4K HDR Blu-ray in 2018: HDR10+ And Other Developments

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Courtesy of 4K News

The 4K Blu-ray disc format has enjoyed some rather solid success since it first emerged for the consumer market in March of 2016. The combination of market timing that involved rising ultra HD TV sales, a dearth of broadly sourced 4K content options and easy accessibility for 4K Blu-ray discs themselves (partly due to a lack of the regional playback restrictions found in the older HD Blu-ray format) have all come together to make 4K Blu-ray disc releases into brisk sellers. Even Blu-ray Disc Association chairman Victor Matsuda was recently prompted to state that the format’s success has come as a “pleasant surprise” to many in his industry.

These were the words used by Matsuda in a conversation with the website HDTVTest during an interview at CES 2018 held in January of this year. During their conversation with the BD Association chief, numerous other interesting themes about the future of the format and its HDR prospects were also brought up.

Most importantly based on the HDTVTest report, UHD Blu-ray will also be getting support the recently unveiled HDR10+ high dynamic range format that has been developed through leadership by Samsung and other companies. This will be coming sooner or later in 2018. 4K Blu-ray already offers support for the widely used HDR10 format and some discs also come with Dolby Vision high dynamic range for the TVs that support it, but HDR10+ was until very recently a relative unknown in the high dynamic range format competition on the content and TV display market. The HDR10+ format was developed by Samsung and others to address deficiencies in HDR10 and thus more effectively compete with the superior Dolby Vision standard. It offers a cheap, open source and royalty-free method of integrating high dynamic range for color and contrast in 4K Blu-ray (or streaming media) content that it has been designated for consumer market release.

The older HDR10 standard has enjoyed wide popularity in both 4K content and 4K displays with HDR due to its ease of implementation and the low cost of adding it. HDR10+ will offer the same benefits but with the added bonus of superior visual specs for color/contrast in any content source or TV that adopts it. This will make it more of an effective competitor to Dolby Vision which, while better at HDR rendering, is also proprietary and thus expensive to use.

Matsuda and TV industry representatives are of course also hoping that HDR in a general sense gains more consumer familiarity in 2018. Findings by market research firm FutureSource have shown that while at least 75% of consumers on the U.S market know about 4K ultra HD resolution and TVs, only some 44% know about high dynamic range and what it means for digital video. To counter this lower level of familiarity, the BDA has started releasing videos that explain what HDR means on its own website and to major digital media platforms like YouTube.

Beyond HDR10, it’s cousin HDR10+ and the Dolby Vision HDR format (developed by Dolby Labs and now also supported by most brands of 4K UHD TV but few content sources) other high dynamic range standards also exist that aren’t quite as widely used yet. One of these is called Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) and it’s being implemented as a broadcast-fed source of HDR mastering for select sources of content. Developed by the BBC and Japan’s national broadcasting giant NHK, the HLG format is designed to be mastered into content that can then be easily sent via cable or broadcast television sources as well as over the internet. Many of the 4K HDR TVs released by almost all of the major brands in 2017 and into 2018 offer or will offer HLG support as well.

Other even lesser known HDR formats include the Philips Technicolor standard, developed by both Philips and (you guessed it) Technicolor. Also called the SL-HDR2 standard, Philips Technicolor is actually also supported by Blu-ray Disc but barely used by any content makers or supported by many 4K TVs so far.

In addition to surprisingly good and growing sales of 4K Blu-ray disc titles, 4K Blu-ray players themselves have been getting lots of traction as well in 2017. Sales of these devices have expanded 133% for this last year and the range of different models has expanded a lot, with many brands offering multiple different models and extremely well-known media devices like the Xbox One S and One X consoles coming with built-in 4K Blu-ray players of their own. This of course increases awareness of 4K Blu-ray and as a result, awareness of the HDR that goes into nearly all UHD Blu-ray discs.

