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Is My TV 4K? How do I set up 4K? Why Doesn't My 4K TV Look 4K?

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.
 
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 automatic 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.

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.

Accessing 4K Content Via HDMI & 4K HDR @ 60Hz

If your TV supports 4K content, there may be additional setup steps required depending on the content you wish to view. Below are three common settings that may need adjustment in order to view 4K content.

HDMI 2.0 and 2.1

Broadcasting 4K content from services such as Foxtel, Netflix and YouTube through hardware such as a Chromecast, relies on an HDMI 2.0 connection with HDCP 2.2 enabled. This allows for content up to 4K at 60Hz.

HDMI 2.1 allows for content up to 4K @ 120Hz.

Both the Media hardware and the TV must support the same standard to be compatible with each other. 

Ensure the HDMI cable utilised is capable of at least an HDMI 2.0 standard. Cheaper cables may only operate at an HDMI 1.4 standard and allow for a maximum resolution of 1080p.

Please note: Some HDMI ports on your TV may differ between 1.4 and 2.0/2.1, if you are having troubles achieving this on one port, please try a different port.

HDMI HDCP

HDCP is an anti-piracy measure that will generally only allow the output of content up to 1080p if it set to 1.4. In order to view 4K content with an HDMI connection, HDCP must be set to 2.2. 

For our 4K TV range, this can generally be adjusted through the settings menu - for specific steps on enabling this, please refer to the relevant user manual.

HDMI EDID

HDMI EDID (Extended Display Identification Data) is a protocol for your TV to communicate with external devices over HDMI. Some of the 4K Kogan TV range has the EDID resolution set to 2K as default so external devices read this as the max resolution. EDID can be changed in settings to set the resolution to 4K.

The general path for changing EDID settings is 'Menu' -> 'Functions' - 'HDMI EDID'. This path varies for each TV, please refer to the TV user manual for more details.

Setting Up Your TV for 4K HDR @ 60Hz

In order to display HDR content in 4K @ 60HZ, the following setting needs to be adjusted on your TV.

Press the 'Menu' button on your remote, and select 'Function' -> 'EDID', and adjust this setting to '4K'.

This applies to the following Kogan TV models:

  • MU8010 Series
  • LU8010 Series
  • KALED40AF7000STA
If the above information has not helped with your query, please refer to our 'TV Troubleshooting Guide' for further assistance.

Alternatively, you are welcome to contact our Support Team via your Kogan.com account with any queries - please note that a photo or video of any issue can assist with identifying and resolving the issue. 
 
 
 
 

 

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