quick adjusting and it looks fabulous. I’ll check on UHD when Oled is sunset technology.
The one being sold by Best Buy for $899 is the 55″ Model UN55HU6830FXZA.
The big issue I see with the TV is its only 60hz…
Scott, while this is Mari’s post… yeah, let’s touch base before CES. However, don’t email me at Yahoo – someone has taken over that address after I abandoned it. Lesson learned. Please use davezatz@gmail instead.
In regards to 4k, my wife’s been pressing me for a larger family room TV. I thought the Vizio P series might be it – but initial reviews have been lacking. Supposedly they’re working on a firmware update to address to most onerous issue of too-aggressive, unnatural sharpening. Will monitor. (And it’s not that I want 4k per se, it’s the best set for the buck – that might mean smart features or resolutions I never use to get the best processing power and panel.)
I read a review of the P-series and agree that it sounded underwhelming especially for lower res content of which there still is a good amount. I think it’s too early to jump to 4K, maybe in 4Q15. I’ve also been looking at a new TV for my family room. One of the Vizio M-series or a 60″ E-series seems like decent choice. Any thoughts on the low and mid Vizio lines?
“Back at CES in January, Comcast said it would launch a 4K app for Samsung TVs before the end of the year, but that’s looking less and less likely by the day. Bet we’ll have more announcements at CES 2015!”
While obviously we’re still quite far away from this hitting the mainstream in any form, assuming the “app” part of that statement means “IP-cast”, I think it’s sheer FUD. (Unless it’s just demo content that almost no one watches.)
Seems to me that the initial mass 4K rollout of anything beyond demo content that almost no one watches will certainly have to be multicast, rather than IP-cast, just due to bandwidth physics. I just can’t imagine any other way the thing could possibly work.
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Personally, while I used to think 4K in the home wasn’t important, bjdraw has fully converted me into believing it really will improve the viewer experience, even without 127″ wall-screens.
But still, in the near to medium term, I’d much rather have a mass-market priced 1080 OLED screen than a 4K screen, and I somewhat worry that 4K hype will interfere with 1080 OLED development / price drops.
In any case, interesting times.
like you guys I am watching TV prices/features since the 4K/UHD thing will likely lower other TV prices. So will watch here to see what you all come up with – my buying time will likely be Super Bowl TV sales
“like you guys I am watching TV prices/features since the 4K/UHD thing will likely lower other TV prices … my buying time will likely be Super Bowl TV sales”
Unless you need a new/larger teevee right now, you might want to wait a year or two, as I’m planning on doing. I really want OLED, and I think we’re still a bit away from it hitting a sweet spot on price.
(Of course, if you can’t wait, you can’t wait. Nothing wrong with that. But I am quite dubious on your theory that 4K hype will lower other teevee prices this year…)
Yeah, I think I’m going to wait another year if I can assuming a TV will be kept a lot longer than say a streaming stick.
Regarding DirecTV, if the Samsung HDTV isn’t already configured a technician may need to swing by to set it up as a RVU client for $50 and I believe there is also an additional monthly fee per RVU end point.
http://www.tvpredictions.com/directv4k111714.htm
If you’re a sticker for PQ over absolute size/4K, Samsung’s top of the line plasmas have hit record low prices as production ends this year…
Almost as cheap as Panasonic’s plasma line when it went on EOL clearance a couple years ago, and pretty much their equal, only Samsung’s is basically the brightest plasma ever (and probably the best panel ever for widowed rooms).
They’re still expensive at $1-2k (51/60/64), but the reviews don’t lie, it’s still atop everyone’s list. I’m probably jumping on the 60″, tempted by the 64″ tho.