Have you upgraded to 4K Blu-ray?

[digitalbabe]

Hey ninjas!

A fun poll for you to comment and share whether you've upgraded your equipment/discs, and why you have or haven't done so.

Have fun!

DB

 

[Jason Bourne]

I'd be shocked to see if 8k could offer a discernible difference then 4k tho to the human eye at home to be honest. And with streaming all the young'ns care about I think its hard pressed to think an 8k disc format could ever really become a viable option for the studios.

So I think 4k could be last real disc format. Doesn't mean I'll run out and by everything 4k, but as im buying new movies if pricing is only $5 more then worth it and/or wait till price drops on titles i feel I want a higher quality disc for. And then of course just favorites.

I loved 3d but my 3d tv took a **** and I think im more mad at the tv manufacturers who arent offering it at all in the sub 1k$ range (so I could have another TV setup to handle that) cause im not dropping the crazy prices for the handful of tvs even out there that match tech specs I want and include 3d.

There's rumor that 3d could make a comeback from the tv manufacturers so who knows maybe.... another ploy to sell them once the world's 3d tvs take a sh!t lol

I think you might be right in saying that 4k could possibly be the worlds last real physical format media. You have to have a very large screen (or be sitting very close) to discern the differences between 4k and 1080p. Let alone something like 8k. I think the biggest draw here ---- and for me it is --- that 4k comes with HDR.... HDR is the real tech here to get excited about (IMO) hence why I bought into the 4k movement. If they had done 1080p HDR like many had thought I might not have jumped on the 4k train, especially so soon. I have to admit 4k HDR games and movies (well done ones) do look amazing so I don't regret the decision to invest. I have streamed Netflix in 4k HDR as well and it looks terrific. The Punisher which was 1080p HDR if I'm not wrong also looked amazing.

I just wish they had gone the route of 1080p HDR instead --- but I guess they needed something to market HDR along with and selling "resolution" to the mass market is a lot easier than something with a weird acronym like HDR. I had read that broadcast cable were thinking for years that 1080p HDR would be the top standard.

 

[Wreck]

@Jason Bourne also another good thing is that Blu-ray 1080p is SOOO much better than DVD ... so the more 4k is the new shiny thing means the cheaper regular blu-ray will get. And currently there are still titles that never make it to blu-ray and only get DVD releases to keep things economical ... so it would be kinda nice to see in the future putting stuff to blu-ray very economical thus we're only getting blu-ray and 4k etc. then DVD. I like to support independents and niche titles but not for DVD only I have to REALLY want to see or own it to buy a dvd only.

And you are right its the HDR and Dolby Vision where its at. I'm still amazed by a Blu-ray in my quality set up so a 4k not true 4k with HDR etc. to boot isn't going to wow me enough to repurchase a collection. People wont look at Blu-rays as devalued as one might look at just a DVD etc.

 

[C.C. 95]

@Jason Bourne also another good thing is that Blu-ray 1080p is SOOO much better than DVD ... so the more 4k is the new shiny thing means the cheaper regular blu-ray will get. And currently there are still titles that never make it to blu-ray and only get DVD releases to keep things economical ... so it would be kinda nice to see in the future putting stuff to blu-ray very economical thus we're only getting blu-ray and 4k etc. then DVD. I like to support independents and niche titles but not for DVD only I have to REALLY want to see or own it to buy a dvd only.

And you are right its the HDR and Dolby Vision where its at. I'm still amazed by a Blu-ray in my quality set up so a 4k not true 4k with HDR etc. to boot isn't going to wow me enough to repurchase a collection. People wont look at Blu-rays as devalued as one might look at just a DVD etc.

Don't get hung up on the "2K master" is not real 4K baloney. It all comes down to who masters it.
There are 2K mastered 4K discs that will destroy 4K mastered discs. The whole "fake 4K" thing is hooey.
The DP of The Last Jedi blew a giant hole in the whole "K matters most" idea.
These videos should be required viewing:
http://yedlin.net/ResDemo/#
(Take note of how he says 8K will make things worse because of pixel crowding, and how noise in the image is actually needed for depth of field)

The real revolution is HDR and DV, rather than the increase in resolution.
And BTW - the upconvert on DVDs is incredible. My DVD of Criterion NIGHT ON EARTH looked like a blu ray! (Of course, YMMV Based on your player and 4K tv)

 

[Wreck]

will have to check out an upconvert of a dvd then.

