YouTube Supports 4K Video
It's hard to remember that YouTube was once the source for low-quality, low-res videos (often with audio synching issues), especially now that the site supports "4K" video. At the VidCon 2010 conference on Friday, YouTube announced that it would support content shot at 4K. As YouTube wrote on the company blog, the ideal size for a 4K video is 25 feet. Imax movies, it notes, are projected through two 2K projectors.
To see what a 4K video looks like (and to see if your screen or monitor shows any difference over a 1080p video), look at this 4K playlist. You'll need an "ultra-fast high-speed broadband" connection to view one, YouTube notes. A 4K video is over four times the size of a 1080p video, with a resolution of 4096 by 2304 pixels. When you go to select the resolution of the video, you won't see a number; select "Original," which is the top setting.
To shoot a 4K video, you'll need a pricey camera, such as the Red One, and you'll need a need a hi-res projector to view them properly. While this option won't matter to most viewers, it's exciting to see the Internet's largest video site ahead of the curve on high-resolution video.
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