Once upon a time there were colour TVs and home videos. Then stereo sound, widescreen and DVDs came along. Wow! It felt just as though we were actually sat in the Rovers Return alongside Ken and Dierdre. But then things got a little complicated.

Suddenly we were all expected to upgrade to HD TVs and Blu-Ray discs. Not only did it feel like you were in the Rovers Return; now it felt like you actually WERE Ken and Dierdre. Somewhat typically, just as we’re getting used to all this new tech, something else comes along.

More Pixels

This time it’s something called HDR. Now you may already have heard of 4K – this is where you have four times as many pixels as HD (which is often referred to as 1080p, in terms of the amount of pixels). Now HDR (High Dynamic Range) can show more colours, more shades of brightness and more detail. If a new 4K TV that you buy is swanky enough to be to HDR standard, it will be entitled to have a sticker slapped on it. That sticker will read, “Ultra HD Premium”.

Samsung and LG have already stated that their new sets will support HDR and now Sony, Panasonic, HiSense, TCL and Sharp are announcing forthcoming models that will be slapped with the necessary sticker.

Next Big Thing

Whilst 4K seems to have been the “next big thing” to be pushed in recent times, now industry experts are saying that adding HDR will make a massive difference to viewers’ enjoyment. Apparently it gets our experience ever “closer to replicating the amount of detail our eyes can see in the real world”. But until we’re presented with lifelike holograms of TV stars, will we ever be happy?

If your favourite TV shows and movies are still those from bygone eras, will there ever be any point in continually upgrading beyond a fairly standard TV set? Are you happy to just sit down and watch TV or do you insist on a total, immersive, hi-def experience?

Dad's Army

It’s hard to see how 4K and HDR can add any enjoyment to repeats of Dad’s Army. But then surely this is the whole point. Save your money on continual upgrades by asking yourself; what’s best for me? What do I actually watch?

If you’re into classic TV & movies and spend most of your time watching those UKTV Gold gems and your box set of Carry On films, then it’s highly unlikely that upgrading to a 4K or HDR TV will add much to your life. However, if the latest sci-fi and action blockbusters are more your thing; such as Fast & Furious 27 – Mobility Scooter Rampage or Star Wars Episode 53 – Return of the Revenge, then you’re probably better off upgrading.

Roll with it

There is one other twist in this tale. How would you feel about rolling up your TV at the end of the night and popping it in a cupboard? You see, this is the other “next big thing”. LG has created a screen that can be rolled up, even when the video image is moving. So you can pretend to be one of those posh people that doesn’t bother watching TV.

Your friends all think you sit in an armchair reading classic English literature. However, as soon as they’ve departed your property, you’re in the cupboard, whipping out your roll-up TV, flinging it on the wall and watching some hideous ITV dating show.

Evolution

TV has always evolved and will continue to do so. There will always be new formats, new packages, new devices and the quality will always improve. But like any gadget, it’s only worth having or upgrading if it’s of any use to you. Apparently there are still many thousands of households across the UK that watch TV on a black & white set. If they’re happy doing so, who can argue with them?

Whilst music fans appear to be reverting to vinyl, it’s unlikely all television viewers will revert to black & white. However, there’s no reason why everyone should progress any further than their current viewing devices. Unless that is you severely damage your set throwing items at it during that ITV dating programme…