• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, November 13, 2014

4K TVs aren’t the answer for everybody -- not when there is better stuff coming down the line.  So-called Ultra TVs, which are four times as sharp as current HDTV, have gained some traction recently -- again in a small way.

TV producers can easily step up to 4K technology -- if they haven’t already done so. But the bigger move would be for an ESPN or HBO to start transmitting in 4K, as well as for more pay TV providers to get on board.

For an extra $4 a month, you can see about a dozen shows and movies in 4K on Netflix. Amazon will stream original shows like “Transparent” in 4K before the end of the year -- with no additional cost. Finally DirecTV says it will offer 4K for a few select movies via its VOD service.

And then there is a hardware/price component. Vizio offers up a 4K TV for under $1,000. Does that spark your interest?

You might be still souring on the last big TV innovation -- 3DTV, which seemed to roll too fast beyond the speed limit on TV ‘s superhighway.

Consumers may be used to new technology changes. But the original entertainment technology -- the living room television set -- has special meaning.  This isn’t about replacing your mobile phone every two or three years, or about replacing your desktop/laptop/tablet computer every five to seven years. How long should you keep your TV set? What more do you want from it?  And how much more do you need -- in the short term?

Once you have answered those questions, consider that NHK in Japan has been testing 8K TV technology.