Entries in 4K UHD (32)
2015 Vizio M-Series 4K UHD TVs
Tuesday, April 14, 2015 at 11:43AM 
The value-focused folks at Vizio have announced a new and improved M-Series TV lineup. Last year's M-Series televisions proved popular for delivering a good value on premium LCD features like full array local dimming (FALD) for superior picture contrast, 1080p screen resolution, and a wide array of screen sizes.
The big news for the 2015 Vizio M-Series TVs is an upgrade to 4K ultra high-definition (UHD).
Quality design touches for the new M-Series include cast aluminum feet, a thin bezel design, and a slimmed profile making it even more attractive when wall mounted.
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear
The new M-Series TVs share many core features, but there are some technical differences depending on screen size.
- 3840x2160 resolution
- HDMI 2.0 + HDCP 2.2
- 4K UHD playback at 60Hz
- 32-zones of local dimming (43-inch model has 28-zones)
- Backlight scanning for motion resolution enhancement
- 60Hz refresh rate: 43-inch, 49-inch, 50-inch, and 55-inch
- 120Hz refresh rate: 60-inch, 65-inch, 70-inch, 75-inch, and 80-inch
- 802.11ac dual-band WiFi
- 2-sided remote with backlit QWERTY keyboard
Vizio 5.1 Sound Bar System Review
Sizes and pricing
* = within 5% of lowest price
M-Series 43-inch (28-zones FALD/60Hz): $498*
M-Series 49-inch (32-zones FALD/60Hz): $574*
M-Series 50-inch (32-zones FALD/60Hz): $676
M-Series 55-inch (32-zones FALD/60Hz): $798*
M-Series 60-inch (32-zones FALD/120Hz): $1198
M-Series 65-inch (32-zones FALD/120Hz): $1348
M-Series 70-inch (32-zones FALD/120Hz): $2093
M-Series 75-inch (32-zones FALD/120Hz): $3070
M-Series 80-inch (32-zones FALD/120Hz): $3798
Many models include additional discounts for Amazon Prime Members
Calibration note (February 2016)
I've now calibrated a few M-Series TVs, and some trends have emerged. All were adjustable to provide a faithful representation of HD/Rec. 709 video sources with fine white balance and color accuracy. Compared to the 60Hz models (screen sizes under 60-inches), the larger 120Hz M-Series TVs with recent firmware are providing a very well calibrated experience right out of the box via the related picture presets. Custom preset options made it easy to generate day/night viewing configurations usable with any input or app. Bravo, Vizio!
Bottom line
The new 2015 Vizio M-Series 4K UHD televisions have taken over where the 2014 P-Series TVs left off. Compared to the 2015 Vizio D-Series 4K UHD TVs available through select resellers, the new M-Series TVs offer an increased refresh rate (120Hz vs 60Hz) and twice the number of zones of local dimming (~32 vs ~16) for improved picture contrast. It remains to be seen if the P-Series will be refreshed for 2015, but it seems increasingly unlikely given Vizio's recent announcement that its Reference Series TVs (aka the R-Series) will be introduced later this year.
Lab Notes: Vizio P-Series
Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at 3:34PM Updated March 30, 2015: added setup details; corrected 2-point white balance chart
I recently spent an afternoon calibrating the picture of a 70-inch Vizio P-Series 4K UHD television, and I wanted to share my findings.
The P-Series in question was running software version 1.1.19 (latest at the time) that incorporates a variety of fixes, new features, and udpates.
Pre-calibration
I recorded the TV's color and grayscale performance prior to making any changes. In this case, the owner had done little besides enable the TV's Calibrated Dark picture preset that reduces the backlight level and targets a 2.2 gamma (electro-optical transfer function) setup.
Not bad! Vizio is clearly performing a factory calibration on its P-Series televisions before they leave the assembly line. RGB mixing with this factory preset was consistent although slightly too blue, and the measured gamma response (white line) tracked well with the preset's claimed 2.2 value.
Default color quality
A check of the Dark Calibrated preset's default color quality across saturation levels revealed an average overall performance.
Most of the above results exhibited an error value above 3 (green line) indicating that a person with normal vision would see a difference between this TV's output and the target HD reference color in motion video; with static side-by-side color comparisons the ideal maximum error approaches 1.
Post 2-point
Compare the above to the result obtained after adjusting the TV's 2-point white balance controls.
Nice! A flatter response overall (grayscale and gamma), although some of the darker grays are now slightly green positive; a blue positive error is preferable to red or, especially, green positive errors.
