Factors to Consider When Purchasing a PTZ IP Camera

Factors to Consider When Purchasing a PTZ IP Camera

PTZ IP cameras are commonly used for surveillance in large home compounds and public areas such as commercial car parks, stadiums and conference halls. PTZ stands for Pan Tilt Zoom, and that means you can use the IP software for cameras through the internet or your network to manipulate what the IP camera displays.

Different IP camera brands sport different kinds of zooms, and lower end cameras will simply feature the digital zoom. Proper optical zoom is the recommendable zoom type and this, together with the price, will always be specified in the product description.

Basically, a PTZ IP camera lets the user view real time images of the protected areas over the internet. You can simply monitor your office, home, building, yard or anywhere from miles away using a PC or a high end smartphone, tablet or PDA. Some network cameras even feature built-in Web server functions such that the IP camera doesn’t necessarily need to be connected to a computer.

DESIGN

IP PTZ cameras are traditionally spherical in shape, and this is mainly because they are meant to be completely mobile. Either the network camera itself (the sensor and camera mechanism) has been designed to take the shape of a sphere, and held so that it can pivot accordingly, or the camera is structured more traditionally and cased in a spherical protective bubble where it can tilt, pan and zoom and take images from within the shield.

NIGHT VISION

IP cameras with night vision capabilities come with built-in LED lighting to enable object visibility in dark settings, or at night. For outdoor surveillance, specifically in places without artificial lighting, night vision cameras may come in handy.

PTZ vs PT

Some IP cameras can only pan and tilt but not zoom. The two functions will usually be enough if the area you want to cover is small, like, say, your living room. However, if you want to cover a large area such as a shopping mall, an IP camera with the zoom function will be more effective.

HOW DO THEY WORK ?

PTZ IP cameras are typically controlled using remote systems. Users can do an initial configuration to have the camera moving and rotating in a certain predetermined pattern, or do it manually using a keyboard or mouse controlled interface. The angle of the lens can also be manually controlled, and this facilitates automatic position adjustment of the camera.

BENEFITS OF PTZ IP CAMERAS

·         User does not need to be close to the camera to operate it.

·         Requires little maintenance after it has been installed (except for regular cleaning of course).

·         Has 360-degree mobility. This way, it can detect and track objects as they move in the covered area as long as the target object is within lens range.

Factors to Consider When Purchasing a PTZ IP Camera

INDOOR OR OUTDOOR USE ?

If you’re looking for a PTZ IP camera for outdoor surveillance, you need one with night vision, weatherproof enclosure, miniature architecture for “outsider” visibility reasons, and vandal-proof capability for fortification in high crime areas.

YOUR DESIRED CAMERA FORM FACTOR

Each form factor has its own benefits, and the brand you opt for should cover all your surveillance requirements. Would you prefer a dome-shaped or an inconspicuous mini-dome camera? A wireless option or just an ordinary corded PTZ IP camera? You know your place and specifications best.

LEVEL OF DETAIL

When weighing different camera alternatives, you need to be sure of the detail level you want to see in your images. For wide area surveillance, you need a higher resolution, of course, as this will allow you to view even the furthest of images in relatively great detail.

Another factor that affects a camera’s resolution is its field of view (FOV). This is the viewable expanse of a given scene taken by the camera, and is sometimes referred as the angle of coverage or angle of view. A small FOV generally leads to the target object appearing smaller than it would in a fairly larger FOV.

The type of lens featured in the camera will also have an impact on resolution and field of view alike. A lens with low focal length number will bring about a wide field of view but less magnification while a higher focal length number will provide more magnification.

PTZ IP cameras, just like ordinary cameras, come with different resolution capabilities, and if you choose a high-resolution one, you also need to choose a high resolution megapixel lens so that the resolution required to produce a clear and detailed image can be maintained. If you combine a high resolution camera sensor with a less powerful lens, then your images will not be as detailed and crisp as you may desire.

POWER

PTZ cameras have multiple motors built-in which draw a considerable amount of power compared to a regular surveillance camera. Power can be supplied locally at the camera location or a cable can be pulled from a power source to the camera. The size of the wire dictates the maximum distance the cable can extend from the camera to the power source. See the chart below.

