Not considerin3D,isn't AV market rather stagnant?


In my humble personal experience, I think the whole 3D gimmick has failed to excite the consumer market, from what I see. I mean, does anyone really care to spend thousands for display technology and a few discs, and then have to strap yourself into a set of sun glasses in your living room? I really think very few people are buying into 3D (the fad comes and goes every 20 years it seems), and it appears sales for 3D at home are flat, to say the least.
Now we're, what, looking into 4k scaling technology for even less vissible pixels? Alright, well I'm not selling my 1080 JVC anytime soon anyway...looks just peachy to me on my Blu Ray setup and HD broadcasts. I'm happy still.
Besides all of this, does anyone else get the feeling that the AV/HT industry has gotten a little stagnant? (how many generations of 1080p displays are we at, and still selling 720p technology, and 5.1 ch receivers too?)...and that all the anticipation and excitement of the industry has worn off over last few years? I mean there just doesn't seem to be anything so thrilling going on anymore in the industry, does there? Does anyone else share this sentiment? I rember when big technology improvements hit the market over the past 20 years, and there was plenty to get excited about! (it was all so new, and fresh really)...like Pro Logic off Laser and VHS, and Dolby dig, DTS and THX and such,... then DVD's,
and DVDA's n SACD's...Then of course Plasma flat screens, and digital front rojection technology improvements with 720p and DLP, n 3 chip this and that, or even 1080p Blu ray and HDMI connections, then Ipods, etc???
Just seems like there's either not much going in the industry, or that all the buzz and excitement in this industry and hobby of ours is just waring off over the years. Anyone else have this same kind of perpective on things?
As long as I get a nice big quality image and ANY sound at all from a set up these days, I'm satisfied personally. Just don't care so much about all the "stuff" and gadgets so much anymore. wondering how others feel about all of this?...
avgoround
I agree with Criderfive, in that the Lossless multi-channel audio, Dolby HD and DTS master and such, were the last thing to get excited about in the AV market. In fact, I did sell my old modified/upgraded Acurus Act 3 (factory upgraded to Aragon Stage One 7.1 processing, 24/192 Dac's ,and component switching) in order to make way for the newer HD codecs.
Next up would be the ability to have quality digital audio quality from Mp3(?) media storage, as streamed from a Macintosh bassed computer for uncompressed quality digital, ot to my analog set up? I saw all the vendors at the High End Shows last couple of years using hard drive storage and Apple Ipads to playback digital files over high end audio systems...pretty impressive for even SACD and high rez digital audio playback, I must admit...all in a convenient storage and interface. I liked all that.
I've also been intrigued a bit by Internet streaming and the merging of the net with AV media, sure. - I have Netflix, right now.
Beyond all of that, I also guess I would look at 4k projectors when they come down to earth in the next few years, perhaps even as little as 4k "scaling", depending. I mean, unless the light output got seriously boosted, 4k or not, you still can't blow the pic up to 200", if there's not enough light output to back that resolution up - not to mention black level best be great and contrast remain high, to go along with that rez boost!
As it is right now, I get a large enough pic that I can sit very close to, with little viz pix structure on a quality black level, refined, JVC projector...more than satisfying for any reasonable seating distance. And that projector, like most any consumer HD projectors, is still limited in picture size by the light output the pj's are capable of.
I guess I'm saying that - as anyone who really is into pic quality FIRST (yes, I used to be an "audio first" guy) - that just having 4k (or even 4k scaling) isn't likely going to give me any significantly better viewing experience, on those merits alone. When discussing 4k, I personally am gunna have to be able to have an appreciably better viewing experience, much larger screen size potential, better contrast and black level, QUALITY OF SCALING REFINEMENT (no jaggies, bugs, pic anomolies, etc), and at a reasonable few $k price point, for me to make a jump. And the main thing would be there, "could I get a much large picture to go along with that rez boost?" Otherwise, i'm notice planning on moving my viewing seats any closer to the screen, to notice so much of a vast improvement, am I?
I guess I'm saying I'm not super excited, but am intregued, at least. Beyond that, someone tell me where's the excitement at again? ...we're in holding pattern mode, I guess. Only thing I can think of is the internet and AV media merging, slowly but surely, and cell phones are amazingly advancing ..if that is even remotely pertinent for this conversation.
Kennyt I know the new JVC projectors and Integra pre/pros and receivers work with the Quad Full HD, haven't heard of anyone else yet. The JVC is a pretty reasonable $8000. That's a nice drop in price for 8% less pixels.I see Avgorounds point too. I have a 120" screen and sit 12' back and am very satisfied with blu-ray quality. I would need a larger room and screen to really benefit from the technology, but still think it would be cool. Also content is a issue. Yes upscaleing 1080p I'm sure would be gorgeous but not like native content. I have to say also I dig the net-a/v mesh also. Not even for the convenience just the way it all blends together. I've ripped all my cd's to WAV and use media center on my pc to listen to my collection and it sounds great. I keep it all on a nas that is networked to a dedicated pc connected directly to my system via a optical cable. That's where the modern audiophile will find his/her new excitement.