4K Blu-Ray Discs and Players to Arrive Next Year

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
Joined
May 9, 2000
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Now that we have 4K TVs starting to catch on worldwide, what good are they without something to watch? 4K Blue-Ray players and discs are on the way, but it will be at least a year before the 2160p capable format will be widely available.

Early adopters will have to buy yet another new disc player, but it will no doubt be backwards compatible with Blu-ray and DVD, and there should also be upscaling as an option.
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I can't wait for projector prices to drop on 4k. Sony just announced a 4k projector for 7k. Really hope this goes main stream fast. Like to be rocking a 4k projector in the next 3-4 years. Not that 1080p on my current projector on a 120inch screen looks bad. But that added detail at that screen size will rock.
 
Meh..having a hard time getting excited to be honest. I could see the difference in quality jumping from 720p to 1080i. I could even see the difference when I upgraded to a significantly higher quality TV than the original 1080 I bought. I have yet to see any meaningful difference in 4k.
 
How much more detail do we need to further enjoy what I already think is perfectly fine in 1080p? I don't honestly think 3 3-4 times more detail above what we already see is going to make much of a difference. I think it will be cool, but is it going to make the movie better, I don't think so. Does this mean they will stop bringing movies out on Bluray, or will they just start also releasing them on 4k? Its going to take years for movies to get released on 4k like it has for Bluray, and streaming in 4k? I just don't see the benefit to the consumer.
 
I normally would be excited about new stuff coming out but this does nothing.
 
Although I am looking forward to 4K for computer monitors (assuming the next gen of video cards can handle it effectively) I am not as anxious for 4K movies (unless they can stream them at that resolution) ... I have been a movie buff since the days of VHS but I can only repurchase the same movies so many times (guess I don't make a good early adopter) ... I had a VHS collection of movies somewhere in the 400 title range ... my DVD collection is enormous (well over 1000 titles) but I started collecting at a time when I had a lot of discretionary income ... my blu ray collection is still small (100 or so titles) ... I am definitely not up to jumping into another format yet (and my discretionary income is much smaller now)
 
The 4K thing is a total snore because the benefit of the higher resolution is less about quality than meeting the specification of the latest displays. Nobody wants to run 1080p content on a 4K or higher display, but you don't really need a 4K display to begin with because a Full HD plasma still looks stunning.
 
Budzman said:
I normally would be excited about new stuff coming out but this does nothing.
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They've been hyping 4K for so long with almost nothing to show for it. I first heard about 4K before 1080p became mainstream. Not even having the media to deal with 4K content out already is already a big no-no. HDMI 2.0's multi-year delay and still being inferior to DP 1.2a. Another fail.

It hasn't gone well at all. I mean hell, everyone owns 1080p HDTV's now and yet there isn't a single channel out there broadcast past 720p/1080i (same pixels) that isn't also heavily encoded at a low bit rate. People don't even KNOW what full 1080p looks like.
 
Same here. 4K in either TV or Monitor excites me about as much as Windows 8 or watching paint dry. 1080p is plenty for my eyes.
 
I think 4K will become something of a niche market and not mainstream. The bottom line is that you need a very big view screen to justify going above 1080P. At a typical viewing distance of 7-9 feet, a person needs a 42" TV to tell the difference between 720P and 1080i/p. By most calculations a person will need a 70" or larger TV to tell the difference between 1080P and 4K at typical viewing distances. Are there people that will want that. Sure. Good for them.For my current living room, though, I have a hard time justifying a TV above 50".
 
This thread so far: "I don't need it / can't afford it / don't see the point and therefore nobody else should"
 
DPI said:
This thread so far: "I don't need it / can't afford it / don't see the point and therefore nobody else should"
Click to expand...