·        12 Gauge Wire – Maximum Distance 320 Feet

·        14 Gauge Wire – Maximum Distance 225 Feet

·        16 Gauge Wire – Maximum Distance 150 Feet

·        18 Gauge Wire – Maximum Distance 100 Feet

Each PTZ camera is shipped with its own power supply. Some cameras operate on 12v DC and some on 24v AC. Make sure you note the type of power the camera uses and that the power supply matches the camera. 

Top 10 video surveillance cameras & NVR of 2016

Top 10 video surveillance cameras & NVR of 2016

In order to come up with a comprehensive assessment, the products on this list all adhere to the following guidelines:

·        The product must have been uploaded to the asmag dot com database between Jan. 2016 and Dec. 2016.

·        The main purpose of the camera must be for professional security; no Wi-Fi cameras, cube cameras, DIY, or cameras targeted at the smart home sector were included.

·        Only one camera per company was chosen.

Top 10 video surveillance cameras of 2016:

1. Hikvision DS-2CD6626DS-IZ(H)S Dark Fighter 2 MP anti-corrosion dome

2. Dahua HD-TPC-PT8320-T hybrid network PTZ camera

3. Axis XF40-Q1765 explosion protected fixed network camera

4. Sony SNC-VB770 ultra high sensitivity 4K network camera

5. Surveon CAM2441HI box network camera

6. LILIN ZR8022 1808p HD Day & Night autofocus IR IP camera

7. EverFocus EZN7221 2 MP Full HD ultra-low light camera

8. Pelco by Schneider Electric Optera 12 MP panoramic IP camera

9. DynaColor DynaHawk ZD series hyper mini fisheye IP camera

10. ITX NCB-2003PR/NCB-1303PR IP camera

Top 10 video surveillance NVR of 2016:

1. Wavestore A-Series NVR

2. QNAP VS-2204 Pro+ VioStor NVR

3. Merit LILIN NVR408M H.264 1080p real-time multi-touch vehicle standalone NVR

4. Milestone Husky M50A NVR

5. Hikvision DS-96128/2561NI-E16(-E24) Embedded Super NVR

6. Hunt HNR-16GSQ NVR

7. Dahua DH-NVR5216/5232-16P-4KS2 NVR

8. Verint Nextiva EdgeVR 100/200 Series NVR

9. EverFocus Commander 2 ENVR8008 NVR

10. Surveon NVR7800 series

Access Control in the Retail sector

A guide to Access Control in the Retail sector

What is access control?

Access control provides the ability to control, monitor and restrict the movement of people, assets or vehicles in, out and around a building or site.

Access control is essential in the protection of people and assets and has the additional benefit of being expanded from controlling, for example, a single entrance door to a large integrated security network.

There are also huge potentials in terms of integrating access control with other systems, such as CCTV and intruder alarms, allowing for cost savings and greater security benefits.

What risks does the retail sector face and how can these be countered by access control?

The retail sector faces a variety of threats all year round, including shoplifting, organised retail crime and dishonest staff, and these risks can increase significantly during busy shopping periods such as seasonal sales.

Recently, the BSIA carried out a survey of its members to discover the trends in retail security over the last year. Over 50% of respondents felt that the use of private security measures in retail had increased over the past twelve months, with a further 65% anticipating this use to increase over the course of the next year.

Members perceived the biggest threat to retailers to be shoplifting and petty theft, with theft by employees following in second. Online theft and armed robberies were also considered to be risks.

Retail environments are full of valuable assets, both on the shop floor and in the stock room. Access control systems are all designed to permit access only to people with the necessary authority to enter a particular area, ensuring that goods and people are protected and helping to manage known or anticipated threats.

Generally, systems are comprised of three main components:

1. The physical barrier – to physically restrict access to a building or area. This can be achieved through methods such as:

• Doors – secured by either a magnetic or strike lock, or can be revolving or sliding.

• Turnstiles and speed gates – designed to limit access to one person per identification device.

