4K, 3D TV on the way (it's here and it's working well)

This was a very weird decision to make.

Months ago, I traded my 3D TV and Blu-Ray player for some help in getting things to the garage from other levels of my house.  I knew that the heavy TV panel on the flimsy pedestal would end up in millions of pixel-sized pieces at the other end of the journey, so I did the best thing.

I've been looking for a TV to replace it.  If the 3D craze had gone better, it wouldn't have been a big search.  Of course, had I not chosen an LG 3D TV in November 2011, I wouldn't be looking for one now.  I found enough movies that I liked in 3D that I wanted to see them in 3D again.

So, I started to search, starting with the same Blu-Ray player/3D TV combo deal.   Nothing was available.  Many of the TVs just weren't available and various web sites would produce links that went to whatever models were available, none of which had any 3D capability.

So, I noticed that all of the 4K TV models had 3D capabilities, until recently, that is.  I tried various models at Best Buy, where I was shown a Sony 1080p TV in their Magnolia Home Theater department, which was very good.  The price was somewhat high, but given the area, I could understand.  Recently, I went to try the 3D effect.  The heavy, active 3D glasses caused some kind of odd feeling in my nose as they sat there.  Perhaps, it was like getting a buzzing in your ear.  It wasn't exactly a vibration but maybe an electromagnetic resonance that was uncomfortable.

The 3D effect was rather good but within a few minutes, I couldn't wear the glasses any longer.

I was told the only alternatives were LG and Vizio.  I had reasonable luck with the bargain LG TV but I continue to hear how people have wildly variable experiences with Vizio.  So, I was thrilled when someone showed me a 49 inch class (class? Just say that it's 48.5 inches) LG 4K 3D TV (LG 49UB8500) at $1499.99.  Yes, that is not cheap, but it was a small difference from the 1080p Sony TV.  It's actually the same as my first 41 inch rear projection TV I bought in 1994 at Macy's.

I've seen several 1080p movies played on it and it's obvious that they're pixelated here and there, but no more so than on other 4K TVs I've seen--or for that matter, 1080p TVs.

There are two big deals for me--substantial processing power and passive 3D glasses.

Obviously, with the ability to decode 4K content, it will do just fine with 1080p and 1080p 3D content, and that's plenty.  Do I expect 4K to hit it big?  No, not in the least.  I expect that 8K will have the major content re-work behind it.

I heard that DirecTV is planning to deliver (some) 4K content any time now, but whether I want to pay extra for that (if there is an extra fee), is unlikely.  I'm finally making the switch to 1080p/1080i content, since I started with them in December 2008.

In any case, I got an extra $100 off because of the Labor Day weekend sales.  I wanted to buy through the same store in NYC that sells me cameras but their sale went off earlier than expected, probably because of the East Coast/West Coast time difference, and I had to wait a bit to transfer money.  Having a 6% points coupon would have been good, along with the $100 discount.  In any case, Best Buy is getting my money and they have free delivery, which will probably come from one of the local stores where I viewed the TV.

The only thing really left to do (for the TV itself) is to get an upscaling 4K Blu-Ray player some time in the future, especially if the current one just doesn't do the job.  I need a sound system and haven't decided on anything.  Being in an apartment has changed my options a bit and having a 900 watt system is probably not as good an idea as it was.

Update 2014.09.05: The TV was delivered between 3:30 and 5:30, as promised.  With free delivery, there was no setup.  That left the assembly to me. The box was strapped and the reason for it became quickly apparent.  The box wasn't much.  There was a small stand with the styrofoam holding the panel and the outer box that had no bottom.

There was a box reminiscent of something Apple would do with various adapters, the remote control and batteries, as well as instruction manuals and some screws for the assembly.

The assembly took a little work and was best handled by two people.  I had my buddy keep the panel upside down, while I secured the stand to the panel.  It wasn't exactly difficult.  Why do these stands never seem substantial?

Once finished, the TV required a brief setup and found my internet connection.  For such a TV, it shouldn't be a surprise that it had built-in WiFi.  This also has webOS as a base, using their Magic Remote as a pointer.  Getting anything done with the pointer is an exercise in frustration.  However, the TV looks good, has a tiny bezel, and the image quality even from DVDs is quite good.  I haven't checked too much about screen dimensions--4:3 seems to cover everything but 16:9 has a letterbox setup.

I noticed that my 16 MP JPEG photo files were displayed just fine using a rear USB port.  One of the three ports seemed to be USB 3.0 compatible.  There are ports, with cabling adapters, for composite and component video.  My old HDD/DVD recorder works well with it.  I supposed it will be a while until I adjust but the image quality is quite good and even the 3D was quite good.  Only the extremely cheap 3D glasses (cheaper than those from the cheapo 2011 set I had) let it down a bit.