 

[bobzilla]

Jumped on the bandwagon and bought a new Oppo 4k region-free player, a new Samsung 50" 4K tv, and several 4K discs, and I have to say I am very disappointed in the picture quality overall. Everything appears to be hooked up correctly but I'm not seeing the improved picture everyone says is so good with HDR. Movies don't "pop" like I expected they would, and discs like Valerian and Dunkirk seem just OK, nothing special. However, watching Netflix shows being shown in 4K is truly mind-boggling. The Hunt, a BBC nature show, is jaw-dropping, incredible color and clarity. So was I expecting too much when I pop in a 4K disc? Am I doing something wrong? Player is set to Auto HDR. If I play the Blu-ray version of the same disc I cannot for the life of me see any discernible differences in the picture quality, same clarity, color, etc. I know when 4K started out many experts said you wouldn't be able to see much difference between 4K and regular bluray unless you were sitting close enough to the TV or you had an extremely large set, like 65" or bigger, and that appears to be correct, at least by my eyes. For the record, I am sitting about 7 feet from the TV, no way around that. I just wish the colors popped like they do on the Netflix shows. Anyone with suggestions as to how I can improve things, or is this as good as it's going to get? Thanks in advance for any helpful tips.

 

[earthscope]

Jumped on the bandwagon and bought a new Oppo 4k region-free player, a new Samsung 50" 4K tv, and several 4K discs, and I have to say I am very disappointed in the picture quality overall. Everything appears to be hooked up correctly but I'm not seeing the improved picture everyone says is so good with HDR. Movies don't "pop" like I expected they would, and discs like Valerian and Dunkirk seem just OK, nothing special. However, watching Netflix shows being shown in 4K is truly mind-boggling. The Hunt, a BBC nature show, is jaw-dropping, incredible color and clarity. So was I expecting too much when I pop in a 4K disc? Am I doing something wrong? Player is set to Auto HDR. If I play the Blu-ray version of the same disc I cannot for the life of me see any discernible differences in the picture quality, same clarity, color, etc. I know when 4K started out many experts said you wouldn't be able to see much difference between 4K and regular bluray unless you were sitting close enough to the TV or you had an extremely large set, like 65" or bigger, and that appears to be correct, at least by my eyes. For the record, I am sitting about 7 feet from the TV, no way around that. I just wish the colors popped like they do on the Netflix shows. Anyone with suggestions as to how I can improve things, or is this as good as it's going to get? Thanks in advance for any helpful tips.

You don't say what TV you have just a Samsung. What is the total nit output in the most accurate picture setting? And I would also say, 7 feet from a 50" set is not really going to give you the night and day difference. Screen is simply too small unless you sit much closer. I would say you need a minimum of 55" and probably with a distance of 5 feet, to get a better experience of 4K..
It's true what they say bigger screen size and set up correctly will give you a superior 4K viewing experience.

I have, 65" G6 and a 65" A1 OLEDS (Oppo 203), and I sit roughly 6 feet from both. And I am constantly getting the wow experience at that distance. And Valerian in Dolby Vision looks jaw dropping.
Is there no way you can go up in size? The best LCD for 4K UHD currently is the Sony 65" ZD9. That would have been my choice if I were to go the LCD route...
Also settings play a big part. Like a pro calibration is really a must...IMO
Anyway good luck with your set..

 

[bobzilla]

You don't say what TV you have just a Samsung. What is the total nit output in the most accurate picture setting? And I would also say, 7 feet from a 50" set is not really going to give you the night and day difference. Screen is simply too small unless you sit much closer. I would say you need a minimum of 55" and probably with a distance of 5 feet, to get a better experience of 4K..
It's true what they say bigger screen size and set up correctly will give you a superior 4K viewing experience.

I have, 65" G6 and a 65" A1 OLEDS (Oppo 203), and I sit roughly 6 feet from both. And I am constantly getting the wow experience at that distance. And Valerian in Dolby Vision looks jaw dropping.
Is there no way you can go up in size? The best LCD for 4K UHD currently is the Sony 65" ZD9. That would have been my choice if I were to go the LCD route...
Also settings play a big part. Like a pro calibration is really a must...IMO
Anyway good luck with your set..

How do you tell if the 4k disc is in Dolby Vision? You say that Valerian is Dolby Vision, but how can you tell that before you buy the movie? I have this but I can't find the info about Dolby Vision anywhere on the packaging. Also, on my Oppo 203 when I play Revenant in 4K I get a message for a brief second that says "HDR 10", and the PQ is spectacular, but nowhere on the packaging does it say that this is in DHR 10, so how are you supposed to know when buying 4K discs which ones have Dolby Vision and which ones have DHR 10? Is there a master list somewhere that will tell you which 4k releases are in either format?

 

[C.C. 95]

How do you tell if the 4k disc is in Dolby Vision? You say that Valerian is Dolby Vision, but how can you tell that before you buy the movie? I have this but I can't find the info about Dolby Vision anywhere on the packaging. Also, on my Oppo 203 when I play Revenant in 4K I get a message for a brief second that says "HDR 10", and the PQ is spectacular, but nowhere on the packaging does it say that this is in DHR 10, so how are you supposed to know when buying 4K discs which ones have Dolby Vision and which ones have DHR 10? Is there a master list somewhere that will tell you which 4k releases are in either format?

