1080p Euro 2020 Livestream: The Embarrassment of 4K Television and its Future

1080p Euro 2020 Livestream: The Embarrassment of 4K Television and its FutureEarly on, the broadcasters of the Euro 2020 announced that the tournament would not be broadcasted in 4K HDR but in 1080p HDR. This is undoubtedly a disappointment, as in previous years, 8K TV manufacturers, including Hisense and Samsung, had promised that 8K was the best way to watch sports

1080p Euro 2020 Livestream: The Embarrassment of 4K Television and its Future

Early on, the broadcasters of the Euro 2020 announced that the tournament would not be broadcasted in 4K HDR but in 1080p HDR. This is undoubtedly a disappointment, as in previous years, 8K TV manufacturers, including Hisense and Samsung, had promised that 8K was the best way to watch sports. However, after a decade of 4K TV penetration, we are only able to watch this year's highly anticipated football matches in 1080p. This is a huge irony! And 8K TVs? They seem to have become an unattainable dream, even embarrassing.

The reason lies in the fact that the mode of modern information and communication has undergone a dramatic transformation. We no longer rely on televisions as we did in the past, but prefer to use smartphones to access information and entertainment. Major streaming platforms have keenly perceived this trend, investing their best resources in mobile apps rather than presenting the best picture on televisions.

What truly irritates people is that we bought new TVs to watch better picture quality in our imagination, but ultimately it went against our wishes. This phenomenon is not limited to football broadcasting. In fact, throughout the global streaming platforms, only Amazon provides 4K HDR in its entry-level service. Other streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney, and domestic platforms like iQiyi and Tencent, require users to pay extra for 4K HDR content. This undoubtedly sets a higher threshold for the popularization of 4K HDR, discouraging consumers.

Speaking of the Euro 2020, some users may say that Migu offers 4K HDR viewing. That's true, Migu, one of the two licensed streaming platforms in China, does enable 4K HDR on mobile phones. Unfortunately, Migu's own TV app has a maximum resolution of 1080p. And while screen mirroring from a mobile phone can achieve 4K resolution and 50fps frame rate, HDR is not available. More importantly, Migu's 4K is actually achieved through algorithmic upscaling, resulting in mediocre quality, insufficient clarity, and lacking texture. iQiyi, on the other hand, takes a more direct approach, only providing 1080p HDR broadcasting signals, consistent with the original Euro 2020 broadcast.

Therefore, in a way, our viewing experience on mobile phones is even better than watching on television. This is undoubtedly unacceptable for fans like me who pursue picture quality. No one can focus on a football match at 12 am or 3 am while holding a tiny phone or tablet, carefully considering picture quality or pixel counting...

Considering that most phones currently have screen resolutions below 4K, what is the point of buying a 4K TV if we ultimately choose to watch the matches on our phones? In fact, from the perspective of broadcasting and streaming channels, over the years, the penetration of 4K, both domestically and internationally, has been far from satisfactory. Look at our domestic broadcasting channels; there are very few that truly provide 4K live broadcasts, which speaks volumes about the current state of 4K development.

The past decade of 4K development, in retrospect, seems like a joke. Due to various practical and commercial factors, the construction of the 4K ecosystem has not progressed significantly. Despite the early popularization of 4K TVs, we are unable to see 4K HDR content without paying extra. While this cannot be attributed entirely to the inactivity of broadcasters and production companies, 4K live broadcasting is expensive. The number of cameras and resources required for integration only increases investment. However, if people ultimately choose to watch matches and highlights on smartphones through streaming platforms, what is the point of buying a 4K TV? What is the significance of the significant investment made by various entities, including CCTV, in 4K/8K broadcasting?

It is clear that for most people, especially domestic users, such as those who still watch broadcasts through cable boxes, the difference between now and the past is not significant; it can even be considered a step back. It's no wonder that the number of people buying televisions in China is far fewer than in the US. Domestic television sales are severely limited by the content available on television. When the content on television is inferior to that on smartphones, it's hard to expect the new generation of consumers to purchase televisions!

For me, I would rather watch the Euro 2020 in 1080p resolution on a 4K TV than hold a phone and fall asleep without realizing it!

Conclusion:

The path to 4K technology adoption is not smooth. It faces challenges from various aspects, including content production, cost control, and user habits. In the future, the fate of 4K television will depend on the collective efforts of streaming platforms, broadcasters, television manufacturers, and consumers like us. We look forward to the day when we can enjoy exciting sporting events and other high-quality content on 4K TVs with the best picture and sound quality.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is sourced from the internet. The copyright of the text, images, and other materials belongs to the original author. The platform reprints the materials for the purpose of conveying more information. The content of the article is for reference and learning only, and should not be used for commercial purposes. If it infringes on your legitimate rights and interests, please contact us promptly and we will handle it as soon as possible! We respect copyright and are committed to protecting it. Thank you for sharing.(Email:[email protected])