Update 2014.09.06: Went to Best Buy to retrieve the Sony upscaling 4K Blu-Ray player, which was on sale for US$149.99.  It feels incredibly cheap, but it's a bit bigger than the 1080p model.  The remote control is exactly the same.  It works well enough.  I'm waiting for Yamaha or someone else to provide something amazing for more money, but I think it won't matter much.  I just wish I could enhance the firmware.  It keeps requesting a USB drive in back to keep information about Blu-Ray discs--their way of cutting costs to keep the price low, whereas other units I've had kept the information internally.

Update 2014.09.19: I need more and better sound.  I've been looking at sound bars and I'm just not sure.  Certainly the US$300 sound bars aren't going to give me much better sound, if any, than the TV already gives me.

Best Buy sales people push Jamo, which is owned my Harman International, which own Harman-Kardon, JBL, Infinity, and more.  Is $799.99 too much?  I'm not sure.  They also talked about Sonos, which makes a lot of portable music speakers.  It was $100 cheaper but seemed to lack the subwoofer, and I found the subwoofer later for an equal amount, which could make a comparable Sonos sound bar system as much as Bose.  I even had a convincing Bose Cinemate 1SR demonstration, but Bose stores are quiet.  That sound bar system was US$1499.99, which is probably not the highest you'd find

Update 2014.10.09: I changed my mind about the sound bar and DirecTV is working now.  I was ready to buy the Jamo sound bar and no Best Buy location seemed to have them.  They had a big drop in price on the Cinemate 1SR to US$1099.99 and I was ready to go for that, but they also didn't have those.  Something odd about Bose selections--they don't have HDMI inputs at the mid-level, so they couldn't handle higher resolution audio, even though optical connections don't seem to be constricted as copper is.

I was really thinking about buying a Yamaha receiver and buying a set of Infinity speakers, along with my Bose center channel speaker which is really thin.  Then, I noticed a premium Yamaha sound bar (YSP-2500) for US$999.99.  Of course, I kept looking and at $1499.99 and $1799.99, the capabilities and power became much better.  The top end model, the YSP-4300 had all of the DSP sound modes I wanted, claimed to deliver 7.1 sound (as did the YSP-3300), but also had FM radio and a USB connection for devices, just like my previous Yamaha receiver.

The only problem with a sound bar--like many central channel speakers--is finding a place for it.  Either it blocks the TV or it won't fit on the shelf.  Currently, I'm looking at buying a large piece of heavy, sturdy glass to lay under the TV that will extend past the ends of the top shelf of the TV stand in order to hold the sound bar comfortably.

As far as DirecTV is concerned, the HD (1080i or 720p, depending on the channel) video quality is generally amazing though many channels still don't have HD broadcasts.  I haven't seen anything about 4K video, but then, that will probably be as great as the 3D video that has come and gone.

Update 2014.10.27: About a week ago, I went into a Fry's Electronics store.  The last time I had visited one, it was a circus of sorts.  I didn't expect much.  They seemed expensive on TV pricing, and they mostly had the lowest end of sound bars and other electronics.  They had a small section labeled 4K/3D in the movies area, but naturally, they had no 4K content available at this point.  It was amusing to see that they had full Blu-Ray/DVD/digital copy packages for less than the DVD by itself.  At least, they're somewhat prepared for 4K content, even if it never arrives.  If scanning and correcting photos (negatives, positive slides, or paper) into digital formats is a pain, I cannot imagine having to do that for motion picture film

Update 2014.12.19: I just saw my TV available for US$1199.99 or $200 cheaper than I paid and $300 cheaper than the typical price.  It's been three months, so I'm not upset.

This is the first TV I've had where I've gone to stores like Best Buy and I've not been jealous of the TVs on display.

What's more, a couple of weeks ago, I bought the Panasonic GH4 camera body, capable of Cinema4K and 4K video recording.  It should be interesting to see how good the video actually is.

Update 2015.01.01: I took a few 4K videos a couple of days ago, and played them through a USB 2.0 port.  The clarity of video and audio was great, but there was a problem with performance at times.  I don't think that it was because of the camera.  It could be either the USB 2.0 speed, which isn't tremendously fast or it could be the decoding of the raw video.  I'll buy a USB 3.0 drive to see how that works.

Update 2015.12.07: I've finally got a Bose sound bar.  That took a while.

While I'm packing my house...

Okay, so, I don't really know if anyone cares about what I write or not.  I'm trying to save you all some steps, to see my decision-making process, to avoid the pitfalls of a lack of information or slick marketing practices.