2. The identification device – there are a number of different technologies available to identify users of an access control system, including:

• A proximity card and reader via Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) – these cards can be programmed to work at a short or long read range

• A smart card and reader

• A swipe card and reader

• PIN pads

• Biometric devices such as fingerprint or iris scanning

3. The door controller and software – these are at the heart of the access control system and are used to decide who can gain access through which entry point and at what time of the day are they permitted. These can vary depending on the size of the system and how many readers or sites you are trying to control from one point. Some of the options include:

• A stand-alone door controller linked to a single door with no software

• A number of door controllers all linked together to a single PC to control one site

• A number of sites all interlinked together over a wide network area

The added benefits of access control

Retail environments often incorporate large numbers of staff working varied shift patterns. Access control systems can offer a wide range of benefits, including Human Resource management and integrated security systems.

Time and attendance

Retail security does not necessarily just offer protection for the shop floor itself, but can encompass all stages of the supply chain – including staff offices, warehouses and even the delivery process. Naturally, various different employees and outside visitors are involved in these processes and access control systems can assist with staff management.

Badge/token technology can be used to record employee hours and monitor visitor movement within a specific site. If appropriate, these can be processed against working hours, applicable for both temporary and permanent staff – this can be useful for busy shopping periods when additional seasonal staff are employed temporarily. This can work in real time to feed transactions through to the company’s payroll. Time and attendance systems also accurately help keep employers on the right side of the European Working Time regulations and manage holidays and absences effectively. Fast, accurate and easy-to-use, these systems are suitable for businesses employing just a few people, right up to large multinational companies.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition

To monitor the movement of vehicles around an area, CCTV-style cameras and computer software can be used to identify number plates of vehicles. Some systems can also store photographs of the driver and vehicle for subsequent analysis.

This sophisticated software allows critical information to be passed to the police to assist in the pursuit, identification and capture of offenders should an incident occur. For example, if a shoplifter flees the scene of a crime via a vehicle, ANPR cameras situated around an area could help identify the criminal. Visual proof of parking offences with the corresponding time and date information is provided as evidence and to avoid disputes. Using a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) link, monitors are then able to identify the owner of a vehicle and process the offence automatically.

Fire roll call

Health and safety is a key consideration for any business. Since retail environments involve multiple staff members with varying shift patterns, it can be difficult to keep track of all employees during an emergency. Fire roll call technology generates a report containing crucial information in relation to who is within the building and potentially where they are. This software operates via the access control smart card or fob that an employee uses to gain access to or exit a building. In the event of an emergency, the fire roll-call software alerts occupants to the emergency whilst simultaneously activating the report at a safe pre-determined remote point.

Please note: In order for the fire roll call software to effectively carry out its function, employees and visitors must always present their card or badge. The use of smart card or RFID controlled turnstiles can help in this situation.

Integrated security systems

For maximum security, retail environments can benefit from a fully integrated access control system with CCTV, intruder alarms, fire detection and building management systems. One way to attain this is by adopting the use of Internet Protocol (IP) technology, which allows these systems to communicate with each other to maximise their effectiveness.

Separate access control and intruder alarm systems, for example, could allow an employee to access an area that is set with an alarm.

However, unless the employee has the authority to unset the system, the access would result in a false alarm being activated – potentially causing panic in a retail environment. An effectively integrated system would recognise that the user does not have the authority to unset the system, so would not allow them in the area to begin with.

What else should you know when considering access control?

An initial risk assessment of an area can determine the level of security required and subsequently influence the access control system you choose. BSIA access control members and professional security consultancies can assist with this.

BSIA members are subject to rigorous checks before they are admitted into membership, meaning that you are selecting a quality company. Below are just some of the reasons why BSIA members can offer you peace of mind:

• They are independently inspected to the quality standard ISO 9001 with a UKAS accredited inspectorate

• They comply with relevant British and European Standards and codes of practice

• Are financially sound

• Professional

• Staff vetting has been conducted where necessary

• They are technically proficient and committed to quality training and development

• They are up-to-date with the latest developments in British and European policy and legislation

What legislation should you be aware of?

The Disability Discrimination Act was amended in 2005 and has a significant impact not only in terms of the design of new systems, but also means that many systems may need to be upgraded to ensure compliance and adequate, user friendly access to the building for all staff and visitors.

