Japan: 4K TV broadcasts by 2014, 8K TV broadcasts by 2016

[Great Rumbler]

The Japanese government is set to launch the world's first 4K TV broadcast in July 2014, roughly two years ahead of schedule, to help stir demand for ultra high-definition televisions, the Asahi newspaper reported on Sunday without citing sources.

The service will begin from communications satellites, followed by satellite broadcasting and ground digital broadcasting, the report said.

The 4K TVs, which boast four times the resolution of current high-definition TVs, are now on sale by Japanese makers including Sony Corp <6758.T>, Panasonic <6752.T> and Sharp Corp <6753.T>. Other manufacturers include South Korea's LG Electronics <066570.KS>.

Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications had aimed to kick-start the 4K TV service in 2016. That has been brought forward to July 2014, when the final match of the 2014 football World Cup is set to take place in Brazil, the Asahi report said.

In Japan, the development of super high-definition 8K TVs is in progress, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications plans to launch the test 8K TV broadcast in 2016, two years ahead of schedule, it said.

[Phoenix Dark]

Nintendo WiiToo to include 4K TV support in 2020 confirmed

[Tasty]

And here in America no one's even doing 1080p yet. Argh.

Save us Google Fiber.

[Cerveza mas fina]

I dont even have hd channels  in my package, shit should be standard by now.

[Cerveza mas fina]

Maybe all my channels arr hdish.

[Madrun Badrun]

It must be nice to have a large electronics industry. 

[Smooth Groove]

useless till they remove the pixel boxes

[Flannel Boy]

useless till they remove the pixel boxes

[Mr. Gundam]

Japan had HD in the 80s, so this isn't surprising.

[recursivelyenumerable]

At this rate we will have 1M TV broadcasts by 2030, by which point my vision will probably be only capable of resolving 64 or so lines

[Cormacaroni]

They made HD terrestrial broadcasting the LAW here years back, which totally fucked a lot of people who don't give a shit about HD....but it was a huge boost to the economy, between TVs, DVRs, BR players, PS3s and such. I don't see the point of upgrading to a 4K tv knowing that 8k is right around the corner though.

[Mr. Gundam]

Not TV related, but Japan related.

Whoa, the Dollar exchange rate is getting better. I was watching NHK World and noticed that it's now 91 Yen to the Dollar.

Let's keep going in that direction for our trip next year.

[Cormacaroni]

the Abe govt is aiming for 100 yen to the $ but who knows if they'll get there. It sucks for us, with my wife being in the import business. All of a sudden, importing stuff from amazon is less-appealing proposition than the past few years too

[tiesto]

Japan had HD in the 80s, so this isn't surprising.

Yup, their first HD game was made in 1993 (Hi-Ten Bomberman):