I've accepted an offer on my house, and I'm fairly busy packing and cleaning, etc. so I don't have much time to write or photograph or anything like that.  I'm moving (back) to northern California but to a place where I've never been.

After spending time in San Jose, California last August, I determined that it wouldn't be feasible to just drop into the area at the costs of the area.  Out in farm country(Central Valley, Tracy, Manteca, Modesto, Stockton), things are a bit less expensive.  I would say that they're more laid back, but I'm not sure that's possible compared to San Jose.  They're certainly laid back compared to San Fran or Los Angeles.  I found San Fran strangely contentious the day I was there.  Los Angeles is just an interesting city/county.  Orange County is more laid back and less fake but only just.  I remember people in San Jose calling Los Angeles weird when I was little, but I didn't find it to be weird--just fake, superficial.  Maybe, it's just my sense of reality, though.  I have an acquaintance who is a singer/songwriter.  I once called him friend but we're so far apart on friendship that I cringe when he uses "friend" when talking to me.  I guess I'm too Japanese.  Maybe, living in California as an adult will change all that.

I was talking today with someone at the Bose store who grew up around Sacramento, the state capital.  He told me that I'd love where I'd be.  I hope so.  Life can be far too disappointing otherwise.

Technology-wise, this move has presented some interesting challenges.  Getting rid of technology is not always easy.  I ended up trading my 3D TV and Blu-Ray player, along with some compatible audio equipment for help with moving heavy things to the garage.

I couldn't see how a 42 inch panel could survive 2800 miles on that fragile, little base that wiggles when you move the TV just a little.  Finding 1 million pieces of broken glass at the other end didn't seem okay.  It would be better to give it away than to find it broken, and trading it for help was even better.

While I was shopping for another 3D TV, I found that there weren't any new models, but I'm probably missing something.  However, the 4K TVs seem to have 3D technology as part of them.  Now that means that I'll need a larger TV than 42 inches.  The smallest I've seen is 55 inches on the diagonal.  That's huge for an apartment or smaller rooms of any building.  I'd think that you have to have about 25 feet of space between you and the TV.  12 feet seemed reasonable between the 42 inch and me.

I was thinking that it would be pretty crazy to move into a place, not knowing your neighbors, and the second thing that they see is Best Buy or someone else bringing the latest TV to your door.  The next day, you return from work, and your TV has been stolen.  Anything is possible.

Since my compatible audio equipment is also gone, I'll likely replace that quickly.  I saw that Yamaha has a number of refurbished AV-receivers available at reasonable prices.  I can't tell what the warranty is, but I would buy an extended warranty, just in case.  Most companies have different standards on refurbishment, unfortunately.  With Apple, I guess I've been lucky to receive something in nearly new condition each time.

In addition to the receiver, I'd like to buy a full range of Infinity speakers.  I'm not sure whether I should buy a 5.1 setup or 7.2.  Do the presence speakers really make a difference?  I've also never had a subwoofer and I'm not sure about buying one or two.  If I end up in an apartment, I think my neighbors will work with me, but not at loud volumes, which may be too typical of my house-only way of listening.

As an alternative for apartment living, I went into a Bose store today.  What do you mean, stop?  I have to choose for myself, okay?

I've had a set of Bose 901 Series VI since about 1994.  I'd also had a 601 pair, and I have a Wave Radio that hasn't been used enough recently.  The 601 pair was adequate, and the Wave Radio is a fancy clock radio, 'nuff said.  I really dislike the Acoustimass systems since the first time I heard one before they were introduced to the market way back when.

I was listening to the Cinemate 1 SR soundbar + subwoofer (errr, bass) module today.  At US$1499.99, it's definitely expensive but it was also impressive, at least, in their showroom with carefully selected materials though having systems side by side doesn't help.  It uses an offshoot of the same Direct/Reflecting technology that made Bose speaker systems, like my 901s, liven up a otherwise dead room with realistic sound spaces.

What's rather amusing is that practically everyone else in the industry has created a sound bar that uses a variation on Doctor Bose's theories that were panned as being stupid and/or ridiculous, and that it took so long for Bose to arrive with one like this one.

I'm not saying that I'm thinking that it would be my first choice, but for apartment living, it may be just the thing.  Of course, many people out there will claim that the lack of specifications damn it right away.  I say that a blind test is better than looking at numbers.  I rarely listen to numbers but I listen to movies, music, the news, and more.  Yes, I know where 440 Hz is on my piano keyboard, so in that sense, I listen to numbers.

Analyzing the data may be fun, if you're creating hearing aids, but sometime, you just want to hear the music.