Although it is always nice to see technology advance, it does sometimes seem like these advancements are designed to make us buy more stuff (and not enhance our living room experience) ... 4K monitors for desktops are way overdue and you can NEVER have enough desktop space on a computer ... computer programs are also (in general) built to scale so you get immediate benefits from the technology upgrade (including the legacy program support) ... other than the cost of the video card and monitor there is no excuse for any self respecting computer user to bypass 4K and start pushing for 8K

4K on the TV front appears to be more of a money grab ... Blu Ray discs have only started to come down in pricing the last couple of years ... I am just not looking forward to buying Lord of the Rings for a 5th and 6th time (DVD regular edition, DVD extended edition, Blu Ray regular edition, Blu Ray extended edition ... and now the pending 4K regular and extended editions) ... it is also unclear the timeline for switching broadcast and streaming to full 4K capabilities (as many streaming options aren't even available in 1080P yet)

There are many audio visual enhancements needed for the living room ... we need more support for the wall size screens of science fiction ... we need much more effective internet interaction on TVs ... and we need more interactive options for TV (voice interface, gestures, etc) ... these are all things that could enhance the overall living room experience (but none of these require people to run out and buy replacement copies of their software) ... if 4K TVs provide better computer integration with the TV or these other enhanced offerings (especially the wall screens) then they will be very beneficial technology ;)
 
I have an entry level 1080p BenQ projector and a 125" screen that I sit about 10 feet away from, stuff looks stunning in 720 or 1080p, I just can't imagine 4k content making it look that much better to justify the cost. The cool factor will be there sure, but unless you are watching some BBC documentary on nature where extreme detail is necessary, why do we need it?
 
By the time this comes out with affordable prices, we will all be talking salivating over 5K and beyond screens!!

Wonder what size a Blu-Ray burner disc would be?
 
Makeroflostsouls said:
I can't wait for projector prices to drop on 4k. Sony just announced a 4k projector for 7k. Really hope this goes main stream fast. Like to be rocking a 4k projector in the next 3-4 years. Not that 1080p on my current projector on a 120inch screen looks bad. But that added detail at that screen size will rock.
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Amen, and really unless used as an up close computer monitor, you need at least a 90" screen to benefit from 4k at average viewing distances. I'm running a 120" drop down projector screen that rolls down over my 50" led tv which is just used for casual viewing in daylight. 3d is crap on a 50", but with 4k on a 120", screw movie theaters with their crappy passive glasses!
 
Well, I can see no one really has experienced a 4K calibrated TV above 65". There is not a noticeable difference in the smaller sizes under 65" that is a fact until the standard of 10-bit panels(really 12-bit is needed) enforced in 2016 when the color space is force to 4:4:4 instead of 4:2:0 like it is now. Also, when LG releases the 77" 4K OLED at the end of this month, you are going to see what True 4K looks like.

LCD and 4K don't go well together at all. You can set an LG 55" 9300 OLED 1080p next to a 4K display of the same 55" and will be blown away by the 1080p OLED. LG just gave away last years 1080p OLED 9800 series at Frys and Microcenter for $1999 and 2199.

Besides with LCD you run the risk of Panel Lottery. (clouding cause of edge lit uniformity issues, bad pixels, panel and glass separation leading to light bleed with black grounds looking blue.) I have seen OLED on these new LG's and it is a BIG Game changer. CES in January is going to be interesting to see how many jump back on board OLED. All thanks to LG for taking a chance and getting us off these crappy LCD panels. Go to your local BB and check out the 1080p LG OLED.

Oh and before all the streaming goobers get on here how 4K Blu-ray isn't needed because of streaming, the US infrastructure can't hand 50Mbps second that is needed for true 4K quality. Besides all you Vudu types that buy streaming movies, your dumb. You don't own anything you bought at Vudu and the like. Internet goes out, where is your movie?? Stocks crash next year. First thing out of business, online movie rental/ownership. Where is your movie you bought?? Stop being lazy and take the 2 minutes to get a disc up and running. And actually own the movie!
 
Shit, movies look better on OLED displays? I did not know that.
 
Ducman69 said:
Amen, and really unless used as an up close computer monitor, you need at least a 90" screen to benefit from 4k at average viewing distances.!
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If its on an LCD based screen. Now when you switch to an LG 77" OLED 4K tv this changes dramatically. OLED is a whole new animal compared to the trash we were fed with LCD and got use to. Well I didn't I stayed with DLP.

Watch OLED in the next couple of years. Its going to be big once people get a taste of it. I really wish they would have just brought out OLED in 1080p for the next couple of years before 4K so people could get use to it.
 