Finally, going back to the core of all Blu-ray talk, the movies themselves, talks between Matsuda and HDTVTest covered the expanding selection of content offerings that’s making this format so popular and as a result feeding the release of even more movies in 4K UHD HDR Blu-ray. This self reinforcing cycle has led to a growth in the number of available titles from 110 at the end of 2016 to well over 250 by the end of 2017. This is a far cry from the sheer number of HD content options available to anyone today but by the standards of 4K UHD content, these 4K high dynamic range disc options cover a nice chunk of available entertainment, especially for people without access to streaming broadband internet powerful enough for 4K UHD streaming from sources like Netflix or Amazon Prime.

Also interesting is the quantity of 4K Blu-ray disc releases of older movies with new HDR and 4K formatting built into them. For one thing, these kinds of movies flesh out the overall selection of 4K Blu-ray titles available into something that can appeal to multiple tastes, not just fans of new release blockbuster titles. And secondly, that these films continue to be released moving into 2018 shows a wider purchase-justifying consumer demand for the quality of the 4K HDR BD format for old movies already seen on DVD or VHS.

Now almost all of the titles available via 4K UHD Blu-ray are also available through streaming media 4K content sources like Netflix, Amazon Prime, iTunes, Vudu, Hulu and numerous others. The selection of streaming UHD entertainment is if anything even bigger than what a person can get via 4K Blu-ray. However, where this physical media format still has room for growth is among consumers who either can’t get access to a fast enough internet connection for 4K streaming or whose geographical location limits their access to streaming content options due to DRM restrictions by studios.

In the U.S alone, nearly 75% of internet users don’t have the minimum 25Mbps connectivity speeds recommended by most streamed 4K content providers for smooth viewing, and on the DRM side of things, 4K Blu-ray discs are playable worldwide, with no regional encoding, allowing, for example, a Pakistani tourist on vacation in NYC to buy all the UHD BD movies they like without worries about enjoying them back home.

On a final note, based on what we’re hearing from the BDA chair about the future of the 4K Blu-ray format, there are going to be plenty of new and exciting developments in 2018. These discs aren’t going anywhere forgotten quite yet.
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I don't believe it, you want to know why I don't believe it. I don't own a single online movie and none of my friends do either. In fact I don't even own a membership to one of those services, I wouldn't dream of it. If me and all my friends don't believe in it then there are millions of others that don't either and that's the smartest way to go. Look at Ultraviolet: crash and burn! ...well out the door at least, don't let the door hit you on the way out! ...and Samsung discontinuing there players, If you can't stand the heat, stay the hell out of the kitchen buddy. More room for the next player to step up.
The statistics reports already show this streaming is huge take up

Netflix alone has nearly 150 million subscribers and is getting more exclusives including films straight to Netflix instead of a cinema release
 
I don't believe it, you want to know why I don't believe it. I don't own a single online movie and none of my friends do either. In fact I don't even own a membership to one of those services, I wouldn't dream of it. If me and all my friends don't believe in it then there are millions of others that don't either and that's the smartest way to go. Look at Ultraviolet: crash and burn! ...well out the door at least, don't let the door hit you on the way out! ...and Samsung discontinuing there players, If you can't stand the heat, stay the hell out of the kitchen buddy. More room for the next player to step up.
I echo the same.
I don't know anyone (cinephiles or normies) who own digital movies. If anything - I know folks who just discovered premiums and steelbooks and are excited by them (hence Best Buy UPPING their steelbooks over the last few years.)
Also - Cambridge happily took over the Premium player spot vacated by Oppo.
Again- this is chicken little proselytizing based on one middle of the road company deciding not to compete.
It's like saying "Big screen TVs must be dying" because Mitsubishi stopped making DLP big screen TVs back in 2012.
 
