Seiki 50" 4k LED TV at TigerDirect 3840x2160 - $1299.99 shipped

[poofyhairguy]

The next blu-ray spec supposedly will include 4k as well

Which means a new HDMI spec which means TVs like this with current HDMI ports will be useless when actual 4K content is available.

Its a waste of money right now.

 

[Boze]

The problem is, what's the usage scenario for this?

Home theater? No. No one, except maybe a 2 year old, sits close enough to warrant the 4K resolution on such a small (relatively speaking) screen. You'd be better off purchasing a 60" 1080p panel from Samsung on Amazon or another retailer for $1200.

Computer gaming? You're not going to want to use it for that because you'll need at least 2 GTX 680s / whatever AMD's top end single-GPU solution is for reasonable frame rates. Hell you'd probably need 2 TITANs in SLI.

Video / photo editing? No way would I trust this panel over a high-end EIZO or NEC, even using a ColorMunki or i1Display Pro calibrator to adjust the panel.

So what's it purpose? What niche does it fill? The only one I can see, realistically, is someone who needs a 4K display, on a computer, and isn't concerned with refresh rates or color gamut. I'm certain there's a user out there that fits this profile... maybe someone using mapping software, where color accuracy and high refresh rates don't matter... possibly CAD work?

Joe Dumbass will probably buy this though for his house, being completely unable to do even rudimentary calculations on pixel size and viewing distance...

By the way OP, great find, we just have to determine who this is actually "for".

 

[Juddog]

The problem is, what's the usage scenario for this?

Home theater? No. No one, except maybe a 2 year old, sits close enough to warrant the 4K resolution on such a small (relatively speaking) screen. You'd be better off purchasing a 60" 1080p panel from Samsung on Amazon or another retailer for $1200.

Computer gaming? You're not going to want to use it for that because you'll need at least 2 GTX 680s / whatever AMD's top end single-GPU solution is for reasonable frame rates. Hell you'd probably need 2 TITANs in SLI.

Video / photo editing? No way would I trust this panel over a high-end EIZO or NEC, even using a ColorMunki or i1Display Pro calibrator to adjust the panel.

So what's it purpose? What niche does it fill? The only one I can see, realistically, is someone who needs a 4K display, on a computer, and isn't concerned with refresh rates or color gamut. I'm certain there's a user out there that fits this profile... maybe someone using mapping software, where color accuracy and high refresh rates don't matter... possibly CAD work?

Joe Dumbass will probably buy this though for his house, being completely unable to do even rudimentary calculations on pixel size and viewing distance...

By the way OP, great find, we just have to determine who this is actually "for".

Like I mentioned above, the nice market right now is for retailers that have TV sets to display menus / pictures / dynamic content. For that purpose it would look fantastic.

 

[SKORPI0]

Like I mentioned earlier with would be a nice replacement of this setup. That's 4 Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW (1920x1200) 24" Monitors.

and replace it with the 50" 4K (3840x2160). Pretty much the same pixel density of 35/37 ppcm (94 PPI)

 

[Zargon]

^^ yup.

this would be awesome for productivity

 

[houkouonchi]

I ordered one of these. I am hoping I can overclock it a bit to get over 30Hz. Honestly 30Hz is only bad for gaming. I ran 3840x2400 @ 33Hz on a 22 inch VP2290b for a lot of years and it was fine for desktop stuff, it only sucked for gaming. I am hoping it wont have too bad of input lag so I can just drop the resolution to game if not I will keep my other monitor around on another desk for when I want to game. I have been waiting for an upgrade from my VP2290b/IBM T221 monitors for a lot of years. This is such an awesome price even with the 30Hz limit considering its for a 50 inch display. The 32 inch sharp is $4200 but atleast it does 3840x2160@60Hz.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

The games will be 1080p; the content delivery will most likely include 4k, based upon the initial PS4 specs released. The next blu-ray spec supposedly will include 4k as well (you should be able to squeeze a 4k movie onto a dual layer BD-ROM if H.265 is used).

I still don't understand the obsession with trying to make consoles into media center computers. I already have a PC hooked up to my TV and, at this point, it is probably fiscally more responsible to be a PC gamer given the direction console and game devs are going with their pricing schemes.

 

[BenJeremy]

I still don't understand the obsession with trying to make consoles into media center computers. I already have a PC hooked up to my TV and, at this point, it is probably fiscally more responsible to be a PC gamer given the direction console and game devs are going with their pricing schemes.

Yeah, my TV handles media better than the PS3 or Xbox 360 hooked up to it, getting media from my DLNA server where I keep movies and TV shows.