I was also thinking about getting a pair of Beyerdynamic headphones for apartment listening.  Yamaha has that Silent Cinema mode (that I've never used) on their AV-receivers.  I think I've been a few models back, so the newest have 4K passthrough, even though they probably don't have 4K upscaling.  Imagine, trying to upscale SD content to 4K.  It would seem more guesswork than mathematics.

I guess a new Blu-Ray player that touts 4K upscaling would be in the works too.  It wouldn't be any more than my first Blu-Ray player was, I'm fairly sure.  Prices have improved quite a bit.  I'd like to have a Yamaha or Oppo Blu-Ray player but they're a bit more conservative with their lines.  Oppo would be good because of the ability to turn off the region coding confirmation.  I have a number of Japanese and Korean products I'd like to view without needing 3 DVD players.

In any case, I may not be writing for a while, as the packing must be a priority.  Then, the closing and the move will take precedence.  The trip will be the turning point.

Update 2014.05.04: I went to the local Best Buy the other day, not really in the mood to buy but only wasting time.  One of the staff approached me, and I explained to him what was happening.  Then, he tried to push an LG TV on me that was returned.  When he was called away, I looked at the Open Box tag closely and it didn't have a pedestal.  I wonder how I could use it without it--in a rental property, which I explained ahead of time.  Yes, it was nearly half of the retail price.  Somehow, setting it on the floor, leaned up against the wall didn't seem quite right.  Do people actually listen?

Update 2014.10.29: I happened to be in Oklahoma City, OK on the way across the country and I stopped into a Guitar Center store on a whim.  They had the Beyerdynamic headphones I wanted at $100 off.  That was great luck.

I got my TV early in September: an LG 49UB8500--4K TV, which was bargain priced at $1499.99, though I got it on sale for $100 off for Labor Day.  The next weekend, I bought a Sony 4K upscaling Blu-Ray player for $149.99, even though the TV supposedly upscaled content anyway.  Either way, I'd have good upscaling available.

The TV has been better than good, but great?  I'm not sure; however, I no longer go to the store thinking that another TV looks better.  I still have no discrete sound system.  I've looked at a few sound bars, and almost bought that Bose Cinemate 1SR sound bar, but they were discontinuing it, and I didn't find it in time.  I'm considering a Yamaha YSP-4300, which is much like the RX-V671 receiver I traded for help, but in a sound bar only.  At $1799.99, it's expensive.  It's also bigger than my TV stand, so I need to find a company which can get me a piece of glass to fit on the stand and extend it safely.

Update 2015.12.07: I finally got a Bose sound bar but that took quite a while.

Dr. Amar Bose has died

Way back before the Acoustimass series of apartment-dweller surround sound systems, Dr. Bose introduced the world to Direct-Reflecting sound with the 901 series and its commercial equivalent.

The speakers were odd, even in the 1970s when there were many odd speakers like the Klipschorn.  Most people wanted big speakers or tall speakers.  They didn't understand Direct-Reflecting speakers, and the time of home theatre had not yet arrived.

About the same time, I saw my first 72 inch projection TV.  It was horribly fuzzy, in a way that a US$50 TV would not be today, even with an analog signal.

In 1978, the world wasn't ready for the technology but in Japan, Panasonic was displaying HDTV prototypes.

I fell in love with the 501 series as it was an affordable substitute for the 901 series.  There was even the bookshelf version of the speakers, the 301 series.

This week, at 83, Dr. Bose has died.

He had degrees from MIT and also taught at MIT.

Most people have no clue about his early work or his commercial products.  They focus on the work of the company starting with the Acoustimass series, which to me, was at best, a huge compromise to fit a 400 sq. ft. apartment that you might find in Manhattan (New York City), and at worst, a joke.  Subsequent marketing produced a number of so-so products, but the original 901 series continued to be improved.

I was most impressed when I was watching a movie on Laserdisc around 1992, and the digital sound was so life-like that I picked up my beeper/pager thinking that it had an alert, but it was a beeper in the movie.  I can't think of another brand that had sound so clear.

Was it the end-all-be-all for rock music?  Of course not.  JBL did that.  Unfortunately, time has caught up and with home theater amplifiers and receivers, there aren't the correct connections to use the 901s.  I still use a pair of 601s as my rear surround speakers, and I need to replace them, as well.  They've all served me well.

So, here is to Dr. Bose for his fine work in spatial audio, opening a small room into a virtually much larger room, and I'm sure that kind of technology has been replicated in every sound bar today.  He did a lot for the world of audio that most consumers would only recognize when they heard it.

Update 2014.05.04: I was in a Bose store the other day.  Obviously, things have changed a lot since the 1970s when the 301, 501, and 901 series were sold in electronics stores.  The Cinemate 1 SP soundbar + bass unit was impressive.  It also reminded me of all the various sound bars using a variation of Direct/Reflecting technology.