Today, YouTube announced that it will not only allow 1080p resolution videos, but resolutions up to 4k. That’s right folks, four thousand. Specifically, 4096×3072 pixels. These extraordinarily high resolutions are enough to put IMAX, which runs at about 2k, in the dirt.
While most cameras don’t currently record in 4kp resolutions, YouTube has put together a specifically designed playlist for five films that can be watched in 4k format. But viewer be warned, these films are no playground. Watching them not only requires incredible bandwidth but gear to watch them as well.
Gear like this doesn’t come cheap. And even if you do got the stuff (and cash) to watch these things, the videos are put through the same compression techniques as other vids. Meaning there are still some spots where pixels blur and oddly change colors while others stay static. While on a small screen these errors and glitches aren’t noticeable. But as the displays get bigger and bigger, these problems can become obvious.
Don’t worry though, 1080p is sticking around for longer than you’d think. Apple’s new iPhone 4 and HTC’s EVO 4G are just scratching the surface of high-definition video with recording formats at 720p. Again, your HDTV is gonna stay in style for at least little while.
Source: CNET
