Why are new surround amps boasting 4k support? Is it a new hdmi standard?

[yoda313]

Ok I know 3d needs hdmi 1.4a I think it is to be done properly.

Does 4k need a special subset of hdmi to function properly?

Also isn't it too early to be boasting support of 4k when there is no real demand or distribution network for it? Not to mention no reasonably priced tv sets?

I was at Bestbuy this morning just browsing and was shocked that most of the surround amps were pushing "4k support" on their stickers.

[Joe The Dude]

That's a good question.
If there is a new subset of HDMI protocols required to support 4K, it might cause issues with older amps you'd like to use as a HDMI Source Selector.

[Hikmet]

4K is digital cinema standart. And HDMI not only use on TV sets. And this support on home sets, only commercial trick.

[yoda313]

That's a good question.
If there is a new subset of HDMI protocols required to support 4K, it might cause issues with older amps you'd like to use as a HDMI Source Selector.

I don't even have a regular hdmi surround amp so this is just a speculative question right now, also no 4k tv yet .

But I'm curious as to why its mentioned on the amps. If it is a new protocol I wonder what it does specifically for 4k - is it specifically for extra bandwidth for the video resolution?

4K is digital cinema standart

But there are home sets now that do 4k and you can shoot 4k yourself.

only commercial trick

That is what I'm wondering right now. Is it just a marketing gimmick like gold plated cables? I guess the gold plated cables do help to limit some intereference but usually super expensive cables don't make much of a difference from what I'm told.

Edit - I don't know how reliable this website is but a quick google search found this:

http://www.hdmi.org/manufacturer/hdmi_1_4/4k.aspx

4K Support

The HDMI 1.4 specification adds support for extremely high video resolutions that go far beyond today’s 1080p systems. 4K is shorthand for 4,000 lines wide by 2,000 lines high, or roughly four times the resolution of a 1080p display. The term actually covers two formats, both supported in the HDMI 1.4 specification:

3840 pixels wide by 2160 pixels high
4096 pixels wide by 2160 pixels high


So it would seem if you have hdmi 1.4 you are 4k compliant. So maybe thats all it is about those amps, they are just 1.4 compliant and that is it.

[aedipuss]

i can see a use for it and wish my devices all supported it. 3d side-by-side video would be able to be made in 3840x1080. it would eliminate most of the quality lost going from blu-ray 3d to mkv.