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Why 4K Ultra HD will Fail by Rodney Bourke

9.5 mm and 16 mm home movie formats first appeared back in the 1920s. Projected screenings
were to be enjoyed by the whole family. In the 1930s 8 mm film appeared, its much smaller
frame size gave four times less image quality.
Black and white TV appeared in the 1950s, and colour TV in 1970s, with Beta & VHS video a
little later. My point is, in-home movies started as Large Format High Quality, then went to very
low quality, much like Video Tape – it took nearly 50 years, but it happened.

Why would the masses choose video with such poor image quality, over a High Quality Large
Picture image, like film? It was the convenience. Tape was cheaper, and could be easily played,
recorded and changed, now more people were watching more movies longer.

In 2000 DVD was released and proved successful, causing VHS to be phased out over time. In
2007 BluRay came along, then in 2010 3D BluRay. Did these higher definition formats replace
DVD? No. Virtually no one uses BluRay Discs. Laptops and portable movie players all use
DVD. You can still hire and buy more choices on DVD than BluRay. BluRay has not captured
the interest of the masses, and so it will be with the new 4K Ultra HD, even though home video
quality is improving, less people are using it.

Where I live half the video hire stores have closed down, those that are left have moved into
smaller premises, hardly anyone is buying or hiring movies on disc now. Why? Free to air
channels have quadrupled in recent time, as well, there is Foxtel. Many people watch video via
the Internet on services like Youtube, T Box or Netflix or download pirate movies and swap with
friends via memory sticks, or stream Video Live. The result is more people are watching movies
on portable devices such as lap tops, I pads or mobile phones.

It’s not about quality but convenience, the Internet can be picked up anywhere anytime, more
people are watching movies on their phone, at home, at work, or in their car. Commuters can be
seen watching their phones on trams, trains and buses. Even at the shopping centre, in the park
and in bed.
Sadly, the younger generations have no interest in collecting material items, almost gone are
books, magazines, CDs, DVDs and BluRay. Ultra HD will be the last disc format that we will
see. Now Books, Music and Movies are downloaded or copied onto memory cards and memory
sticks. Blank BluRay discs are no longer being sold, blank CD & DVD’s are all thee is. The 4k
Ultra HD disc is a last ditch attempt to bring back BluRay.

In 1990’s Mini Disc or MD was hyped as a replacement for the CD, it failed. Ten years later Hi
MD also failed, so it will be with 4K Ultra HD on a triple layered BluRay disc.

The majority of new TVs being sold are not big curved screens, but small TVs that fit in your
- 8mm Kodak presstape X 20 = $8 a pack pocket like a phone, its all about convenience. While tape and discs have lost there value, selling
for only a few dollars second hand, film and some home movies are still fetching hundreds of
dollars. Full length feature films in Super 8 and 16 mm are sometimes fetching thousands of
dollars on eBay. Film is an investment for the future, tape/discs are outdated.

Opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the publisher
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