Content quality always seems to lag behind display technology. We’re not even talking about “thousands of channels and nothing worth watching.” We mean picture quality. UltraHD and 4K is the perfect example. There’s not a lot of content available yet, but Samsung, Sharp and others keep innovating new screens.

Is it worth it to upgrade to 4K? If you’re looking to future-proof your venue, especially if you have a high-end nightclub or ultralounge, go for it.

Streaming video in 4K from providers like Netflix and YouTube will be prevalent later in the year, while 4K cameras from manufacturers like Sony will give nightclub owners the option to capture a view of the dance floor in UltraHD and show off all those beautiful people in never-before-seen resolution.

Let’s look at a few other trends hot off the CES show floor. (For the uninitiated who don’t live and breathe technology like we do here at JD Systems, CES is the Consumer Electronics Show, a gathering of all the hottest names in tech, which takes place in Las Vegas every January.)

Super Large Screens
The word on the show floor was big. Just how big were those screens? Samsung and LG both released 105-inch edge-lit LED models and (surprise, surprise) both claimed to be first in the industry. In our experience, you can’t go wrong with either brand at any size.

With a $10,000-or-so price tag, these LEDs are the very definition of “wow” factor, but you can get an excellent projector and screen for about half that price. Is it worth it? For early adopters with a monster budget, sure. We’d love to put one of these in any New York City nightclub or sports bar. Do you need it? Probably not.
If you’re not quite that extreme, you can also look into the 85-inch Samsung LED.

Curved Screens
Like I keep telling my beautiful wife, curves are good. Manufacturers like Samsung and LG agree with me, because those monster 85-inch screens they introduced just happen to be curved, creating a true cinematic experience. Curved screens in smaller sizes have been on the market for several months, but at 50 inches, the curve is less obvious.

The cool thing about the Samsung curved screen (okay, everything about an 85-inch curved LED is cool) is that you can go from curved to flat with the push of a button.

Would you put one of these in your venue? Since curved screens, obviously, work best at straight-on viewing angles, they may not be the best choice for a sports bar. But I could definitely picture one of these behind a dance floor in an ultra-lounge displaying eye candy or capturing a feed from cameras aimed at the floor. What do you think?

OLED Screens
There’s been buzz about Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) screens for quite a while. We talked about them two years ago on our blog, but haven’t uttered a word about them since. That’s because they’re still too pricey for most sports bars that are hanging dozens of screens across a space.
OLEDs have lower power consumption than other flat panels, wider viewing angles, lower weights and faster refresh rates for a better picture all around. Unfortunately, in most cases, they’re still not worth the added price tag but they are definitely display technology worth keeping an eye on.

More Trends for Nightclub and Bar Owners
Every year, CES gives the general public and tech media a close-up look at all the latest consumer technology shipping now or ready to ship soon. Some of it has applications in commercial venues.

Stay tuned as we share more trends relevant to New York sports bar and nightclub owners when we get back from the Nightclub & Bar Show in late March. The JD Systems team will be hunting the Las Vegas show floor for all the latest products and trends that will help us serve you, our customers, better and we’ll report on it all right here.