Melissa Forrester Have you ever encountered TVs and laptops with 4K image resolution in electronic stores and advertisements? 4K technology is becoming more prevalent in our lives due to its great benefits.
Learning about the history of 4K is very interesting. You may wonder: “when was 4K invented?“. A graphic processor had reached the 4K format in 1984.
However, the first display capable of 4K resolution was invented in 2001. The first camera that had 4K resolution was introduced in 2003.
We will shed more light on this topic and satisfy your curiosity with more in-depth information.
Contents
What Is 4K?
The laptop or TV screens use millions of horizontal pixels to display the image. Screen resolution is a measurement of pixels in a display, indicating how clear and concentrated the images are displayed on that screen.
Some common screen resolutions are FHD, 2K, 4K, and 8K. A UHD or 4K display means that it has 3840 pixels in width and 2160 pixels in height, equal to two 1080 screens combined.
The higher the number of pixels, the clearer the image is displayed. For example, 4K videos are much more detailed and authentic than regular FHD videos due to the double number of pixels.
Nowadays, a 4K screen is the standard for high-end devices, which is significantly more costly than regular FHD or 2K products.
When Was 4K Invented?
The first 4K display, IBM T220/T221, was invented in 2001, followed by the first digital 4K camera in 2003. The format became popular in 2010 when the streaming formats supported 4K videos and images.
The 4K technology has a fascinating history, dating back to 1984. The GPU ARTC HD63484 successfully created images in 4K resolution in monochrome mode.
However, the technology is still in its infancy in that period. Seventeen years later, the IBM T220/T221 screen was introduced, which was capable of displaying 4K content.
The format was studied and developed by many universities in the following years. But the format only became widely used in 2010, when the top manufacturers in the media and display field started to produce 4K cameras.
Famous global streaming websites such as Youtube began to support 4K resolutions. The technology was adopted in cinemas and movie theaters one year later, marking a great revolution of 4K.
Now the 4K products are gradually becoming better and more affordable. Higher resolutions such as 8k have been introduced, but 4K is still one of the most favored resolutions at the moment.
How Was 4K Invented?
The earliest electronic display was invented in 1897 and became famous in 1922. After a century, screen technology slowly evolved and got better.
Humanity developed and improved the number of pixels, starting with the 160 x 200 resolution. 4K is a natural evolution of the 2K resolution, which is a result of many big companies in the media industry working together.
Related: Is 1080p Good For Gaming?
Types Of 4K resolution
It may surprise you, but the 3840 x 2170 resolution is not the only format of 4K. This resolution is the most popular and is used widely in the media and display products.
Its aspect ratio is 16:9, with a total of 8,294,300 pixels. Another popular type of 4K is the 4096 x 2160 resolution, which is used widely on cameras and filming devices.
It reaches an aspect ratio of 16:9 and 8,847, 360 pixels in total, producing slightly higher image quality than the regular 3840 x 2170 displays. Some special products also have a unique 4K format with different aspect ratios.
For example, the Canon DP-V3010 has a 4096 × 2560 resolution with an aspect ratio of 16:10. The device is designed specifically for reviewing film footage before they are officially produced.
FAQs
This section will untangle your queries about the 4K technology with direct and informative answers.
When Did 4K Become Popular?
2010 is a great leap for the 4K technology as the famous format Youtube supports 4K videos. However, 2016 was one of the best years for the 4K format when this resolution became popular worldwide.
Thanks to the rapid advance in screen technology, 4K displays have become more affordable. Regular gamers and movie lovers started to switch from FHD screens to 4K products.
What Is The First 4K Film?
On February 14, 2016, Sony released the first film patch in its six 4K Blu-ray Discs, including Chappie, Hankook, The Amazing Spiderman 2, Pineapple Express, Salt, and The Smurfs 2.
Final Thoughts
We hope that the answer and detailed information provided in this post can satisfy your curiosity. Learning about the history of 4K and how it becomes possible gives us a different view of this great technology.
Thank you for reading!
