Video quality has come a long way, continually striving for sharper and more immersive visual experiences. We've witnessed the rise of high-definition displays, followed by the emergence of 4K and 8K resolutions. But is there an end in sight?
Let's delve into the excitement around 12K, 8K, and 4K, and explore the potential future of high-resolution video and its role in virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) applications.
alt= class=wp-image-12887 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/High-resolution-video_8K-4K-1080p.png/> The Progression of High-Resolution Video Video resolutions have forged a fascinating path, evolving from the grainy black-and-white images of early televisions to the breathtaking clarity of today's displays. The introduction of high-definition displays marked a significant turning point, offering crisper and more detailed visuals. Then later, the rapid adoption of 4K resolutions brought a substantial improvement, with 4 times the pixel count of Full HD, resulting in sharper images and richer colors.
The emergence of 8K pushed the boundaries even further, providing even more detailed and vibrant visuals that captivated viewers with lifelike imagery. Now, the industry buzzes with discussions of 16K and even 32K, pushing the limits of what is visually perceivable.
As technology progresses, the question becomes: How far can video resolutions go?
alt= class=wp-image-12888 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/High-resolution-video_VR-landscape.jpg/> Will Video Quality Ever Be High Enough? While it's difficult to predict the exact limits, technological advancements continue to push the envelope, introducing higher quality. However, it's worth considering how practical this is. Our eyes have a finite ability to discern minute details (including certain colors), and there may come a point when the improvements in resolution become indistinguishable to the average viewer.
A similar phenomenon happened to audio quality. Over the years, audio technology has undergone remarkable progress from vinyl records to cassettes, CDs, and digital formats. However, there came a point when audio quality reached a level that the majority of listeners considered satisfactory. Once audio quality became good enough for the masses, the focus shifted to convenience and portability rather than further sound quality enhancements.
For everyday content consumption, the difference between 4K and higher display resolutions may be undetectable to most viewers, and the infrastructure required to support them might pose challenges. Perhaps we are on the cusp of finding the new standard of great video resolution, as we have with great audio quality. Or perhaps we are still decades away from that consensus.
alt= class=wp-image-12889 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/High-resolution-video_virtual-reality-goggles.jpg/> Video Resolutions in VR and XR The demand for high-resolution video extends beyond the 4K QLED TV mounted in your living room. Immersive experiences like VR (virtual reality) and XR (extended reality) rely heavily on high-resolution visuals to transport users to virtual environments, creating a sense of presence and interactivity.
Higher resolutions like 4K, 6K, and 8K play a crucial role in rendering realistic scenes in the world of VR and XR. These immersive environments demand more pixels per inch (PPI) to maintain the illusion of being present in a virtual world, to reduce the pixelation associated with lower resolutions, and to enhance the overall user experience.
So, as we venture further into the world of VR and XR for video games, virtual broadcasts, and future technological advancements, the requirements for video resolutions may increase significantly.
alt= class=wp-image-12890 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/High-resolution-video_digital-hand.jpg/> What the Future Holds While there may be limits to perceptible improvements in video resolutions-and there may come a time when everyone says I can't even tell the difference -we haven't quite hit that limit yet. And so the trajectory of video resolutions continues upward, reaching new heights and setting new records with each technological advancement.
Once we finally hit that limit (if we ever do), what will happen then? The future of video quality can't rely solely on resolutions. Maybe the focus will shift more to display technologies, color accuracy, dynamic range, artificial intelligence features, and the integration of sensory elements like haptic feedback and spatial audio-all of which can contribute to the overall quality of video experiences.
The Sphere Experience in Las Vegas is a great example of this. Boasting the world's largest, highest definition screen-a 160,000 square foot 16K wraparound LED screen-even Sphere doesn't rely solely on video resolutions. Seat haptics, movement sensations, and atmospheric simulations (fog, scent, and wind) all contribute to the immersive cinematic experience beyond what meets the eye.
Excitement surrounds the talk of 16K and even higher resolutions to come, especially with regard to XR applications and VR headsets. As we move forward, it will be fascinating to see how video will shape the future of content consumption and the not-so-real world experiences of VR and XR users.
Need a better workflow solution for your highest resolution media and demanding creative projects? Learn about EVO.
Most recent headlines
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
30/08/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has adopted its FY 2025 Regulatory Fees Order that establishes the regulatory fee rates for the broadcast stati...
29/08/2025
Australian Red Cross and SBS launch training to help workplaces in the fight aga...
29/08/2025
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...
29/08/2025
L3Harris Technologies has concentrated decades of expertise across the entire enterprise to develop affordable and reliable best-of-breed solutions to rapidly c...
29/08/2025
BURBANK, Calif. The CW Network and the Pac-12 Conference have announced a new media rights deal that will extend their broadcast partnership beginning with the ...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK Gracenote has released a new analysis of its global video dataset showing that the number of FAST channels grew nearly 14% from Q1 2025 and 76% since 2...
29/08/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. Harmonic has announced a series of improvements to its live sports streaming solution that the company said will improve fan engagement, protec...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES Fox Corp. and YouTube TV last night announced a renewal of the full portfolio of Fox networks, including Fox News Channel, Fox Business...
29/08/2025
Budapest, Hungary, August 2025 - The integration of Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR) with Lightware's Taurus universal matrix switchers delivers a new level of f...
29/08/2025
Frequency, the engine behind many of the world's best-known streaming television channels, today announced it will launch Studio Live, a next-generation uni...
29/08/2025
In an era when AI and cyber resilience are essential, Scality will mark the 10th anniversary of Scality Day on October 16, 2025 in Paris. This flagship global e...
