Customer demand for ultra-HD 4K TVs for the 2012-2017 period will remain "negligible" according to IHS iSuppli, despite tradeshow hype and a number of high-profile product launches.

According to the analyst global 4K TV shipments during the next 5 years will never account for more than 1% of the total LCD TV market-- shipments will grow from 4000 units in 2012 to 2.1 million by 2017 (or 0.8% of global LCD shipments for the year).

A number of vendors already have sets featuring 3840 x 2160 (or "4K") resolutions, including 84-inch models from Sony and LG, and a 55-inch number from Toshiba.

As iSuppli bluntly puts it, "neither consumers nor television brands will have the interest required to make the 4K LCD-TV market successful." Available content in 4K resolution is limited, while the market for 60 inch and over TVs (the ideal size for 4K) remains fairly small at only 1.5% of total 2012 TV shipments.

Hefty price tags and a general "1080p resolution is good enough" consumer attitude also don't help the 4K cause too much.

iSuppli believes 4K TVs are something of a "transitional" product-- filling high-end TV product lines until manufacturers iron out the difficulties in AMOLED panel mass production.

Go 4K TVs to See Marginal Share of LCD TV Market Through 2017 (IHS iSuppli)