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/columns/the-4k-uhd-release-list
Also, take a look at AVS FORUMS for your particular tv (there should be a thread for owners of your tv) - the users thread should be helpful to determine if your 4K HDR settings are correct.
Example: I own a Sony 75" Z9D - and even my AV installer had no idea that only the HDMI 2 & 3 inputs would pass HDR10 - so somewhere out there is a Z9D owner sending his HDR10 signal from his Oppo into HDMI 1 and not getting HDR10 and he has no idea.
(I did my homework and knew everything about the Z9D before I bought it - so knew about this)
Some of these things are found out in the forums from the users.
There is also a thread on AVS for OPPO 203 owners.
Also: If you get the "wow" factor from "over the cable" 4K - then the issue with 4K blu rays has nothing to do with the size of your set or how far away you are. You obviously see it when you are streaming it. Some 4K blu rays are better than others. Chances are, they "wow" factor you are experiencing is HDR10 or Dolby Vision. That is the real secret sauce. The 4K bump in resolution is nice - but the wide color gamut from HDR10 and DV is the real revolution.
(And yes, there are 4K discs that are SDR and not HDR)
I'm not familiar with 4K Samsung Tvs - But when you get an HDR10 or Dolby Vision signal, there should be a banner on the TV saying so.

 

[earthscope]

How do you tell if the 4k disc is in Dolby Vision? You say that Valerian is Dolby Vision, but how can you tell that before you buy the movie? I have this but I can't find the info about Dolby Vision anywhere on the packaging. Also, on my Oppo 203 when I play Revenant in 4K I get a message for a brief second that says "HDR 10", and the PQ is spectacular, but nowhere on the packaging does it say that this is in DHR 10, so how are you supposed to know when buying 4K discs which ones have Dolby Vision and which ones have DHR 10? Is there a master list somewhere that will tell you which 4k releases are in either format?

Your Samsung TV is not capable of displaying it in DV no Samsung TV's can do this as they do not have the chip installed required by Dolby to do this. It was just an example I gave. But if I choose to watch Valerian in HDR10 by changing the setting on the Oppo 203 to HDR Forced, I can watch it in HDR10 and the picture still looks spectacular to me.
Not all 4K blu rays which have the DV layer will show this on the sleeve of the blu ray. But you can always find out if a certain film has the DV encode by checking out reviews of the disc from certain sites. For you it's irrelevant anyway as your set is not able to show Dolby Vision. And 4K HDR blu rays will have the HDR10 encoded, which your set does and the small banner pops up when the TV receives the HDR10 signal. So with that mode you have no issues at all.
Just look for the banner across the top and in the corner like this;


I also don't agree that size is not important for enjoying the best immersive experience, plus viewing distance, the lighting in your room (important for LCD TV's), and a pro calibration.
With streaming via Netflix for example in 4K HDR10 or DV, the experience can be hit and miss I find and the best way to really experience it is via your Oppo 203 with the full master audio encodes and not the 5.1 DD or subpar Atmos via streaming services.

IF you are not getting the WOW factor from your Oppo then something is wrong in your settings or with the settings on your TV. You need to read some of the owners threads for your set up on AVS Forum, AVForum (UK) for the best answers. As well as going through the owners manuals and checking you have your equipment set up correctly.

 

[bobzilla]

Your Samsung TV is not capable of displaying it in DV no Samsung TV's can do this as they do not have the chip installed required by Dolby to do this. It was just an example I gave. But if I choose to watch Valerian in HDR10 by changing the setting on the Oppo 203 to HDR Forced, I can watch it in HDR10 and the picture still looks spectacular to me.
Not all 4K blu rays which have the DV layer will show this on the sleeve of the blu ray. But you can always find out if a certain film has the DV encode by checking out reviews of the disc from certain sites. For you it's irrelevant anyway as your set is not able to show Dolby Vision. And 4K HDR blu rays will have the HDR10 encoded, which your set does and the small banner pops up when the TV receives the HDR10 signal. So with that mode you have no issues at all.
Just look for the banner across the top and in the corner like this;
View attachment 357580

I also don't agree that size is not important for enjoying the best immersive experience, plus viewing distance, the lighting in your room (important for LCD TV's), and a pro calibration.
With streaming via Netflix for example in 4K HDR10 or DV, the experience can be hit and miss I find and the best way to really experience it is via your Oppo 203 with the full master audio encodes and not the 5.1 DD or subpar Atmos via streaming services.

IF you are not getting the WOW factor from your Oppo then something is wrong in your settings or with the settings on your TV. You need to read some of the owners threads for your set up on AVS Forum, AVForum (UK) for the best answers. As well as going through the owners manuals and checking you have your equipment set up correctly.

