Sharp 8K TV
With a massive resolution of 7680 x 4320 Sharp has created the world's first 8K monitor. While not technically a TV, it does have a tuner, so it's close enough. Dubbed the LV-85001, the name is just as awe-inspiring as its incredible pixel density. In all seriousness though, this monitor is completely revolutionary and has just about no practical use for anyone outside the photography and/or film production industry. But is that a bad thing? Not necessarily considering their intent for this behemoth 85 inch display was for professional use anyway.
Now for the real question: how much is the monitor? Well, the answer is not for the faint of heart, or for anyone looking for a cheap display. Being unveiled in Japan, this monitor will set you back 16 million yen (or $133,000 USD).
The Specs
Sharp was able to achieve such an amazing resolution on this LCD panel with the help of their IGZO technology. However, you'll need to connect all four of its HDMI inputs to even have enough bandwidth to attempt to play any 8K video.
Although pretty much completely useless in today's world, that doesn't mean this monitor isn't revolutionary. It won't be for another 5-10 years until 8K actually has value, especially considering 4K is still not as popular as companies want you to think. This does, however, set a very, very high bar for other monitor/TV manufacturers who will need to find some way to stand out from Sharp and their amazing creation.
Sony 4K TV's
And here to do just that is Sony with a massive announcement as well. Meant to be saved for their newer TV's, Sony is planning on upgrading their line of X850C, X900C and X910C panels with HDR. What exactly does this mean though? Well, if you happen to be fortunate enough to own one of these panels, then you can expect colors on your panel to be much more vivid. You can also expect higher detail in shadows and more contrast.
If your next question is "how helpful is this without proper content?", the wonderful people at Sony have already provided an answer for you. They are planning to release up to $100 in HDR Sony movies if you do happen to purchase one of these displays. Not a whole lot to get excited about but it's still something, and it's free. Not much to complain about really.
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Lesley Warren is a writer for the VAVEL USA Technology section.
