I don't think 4K (let alone 8K, 16K or whatever follows) will catch on any time soon, with or without ATSC 3.0. I say this because, to get the full effect of 4K, one would have to sit within inches (!) of the screen, and I don't know of anyone who wants to sit that close to their flat screen.
I am almost 60 years old and well remember the warning about sitting too close to the TV: You'll ruin your eyes! That may have been true in the old NTSC 4:3 aspect ratio era, but I'm not sure about flat screens; in fact, I don't think sitting within inches of them could cause vision problems. After all, to get the full effect of today's HDTV, one must be within a foot or less of the screen; sit any further back and you will lose the HD effect immediately.
Hmmm. Now I'm wondering if eye doctors are or will be getting more patients in if 4K does become the standard; if so, the problem will be eyestrain from sitting too close to the TV.