Other considerations to be aware of:

National minimum care standards

Health and Safety at Work Act

Occupiers Liability Act
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.

Automatic connect to Internet when modem is ON

Automatic connect to Internet when modem is ON

Many time I received call from Technicians, Engineers from various organization that Sir my customer couldn’t see video feed in their laptop, Sir I have BSNL Broadband how to enable auto connect when Modem switch is on. If you are using BSNL broadband in India and most of the time you will be connecting to internet using a username and password. You might be wondering why you can’t connect to internet when modem switched on.

It can be easily done with few steps.

All you need to do is to setup your DSL mode to work in PPPoE mode. In this mode once the DSL link is steady the modem remembers the username and password and auto connects to internet when switched on.

If you are using a username and password to connect to internet with DSL modem (like Huawei) then that means you are most likely to be using Bridged mode. All you need to do is change this bridged mode to PPPoE mode in your modem control panel. This should work pretty much for modems supplied by BSNL or other third party modems.

Here are the easy steps….

Open your browser and point your browser to http://192.168.1.1/ to open your ADSL modem control panel. Type admin and password admin (in most cases).
If that doesn’t give you modem access page,

Next is to set up IP address and DNS IPs. There are 2 ways of doing it.

(a) First you can go to router and enable DHCP and it will automatically assign IPs to PCs you connect. You have to also enter DNS server IPs of your ISP in the router.

and the other method is assigning static IP.

(b) Go to > Network properties > Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) > enter ip, subnet mask and gateway as shown below…

(i) Set the IP address of PC in range between 192.168.1.10 to 254 (any one IP) with subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 with the gateway address of 192.168.1.1 (modem as gateway to access internet)

(ii) Next set DNS IP address to BSNL DNS IP address or if you don’t know BSNL DNS server IPs you can use open dns, dns servers lPs of 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 as an alternative to access internet.

Note: some modems use http://192.168.168.1/ for accessing control panel. Refer to your modem manual. 

Once you get into Modem Control Panel, you will need to edit WAN settings of PVC0 with VPI=>0 and VCI=>35 for BSNL connection. Edit it and set to PPPOE mode. There enter your BSNL username and password. Just edit this and leave the other PVC connections.

Here I am using Huawei modem control panel, supplied by BSNL.

Change the default admin password for security reasons.

Setup Wi-Fi security using WPA for your wireless router.

Important: Don’t leave your wireless router open. If you leave it open anybody walking by with a wireless laptop can have access to your internet connect without a password as soon as your modem is on. To prevent that secure your wireless router with a passphrase.

(i). Go to wireless setup > change SSID > home-Wi-Fi
(ii). Go to wireless security > select WPA > PSK string > Your password

Use WPA is it is better in security than WEP encryption.

Save All and Restart the modem and PC.

·  To check connectivity try pinging both to router and websites. Go windows start > run > command

ping 192.168.1.1
ping yahoo.com

Once you switch ON the modem and the DSL link becomes stable, you should be able to access the internet. No need for username and password.

Plus if you own a nokia phone or ipod that supports wifi then those devices can only access internet though PPPoE mode (always on modem)

If you have messed up the settings or unable to internet, just reset the mode by restoring the default settings either through modem control panel or a reset hole at the back side of mode. Once you reset the settings, your modem will be back to bridged mode and you will be able to connect to internet using traditional way of broadband username and password.

Linear vs Switch Mode Power Supply

Linear vs Switch Mode Power Supplies

The Power Guy (Electrical Engineer) focuses on modern switch-mode power supplies and converters for powering Video Surveillance Camera.

Introduction

Linear power supplies were the mainstay of power conversion until the late 1970’s when the first commercial switch-mode became available. Now apart from very low power wall mount linear power supplies used for powering consumer items like cell phones and toys, switch-mode power supplies are dominant.

What are the differences and how do they work?