29/08/2025
Disguise's In-House Creative and Technical Teams Pre-Visualised, Programmed and Delivered Content for the Experience, All Powered by EX 3+
Technology solu...
29/08/2025
Disguise will be demonstrating the latest workflows for TV, film and live events on a number of partner booths at the show
Disguise, the industry-leading tech...
29/08/2025
STOCKHOLM, Sweden Accedo will showcase Accedo Compose, its AI agent-powered modular orchestration layer that assists streaming providers in transitioning client...
29/08/2025
LOS ANGELES Cineverse has announced that it is working with Xperi to bring four of its streaming channels to automobiles for the first time as part of the DTS A...
29/08/2025
DALLAS & ATLANTA Gray Media has announced an agreement with the sports streaming service Victory+ to simulcast 17 Dallas Stars NHL games in 15 television market...
29/08/2025
NEW YORK AND CULVER CITY Comcast NBCUniversal and Amazon have announced new and extended distribution agreements that will expand the content available on their...
29/08/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. RED Digital Cinema will feature its Cine-Broadcast Module supporting live broadcast workflows during IBC2025, Sept. 12-15, at the RAI Ams...
29/08/2025
29 Aug 2025
Kyivstar Rings Opening Bell at Nasdaq Marking Landmark Listing and ...
29/08/2025
More than half of all NFL games live on Sky for the first timeFriday 29 August 2025
Sky Sports has announced a new three-year deal with the NFL, extending its ...
29/08/2025
Back to All News
RIV4LRIES: The Trailer of the New Series With Samuele Carrino ...
29/08/2025
Get ready for an inspiring and emotional insight into the world of competitive Irish dancing with My Story: Tomi Champion of the World airing on RT 2 this monda...
29/08/2025
RT has today announced that David McCullagh is to be the new presenter of RT Radio 1's flagship Today programme, which airs every weekday at 10am, replaci...
28/08/2025
By Kristin Feeley, Director, Documentary Film & Artist Programs
If you want to tell untold stories, if you want to give voice to the voiceless, you've got ...
28/08/2025
Directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, Sundance Institute-supported Amer...
28/08/2025
Corridos have been a cornerstone of M sica Mexicana for generations, telling stories rooted in everyday life. Now, a new chapter is taking shape: motivational c...
28/08/2025
Los corridos han sido un pilar de la M sica Mexicana durante generaciones, contando historias enraizadas en la vida cotidiana. Ahora, un nuevo cap tulo est tom...
28/08/2025
Earlier this month, we promised our Verano Forever party would bring the heat, a...
28/08/2025
L3Harris will provide the Polish F-16V fleet with the Viper Shield electronic warfare system as part of an upgrade program....
28/08/2025
Bilbao, August 26, 2025 - AgileTV, an international television and video technol...
28/08/2025
Ken Wilkinson is an Emmy Awards nominated New York audio engineer who specialises in production sound mixing for film, commercial, episodic and documentary work...
28/08/2025
NEW YORK FuboTV today announced that it will launch Fubo Sports, a skinny bundle that focuses on sports with a subscription price of $56 monthly....
28/08/2025
NEVADA City, Calif. At IBC2025, Sept. 12-15 at the RAI Amsterdam, Telestream will debut its new Global Ingest strategy, introducing a next-generation ingest arc...
28/08/2025
Dr. Rhoda Bernard Releases Groundbreaking Debut Book on Accessible Arts Educatio...
28/08/2025
TAG Video Systems, the leader in software-based IP end-to-end workflow monitoring, deep probing, and real-time visualization, has named Oliver Gappa as Sales Di...
28/08/2025
AI-based voice enhancement will be among a series of innovations making their IBC 2025 debut on the DHD stand B46 in Hall 8 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Cent...
28/08/2025
Telef nica Servicios Audiovisuales (TSA), the leading system integrator and service provider in the media sector in Spain, with the support of Appear, the globa...
28/08/2025
To fully immerse sailing fans in the world's biggest offshore yacht race, production company, Optical Media turned to LiveU's On-site Production solutio...
28/08/2025
Working with Calrec on its most recent overhaul, radio and television broadcaster, WNED has migrated to a fully IP infrastructure with multiple Type R consoles,...
28/08/2025
Cleeng, the Subscriber Retention Management (SRM ) inventor, has unveiled Cleeng Pro, the first-ever direct-to-consumer (D2C) subscription management platform t...
28/08/2025
Zixi, the industry leader in live broadcast-quality video over IP, today announced that French media distribution platform OKAST has selected Zixi to enable rel...
28/08/2025
Solution offers a streamlined, speaker-free architecture to optimize integration with premium external loudspeakers and advanced loudness metering
Nixer Pro Au...
28/08/2025
Cinegy, the premier provider of software-defined television technology, has announced a strategic partnership with Vision One Touch Film Production Services L.L...
28/08/2025
Telestream, a global leader in media workflow technologies, will debut its new Global Ingest strategy at IBC2025, introducing a next-generation ingest architect...
28/08/2025
Tier 1 operator selects Broadpeak to power high-performance, unified CDN solution across Norway, Sweden and Finland
Broadpeak, a leader in streaming and moneti...
28/08/2025
Leading video software provider, Synamedia, today announced that 24 Frames Digital, one of India's leading live event streaming service providers, has chose...
28/08/2025
Meet VisualOn at IBC2025: See What's Next in AI-Powered Video Streaming Join VisualOn at IBC2025 and discover how our AI-driven Optimizer and advanced media...
Video quality has come a long way, continually striving for sharper and more immersive visual experiences. We've witnessed the rise of high-definition displays, followed by the emergence of 4K and 8K resolutions. But is there an end in sight?