These are the values I applied in the Color Calibration > Color Tuner menu to obtain the above result (starting with the Calibrated Dark preset).
Please keep in mind that every TV, including every P-Series, is slightly different; the values I applied may not produce similar results with another, albeit similar, television.
Take it to 11
The Vizio P-Series has an 11-point white balance setup that can be used to fine-tune the product of its 2-point controls. Using these controls, this was the result I settled upon.
The average white balance error was slightly reduced and I was able to improve upon the balance (RGB) of the darker grays. Also, gamma tracked slightly closer to the 2.2 spec.
The 11-point white balance setup for this TV used the following values:
The P-Series 11-point white balance controls would benefit from increased granularity, but I was pleased with the final results.
Color tuning
If I had to pinpoint a shortcoming of the P-Series' picture quality, it would be primary color (red, green, blue) accuracy; fully-saturated red and blue were particularly challenged. Compare the above color saturation errors with this result after performing a 11-point white balance setup.
Much improved but red results were mixed as the lightly saturated levels exhibited increased errors. Diving into the P-Series' Color Tuner tool, this was the final color saturation error result.
I was pleased with this color error reduction. Primary color errors at 100% saturation were a bit higher than I like to see, but this was a hardware limitation involving the interaction of the P-Series' LED light source and its color filter. Here is above data plotted on a CIE chart.
Notice how far off 100% red and blue are compared to the target values (white boxes). However, this is a solid improvement compared to where we started (see below). Here are the color tuner settings I applied to achieve the above result.
Below is the color saturation plot prior to calibration; fine-tuning the P-Series primary and secondary color responses for improved accuracy resulted in a more natural-looking and pleasing picture.
Color check
Another test that I find useful is a color checker tool that measures a couple of dozen hues that include simulated skin tones, foliage, and a few shades of gray.
Much better! A few hues pushed past the 3.0 error level; the orange/yellow errors were due to the rather extreme error of the TV's red primary.
Additional settings
Finishing off the P-Series setup, here is the configuration I used for the controls in the "More Picture" settings menu.
The Active LED Zones control is for toggling the full-array local dimming system on/off. Smooth Motion Effect ruins the look of movies so it was disabled. Clear Action enables the TV's backlight blinking feature for improved motion resolution without unsightly video smoothing artifacts. I usually disable all forms of video noise reduction when calibrating most TVs, however, this time I selected Low to help minimize compression artifacts and other visual quirks that were noticeable when the TV was processing and displaying non-4K video sources.
DVDO AVLab Test Pattern Generator
Bottom line
Software updates have made the Vizio P-Series a better television since its Summer 2014 release. The improvements that video calibration enabled in this TV's color accuracy and grayscale consistency were evident in its reproduction of movies and television programming; the sense that we were now seeing a picture that more faithfully represented the careful work of the director, cinematographer, and editors was obvious and pleasing to all. Not a bad result for a value 4K UHD TV.
Review: Sharp THX 4K UHD TV
Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 9:15PM 
The Sharp AQUOS 4K Ultra HD LED TV (UD27U line) is one of the best values for a next-generation TV. The UD27U proved capable of impressive picture quality with a bit of coaxing, and its balance of technology and style further strengthens an already good deal.
Style and Setup
Available in 60-inch and 70-inch screen sizes, Sharp's latest 4K UHD TV features a brushed aluminium trimmed frame with a thin bezel design that keeps the focus on all of those lovely pixels. The UD27U's strong and stylish 'scorpion' stand gives the TV a distinct look while providing excellent stability. Standard wall mounting options are available for those that wish to further slim the TV's footprint.
The UD27U line of TVs are THX 4K certified, and the implementation of this thorough suite of tests can be hit or miss for the shipping retail products that I've encountered. In this case, custom calibration provided significant image quality improvements over the TV's THX picture presets. Oddly, the TV's motion resolution enhancement features had little to no effect on the usual HD benchmark tests, but these 'enhancements' are often better left disabled when viewing content originally recorded at 24 frames per second. On a positive note, the UD27U's video processing was good with a variety of HD and 4K UHD video formats.
A Better LED
Sharp expanded the color capabilities of UD27U through the use of an enhanced LED backlight system. The TV's blue LEDs are coated with green and red phosphors that did a great job of expanding the TV's color palette beyond HD to approach the DCI-P3 standard that will be utilized in upcoming 4K UHD content.
