I have my Jetstream 4k box connected to my Sharp 4k TV. Box detected resolution at 4k so it defaults to that setting. The only thing is that the clarity looks sharper at 1080p (no soft edges around lettering) then at the 4k setting. I have it switched to 1080p for now because it just looks better. Anyone else have that experience? Seems to me it should be the same or sharper at 4k then at 1080p.
I have the mibox and I set the resolution to 1080p on my 4k TV and whenever I watch content that is 4K it will play in 4K. Maybe test that out?
I'll just wait a couple years when this is all sorted out technology wise. Meanwhile I'll just leave everything at 1080 since it looks better that way.
Depending what you're looking at, sure. If the UI elements aren't exactly 4k resolution, then it's being upscaled from the box. or, perhaps not properly upscaled and just stretched to fit the 4k resolution. Kind of like if I have a 2 megapixel photo and I try to blow it up to a 4 megapixel photo -- I'm not gaining any resolution, so I'll see the imperfections and pixelation at the larger size.
A lot of TVs have awesome upscaling technologies, but they only upscale if they detect the resolution coming in is lower. So a 4k input to a 4k TV will mean no upscaling -- thus, crappy input will remain crappy. But if perhaps the UI is intended to be 1080 (even though the box is capable of 4k) and you display it at 1080, the TV will see lower resolution and attempt to upscale it. This will include blending pixels, trying to interpolate pixels to add resolution, etc.
Yea the UI for Android TV doesn't look better in 4K than 1080p on both my Mi Box and Shield TV. If you're actually playing 4K content though it looks as it should.
This is what you need for sharp output quality at 4K:
- actual 4K encoded video output at 4K
- the user interface elements, icons, text etc actually coded for 4K to begin with.
OR
- auto resolution switching so 1080p video will be output at 1080p and the 4K TV will use it's superior upscaling hardware to do the 1080p > 4K upscaling.
- 4K video will be output at 4K but only after the media player auto switches it's system output to 4K before hand. (Kodi on the Shield does this and also the LibreELEC and CoreELEC Kodi media players, the FireTV 4K's as well I believe.)
OR
- a media player that has great picture upscaling hardware to begin with for upscaling ALL non 4K content like the powerful Apple TV 4K.
Is this for the main menu and homescreen or are you talking about video?