Linear power supplies have a bulky steel or iron laminated transformer. It provides a safety barrier between for the high voltage AC input and the low voltage DC output (Step Down Transformer). The transformer also reduces and the AC input from typically 115V or 230VAC to a much lower voltage, perhaps around 16-30VAC. The lower voltage AC is then rectified by two or four diodes (Full Wave rectifier) and smoothed into low voltage DC by large electrolytic capacitors. That low voltage DC is then regulated into the output voltage by dropping the difference in voltage across a transistor or IC (the shunt regulator).

Switch-mode supplies are a lot more complicated. The 115V or 230VAC voltage is rectified and smoothed by diodes and capacitors resulting in a high voltage DC. That DC is then converted into a safe, low voltage, high frequency (typically switching at 200kHz to 500kHz) voltage using a much smaller ferrite transformer and FETs or transistors. That voltage is then converted into the DC output voltage of choice by another set of diodes, capacitors and inductors. Corrections to the output voltage due to load or input changes are achieved by adjusting the pulse width of the high frequency waveform.

Comparisons of both technologies

Size: - A 50W linear power supply is typically 3 x 5 x 5.5”, whereas a 50W switch-mode can be as small as 3 x 5 x 1”. That’s a size reduction of 80%.

Weight: - A 50W linear weighs 4lbs; a corresponding switcher is 0.62 or less. As the power level increases, so does the weight. I personally remember a two-man lift needed for a 1000W linear.

Input Voltage Range: - A linear has a very limited input range requiring that the transformer taps be changed between different countries. Normally on the specification you will see 100/120/220/230/240VAC. This is because when the input voltage drops more than 10%, the DC voltage to the shunt regulator drops too low & the power supply cannot deliver the required output voltage. At input voltages greater than 10%, too much voltage is delivered to the regulator resulting in over heating. If a piece of equipment is tested in the US and shipped to Europe, Asia and Mexico in some cases, the transformer “taps” have to be manually changed. Forget to set the taps? The power supply will most certainly blow the fuse, or may well be damaged.

Most switch-mode supplies can operate anywhere in the world (85 to 264VAC), from industrial areas in Japan to the outback of Australia without any adjustment. The switch-mode supply is also able to withstand small losses of AC power in the range of 10-20 milliseconds without affecting the outputs. A linear will not. No one will care if the AC goes missing for 1/100th of a second when charging your cell phone, it will take 100 of these interruptions to delay the charge by one second. However, having your computerized equipment shutdown or reboot 100 times a day will cause a great deal of heartburn.

Efficiency:

A linear power supply because of its design will normally operate at around 60% efficiency for 24V outputs, whereas a switch-mode is normally 80% or more. Efficiency is a measure of how much energy the power supply wastes. This has to be removed with fans or heat-sinks from the system.

As a quick note, in Europe, they are trying to limit those losses of all power supplies used by consumers particularly when operating in the “Off” mode (as many products are left plugged in 24 hours a day). Imagine 350 million power supplies eating up a couple watts. That equates to the output of a whole power station.

4K Resolution TV Everything You Need to Know

4K Resolution TV Everything You Need to Know

 

4K technology is quickly taking over the mainsteam of the digital video world, from TV screens to computer monitors to cameras and projectors, 4K screen resolution and all of its accompanying features are now no longer just bleeding edge technologies but becoming positively mainstream, particularly when it comes to TV displays and the video recording that creates their content.

With four times the resolution of traditional HD displays, 4K Ultra HD offers a massive improvement in picture clarity over existing HD resolutions.

The reason for this has to do with the amount of pixels a 4K TV contains. Whereas traditional HD is limited to 1920 vertical columns and 1080 horizontal rows of pixels, Ultra HD has a total resolution of 3840 pixels by 2160 – a slightly smaller resolution than the 4,096 x 2,160 resolution seen on cinema screens (that, for the record, is called Cinema 4K).

What is 4K?

Pure and simple, 4K means a clearer picture. It's more pixels (8,294,400 to be exact) on the screen at once that creates images that are crisper and capable of showing more details than standard HD.

What is the resolution of 4K?

4K resolution, at least the way most TVs define it, is 3840 x 2160 or 2160p. To put that in perspective, a full HD 1080p image is only a 1920x1080 resolution. 4K screens have about 8 million pixels, which is around four times what your current 1080p set can display.