The statistics reports already show this streaming is huge take up

Netflix alone has nearly 150 million subscribers and is getting more exclusives including films straight to Netflix instead of a cinema release
Netflix I watch periodically, if I have time. Buying physical media, you feel like you own a piece of the movie. This feeling alone has motivated me to removing all my stock out of Netflix 6 months ago. Online movie services will come and go, physical media will still be trucking along waving: see ya, don't want to be ya!
 
Those articles hold no weight. The music industry is a whole nother ball game in itself. Online services outweigh TV services I can understand and they talk of DVD sales, the majority of people have jumped on the blu-ray bandwagon now so DVD sales I can see. This same scenario happened when VHS was transitioning to DVD and then Blu-ray.
 
There is a shift to streaming services than purchasing physical media

I still purchase Blu-ray and music on physical format but the reason for the decline in sales of physical format purchases is streaming use for films and music

Streaming video revenue has already overtaken video physical media disc sales revenue.

There will always be collectors for physical media and those that want best picture and sound quality but a huge number of worldwide population has shifted towards streaming music and films.

Most of the new tv's have this built in and is why it's use has increased.
 
Let me also add the the newest technologies like HDR, HDR+, Dolby Vision, HLG, Technicolor HD and any other new ones that follow suite will always be the defacto when it comes to new tech. Online services just can't figure out how to make it work properly whech is why they play second fiddle.
 
The majority of the public loves streaming - for example, my wife hates swapping discs to watch a TV show (and of course we don't have cable because ads suck). Streaming is just pure convenience and simplicity. But there will always be a segment that loves physical media. I think physical media will be minimized more and more but won't disappear because of the number of enthusiasts. However, with my LG OLED 4K TV w/HDR and 4K player, I don't see any reason to ever upgrade or replace my TV unless it completely craps out on me. TV manufacturers will have a hard time finding new features to sell people who are happy with their 4K/HDR TV.
 
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Those articles hold no weight. The music industry is a whole nother ball game in itself. Online services outweigh TV services I can understand and they talk of DVD sales, the majority of people have jumped on the blu-ray bandwagon now so DVD sales I can see. This same scenario happened when VHS was transitioning to DVD and then Blu-ray.
USA DVD still sells better than UHD

At the moment Latest disc sales stats for the US show 4K UHD Discs accounting for just 5.3% of sales, while DVD – yes, DVD – still claims 57.9%

UHD discs sales market is tiny
 
Well the thing that remains in the end is physical media is here to stay, it's not going anywhere. Folks have always loved buying there favorite movies with it's fancy packaging or artwork so neither am I worried nor concerned.
 
Video Streaming revenue has already overtaken physical media and expected to be USD124.57 billion by 2025.

More homes will replace their existing tv's with 4K TV and some will be purchasing 8K Tv's

At the moment Latest disc sales stats for the US show 4K UHD Discs accounting for just 5.3% of sales, while DVD – yes, DVD – still claims 57.9%

A lot of homes even if all have 4K or 8K Tv's in their homes does not mean a lot will be purchasing 4K UHD discs

How people watch films be it in SD/HD/UHD has changed
The numbers for streaming use is huge

Spot on. the official figures were reported in Variety in January and Online buying absolutely trounces all disc sales. I have a large group of friends and I'm the only one who still buys discs, the rest use media hubs, PC servers and other tech and stream everything or download directly, they never buy physical formats.

https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/home-entertainment-spending-2018-record-1203102664/
 
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In regards to 4K UHD yes it's getting more popular but how it's been watched and purchased is a difference

There is more 4K UHD titles available to purchase digitally than there is available on 4K UHD Discs

Sales of 4K UHD content rose 70% during the year and 46% in the fourth quarter. The number of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray titles available in the market grew to 445 titles, with another 682 4K titles available digitally.

Yes physical discs are better than a digital download or streaming video on demand but reality is most consumers want easy access to films at reasonable price.
Video on demand gives this and growing number of titles is 4K UHD with HDR

A lot of the 4K UHD titles that you can rent or purchase digitally also have HDR and Dolby Vision and as more homes get faster broadband this will increase.

