How to Upgrade Your Home Theater for 4K Entertainment

The Gear and Sources You Need for Top-Quality Viewing

It’s no secret that major electronics brands, studios, media outlets, and streaming services are ditching 1080p for 4K as the resolution standard. In fact, more than half of U.S. homes are expected to adopt 4K TVs by next year, which is a much faster adoption rate than 1080p saw in its prime.

If you’ve decided to upgrade your home theater for 4K viewing, then our Fayetteville, Arkansas team is here to help. Below, we’ll walk you through a few necessary product upgrades you’ll need to transform your viewing experience to today’s standard of crystal-clear entertainment. Read on for more!

SEE ALSO: Here are the 3 Fundamental Basics for Your Home Theater

4K Projector

The first product upgrade you’ll need is a 4K HDR projector. When scoping out possibilities, you may notice labels like Native and 4K Enhancement (4Ke), and it’s important to know the difference. While native 4K projectors produce true 4K resolution at 3840x2160 pixels, 4Ke projectors use pixel shifting technology to create the illusion of 4K viewing. This method makes 4Ke projectors more “affordable” than native 4K projectors while tricking the eye into thinking the resolution is 4K.

Though the difference between native and enhanced 4K projectors is small, true 4K will win in sharper, more vivid picture every time. And these days, you can find native 4K projectors that don’t cost an arm and a leg as technology continues to advance and high-end products become more accessible.

Compatible AV Receiver

AV receivers are the central base that all of your entertainment equipment connects to and communicates with. If you haven’t upgraded your AV receiver in a while, chances are you’ll need to as you make the switch to 4K viewing.

While receivers tend to last longer than a lot of other AV gear, most older receivers can’t switch 4K signals or don’t have the copy protection standards for transmitting 4K content over HDMI. You’ll need an AV receiver that is HDMI 2.0 or HDMI 2.0a compatible as well as HDCP 2.2 compatible in order to work with your 4K projector.

Recommended 4K Sources

The new 4K standard has encouraged popular media sources to provide native 4K content for easy streaming in your home theater. Enjoy your favorite TV shows and movies from services like Netflix, Google Play, Hulu, Fandango, and YouTube—though some subscription requirements may apply.

And don’t forget about the expanding selection of 4K movies available for purchase that you can also enjoy on your upgraded system. All you need is a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player and a compatible HDMI.

 

Ready to transform your viewing experience? Our team of longtime AV experts is ready to help you upgrade your home theater with all the right gear. Get started today by contacting us here or sending us a live chat below now.