Think of your TV like a grid, with rows and columns. A full HD 1080p image is 1080 rows high and 1920 columns wide. A 4K image approximately doubles the numbers in both directions, yielding approximately four times as many pixels total. To put it another way, you could fit every pixel from your 1080p set onto one quarter of a 4K screen.

Why is it called 4K?

Because the images are around 4,000 pixels wide. And before you ask, yes, the industry named 1080 resolution after image height, but named 4K after image width. For extra added fun, you also might hear this resolution referred to as 2160p. Welcome to the future. It's confusing here.

Do all those extra pixels matter?

They matter very much. More pixels means more information. More information means sharper pictures. Sharper pictures are more engaging. More engaging content is more fun. And fun... well fun is the thing, isn't it?

Moving 4K into Home Theater

While the origins of 4K film go back quite a ways and have their roots in theatrical releases of films such as Blade Runner: The Final Cut back in 2007, it wasn’t until James Cameron filmed his now famous “Avatar” in 4K resolution that the projection platform itself was widely introduced in many theaters eager to please audiences with beautiful crystal screen clarity.

However, going from theaters to something like home entertainment is a big leap and it wasn’t until just within the last couple of years that both projectors and the already mentioned TVs became widely available for home theater system set up that would let consumers enjoy UHD clarity in their houses.

Now, in terms of TV 4K systems, this resolution isn’t even entirely noticeable unless you enjoy a very large and thus very expensive screen or are sitting abnormally close to your TV. However, when it comes to projectors, the power offered by 4K really does become visible.

Sitting close enough?

Yup. Remember when Apple made a big fuss about "retina" displays a few iPhones back? "Retina" refers to screens that have sufficient resolution that at a normal viewing distance your eye can't make out individual pixels. Get far enough away from a 1080p set and, hey presto, It's a retina display! More importantly, at that same distance, your eyeballs won't be able to squeeze any more detail out of a 4K image than a 1080 one. If you're at "retina distance" from your 1080p set now and don't plan on moving your couch closer, upgrading to 4K may not make a big difference to your experience.

So I should sit closer?

Oh my yes. The ability to get up close to the screen without the image breaking down is one of the most intoxicating things about 4K. Sitting closer allows the same sized screen to fill more of your visual field, which yields greater immersion. The up-close factor is one of the reasons 4K computer monitors have become one of the technology's fastest growing sectors. 4K monitors remain pin-sharp even when you're just a foot or two from the screen, as you are when you're sitting at your desk. 

Streaming 4K Content

While 4K content for home theater systems such as projectors and TVs is still pretty scarce on the ground, it is making ground as streaming content. YouTube has had a 4K channel running since as early as 2010 and other developments are definitely on the horizon, especially in countries or regions with excellent internet connectivity that goes above the normal speeds available to most people.

The broadcast industry as a whole is offering the promise of a steadily more established standard in streaming content compression during transmission, called H.265 or HVEC (High Efficiency Video Codec). With the implementation of HVEC, broadcasters are assuring the buying public that 4K content will become easy and economical to stream into home theater systems and thus will become much more common. TV manufacturers themselves have been keeping up to date with this promise and have ensured that every new 4K TV to be released since 2015 and today, as well as for the foreseeable future, is fully capable of decoding the HVEC standard for its users.

Furthermore, other competing standards of 4K video compression are being developed, though with less ecosystem traction. One that has gained some headway is Google’s VP9 4K video compression codec, which the company still uses in compressing the 4K content streams found on its YouTube video service. Most premium 4K TVs today are compatible with both VP9 and H.265, though not all models offer both.

Specific 4K display-related technologies

Moving along into some particular features of current 4K display features in TVs and other devices, we come to a few very particular specs and technologies which are redefining the quality of both the TV display viewing experience and how rich the consumer content experience can become. In particular, high dynamic range and wide color gamut are playing a crucial role in making 4K TVs into displays of previously unparalleled richness and quality.

High Dynamic Range

High dynamic range technology is the Big New Thing in the world of 4K TV displays and with good reason. What HDR essentially does is expand the range of both bright and dark levels a 4K TV can show on the screen. At the same time, highlights of color vibrancy and richness are also expanded by this same wider dynamic range. The result is a more realistic, much more sharply detailed picture quality in comparison to what you’d see with standard dynamic range (SDR).