I'm not buying a traditional next-gen console. I will probably get a SteamBox and leverage my existing library. None of the new game consoles will play games over 1080p, either.

I suspect Microsoft and Sony have missed the opportunity to launch new consoles with any success. This will be 1984 all over again, perhaps worse when gamers figure out their PCs hook up just fine to their HDTVs now, and they don't have to deal with the relentless DRM the new consoles will enable for publishers (I'm looking at you, EA and Blizzard), or at least have the freedom to make choices. Best of all, PCs will run games from the DOS days, but your consoles won't be backwards compatible.

Outside of using this 4K TV as a computer monitor (it has a VGA hookup, that might handle a faster refresh?), I don't see any use for this. Yes, I know there are "perception charts" that show some theoretical distance/size ratio where you can see the difference in pixels, but that's with highly-aliased/contrasted pixels. You'll never see that in media, and any competent games will anti-alias at 1080p, and you'll never spot the difference, even at a 6" away.

As a computer monitor, I wouldn't care to run games at 3840x2160 - what's the point? I'd need a dual-Titan SLI rig to run that at any decent frame rates.... but my current card will handle 1080p just fine, and look great doing it - so 30hz isn't a killer there - you'd be lucky to get FPS over 30 at that resolution. If the TV's scaling processor is decent, you'll get the benefit of gross anti-aliasing on the scaled-up 1080p output of your computer, anyway.

For a desktop, hell yes, I would love the higher resolution. I run dual monitors already, but the vertical resolution is always an issue for me. I'm a developer, and I always have lots of windows open. 1080p is less than optimal, 2160p would be nice.

 

[Subyman]

I would love to have something like this in 40". I run 2x27" monitors right now, but would kill for the extra vertical space for programming.

 

[Juddog]

I still don't understand the obsession with trying to make consoles into media center computers. I already have a PC hooked up to my TV and, at this point, it is probably fiscally more responsible to be a PC gamer given the direction console and game devs are going with their pricing schemes.

In my case, I literally bought my PS3 to stream movies and watch blu-rays; the game portion of it is just icing on the cake, which I hardly ever use.

When I bought the PS3 for $299, the equivalent in blu-ray players at the time (in terms of upscaling content, loading times, quality, etc.) was around $400-$500. To build my own HTPC with a blu-ray player would have been more expensive as well.

 

[Kaido]

Growing thread over at RED User:

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?98027-1299-Seiki-UHDTV-50-quot-SE50UY04-Bought-it-today

 

[Sohaltang]

In my case, I literally bought my PS3 to stream movies and watch blu-rays; the game portion of it is just icing on the cake, which I hardly ever use.

When I bought the PS3 for $299, the equivalent in blu-ray players at the time (in terms of upscaling content, loading times, quality, etc.) was around $400-$500. To build my own HTPC with a blu-ray player would have been more expensive as well.

Plus my kid and GF can use it without instruction or risk or screwing something up. Pc's require effort that most people don't wanna expend. I have 3 ps3 's and all but my kids are mainly used for media. My bedroom tv is hooked to both ps3 and my PC. Building 2 more pcs for my kids room and my living room is not worth it. I have less $$ into 3 ps3's than my single PC. They have not broken and never require me to get off my ass to assist anyone in their use.

 

[Kaido]

Like I mentioned earlier with would be a nice replacement of this setup. That's 4 Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW (1920x1200) 24" Monitors.

and replace it with the 50" 4K (3840x2160). Pretty much the same pixel density of 35/37 ppcm (94 PPI)

I got my dad setup earlier this year with that $399 Coby 50" LED TV for his computer monitor. He does a lot of 3D CAD and it's totally awesome having a giant screen for making the models easy to see (plus it doesn't require color accuracy or anything, so it's worked out well being a 1080p set). However...a 4K monitor would be really great due to the increased resolution. You can definitely tell you aren't on a computer monitor when you're surfing the net or typing a Word doc on a 50" 1080p set

 

[Kaido]

First look at HDGuru:

http://hdguru.com/first-look-at-the-seiki-se50uy04-affordable-ultra-hdtv/

Also Harmon Kardon just released a 4K passthrough/upscaling receiver:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/20/harman-kardon-avr-2700-3700-receivers-4k-scaling-airplay/

 

[Kaido]

Unboxing & video:

http://www.pcper.com/news/General-Tech/SEIKI-SE50UY04-50-4K-3840x2160-TV-Unboxing-and-Preview

MAN that would make an awesome monitor if you don't need super color accuracy :awe:

 

[ImpulsE69]

Is it just me that is sitting there watching that video thinking...50"? That's too small to be 50" lol. We're so spoiled these days

 

[Kaido]

Is it just me that is sitting there watching that video thinking...50"? That's too small to be 50" lol. We're so spoiled these days

Haha yeah, that was the first thing I thought when he stood next to it. I have a >$600 LED projector that easily throws a 90" image as well...we are definitely spoiled :biggrin:

I'm curious about how good text rendering actually is...they said it was pretty good in the video. I think I might snag one at work for an Excel display board...I was going to do a 70" Vizio 1080p set for project tracking, but 4K resolution for $1300 is pretty hard to beat, especially since you can scale up or down the text display size as needed and still have plenty of resolution to spare.

