Our new 4K system and calibration

[Jeffhs]

Since there aren't many people yet who have 4K TVs, most will see the Olympics in regular HD if the broadcast is viewable at all on standard HDTVs. Four-K, a. k. a. UHD, is a TV broadcast format that probably isn't compatible with standard HD televisions, so most folks may see absolutely nothing on their sets except perhaps a notice stating the following: "This program is being broadcast in UHD. Your television is not compatible with this standard."

Sheeesh. First ATSC 3, now this. What on earth may be next? I think the television industry is trying its darnedest to get everyone in the US to buy new TVs every few years, which is why they keep changing the standards every time we turn around--or so it seems. However, NBC stands to lose many thousands of viewers in a few days because, as I said, most of us don't have 4K televisions. NBC is the 4th-rated TV network in America as it is (I know this from having seen old NBC promos on Youtube, one of which even has the audacity to say NBC is actually proud to be #4--sheeesh!); they cannot afford to lose viewers, especially when they are going to be showing a high-profile event such as the Olympics.

I am not a sports fan and do not watch NBC that much except for news and an occasional (I do mean occasional) program, so the Olympics taking over the network in prime time for two weeks next month won't bother me. However, I am thinking, again, of the large number of viewers who will be shut out when they try to watch the Olympics on their fabulously expensive HDTV screens, only to see that notice I mentioned above or, worse, a blank screen. Sports programming, after all, is the main reason many people buy large HDTVs in the first place; many home theaters are already set up for standard HDTV, but not 4K. VK member etype2 in Arizona is one of the lucky ones (and then some; look at all those 4K screens!), but as I said, most folks will be watching the Olympics in standard 16:9 HD, again if they can even see the telecast.

Good grief!