1GB internet is already in a lot of homes in Europe with more to be added
 
Spot on. the official figures were reported in Variety in January and Online buying absolutely trounces all disc sales. I have a large group of friends and I'm the only one who still buys discs, the rest use media hubs, PC servers and other tech and stream everything or download directly, they never buy physical formats.

https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/home-entertainment-spending-2018-record-1203102664/


I like the reply tho. (on the article) Mostly part 2

1) You say “Combined consumer spending on DVDs and Blu-ray Discs in the fourth quarter of 2018 was $1.24 billion, down 14.8% from the fourth quarter of 2017.”, but what was the combined consumer spending on physical media that INCLUDES 4K UHD discs?

2) What were the estimated sale of discs that AREN’T tracked by the DEG on websites such as eBay, Amazon marketplace sellers or all of the product that is dumped into the market at retailers like Dollar Tree or secondary re-sellers such as “Movies U Buy”?
While there’s no doubt a decline in sales of physical media, the decline isn’t nearly as bad as it looks in an article like this. They should really make an effort to factor in ALL sales of physical media. Let’s face it, if an 19 year old kid that just started collecting purchases even a pre-owned physical copy of a movie (or a disc that the studio slashed the UPC and dumped on the marketplace) for the first time on a website like eBay, doesn’t that count as a sale? It’s a piece of physical media product still exchanging hands and being sold, is it not?



I mean yeah its obvious the future is digital, but the numbers arent near as bad as reported due to all the disc sales that arent tracked.
And they include digital numbers in regards to subs and watching that way ... to me one should better compare digital downloads or paid digital rentals vs. disc sales of all kinds. (which i realize cant be done effectively)
And I;m sure they count all the disc to digital programs as digital buys here in the USA when its semi debatable in that tons of people are gaming that for cheap digital sales and or already owners of the discs and just adding to etc. Doesnt feel like a true digital sale to me.

Nostalgia is HUGE in regards to how consumers spend on home entertainment, collectibles, etc. I would say that is more proof to the future then anything else. As 14-18 year old kids today have grown up with digital mostly and have no problem consuming in that way and wont have the nostalgia factor or excitement of disc sales etc. They are lazy and dont want to put a disc in as well. Yes with every generation you also have those who will become collectors or enjoy physical media etc. but the large majority dont care.

I'd say 10 years from now you'll still have physical media as these used stores are only getting more popular. Vinyl has had a comeback, even tapes, and retro games etc. Lots of collectors out there are only buying physical media of movies with just collector editions whether it be steelbook or something else. So there i sa market for those same type of folks who have small vinyl collections and also small premium movie collection. And all the plastic regular stuff goes to the way side. They use digital streaming services to watch those types of movies etc. that dont mean as much to them.
 
Kinda funny how month after month we keep seeing more and more 4K UHD blu ray releases.:naughty:
It is INCREASING not decreasing.
Revenue is revenue. They will not turn off that spigot.
Yes 4K content is increasing but 4K UHD disc sales is tiny compared to 4K UHD digital purchases.

4K UHD is not going away it's about how it's been purchased and viewed

There will always be those that want physical discs for better picture and sound I purchase most my releases that way but in general how video and music is been purchased and viewed has changed compared to a few years ago.
 
In regards to 4K UHD yes it's getting more popular but how it's been watched and purchased is a difference

There is more 4K UHD titles available to purchase digitally than there is available on 4K UHD Discs

Sales of 4K UHD content rose 70% during the year and 46% in the fourth quarter. The number of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray titles available in the market grew to 445 titles, with another 682 4K titles available digitally.

Yes physical discs are better than a digital download or streaming video on demand but reality is most consumers want easy access to films at reasonable price.
Video on demand gives this and growing number of titles is 4K UHD with HDR

A lot of the 4K UHD to titles that you can rent or purchase digitally also have HDR and Dolby Vision and as more homes get faster broadband this will increase.