Of particular interest to TV makers (and consumers once they get to experience the realism produced) is the ability to develop HDR that can come as close as possible to simulating the brightness and darkness of the real world. Thus, while we already have 4K TVs that can create essentially “perfect” darkness with no notable light emission, in the form of OLED technology, the brightest consumer HDR 4K televisions, even for 2016, can only manage something between 1000 and 2000 nits of brightness, when in the real world, even the sky on a sunny day is seen by our eyes at about 20,000 nits. Thus you can see the dramatic difference at work here.

However, the aim of 4K TV makers and the companies behind HDR technology is to create displays which can even reach 10,000 nits. This is what one HDR standard bearer called Doby Vision is aiming for. Current HDR standards like “UHD Premium” from the UHD Alliance call for at least 1100 nits of maximum brightness in LCD 4K TVs but more on that shortly.

Wide Color Gamut

Another crucial aspect of modern 4K TV content is color gamut technology, or the ability to deliver the largest possible range of rich colors for the greatest possible realism and vibrancy. Currently, many 4K TVs are thus starting to offer color ranges that conform two two particularly broad gamuts called DCI P3 (which is frequently used in commercial cinematic display) and REC.2020, which is the current “Wide Color Gamut” gold standard for 4K ultra HD. However, not all 4K content fits these higher quality standards and much of the video and 4K TV display technology still on sale is REC.709, which was developed for older HDTV display technology.

Devices, such as 4K HDR TVs

• ·       Display resolution: minimum of 3840 x 2160 pixels
• ·       Color bit depth: 10-bit signal
• ·       Color Palette: (Wide Color Gamut)
• ·       Signal Input: BT.2020 color representation
• ·       Display Reproduction: More than 93% of the DCI P3 color spectrum
• ·       High Dynamic Range
• ·       SMPTE ST2084 EOTF
• ·       Both Peak Brightness and deep black levels of either more than 1000 nits and less than 0.05 nits of black, OR more than 540 nits of peak brightness and less than 0.0005 nits of black level. (This dual contrast standard is likely a direct sop to LG’s OLED technology, which can’t match the high nit levels of LCD/LED displays but can completely outmatch them in terms of how dark their blacks go, thus re-bracketing the range which constitutes HDR and deep contrast.

 My friend told me about 4K OLED. What's that?

More acronyms! Isn't this fun? OLED - organic light emitting diodes - have been around for some time, but producing big screens using this technology has proven to be prohibitively expensive, something which has so far prevented OLED television from being a mainstream proposition.

It's a real shame because OLED technology can be stunning, offering vibrant colors, deep blacks and bright whites. But don't give up hope just yet. Several companies (most prominently LG) are laboring away to bring OLED to 4K televisions. We recently took a look at LG's new 4K OLED sets, but while they're gorgeous, pricing remains sky high. Hopefully that will change soon, though. "I believe the price and yield rate will be higher immediately and the price will be down," Mr K I Kwon, president of LG Electronics UK, told recently. We hope his predictions hold and we aren't ruling out OLED as a big player in the next generation of televisions.

What about 4K content? Can I get that?

Yeah, about that... There's actually not much 4K broadcast content to be had right now. That said, if you're willing to shell out for it – e.g. buy a 4K UHD Blu-ray player and several 4K Blu-ray discs or purchase digital UHD movies outright from services like Sony's Ultra Streaming Service or UltraFlix – there are plenty of other options out there.

Why isn't broadcast TV in 4K?

Because every 4K frame contains four times the information of HD, 4K content is four times more bulky than regular HD content in terms of its raw file size. That makes it a challenge to get it to you. Broadcast TV hasn't made the 4K switch yet (indeed, it's only recently that hard drive sizes have gotten big enough to manage DVRing HD programs comfortably).

But you can get 4K Blu-ray discs should you decide to buy a Ultra-HD Blu-ray player.

What about gaming in 4K?

