Will You Be Watching the Masters in 4K?

Last year’s Masters Tournament officially launched the first-ever live broadcast in the very new 4K UHD (ultra-high definition) technology.

If you, like most Americans, had not upgraded to a 4K TV yet...you’re in luck! 4K is officially returning for the 2017 Masters beginning on Thursday, April 6th.

What is 4K?

If you’re not familiar with 4K, it’s quite simply a higher definition TV (better known as ultra-high definition) that gives you an even clearer picture. Standard HD TVs give you up to 1080p resolution, while 4K bumps up to an impressive 2160p.

So, is it worth upgrading?

We think so. 4K gives you four times the resolution of HD, which means you’ll have a noticeably clearer and sharper picture. And since 4K is becoming more standard, the price has drastically reduced to something the average American can afford.

What’s the Relationship Between 4K and HDCP 2.2?

If you're in the market for a 4K Ultra High Definition TV, you may have run across references to “HDCP 2.2.” Devices that support HDCP 2.2 are more likely to be compatible with current and future 4K content, so it's worth taking a few minutes to understand it.

HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection, a copy prevention technology that’s been used on HDMI connections for over ten years. Version 2.2 is the latest iteration, designed specifically to prevent illegal copying of 4K Ultra HD content. Like earlier versions, HDCP 2.2 creates a secure connection between a source and display via a “digital handshake.”

Lots of 4K TVs and 4K media players have been sold since the first models arrived in mid-2013, and many of those products (especially from 2013) lack support for HDCP 2.2.

Worse, these products cannot be upgraded because HDCP 2.2 requires a “hardware” update. It’s not fixable with a simple firmware update.

What Do I Need to Watch the Masters in 4K?

If you already own a 4K TV, that’s a great start.

However, just because you have the 4K UHD TV, doesn’t mean you’re actually watching shows and movies in 4K.

Every link in your video chain must support HDCP 2.2 — your TV, video source, and any component the video signal passes through. If one does not, you won't see a 4K picture. HDMI 2.0 is also required for TVs and components to be able to pass 4K video. But you can't assume that every device that has HDMI 2.0 will also support HDCP 2.2.

Until this past year, the only things you could really watch in 4K were Blu-rays on an UHD Blu-ray player. Now, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon have the option of 4K as well as cable providers like DirecTV (which offers a dedicated 4K channel).

In order to watch the 2017 Masters in 4K, you’ll need to make sure you have the necessary components to watch 4K through your TV and a certain internet speed to handle it. Usually, a certain type of DVR is required as well as some other cables and equipment. In order to make sure you’re set for all of the big events, talk to a professional residential and commercial AV consultant.

At Texadia Systems, we don’t want you to miss a moment of the action! If you live in Dallas or any surrounding area, contact us today to let us help you get your 4K TV ready for the Masters.