1GB internet is already in a lot of homes in Europe with more to be added


not disputing this, but adding to this and your mention of DVD stats earlier. having traveled far and wide to many parts of the USA. I can tell you this .... DVD is still very popular because you have MANY MANY MANY "country" and "rural" areas that these folks do not care about the quality. If they have the bug, itch, or urge to want to watch a movie (based off a trailer from tv etc) then DVD is just fine for them. Most these people do NOT purchase DVDs unless we are talking about $5 bins at walmart and black friday $2-3 dvds etc.. Instead they rent them from video stores like Family Video and red box machines. Those companies attribute to the large sales of DVDs.

That is the psyche of those people, and the areas in which they live. And they love it, and dont want that to change. Their town is "country" and thats hey they want to keep it. etc. Because the USA is the largest consumer market in the world that is why it accounts for so much dvd sales etc.

All that above, will only have a natural progression to blu-ray as the players are very cheap now and those types of people dont run off to upgrade their tvs or players unless they break. Most have at least 1080p tvs now .... and with blu-ray prices getting cheaper both to own and also to rent, etc. the natural progression for these people will be blu-ray, and in cases where the internet is fast enough etc. and someone is tech savvy enough they'll maybe get netflix etc. The problem with those people is (well, not a problem) but never the less those people cant seem to justify a subscription service when they already have cable tv or if they dont have cable at all. They dont typically watch alot of movies , and thus renting just seems the way to do so. And for the towns with video stores there's alot of older folks who just like that interaction. I still have video stores in my town and as much as I love my childhood with blockbusters I just rarely ever visit Family Video. But many folks still do.
 
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Yes 4K content is increasing but 4K UHD disc sales is tiny compared to 4K UHD digital purchases.

4K UHD is not going away it's about how it's been purchased and viewed

There will always be those that want physical discs for better picture and sound I purchase most my releases that way but in general how video and music is been purchased and viewed has changed compared to a few years ago.
It would not shock me in the slightest that they count a 4k digital purchase as also me entering in a code from the UHD disc set I bought. I only entered that code cause i bought the disc, but again I bet its still counted as download (purchase) numbers wise for that digitally.
 
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Here are my thoughts based on no articles, statistics or facts :LOL:

I think everything probably depends on the age of the consumer. I would guess that the people who buy most of the physical movies would be older. I would guess that most of the people in this thread are 40 or older. I'm 49 and I have been buying movies since my teens.

Kids today, and that includes people in their 20's, still like going to movies with friends as a night out I'm guessing. But as for buying physical movies? I don't know about that. Perhaps they buy digital copies.. I take public transit and I see a lot of students (high school and college aged) watching shows on their laptops and their phones. I would never watch anything on a phone, not even a Youtube video. I won't watch a movie on a laptop. Too small.

I just don't think the majority of kids today care as much about the quality of the sound and picture of movies outside of a theatre.
I think they are content with streaming and whatever comes up on the TV. I just don't think they are going to be the ones buying physical media or collecting movies. I believe they are content downloading and streaming and Netflixing (has anybody coined that term yet?) With all of the content out there now (television shows and movies on cable networks) I just don't think they will really need or want to watch the same movies over again.

Nostalgia has been mentioned. That's why we collect our favourite shows and movies. Because when we were younger we couldn't instantly own our favourite movies and TV shows. It took years before they were available. Today it takes 3 months. Unless you download a pirated vision.

Kids of course are too young for nostalgia. They don't know a time when they couldn't instantly get a hold of a movie or a TV show.
You can download a TV show the day after it airs. Same with a movie in the theatre.

Anyway the kids today are not going to be buyers of physical movies and TV shows tomorrow.
It will all be downloading, streaming and digital buying.

For this reason I believe that buying movies and TV shows on physical media will indeed die someday.
It will die with us.
 
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