4K / UHD - when is it coming to Fios?
slick161
Enthusiast - Level 1

Can't find anything regarding upcoming support and with the market flooded with UHD TV's, this should at least be noted somewhere on the Verizon site, whether it is coming or not. There's an news article from 2013 stating once it is mainstream, they'll be delivering content, but haven't seen a word about support anywhere.

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Re: 4K / UHD - when is it coming to Fios?
tns2
Community Leader
Community Leader

Remember you are talking to peers here.  Verizon is unlikely to ever answer even if they are actively planning something for 4k/UHD.

Currently there are almost no regularly broadcast or cable channels doing 4k althouch their has been some testing using ATSC 3.0 and some stations such as WRAL are active . Their are however some services Such as Amazon, Neflix, etc that offer some 4k channels.  Much of the ATSC 3.0 protocols are approved and among many other things it supports UHD. 

I don't expec much to happen until such programming becomes more common and ATSC 3.0 is finished.

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Re: 4K / UHD - when is it coming to Fios?
tns2
Community Leader
Community Leader

Remember you are talking to peers here.  Verizon is unlikely to ever answer even if they are actively planning something for 4k/UHD.

Currently there are almost no regularly broadcast or cable channels doing 4k althouch their has been some testing using ATSC 3.0 and some stations such as WRAL are active . Their are however some services Such as Amazon, Neflix, etc that offer some 4k channels.  Much of the ATSC 3.0 protocols are approved and among many other things it supports UHD. 

I don't expec much to happen until such programming becomes more common and ATSC 3.0 is finished.

Re: 4K / UHD - when is it coming to Fios?
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

Remember when we were all waiting for all of the 3d content?

And there are still a number of SD channels out there.

Re: 4K / UHD - when is it coming to Fios?
slick161
Enthusiast - Level 1

Got it. Just wonderning if I was missing something... All the 4K TV's being sold and not much to play on them. Thanks!

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Re: 4K / UHD - when is it coming to Fios?
optivity
Contributor - Level 3

IMO digital TV manufactuters release new technologies to keep buyers "buying" technology there is no content available to make use of.

CableCard 2.0 spec., 3D TV and now UHD are prime examples.

Not only do BIG Screen makers: Sony, LG, Samsung, Panasonic, etc., want you to buy their 4K products; if you have an older AVR you need to buy one of those too in order to support the newer HDMI spec's for 4K video.

It's a never ending cycle. Content providers & ISPs finished upgrading their infrastructures to support 1080p within the last decade and given their desire to recoup that investment I doubt you'll see any native UHD content on Cable TV anytime soon. Probably another 10 years at least and by then you'll be seeing Super Duper UHD being touted as the next best thing.

Netflix recommends 25 Mbps to stream UHD content and I (?) just how many of those connections Verizon will really support.

Re: 4K / UHD - when is it coming to Fios?
Tonig229
Newbie

i dont think fios could do 4k if they could they would already saying coming soon but i guess not im thinking to switch provider either Comcast or directv I'm thinking directv got more 4k programming Verizon 4k is now not later

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Re: 4K / UHD - when is it coming to Fios?
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

I didn't think that any channel provider has 4k content.

Only think might be on demand.

Does Comcast or DirecTV have 4k boxes?

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Re: 4K / UHD - when is it coming to Fios?
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

Hopefully with Verizon's rumored move to IPTV (essentially streaming TV), they will be able to roll 4K and beyond without having to wait for ATSC standards changes, or dealing with a limited 860Mhz QAM space put out by the ONT onto the in-house coax. IP will allow them flexibility to swap Codecs, Bitrates, and up the bitrates. It'll take a lot of engineering to do so.

Other posters explained the issue well. There's a lot of technology limitations.

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Re: 4K / UHD - when is it coming to Fios?
tns2
Community Leader
Community Leader

Unfortunately their existing STB cannot output the necessary Video signals.  So we are waiting for an upgrade.  Possibly to something that supports ATSC 3.0.  If I were them I wouldn't try to support anything until ATSC 3.0 is finished.

Note that I do see Arris has at least one UHD ip box. that might eventually lead to a model for FIOS.

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Re: 4K / UHD - when is it coming to Fios?
alx33
Enthusiast - Level 1

I read an article from April 2016 claiming that Verizon would roll out a new service using an IP-based technology.  I think they will need to do this, and quickly if they want to stay competitive since 4K Tvs have so quickly become ubiquitous and there has been such an increase in content that can be accessed from streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, Fandango, etc...  Personally I have found that my wife and I will go to Fandango to rent a 4K movie on the weekend now, where previously we would search the FIOS on demand premium channels for a movie to watch.