 

[13Gigatons]

To small for TV use and too big for a computer monitor.
Also the 30hz kills it.
I think people are better off waiting until 4K is in it's prime.

 

[SKORPI0]

Unboxing & video:

http://www.pcper.com/news/General-Tech/SEIKI-SE50UY04-50-4K-3840x2160-TV-Unboxing-and-Preview

:awe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uXBu9nxLN78

Thanks. Surprised that the box says 120Hz. :\

 

[Anubis]

its doing 4x frame interpolation

if you read the larger thread on AVS about it, the guys at RED got some, they say its not bad for its price but lacks great color accuracy and uniformity. however form someone doing non color dependent 2d work this is basically the king right now for a computer monitor.

 

[AkumaX]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uXBu9nxLN78

Thanks. Surprised that the box says 120Hz. :\

that is awesome..

fyi it says 3840x2160@30hz at the 16:39 mark

edit: their setup
"Connecting the TV to our test system was pretty easy - only a single HDMI cable was required and the GeForce GTX 680s in SLI we happened to have on our test bed recognized it as a 3840x2160 capable display. Keep in mind that you are limited to a refresh rate of 30 Hz though due to current limitations of HDMI 1.4. The desktop was clear and sharper and if you like screen real estate...this has it. "

 

[texasfury]

......

 

[exar333]

Wonder why they didn't include a displayport connector. That would allow for 4k connection at 60hz. HDMI is utter trash...

 

[bludragoon]

too all those saying 1080 p is great etc. I have old 21" sony gdm f monitors that have almost no dot pitch, true black contrast, true color, incredible scan rates and resolution to the sky which is far sharper than ANYTHING built in the last oh what 12 years...which make everything look like pasty cardboard cutouts in comparison.

Anyway seemed like oled was the only thing thing close to the picture quality if not the resolution. These supposed hd tvs they have been selling where supposed to have been in this range originally when the bandwidth was discussed.

I went to the sony and tesla store (rare earth i wonderful) a few months ago and checked out the 4k and it looked great (at least in detail)...not old film imax (vs digital imax crap) great for the size and the lcd/led tvs world we live in..

eww lets watch a movie on my phone... this mp3 player sounds so good...are you kidding me i thought we would have better quality sound and displays by now...realistic full spectrum electro magnetic...not lower quality just shrunk down or blown up.

as people are fond of saying here...wheres my holo deck!

I just hope these come out and I can afford one before

A. i go blind or B. I die

in summation its about time 1080p sucks in anything bigger than a 15 inch monitor.

hopefully the thing will come with other ports besides hdmi (I dont care if I gotta hook up multiple cables if it works people) but i guess its an anti pirate thing so we the paying consumer will be stuck again.

Also for those who didnt read the box says 120hz for what its worth.

cheerios anandi's!

 

[Cardio]

Yes, very tiny. Suitable only for a bathroom.

It might be suitable for phone booth use in Portrait mode.

If you really want a 4K why not go for the Panasonic TH-152UX1 152" Plasma ? 4,096 × 2,160 resolution. The size of 9 50" sets. Aspect ratio of 17:9 Contrast ratio 5,000,000 to 1.
It requires 2 240V AC connections and 4 DVI-D's for 4K but also has 2 HDMI's for 1080P and is full 3D capable.

Couple of slight drawbacks..
It weighs 1272.1 lbs. (Concrete desk recommended)
It cost about $2 an hour electrical consumption
It is 78" tall (Very short Concrete Desk or very high ceiling recommended)
It is 148" wide (Very short, Very wide Concrete desk recommended)
Cost....cheapest found price $461,225.00 with free ground shipping.(Large PayPal limit recommended)

I am not sure this is a HOT DEAL but we have one at work and I can assure you it is a HOT Monitor and requires about 36,000 BTU additional AC in a 50' x 120' room.

http://www.avalive.com/Panasonic/TH...nt=TH152UX1W&gclid=CMfk5Ma43rYCFQVU4AodJ1oAMg

They do take PayPal