All four HDMI ports on the UD27U accept up to 4K60 video input with 4:2:0 chroma sub-sampling. HDMI 1 adds ARC (audio return channel) support, and HDMI 4 is compatible with sources that require HDCP 2.2 content protection like the Sony FMP-X10 4K Media Player (read my review).
Sound
The UD27U's 2.1-channel 35W speaker system ranks among the loudest I've heard, and high-quality audio samples were reproduced with good results. The Sharp's impactful audio was nowhere as impressively rich-sounding as the Sony XBR-X900B 4K UHD TV (read my review) with its gorgeous fixed fluid-magnetic speakers. However, the Sony also costs about twice as much.
OTA
Reception of over-the-air (OTA) TV stations was especially impressive in term of number of channels found and the TV's ability to maintain a stable signal lock. The UD27U also showed me every pixel of 720p stations like ABC and FOX unlike most 2014 Samsung televisions like the HU8550 4K UHD TV (read my review) and the H6400 1080p LED TV (read my review).
Smart-ish
The UD27U smart TV features were barely passing for a modern 4K UHD television - Netflix is the only 4K video streaming option at this time. Sharp had no comment on when or if more options like Amazon Instant Video would be added. A related mobile app provided an attractive enough interface but needs at least one good patch to address remote control and app switching quirks.
Viewing exams
Even without hardware local dimming, the UD27U maintained very good black levels for solid contrast performance in a dark room viewing environment. Maximum light output was a eye-melting 439 nits with the TVs dynamic picture mode making it well-suited for sun-drenched rooms.
Professional Setup
Calibration dramatically improved the picture quality of this TV. My initial impressions of the too-blue THX picture presets when from 'meh' to 'wow' after adjusting the available 2-point white balance controls. The UD27U provides a 10-point white balance setup with its Standard and Movie presets, but inconsistencies with how these controls mapped to corresponding grayscale levels and related interactions made them difficult to use. Thankfully, the 2-point setup proved good enough even though I had to take some settings to maximum to achieve the desired result.
A side-effect of performing a white balance calibration on the UD27U was an improvement in overall color accuracy. Average color errors were reduced were reduced to levels considered not noticeable.
Bottom line
Sharp's aggressive pricing for the AQUOS 4K Ultra HD LED TV makes it easier to accept its correctable quirks. For owners willing to have the TV professionally calibrated, they will be rewarded with sublime picture quality with today's HD and tomorrow's 4K UHD video sources. I'm confident in saying the Sharp UD27U line is one good update away from greatness.
Read my full review of the Sharp AQUOS 4K Ultra HD LED TV at HD Guru.
How to Watch 4K
Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 5:45PM 
Originally posted October 8, 2014
Updated December 1, 2015: added 4K video sources
TVs and projectors with four times the resolution of a high-definition Blu-ray movie are quickly becoming the new standard for larger home theater displays. The sources and selection of video material for this new ultra high-definition viewing experience are expanding as well, but let's start with the basics.
A brand new name
Most of us are familiar with the term "1080p" and its variants such as "Full HD", FHD, 1920x1080 pixels, or the more vague descriptor "high def". To assist consumers looking to experience ultra high-definition (UHD) in the home, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) recently announced that UHD display devices shall use the branding 4K Ultra HD and 4K Ultra HD Connected.
What qualifies as an ultra HD display?
The CEA characterizes ultra high-definition TVs, monitors, and projectors as display devices that meet the following minimum attributes:
- Display Resolution – Has at least eight million active pixels, with at least 3840 horizontally and at least 2160 vertically.
- Aspect Ratio – Has a width to height ratio of the display’s native resolution of 16:9 or wider.
- Upconversion – Is capable of upscaling HD video and displaying it at ultra high-definition resolution.
- Digital Input – Has one or more HDMI inputs supporting at least 3840x2160 native content resolution at 24p, 30p and 60p frames per second. At least one of the 3840x2160 HDMI inputs shall support HDCP revision 2.2 or equivalent content protection.
- Colorimetry – Processes 2160p video inputs encoded according to ITU-R BT.709 color space and may support wider colorimetry standards.
- Bit Depth – Has a minimum color bit depth of eight bits.
Learn about: Quantum Dot Color
The CEA defines connected ultra high-definition displays as meeting all of the above requirements as well as:
- Video Codec – Decodes IP-delivered video of 3840x2160 resolution that has been compressed using HEVC* and may decode video from other standard encoders.
- Audio Codec – Receives and reproduces, and/or outputs multichannel audio.
- IP and Networking – Receives IP-delivered ultra HD video through a Wi-Fi, Ethernet or other appropriate connection.
