2014 has been a year where many manufacturers unveiled their lineup of 4K TVs. But what is the 4K format all about? What is the difference between 4K and UHD? How to read 4K content? This article will answer several of your questions.

4K vs UHD

4K is an acronym that refers to a high-definition format used in the cinema industry and it has been the source of much confusion. The 4K resolution is 4096 x 2160p, while most HD TVs have a maximum resolution 3840 x 2160p (16:9), which is achieved by doubling the horizontal and vertical resolution of 1920x1080p

To prevent further confusion, several manufacturers (Sony, Samsung...) have teamed up to standardize this format. The appropriate term to classify TV sets having a resolution of 3840 x 2160p is UHD (Ultra High-Definition).

Ultra HD video and 4K cameras

The files generated by a 4K camera can be very large. Most of the digital cameras available on the market offer bitrates ranging from 15 to 60 mbps (GoPro).They are often limited by the performance of the memory cards equipping them.

How to edit 4K content

Most of the commercial video editing softwares are UHD compatible, but of course you will require powerful PC. The minimal hardware configuration for editing 4K videos is:

-Monitor: Opt for an Ultra HD 28-inch monitor with a max resolution 1384x2160p and equipped with a DisplayPort 1.2 port to fully enjoy 4K content. DisplayPort 1.2 provides enough bandwidth to transmit video having a resolution of 3840x2160p at a refresh rate of 60Hz.

-Processor: Intel Ivy Bridge processor 2012 (Core IX 3000) or AMD Trinity (APU 5000).

-Graphics card: The minimal requirement is the Radeon 5000 or NVIDIA GeForce 600.