Which channels broadcast in SD, if any?

ukcarper

How good it looks will depend on size of TV and how far you sit from it, I have a 49" TV but sit quite a distance from it. In my normal viewing position I can't see any difference between SD and HD but if I move closer it is easy to see difference.

Dai_Thomas

Thanks to all of you for your advice. It seems as if the channels I watch most frequently are at least available in HD, and I suppose getting a 4k set will future-proof me to some extent... part of the reason for the query was a dissatisfaction with the sound quality on my current 43in TV - the picture is OK but not fantastic.

Your comments have been very useful.

Rodders53

Dai_Thomas wrote: »

part of the reason for the query was a dissatisfaction with the sound quality on my current 43in TV - the picture is OK but not fantastic.

Your comments have been very useful.

Then rather than worry overmuch on the pictures - which may not be enormously different - concentrate on improving the sound!

Audition any potential sets in the showrooms... and, if possible, in a demo room... Richer Sounds and John Lewis are fairly good at doing such things, plus some other independents.

The alternative is to go for things like soundbars or AV speaker setups to improve sound?

4k UHD broadcasts are still very rare. Most are still delivered by internet.
High Dynamic Range and an expanded colour range is the thing that makes UHD look much better/more realistic. BUT not all UHD (4k) TVs support that feature (and it is more expensive); there may even be more than one variant of HDR standards, too.
But go see. Get demos and decide if you want/need such features.

BTW there is no way that buying any TV today will future proof you as standards are still evolving.
NHK in Japan are starting 8k (7,680 pixels horizontally by 4,320 pixels vertically) broadcasts soon. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-46403539
4k is 3,840 by 2,160 pixels. 2k (or our current HD) is 1,920 by 1080 pixels. SD is 720 by 576, for completeness.

RumRat

As above....Sound can be improved cheaply and quickly. If you are satisfied with the picture, don't change the TV (unless you want to).
If the TV has a headphone out socket, then even a cheap pair of PC speakers will probably improve the sound, if you get some with a sub as well then they will definitely be better.
Up from that and you are in soundbar territory....Anything from £50 to £2000...Choice is yours, but do the research first and stick to budget.

Inner_Zone

Rodders53 wrote: »

Then rather than worry overmuch on the pictures - which may not be enormously different - concentrate on improving the sound!

Audition any potential sets in the showrooms... and, if possible, in a demo room... Richer Sounds and John Lewis are fairly good at doing such things, plus some other independents.

The alternative is to go for things like soundbars or AV speaker setups to improve sound?

4k UHD broadcasts are still very rare. Most are still delivered by internet.
High Dynamic Range and an expanded colour range is the thing that makes UHD look much better/more realistic. BUT not all UHD (4k) TVs support that feature (and it is more expensive); there may even be more than one variant of HDR standards, too.
But go see. Get demos and decide if you want/need such features.

BTW there is no way that buying any TV today will future proof you as standards are still evolving.
NHK in Japan are starting 8k (7,680 pixels horizontally by 4,320 pixels vertically) broadcasts soon. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-46403539
4k is 3,840 by 2,160 pixels. 2k (or our current HD) is 1,920 by 1080 pixels, HD is also 1280 by 720, SD is 704 by 576 for completeness.

Edited........

Rodders53

Inner_Zone wrote: »

Edited........

Don't.

You are wrong. UK broadcast SD is 720 x 576i (although Ofcom permit a lesser number of width pixels for some channels, BBC and ITV use 720.)

UK broadcast HD is 1920x 1080i {early broadcasts were 1440x 1080i but that has long gone and was used 'cos that's what the early HD camera native pixels were).

Other countries use 720p for HD but not the UK (except via iPTV).

Dai_Thomas

Thanks for your advice.

We are currently in a slightly odd situation, in that I bought a set of Sennheiser earphones for myself, as I was getting a little hard of hearing - and our 7 year old Panasonic doesn't have great sound. This allows me to have a different volume setting to the rest of the family. However...

since starting to use the earphones, because the quality is so much better than that from the TV, at times now the others ask me what was said, rather than the other way around!

The picture is OK but not fantastic, so I'd cheerfully upgrade if that was going to result in a better picture as well as better sound for the others, but it looks as if there is so little content out there (on free platforms, anyway) that it might be a waste of money.

RumRat

There is plenty of free content out ther in HD, probably more than you'll ever watch.

ukcarper

Dai_Thomas wrote: »

Thanks for your advice.

We are currently in a slightly odd situation, in that I bought a set of Sennheiser earphones for myself, as I was getting a little hard of hearing - and our 7 year old Panasonic doesn't have great sound. This allows me to have a different volume setting to the rest of the family. However...

since starting to use the earphones, because the quality is so much better than that from the TV, at times now the others ask me what was said, rather than the other way around!

The picture is OK but not fantastic, so I'd cheerfully upgrade if that was going to result in a better picture as well as better sound for the others, but it looks as if there is so little content out there (on free platforms, anyway) that it might be a waste of money.

I replace 6 year old Panasonic TV with a modern 4K TV and sound is worse I've bought a soundbar.