Ultra-HD televisions not noticeably better for typical viewer, scientists say
Many modern living rooms are now dominated by a huge television, but researchers say there might be little point in plumping for an ultra-high-definition model,Scientists at the University of Cambridge and Meta, the company that owns Facebook, have found that for an average-sized living room a 4K or 8K screen offers no noticeable benefit over a similarly sized 2K screen of the sort often used in computer monitors and laptops,In other words, there is no tangible difference when it comes to how sharp an image appears to our eyes,“At a certain viewing distance, it doesn’t matter how many pixels you add,It’s just, I suppose, wasteful because your eye can’t really detect it,” said Dr Maliha Ashraf, the first author of the study from the University of Cambridge.
Ashraf and colleagues, writing in the journal Nature Communications, report how they set about determining the resolution limit of the human eye, noting that while 20/20 vision implies the eye can distinguish 60 pixels per degree (PPD), most people with normal or corrected vision can see better than that,“If you design or judge display resolution based only on 20/20 vision, you’ll underestimate what people can really see,” Ashraf said,“That’s why we directly measured how many pixels people can actually distinguish,”The team used a 27in, 4K monitor mounted on a mobile cage that enabled it to be moved towards or away from the viewer,At each distance, 18 participants with normal vision, or vision corrected to be normal, were shown two types of image in a random order.
One type of image had one-pixel-wide vertical lines in black and white, red and green or yellow and violet, while the other was just a plain grey block.Participants were then asked to indicate which of the two images contained the lines.“When the lines become too fine or the screen resolution too high, the pattern looks no different from a plain grey image,” Ashraf said.“We measured the point where people could just barely tell them apart.That’s what we call the resolution limit.
”The researchers found the human eye can resolve more detail than commonly thought, revealing the average was 94 PPD for greyscale images viewed straight on, while for red and green patterns it was 89 PPD.For yellow and violet patterns it was lower, at 53 PPD.In another experiment, 12 of the participants were presented with white text on a black background and vice versa, again at various distances, and were asked to indicate when the text looked as sharp as a sharp reference version.“The resolution at which people stopped noticing differences in text matched what we saw with the line patterns,” Ashraf said.The researchers have released a chart that shows different screen sizes and viewing distances, along with the nearest standard resolution that reaches or slightly exceeds the visual limit for most people.
“In other words, if your setup falls into one of those squares, you wouldn’t gain any visible benefit from going higher,” Ashraf said.The team have also created a free online calculator that allows users to enter their viewing distance along with the size and resolution of their screen, with the results indicating whether the setup is above or below the resolution limit of the human eye.As a result, users can explore whether a higher-resolution screen with more pixels would make a difference to what they see.“If someone already has a 4K, 44-inch TV and watches it from about 2.5 metres away, that’s already more detail than the eye can see,” Ashraf said.
“Upgrading to an 8K version of the same size wouldn’t look any sharper.”
Pat Cummins ruled out of first Ashes Test, with Steve Smith to captain Australia
Pat Cummins has lost the race to be fit for the first Ashes Test as he continues his recovery from a stress injury in his back, with Steve Smith to reassume the captaincy of Australia in the series opener against England next month.Cummins has not bowled since Australia’s 3-0 series defeat of West Indies in July and was in serious doubt for the match in Perth on 21 November. After months of speculation over whether he would recover in time, Cricket Australia on Monday finally confirmed that the quick would have to sit out the game at Optus Stadium.The 32-year-old’s acumen with the ball in hand and his presence as a leader on the field will be sorely missed, and his absence comes as a blow to Australia’s hopes of retaining the Ashes urn.The 32-year-old has resumed running and expects to return to bowling imminently, and while an exact date has not been put on any return to full fitness, Australia coach Andrew McDonald said he was hopeful he would be able to call on Cummins for the second Test in Brisbane
Mexico Grand Prix: Norris claims dominant win to lead drivers’ standings – as it happened
Giles Richards has filed his report on a hugely important race – and result – in the battle for the drivers’ championship:Max Verstappen also speaks to TV:“It was very hectic at the beginning of the race for me. I almost crashed. Everyone around me was on soft tyres and we were on medium, so it was a bit of a struggle. It was about surviving the first stint. Once we bolted on the softs I think we were a little bit more competitive and happier
Lando Norris hits the front in title race with emphatic F1 Mexico City GP win
If timing is key in any race, Lando Norris might just have taken the bell with absolutely impeccable judgment. His victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix with a consummate drive from pole to flag has catapulted him into the lead of an intense title fight at exactly the right moment. Norris has momentum at the very point the championship enters its decisive phase.With his title rivals Oscar Piastri – Norris’s McLaren teammate – managing only fifth and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Norris has the edge at a crucial juncture with four meetings remaining. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished in second, while Britain’s Oliver Bearman took a career-best fourth place with a superb drive for Haas
Saracens’ Noah Caluori called up by England for autumn internationals
Noah Caluori, the 19-year-old Saracens wing, has been named in England’s autumn internationals squad by Steve Borthwick.Caluori burst on to the Prem scene by scoring five tries against Sale on 18 October and, as England gear up for a busy November featuring four Tests, Borthwick has called up the uncapped youngster after initially inviting him to a training camp last week. The 36-player squad, including 19 forwards and 17 backs, gathered at Pennyhill Park in Surrey on Sunday night.Caluori made his second Prem start for Saracens in the defeat by table-topping Northampton on Friday. He had a considerably quieter night than the phenomenal display against Sale, and was given a severe defensive test by the Saints’ all-court attacking game
New York Jets legend Nick Mangold dies aged 41 while seeking kidney transplant
Nick Mangold, a hugely popular player during his 11-season career with the New York Jets, has died at the age of 41.Earlier this month, Mangold said he had been undergoing dialysis and needed a kidney transplant. He sought help from fans of the Jets and Ohio State, where he was a star in college.“In 2006, I was diagnosed with a genetic defect that has led to chronic kidney disease. After a rough summer, I’m undergoing dialysis as we look for a kidney transplant,” he wrote at the time
Shaun Wane requires herculean Ashes effort after England’s Wembley mauling
The scoreline alone offers concrete evidence of how underwhelming England were against Australia in the first Ashes Test on Saturday, but if anyone needed further proof, a glimpse around the Wembley crowd was somewhat telling, too.As a one-sided contest ebbed towards a predictable conclusion, there were cheers among those sitting near the press box. Not for an England try, but for a paper aeroplane crafted by a home supporter that had successfully made its way from the top of one tier on to the pitch. It was about the only thing that went right for those of an English persuasion.The beauty of a three-Test series is that no matter what happens in the first match there is an opportunity to bounce back
Over 1,200 health leaders call for swift passage of UK tobacco and vapes bill
NHS leaders warn of longer waiting times if demand for extra £3bn not met
Racist incidents against UK nurses surge by 55%
The misery of our clocks going back | Brief letters
Right to buy in reverse: how Brighton is tackling its social housing crisis | Richard Partington
Met police urge Epping sex offender spotted in London to hand himself in