So is this using bd-xl discs, or a new type of technology?
I just hope 6TB hard drives are more affordable by the time this comes out next year. 4k is going to be awesome.:)
 
Makeroflostsouls said:
I can't wait for projector prices to drop on 4k. Sony just announced a 4k projector for 7k. Really hope this goes main stream fast. Like to be rocking a 4k projector in the next 3-4 years. Not that 1080p on my current projector on a 120inch screen looks bad. But that added detail at that screen size will rock.
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+1
But lense quality and alignment need a marked improvement which may stop the price dropping so much sadly.

Another issue is that around 120" at 4m away (and for a lot of smaller 4K displays) will need scaling for programs that do not have native scaling support.
There needs to be better scaling/aliasing support for non scaling programs in Windows.
Perhaps through rendering in much higher res and descaling back down.
Some games use this to smooth aliasing with great effect, it should be a lot simpler for non gaming applications 2D apps.
Its more or less essential to have options to do this, per application.
 
DPI said:
This thread so far: "I don't need it / can't afford it / don't see the point and therefore nobody else should"
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Meh. I don't really see it too much. I mean it's hard to deny that 4K hasn't been over-hyped to death in what HDTV Manufacturers are doing trying to save a dying single purpose medium.

They pumped up 3DTV's to death (literally), which for the umpteenth time has failed and only a few hipsters took it serious. The whole Hz wars was ridiculous before that. Although I wont go as far as to say it's unnecessary in the market, it just wore everyone thin for years with nothing to show. The technology was severely lagging and it was predicted to start getting to where it is now until 2017'ish. If it wasn't for some of the Chinese brands out there we'd still have those $20,000 models I guarantee it.

Even finding decent 1080p anywhere except BluRay is a difficult feat. It's HVEC almost a decade later that will actually allow it to happen.

I completely disagree with those saying you need 30"+ inch monitors or 55"+ TV's for 4K to make sense. Just shows people don't really understand the technology. You have phones starting to push 1080p and 2560x1440 on a 5" screen. There is a REASON why pixels matter not just from a "looks sharper and perttier" point of view. It's so much easier on the eyes in general.
 
i have not gone to look at 4k in person yet, and i do not want too until i can afford to buy it because i do not want to see the difference and notice it and then not be able to get it. lol
 
On the front page news, I hope that is a spell check induced typo as it is Blu-Ray and not Blue-ray.

On another note, 4k TV's are WAY too rich for me at this time. I drool everytime I walk into Costco and see all those 4K TV's displayed as you enter. They are also way too big as the largest TV that would work in my home theatre setup is about 37-43 inches. Until they come down in both size and price, I will just make do with my already decent Vizio 37inch 1080p 120hz LED set with my XB1 and Vizio BDP.
 
Optical media? I thought that died with Packard Bell. We're still doing that?
 
4k displays are stunning. upscaled blu-rays looks amazing, and I cant wait to see what 4k movies are going to look like! My wife and I love movies, we currently watch on a 55vt60 (so a fantastic plasma) and I am supremely impressed with the resolution, however I still think OLED is probably going to be the standard I am going to have to buy as the colours are just the best I have ever seen
 
RIP plasma. I'm not buying into the latest display-maker fad, namely 4k/curved displays. They're trying to bilk us into giving them more money for fundamentally the same--highly flawed--technology: LCD.

When I can buy a quality SED or non-Samsung Plasma, then I'll give the industry my dollar. Until then, they don't get a fucking dime from me.
 
4K BR Cinavia coming soon to a new 4K BR player near you.... boo hiss
 
Guess I'm in the minority then, I've certainly been able to notice the difference between 1080P and 4k in the few demos I've seen .....I will buy a 4k version of the same movie I've already bought half a dozen times already IF it's a quality release, good transfer, and takes advantage of the extra resolution. Real life is more than 1080P resolution.....4k brings it closer to real life.

