Definition or resolution?

First, it may surprise you that this article talks about image definition, not picture resolution, which is a term that is still commonly associated with TV screens and televisions. However, we are talking about high definition ... and that's normal! Indeed, the resolution corresponds, in reality, to the pixel density, that is to say to the number of pixels per inch (2.54 centimeters), while the definition corresponds to the total number of pixels in the image : it is therefore the latter that we are talking about when we mention the fact that Full HD, for example, offers a definition of 1920 x 1080 pixels. However, the size of the TV screen obviously has an impact on what you see because ultimately, it is the TV picture resolution that counts and it is quite simple to understand. If we take the example of Full HD, it is 1920 x 1080 pixels, about 2 million unique points on the TV screen. It doesn’t change whether it’s a 32-inch or 165-cm TV in Full HD. The pixel density will therefore be significantly lower on the large size with equal definition. Therefore, the larger the TV screen, the more important it is to have a high picture definition for good visual comfort! Now that this point is established, let's see what are the different TV picture definitions you should know about!

HD Ready

This image definition is the oldest when talking about flat screen TVs with an LCD panel. “HD Ready”, which can be translated as "Ready for HD picture quality ", offers a definition of 1280 x 720 pixels. Labeled in 2005, it is a huge technological development compared to analog TV, or SD (Standard Definition), which offered a definition of 720 x 576 pixels maximum. This image definition was primarily intended to upgrade shows and other content available in SD. Thanks to the upscaling technique, they could be upscaled and be broadcasted then as “HD Ready”. Quickly, in 2008, the Full HD definition appeared and it became a choice more suited to high definition content such as Blu-ray. Today, HD Ready TVs have disappeared from store shelves, and even a second-hand purchase of such a model is not particularly wise.

Full HD

Full HD began to democratize in 2008. Its most common definition is 1920 x 1080 pixels, although 1440 x 1080 pixels can also be designated as Full HD. From around 2008 to 2015, it dominated the flat screen TV market. Broadcasters of television content have gradually transformed their TV streams into Full HD to meet new market standards: this was reflected, in addition to a considerable increase in visual quality, in a transition from 4/3 screen format to 16/9 screen format, which is the one adopted by Full HD TVs. It is with Full HD that the HDMI connection was also democratized to the general public, connection that we began to find on Full HD TVs, in large series, where HD Ready models were generally equipped with a component input YUV or / and DVI HDCP. With Full HD, high definition has taken a huge leap forward, and there are still Full HD TVs on the market today. This is also a reasonable choice to consider for a secondary TV whose diagonal does not exceed 40 inches or 102 cm. For such sizes, the difference with Ultra HD is not so obvious.

4K, Cinema and Ultra HD

To talk about 4K, it is important to make a subtle distinction between its two versions: on the one hand, a 4K known as “Cinema 4K”, which is the “real” 4K, and, on the other, “4K UHD”, which does not have to blush for its performance, but which is limited to televisions sets. On the one hand, it will be understood, there is 4K as it is used in cinemas, which project films in a definition of 4096 x 2160 pixels. Its horizontal definition is therefore indeed 4 thousand points - a little more, even - which explains its name. As for “4K UHD”, namely that which equips the televisions sets sold on the market, it displays a definition of 3840 x 2160 pixels. This is what we call “Ultra HD”, and which therefore follows “Full HD” by offering an image definition four times higher (8 million pixels versus 2 million): this is also the reason for this choice, since the ratio remains the same for televisions sets, and adopting the real “Cinema 4K” format would have been much more complex.

There are therefore a few pixels difference between “4K Cinema” and “Ultra HD in the living room”. But rest assured that this minor difference does not prevent you from watching a movie on a TV set. The idea is especially to highlight the fact that talking about 4K for a TV set is an abuse of language… as to what it is possible to watch in native Ultra HD on a TV set of this type, the question is legitimate . Today, TV channels that offer content in UHD are not only extremely rare, but when they exist, they need to go through a Fiber Internet connection to manage a very high band width data rate. Platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video offer movies and series in Ultra HD, again on condition that you have the Internet connection necessary to stream properly.

Thomson 4K Android TVs are perfect in this kind of case. Access to platforms is simplified.Note that some televisions like the Thomson UE64W  also allow you to enjoy videos hosted on YouTube in Ultra HD! Finally, we can also mention the films offered in Ultra HD Blu-ray, which require a compatible player.

If this seems a bit limited as a Ultra HD contents offer available today, you should nevertheless not forget that Ultra HD televisions sets integrate very powerful software and processors dedicated to “upscaling”, that is to say the upscaling of Full HD content in Ultra HD. These technologies allow you to enjoy content in a definition close to the native 2160p, even if your Internet connection is too weak, or if you receive television via a traditional aerial socket. In short, there is no reason to do without Ultra HD today.

What about the future?

If you like to go even further, you can turn to 8K, which is the next TV picture definition in sight on the TV side. It is currently only available on very rare televisions at exorbitant prices and it will take many years before it is democratized in homes. Concretely, 8K, also known as 8K Ultra HD when talking about a television set, is a definition of 7680 x 4320 pixels which is therefore four times more impressive than 4K Ultra HD, and 16 times more impressive than Full HD. At this point, the density of pixels per inch is so high that it is impossible to perceive them with the naked eye, which ensures a realism never seen in terms of TV image quality. To fully enjoy it, you will necessarily have to opt for a very large TV screen diagonal, which requires having a lot of space. The question of content will also have to be settled: as we have seen, content in 4K Ultra HD is not sufficiently available even if efforts are made, whereas Ultra HD is today the new standard for televisions sets. Until the 8K takes hold, there is still room: you have therefore plenty of time to enjoy your 4K Ultra HD TV.