- Application Services – Supports IP-delivered ultra HD video through services or applications on the platform of the manufacturer’s choosing.
*High Efficiency Video Compression Main Profile, Level 5, Main tier, as defined in ISO/IEC 23008-2 MPEG-H Part 2 or ITU-T H.265, and may support higher profiles, levels or tiers.
4K in cinema
The CEA's definition of ultra high-definition displays specifies at least a certain number of pixels, a picture shape (aspect ratio) of 16:9/1.78:1 or wider, and the possibility of richer colors. The use of the term "4K" in cinema production means something slightly different than it does in the UHD video world.
For the cinema industry, the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) consortium has defined several 4K formats for various applications that include pixel resolutions of 4096x2160 (1.90:1), 4096x1716 (2.39:1), and 3996x2160 (1.85:1).
DCI also specifies an expanded color palette and advanced compression scheme for these "true 4K" formats that the home user is unlikely to encounter in typical consumer products - at least in the near future. It's understandable that some cinema purists cringe when the terms 4K and UHD are used interchangeably.
Sources of UHD video
Ultra HD video enjoyment is available now albeit with a fairly limited (but growing) selection of content to choose from. How you will experience ultra HD depends on the hardware you own and the services you subscribe to. Here's what you can expect from these current, and soon to be, UHD video providers.
Netflix
Netflix demonstrated its UHD video streaming service at the 2014 CES and has since found its way into new consumer devices including UHD TVs and set top boxes. Looking to the future, Netflix has indicated that they are working toward improving its ultra high-definition streaming service with increased color precision and higher framerates.
Amazon
Amazon's 4K Ultra HD Instant Video streaming service has launched (press release) and is currently available on select LG, Samsung, and Sony TVs. More details are available in the Amazon 4K Ultra HD Guide. Amazon has begun streaming UHD video with high dynamic range (HDR) and select TVs from Samsung, LG, and Sony have been software upgraded to support HDR decoding and playback.
Sony
The Sony FMP-X10 is an Internet streaming appliance that integrates a 1TB hard drive for local storage. Powered by the company's Video Unlimited 4K service, the FMP-X10 currently lists more than 65 feature films that are available for rent or purchase. Sony recently updated the FMP-X10 to be compatible with any display that features an HDMI v2.0 port that supports HDCP v2.2. Read my review of the Sony FMP-X10.
Samsung
Owners of newer Samsung UHD TVs can purchase a compatible UHD Video Pack that is decoded through the M-GO streaming video app - this content includes HDR and wide color gamut (WCG) enhanced videos that are currently unavailable by any other means. Samsung SUHD TVs have also been upgraded to support UHD/HDR streaming from Amazon and UHD streaming from YouTube, Netflix, and other popular UHD video applications.
DirecTV
Satellite television provider DirecTV is currently testing limited UHD video delivery with wide deployment scheduled for 2015-16. Cable and fiber TV providers are also in the early testing phase for deploying UHD video services. It seems likely that all of these TV providers will utilize streaming video technology to delivery UHD content to its subscribers.
Blu-ray
The Blu-ray Disc Association indicated at IFA Berlin 2014 that UHD Blu-ray technology will reach consumers by the end of 2015 (likely 2016).
YouTube
YouTube also has a growing selection of UHD videos available for streaming, however, not every UHD TV supports UHD YouTube playback at this time and are limited to 1080p streaming quality.
M-GO
The video streaming service M-GO now offers a growing selection of 4K UHD movies and TV shows. The M-GO app is also used for playback of content purchased on secure storage (with compatible UHD TVs).
Ultraflix
Ultraflix is another source of streaming UHD programming that's available on select 2015 Sony, Samsung, Vizio, and Android TV-powered UHD TVs.
Downloads
Here are a few sources of 4K UHD video material that you are free to explore and download for playback.
Tears of Steel (2012) - a group of warriors and scientists attempt to rescue the world from destructive robots
Sintel (2010) - a woman's search for a dragon that she had once nursed back to health
Big Buck Bunny (2008) - a day in the life of a big bunny named Buck
Demo UHD 3D - a source of various 4K UHD and 3D videos
Ultra Video Group - test sequences
houkouonchi.jp - a directory of 4K UHD material
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear
Not all UHD is created equal
Resolution is only one component of video picture quality. A still picture that is JPEG encoded can be compressed by an arbitrary amount while maintaining the original pixel resolution. Increasing picture compression produces a smaller file size but fine details become increasingly softened and blurred. Likewise, a lightly or uncompressed image will exhibit more detail and clarity along with a larger corresponding file size. The same concept applies to video.