We've had 4K gaming on the PC for a while now, but this year at E3 2016 4K took off in a big way with the announcement of Microsoft's 4K Xbox code-named Project Scorpio. Alongside the Scorpio, Microsoft also has the Xbox One S which will upscale HD content to 4K as well as play Ultra HD Blu-ray discs.

Microsoft isn't the only console manufacturer with a 3840 x 2160 resolution on its mind, however. Sony just announced a 4K console of its own called the PS4 Pro that not only plays 4K Ultra HD movies and TV shows from streaming services like Netflix, but can play games in 4K, too.

What kind of cables will I need for 4K?

The two standard cables you're most likely to use are either a standard HDMI or if you're connecting a PC to a Ultra HD monitor, Display Port.

HDMI cables now come in four flavors: high speed with ethernet; high speed without ethernet; standard speed with ethernet and standard speed without Ethernet. Standard speed cables are capable of 1080i, but aren't able to handle the bandwidth of 4K. High speed cables can do anything higher than 1080. Now, as long as you're using the same class of cable, there is no distinguishable difference in terms of performance between one manufacturer's set of cables and another's.

The speed of your connection will depend on the types of connectors, which includes HDMI 1.4, HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.0a. HDMI 1.4 connectors support a 3820x2160-resolution at 30 frames per second, while HDMI 2.0 is the latest spec and can output video at Ultra HD resolution at 60 frames per second. (But more on that below!) HDMI 2.0a is capable of HDR, which is limited to a very specific range of televisions from each manufacturer.

The other type of cable you can use is DisplayPort. DisplayPort carries 4K image and audio signal from most high-end graphics cards to monitors without any noticeable artifacts or delays.

So should I buy a 4K set now or should I wait?

It depends. If you want the absolute best TV you can get right now and don't mind paying a premium for it, it's a 4K set. If you're buying from one of the top tier manufacturers, you're going to get a good product that's reasonably future-proofed. As we said before, the sets look great. However, don't expect to be watching most of your video content in 4K for another two to three years. And make sure any set you buy has HDMI 2.0 ports (the first wave of 4K TVs used the previous HDMI 1.4 standard).

On the other hand, if you're price sensitive or want to wait until the content side of the equation is a bit more solved, it absolutely makes sense to wait. The UHD Premium specification is still in its infancy, and although we're moderately sure and it remains to be seen if the entire industry will eventually adopt it.

In terms of content you're not missing out on much at the moment. There are incredible values to be found in generously-sized 1080p sets right now. And 4K sets are only going to get cheaper.

What’s the Bottom Line, Is 4K Here to Stay?

This certainly looks to be the case. Current 4K UHD trends are developing at a much faster and steadily more affordable pace than what we’re seeing with plasma TV and the still incredibly expensive OLED display technology. In fact, plasma TVs, which for a time were thought to be the next wave in Ultra HD TV display technology are failing completely so far. With Their main manufacturer having ceased production this year.

This means that 4K is almost certainly going to have its large space on the TV market as new UHD content emerges, and the technology is already well established as the latest and possibly best in cameras and film projectors.

Yes, major manufacturers are already working on experimental development projects in the even more powerful 8K resolution technology but many of the problems that already exist with displaying and streaming 4K will need to be worked out even further before 8K ever becomes a commercial product. So for now, it seems that 4K is here to stay at least for the next few years and getting ready for it is a great idea now that prices for TVs, cameras and even projectors are dropping.

Pros

1) The 4K TV is gorgeous because of its resolution 3840×2160 which gives perfect image clarity. The pictures are more detailed with sharpness.

2) The image depth is so nice that it overcomes the problem of some people who feels that the image is getting flattened. Every image is clearly seen in this 4K TV.

3) 4K TV can handle the perfect color of an image. Even if the picture is heavily compressed the color won’t change. Color resolution plays good in 4K TV.

4) 4K TV will make the view of 3D better because of its bigger screen resolution. You may feel real 3D image with this TV.

Cons

1) You may only feel 4K presence if the screen you choose is big.

2) 4K TV is more expensive and we need to buy some extra devices based on the purpose.

3) 4K TV sources are still short due to the broadband and Blu-ray disc connectivity  problems.

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