Beyond 1080p: Toshiba talks up higher definition

[HD Halo X]

Toshiba appeared re-energised at its IFA press conference today with ambitious plans for the future that will finally put the failure of HD DVD behind it.

Alan Thompson, executive vice president of Toshiba Europe, acknowledged the success of Blu-ray. But he also suggested that technology was already moving beyond optical disc formats.

High resolution internet downloads, high capacity hard drives and flash memory cards being key – the ability to store up to six HD movies on 32GB flash memory cards being just one example.



Beyond 1080p

Toshiba also looks set to move beyond 1080p high definition video, with Thompson saying the company was ready to offer 4,000 x 2,000 pixel (4K) and 8,000 x 4,000 pixel (8K) displays when there was sufficient demand for them.

Wireless HDMI is also set to appear in Toshiba TVs and DVD players from next year.

The only real disappointment in the keynote came with actual products available here and now. Toshiba execs reverted back to talking about upscaling standard definition video – the only strategy left to them thanks to Blu-ray's HD format win.



Better standard def

Toshiba introduced two standard definition enhancement technologies during the keynote – Resolution+ in flat panel TVs and XDE in DVD players – both promise to improve standard def pictures with intelligent colour, contrast and sharpness controls.

Toshiba explained it was making the technologies to satisfy the millions of people who still own standard definition movies on DVD, but who want better pictures with their flat panels.

These piggy-steps will disappoint high def fans clamouring for the next big thing, but with only two per cent of Europeans currently enjoying any kind of HD content at all, Toshiba's short-term SD strategy could be a good one.

You can find out more about the new products Toshiba has launched at IFA 2008 right here on TechRadar and via the links to the right of this news.

http://www.techradar.com/news/televi...inition-460015

I didnt know where to put this at, I hope its in the right place and hasnt been posted yet

[daybreaker]

Sheesh, I'm still very hesitant to believe that 4k will even be necessary for the home market, 1080p is even debatable. If I get a dead pixel on my new 4k set, I'm gonna be furious.

[kghoops]

Good luck on bandwith for these digital high-def downloads...

[jg14]

1440p already exists, but since 1080p is still having a hard enough time catching on (people buy it because it is the latest and greatest, but they don't know what it means....), I doubt we will see it in the consumer market anytime soon. I work with the two largest LCD capital equipment manufacturers.

[GrilledCheese]

A few thoughts:

6 HD movies on a 32gb card? At 5gb a movie, that is DVD, not HD, at least in my eyes. I guess similar to the heavily compressed HD downloads. How long will it take to get that card loaded at Blockbuster?

Not interested in wireless HDMI. HDMI cables are very convenient as is, I think the wireless would add more confusion.

4k displays will be $$$. Talk to me in 5 or 10 years. Hell, I have a 720p projector on a 100" screen and BR looks awesome.

[Texan1976]

If this turns into a pissing contest where 2k is the new 1080p, and it keeps spiraling upwards and out of control, I won't be another TV. This is bad enough for digital cameras, where people are so dumb to believe that a 10 mp camera HAS to be so much better than their 8 mp camera. It's a joke.

[Badger3920]

Eh, maybe they should make it to a native blu-ray resolution first.

[dsskid]

Yeah, ok. I think Toshiba has totally lost their marbles. We can't even get the consumer to change over from 480i to 1080P at a decent rate, now we're going to tell them to move up to 4K screens, even though the highest broadcast is 720p/1080i on cable/antenna, and a handful of new 1080P channels on satellite? And I guess the price point will be $1,000 for a 42in flat panel. Good luck.
And this after telling J6P that their uponverter XDE is good enough.

[Neo991lb]

Originally Posted by dsskid

Yeah, ok. I think Toshiba has totally lost their marbles. We can't even get the consumer to change over from 480i to 1080P at a decent rate, now we're going to tell them to move up to 4K screens, even though the highest broadcast is 720p/1080i on cable/antenna, and a handful of new 1080P channels on satellite? And I guess the price point will be $1,000 for a 42in flat panel. Good luck.
And this after telling J6P that their uponverter XDE is good enough.

Agreed. They need to make up their minds already. 4k seems like it would be a good format [5-10 years from now] but 1080p looks so sharp and if you have people that can't honestly tell the difference between a stretched 480i image and a clean 1080p image then how the hell do you expect them to adopt a resolution SHARPER than 1080p in the near future?

EDIT: $1000 for a 4k panel or 1080p? Because you'll be hard pressed to find many name brand 1080p LCD screens for that price as it is, let ALONE a technology that probably won't be in our homes for another 5-10 years (if ever)...

[BettiePage]

Originally Posted by dsskid

Yeah, ok. I think Toshiba has totally lost their marbles. We can't even get the consumer to change over from 480i to 1080P at a decent rate, now we're going to tell them to move up to 4K screens, even though the highest broadcast is 720p/1080i on cable/antenna, and a handful of new 1080P channels on satellite? And I guess the price point will be $1,000 for a 42in flat panel. Good luck.
And this after telling J6P that their uponverter XDE is good enough.

If it's $1k for a 42in 4k screen? that would be cheap.

sign me up!

[NineseveN]

Originally Posted by BettiePage

If it's $1k for a 42in 4k screen? that would be cheap.

sign me up!

Yeah, I was thinking like $10k...

[raunchy]

how much of a difference would there be between 1080p and 4k on a 42 inch screen? methinks not much

[chipvideo]

Originally Posted by raunchy

how much of a difference would there be between 1080p and 4k on a 42 inch screen? methinks not much

Would be perfect for front projectors. I can't even watch movies on my tiny 61 inch jvc set anymore.

[Neo991lb]

Originally Posted by chipvideo

Would be perfect for front projectors. I can't even watch movies on my tiny 61 inch jvc set anymore.

Well I *hope* you're joking, because even 61 inches is huge but I suppose you're right. The home theater projector market could benefit from 4k except there wouldn't be any sources.. unless you record your own 4k material (lol). I highly doubt with all the trouble that we've had getting studios to broadcast in 720p and 1080i, even then not establishing a standard, that 4k will have any place outside of your local movie theater. THAT might actually get people back in theaters- a giant 4k digitally projected screen with digital sound? Count me in. (I know there are some out there but none near me)

[maley]

Originally Posted by kghoops

Good luck on bandwith for these digital high-def downloads...

Comcast caps ftl!

Toshiba needs to accept it. Blu-ray is here to stay.