4K TVs are capable of producing stunning images, however, this is dependent on the quality of the source content.
For example, the majority of Free-To-Air channels are broadcast in Standard Definition (576i) or High Definition (1080i), compared to the 3840p resolution in a 4K TV.
When viewing these channels, while still producing excellent picture quality, a 4K TV must stretch or "scale" the image to fill its native 4K resolution.
Doing this means that what was one pixel on the standard or high definition TV, will be stretched over several pixels on the 4K TV.
Scaling allows the source content to fill the screen and produce an excellent picture, but it can't significantly improve the quality present in the source material, as the data or information simply is not there to tell the TV what to display.
The following footage is in 4K, which can be downloaded onto a USB or output from a compatible PC via HDMI to display the full resolution and quality of your TV. Please ensure the USB is 8GB or smaller, and formatted to 'FAT32' on Windows or 'MS-DOS (FAT)' on Mac.
- 4K Sample Footage (170 MB)
Alternatively, you may view the below video via your TV’s Youtube app:
Some applications installed on your TV such as Netflix and Youtube are capable of streaming 4K content.
Not all content on these applications is available in 4K. If 4K content is available and your internet bandwidth can handle the data load the applications will generally automatically stream the video in 4K. The resolution may automatically drop and buffer if your internet connection becomes congested.
Some applications will allow you to set the default streaming resolution to 4K in the app settings or during the video stream.
Please note: In order to stream 4K content from Netflix, a subscription providing 4K content is required. Due to the amount of data required for 4K content, an ethernet connection is recommended.
4K is still an emerging standard; however, as time goes by, more content will be able to leverage the full capabilities of 4K TVs.
For more information on how to correctly access 4K content please refer to: