Although 8K TVs are becoming more available to consumers, one of the big reasons not to buy one has been the very limited availability of 8K content to watch.
Although you can still watch 1080p and 4K content on an 8K TV, as it will upscale the video so it looks as good as possible, there is very little native 8K content to watch that can take advantage of all those extra pixels. YouTube and Vimeo offer a limited amount of 8K streaming content, but the other major streaming services (Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc…) don’t.
Here is a comparison of how many pixels are displayed on a TV screen depending on the resolution.
Resolution Horizontal/Vertical Pixels Total Pixels Displayed 8K UHD 7680 x 4320 33,000,000 4K UHD 3840 x 2160 8,200,000 1080p FHD 1920 x 1080 2,100,000 720p HD 1280 x 720 921,600
Roku, TCL, and The Explorers
In an effort to expand 8K streaming beyond YouTube and Vimeo, Roku has added access to 8K streaming from The Explorers for TCL 6-series 8K Roku TVs.
According to the Roku announcement the service is being provided free on all Roku TVs for 3 months – after which costs $2.99 per month. For those that don’t own the TCL 6-series 8K TVs, the service will default to 4K, 1080, 720p, or SD resolution depending on the display resolution that is detected.
It must also be pointed out that even if you have a TCL Series 6 8K Roku TV, you also need access to an internet streaming speed of between 50 and 80 Mbps. If your internet speed does not support 8K streaming, the incoming signal will default to a lower supported resolution.
About The Explorers Streaming Service
The Explorers provides a front-row seat to a visual feast of nature and our planet in stunning video quality, with new content posted daily.
The goal of Explorers goes beyond entertainment. It provides an opportunity to view the Earth and its life that is almost like being there. The goal is to provide that more comprehensive video encyclopedia or archive of the planet.
Topics explored include plants, animals, geography, geology, culture, art, architecture, and even behind-the-scenes footage to see what it takes to put everything together for your viewing.
The Explorers is available for download for all Roku TVs from the Roku Channel Store. Once installed follow any setup instructions.
The TCL Series 6 8K TVs are available through Amazon and Best Buy in 65 and 75-inch screen sizes.
Related reading: Best TVs
Question: How Close Should You Sit from an 8K TV?