I've had my Pioneer Kuro for 5 years now, and only recently has it started to look like there may be something worthy enough to replace it eventually. OLED is currently at the place LCD was 15 years ago (also don't get me started on LED TVs, they've really shot themselves on being able to market OLED by calling LED-backlit LCDs "LED")....Those of you who, like me, never quite accepted the viewing angles, motion blur, IPS vs TN vs PVA, lotteries, etc., have been waiting for OLED for ages. It solves all our problems, gives blackest of blacks, most vibrant colors, and CRT response times (measured in fractions of MS).....If people don't support OLED now, then they will never get cheaper or better. They will go the way of the Pioneer plasmas, and that's a bad thing. Anything is going to look better on an OLED, now let's also give it 4k and the source material to match, and we're golden.
 
Laser front projectors @4K might finally get off the ground.
Although the only option hasnt been released yet and is going to cost silly money, but it is 4K and pretty bright.
http://hometheaterreview.com/nec-debuts-laser-projector/
http://www.nec-display-solutions.com/p/dc/en/projectionRoom/projectors/details/rp/NC1040L.xhtml
It should make for a BIG high quality 4K screen.

Power use looks a bit crazy, 400W for the projector housing (maybe cooling, but 400W?!) and 1300W for the laser!!
lol.
Recommended operating temp 10 to 25C.
Total mass of laser and lense housing 123Kg.
20,000hr laser life, replaceable

I'll be looking out for the 8K version by the time the tech has matured a bit :p
 
All those pixels, and they probably still wont bring back Picture-In-Picture :(

20,000hr laser life, replaceable
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While that sounds impressive, I got 9800 hours out of the original incandescent bulb on our DLP. And it didn't actually fail at that point, it had just lost a lot of its brightness. That was after about 4 years of use.
 
Without the startling difference between 480i broadcasting and 1080p Blu Ray's most people just won't see any advantage between 1080p and 4k. People In know can barely see any difference between 720p and 1080p.

4k Blu Ray's will be entirely for enthusiasts for a MUCH longer time than 1080p. TV manufacturers know that the public isn't going to upgrade its TV more than once every 10+ years (unless the manufacturers simply don't make them to last which is somewhat the case) unless absolutely required.

I think 4k will sadly be the last of Blu Rays. I don't see 8k Blu Rays ever happening at the consumer level.

If the FCC could stop sucking corporate dick long enough to actually do its job of keeping the people in mind then we could actually have a infrastructure powerful enough to stream at Blu Ray bit rates for the majority of us over time.

4k is a VERY hard sell. Only PC users are truly interested in it. Even they will not be scrambling to upgrade from 1440p.

The one technology that could help piggyback 4k is OLED. Finally some OLED sets are actually living up to the promise of the technology.
 
Liger88 said:
They've been hyping 4K for so long with almost nothing to show for it. I first heard about 4K before 1080p became mainstream. Not even having the media to deal with 4K content out already is already a big no-no. HDMI 2.0's multi-year delay and still being inferior to DP 1.2a. Another fail.

It hasn't gone well at all. I mean hell, everyone owns 1080p HDTV's now and yet there isn't a single channel out there broadcast past 720p/1080i (same pixels) that isn't also heavily encoded at a low bit rate. People don't even KNOW what full 1080p looks like.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you. Almost all broadcasts are 720p and STILL have unacceptable levels of compression and artifacts. The general public has no idea at all what the tvs in their own homes are actually capable of.
 
What are you supposed to watch on 4K TVs? Overly compressed cable? Overly compressed streaming services? Blu-rays that are 1080p at best and often upscaled if they are old movies?

I wouldn't mind a 4K computer monitor or hooking a computer up to a 4K TV but there is nothing to watch that is actually 4K (with acceptable bitrates, YouTube's fake 4K does not count) and there won't be for quite a while.
 
4k should be good. Good thing to know is that you'll never have to upscale the image and make it all crappy. Thats until 8k monitors come out ;). Going to be 100-120GB files most likely. 8-12TB hard drives will be out possibly by then :)
 
All "high-quality streaming" is fake due to low bitrates.
 
Can't wait, but definitely waiting for a price performance sweet spot.

A lot of the posters in this thread seem overly skeptical. What if cavemen decided just living in a cave was good enough? A 1 bed room apt is cool. But if someone makes a mansion I can afford, I am in there.
 
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