Re: First True Ultra HDTV (4K/60fps) | Panasonic Edge-Lit LCD 65" Flat Panel ($5,999) | HDMI v. 2.0 - 3D Passive -
Well, 3D is not catching up with consumers; applications (Smart TVs) are.
So 4K is just the new best big thing (& OLED & other stuff too). And what those new 4K UHD TVs are mainly good for is 1080p upscaled (actual use; 96.666%+).
And with 8,294,400 pixels (3840 x 2160), or basically double the horizontal and vertical resolution of the best current HD (1920 x 1080 = 2,073,600 pixels or four times less resolution than Ultra HD), the pixel structure is virtually invisible, even sitting very close to the screen, and that greatly minimizes the potential for artifacts.
So for some time to come that's what most people will be doing; upscaling 1080p to 4K.
=> There are only very few short Internet 4K downloads, plus the output of some video cameras.
4K material must currently be sourced from a computer server with 4K files (Sony has one, if you buy their high-end 4K HDTV LCD LED flat panel, or 4K front projector; both at $25,000 each).
And that Sony 4K server contains roughly 70 preloaded 4K movies plus a variety of shorter material.
Sony has the advantage here; as it is the only company to offer such. ...And is engaged in remastering dozen of titles in 4K, in one form or another.
And Sony owns a major Hollywood/World movie studio (Sony Pictures Classics/Columbia/Tristar/Screen Gems).
- New movies are increasingly shot digitally in 4K as well.
Eventually new Blu-ray players (we'll have to get rid of the ones we have now) able to read the new HEVC (high-efficiency video coding) standard will replace the AVC standard commonly used for Blu-rays. ...So true 4K movies and other programming are possible on disc (Ultra Blu-ray). And like I said; zero chance to be compatible with existing Blu-ray players.
And! There is zero publicly announced plans for such a disc format.
Methinks that physical packaged media is aiming the way of the dodo (extinction). We now live in the digital audio/video server age, where no dinosaurs are to be seen or found rampaging the surface of our planet.