The datastream of Blu-ray video can peak at 40Mbps enabling it to reproduce even the most detailed, quick-moving video imagery with very few compression artifacts. Likewise, 1080p video from Internet streaming services reaches a maximum average bitrate of 5-7Mbps. The current library of Netflix UHD videos average 16Mbps - less than half of Blu-ray's maximum bitrate yet with four times the pixel resolution. Improvements in video compression technology help make HD and UHD video delivery possible, but there is no substitute for pure bitrate to maintain video quality.
Bitrate is king
For the quality conscious home theater enthusiast, video compression is only part of the story. Blu-ray supports multichannel lossless audio at up to 27.7Mbps (48Mbps total for audio and video data) providing a "like you are there" listening experience that is unmatched by any Internet streaming service or DVD video. If you believe that quality audio is at least half of the home theater experience, streaming services have a ways to go to catch up to good ol' Blu-ray.
UHD is a work in progress
Plenty of pitfalls remain for early adopters of UHD gear. A major issue relates to the need for HDCP v2.2 support between an external UHD video source device and UHD display. HDCP v2.2 is a complete break from previous versions, and this means that the entire video pathway must support HDCP v2.2 in order for UHD playback to occur - older gear will most likely not be upgradable to the new HDCP spec. The good folks at Audioholics wrote up an excellent article detailing the current mess that is HDMI v2.0 and HDCP v2.2 and how it relates to current and upcoming home theater gear, and I encourage anyone interested in this subject to give it a careful read.
Review: JVC DM65USR UHD TV
Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 4:27PM 
JVC exited the TV business a few years ago to focus on crafting world-class video projectors, but its TV branding lives on through a company called Amtran that continues to develop new products. The 65-inch JVC DM65USR Diamond Series 4K Ultra HD TV is an attractively priced balance of features and design, but its picture potential was diminished by a few annoying quirks.
Setup and calibration
The DM65USR's thin matte-finished bezel frames a screen that can pump out the light (up to 400 nits). Its 32-zone full-array local dimming LED backlight system also made for impressively dark black bars of letterboxed movies when viewed in a dimly lit room, however, a similarly sized Vizio P-Series UHD (ultra-high definition) television features twice the number of zones for increased dimming granularity.
White balance controls included 2-point and 10-point adjustments. The 2-point controls proved highly interactive and prone to increasing gamma errors, and I found it best to skip its use altogether in favor of the 10-point setup that produced an admirable HD grayscale response.
Fine-tuning the TV's grayscale also improved its color performance with all significant errors limited to fully saturated levels. Unfortunately, these carefully calibrated grayscale and color results had to be manually copied to each input, and the calibrated preset (Movie) was unavailable with 2160p input like that from the Sony FMP-X10 4K Media Player (read review). Also, minor brightness control adjustments drastically shifted the hue of dark gray levels making it a 'set and forget' affair.
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear
Calibration details
By popular request, I've added the white balance setup results I obtained for the JVC DM65USR in the chart below. Keep in mind that calibration settings are often TV specific - two TVs of the exact same model and screen size will often produce different calibration setup values. However, it's easy enough to try the setup below and if the results are unsatisfactory, reset the TV back to factory defaults.
Video processing
The DM65USR otherwise decent video processing of HD and UHD video sources was marred by a glitch that re-enabled motion interpolation after the setting had been disabled. Toggling the setting would re-disable it only to have it eventually re-enable...annoying for people who detest the smoothing effect applied to movies and TV shows recorded at 24 frames per second.
Samsung JS9500 4K UHD TV Review
Vizio 5.1 Sound Bar System Review
Gamers will find the TV a good option as video lag reduced from 113ms to 46.5ms (less than 3 video frames at 60Hz) when using the Game picture preset.
Apps
As an Internet-enabled 4K UHD TV, the DM65USR is a bit surprising in that it lacks any UHD streaming options like Amazon Instant Video or Netflix. The TV features DLNA-style multimedia streaming and picture/music playback apps for files on USB-connected storage devices. An included 1080p Roku Streaming Stick provides plenty of additional, albeit non-UHD, app options.
A capable built-in web browser was further enhanced by a slick combo keyboard/touchpad remote.
Bottom line
The DM65USR has picture potential to be a terrific 4K UHD TV option, but it needs a software update to cure it of a few nagging glitches.
Read my complete review of the JVC DM65USR Diamond Series 4K Ultra HD TV at HD Guru.
