Maddux also acknowledges that confusion. “To be honest, having the True4K logo on a non-4K product is a bit misleading, but who is defining what is or is not 4K? Most of the TVs that are on the shelf that claim to be 4K are really UHD and many times you have to search for that information.
“At least Extron is telling us what they mean when they say True4K. Extron has to compete with all of the other manufacturers out there and when the other guys make the claim 4K ready they also have to jump in and draw attention but at least they are doing it transparently and telling us what they mean.”
[On a related but different note, Crestron Electronics has a 4K certification program for its own products and third-party manufacturers.—Editor]
“It might seem a little deceiving [putting a True4K logo next to a non-4K product] but they’re just saying these are specifications that you might need when designing 4K and you might realize it’s not what you need, but at least they give you the information,” Boring says, adding that he’d like to see Extron do more, perhaps adding diagrams to indicate what is needed to attain 4K.
“Yes, they are providing more [information] than everybody else. I don’t blame them. We’re at a weird convergence in our industry with what our local displays and what our graphic cards can do and what our computers can do versus distributing them to projection or LED walls.”
“As a consultant designing systems I want even more information — but what [Extron offers] is head and shoulders more than I see elsewhere.” —Rick Boring, CCI Solutions senior systems consultant
Extron’s program is what it is and it provides value, DeQuinzio says. “I don’t read the Extron program as an interoperability certification program, only as an effort to produce valid performance specifications. If the industry gets on board, we will see less marketing spin on data sheets and more hard information. This is similar to the efforts some loudspeaker and amplifier vendors have launched over the past years to clean up the way their products were specified.”
One thing that’s clear is that system designers are frustrated with format confusion. “I’m a little disappointed in the industry and what we’re going through with HDCP 2.2 and HDMI 2.0,” Boring says. “I appreciate that Extron is trying to give me information.”
DeQuinzio calls Extron’s True4K program “clearly an interim step,” adding that it’s “probably one of many we will see before we get to industry-wide standards from SMPTE and InfoComm. That’s the goal we need to work toward.”
Extron, for its part, doesn’t expect True4K to put an end to industry discussion around 4K. “The debate about what 4K is or isn’t will likely continue,” says Casey Hall, VP of sales and marketing.
“Rather than get bogged down in that debate, Extron’s True4K Specification provides our customers a transparent and detailed look at how our products will perform. Extron’s outlook is truthful specs help engineers make informed decisions and select the best products for their customers.”
Extron lists “True4K” criteria for each of its 4K-related products, allowing system designers to compare the products’ specifications with what is needed for “True4K.”