Found out that I had the NITS setting way too high, 1600 to be exact. After lowering the Nits down to around 400 I am finally getting the picture I had hoped for.

 

[Macsonic-79]

I have hold off on upgrading to 4K blu-ray Ultra-HD for now. There isn't not much difference in quality compared to 1080p regular blu-ray as movies today are still shot at 2K resolution. I'll probably wait it out and see how things goes.

 

[larson1977]

I have hold off on upgrading to 4K blu-ray Ultra-HD for now. There isn't not much difference in quality compared to 1080p regular blu-ray as movies today are still shot at 2K resolution. I'll probably wait it out and see how things goes.

I do not take NikiTopgaard as serious as you I presume...... But what a BS this guy is squirting around..... Go and see Revenant, Shallows and Planet earth II in UHD/HDR (yep only those 3 should be enough to blow you away!) and get back to us

 

[Macsonic-79]

I do not take NikiTopgaard as serious as you I presume...... But what a BS this guy is squirting around..... Go and see Revenant, Shallows and Planet earth II in UHD/HDR (yep only those 3 should be enough to blow you away!) and get back to us

Thanks for the suggestion. For now I'll wait and see how the 4K tech goes.

 

[dv8mad]

Voted have a few discs, but no hardware yet. Not entirely accurate as I did purchase a 4K TV, I just having nothing to play the few 4K discs I have yet. Hope to get a One X soon to remedy that!

 

[terry44]

Just need to get my dolby atmos speaker set sorted then i will be happy

 

[psychoscot]

When majority of homes have 4K TV

There is more chance of me winning the lottery 6 weeks in a row than that happening. Around 80% of the European public have only just completely settled on full HD sets now. 4K sets have sold less than 3D sets. 4K will absolutely NOT become standard and yes I know this 100% for a fact. Its amazing, I DO have a 4K fully professional calibrated set in my lounge "3D in theatre room" 4K looks amazing, a little too bright and detailed but still stunning. Full 4K adopters = LESS than laserdisc adopers. I can fully understand HMV putting all 3 in an edition, makes perfect sense. 4K fanboys are beyond pathetic, they are going nuts over what is pretty much already a dead format. Every year electronics firms have to push the next big thing, it 's what keeps them in profit. 4K has seen DRASTIC falls in profit plain and simple. And yes for those 4K looser idiot extreme fanboys reading I DO work in the industry and DO have info that you CAN'T see and YES 4K is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE! DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAD! GET OVER IT! you wasted huge amounts of money on nothing but lies! pushed by electronic companies after your money! THEY LIED! 4K is absolutely dead in the water and I OWN a 4K set

 

[paulboland]

There is more chance of me winning the lottery 6 weeks in a row than that happening. Around 80% of the European public have only just completely settled on full HD sets now. 4K sets have sold less than 3D sets. 4K will absolutely NOT become standard and yes I know this 100% for a fact. Its amazing, I DO have a 4K fully professional calibrated set in my lounge "3D in theatre room" 4K looks amazing, a little too bright and detailed but still stunning. Full 4K adopters = LESS than laserdisc adopers. I can fully understand HMV putting all 3 in an edition, makes perfect sense. 4K fanboys are beyond pathetic, they are going nuts over what is pretty much already a dead format. Every year electronics firms have to push the next big thing, it 's what keeps them in profit. 4K has seen DRASTIC falls in profit plain and simple. And yes for those 4K looser idiot extreme fanboys reading I DO work in the indistry and DO have info that you CAN'T see and YES 4K is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE! DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAD! GET OVER IT! you wasted huge amounts of money on nothing but lies! pushed by electronic companies after your money! THEY LIED! 4K is absolutely dead in the water and I OWN a 4K set

I talking about next 3-5 years in terms of more homes having 4K TV

This summer will see increase in purchases of new tv's which most been 4K
Sport Events
World Cup and Olympic Games create a lot of purchases of new TV's

2018 World Cup
2020 Olympic Games

8K Tv's will be available for 2020 Olympic Games with the Olympic Games broadcast in 8K

4K Blu-ray UHD players will by 2020 have increased sales as by 2020 lot more customers will have 4K TV

By 2020 a lot of TV's that was purchased 2010-2015 will be replaced with new Tv's
They are designed to stop working or have issues after a few years they won't admit to this officially

 

[psychoscot]

I talking about next 3-5 years in terms of more homes having 4K TV

This summer will see increase in purchases of new tv's which most been 4K
Sport Events
World Cup and Olympic Games create a lot of purchases of new TV's

2018 World Cup
2020 Olympic Games

8K Tv's will be available for 2020 Olympic Games with the Olympic Games broadcast in 8K

4K Blu-ray UHD players will by 2020 have increased sales as by 2020 lot more customers will have 4K TV

By 2020 a lot of TV's that was purchased 2010-2015 will be replaced with new Tv's

by 2020, 4K will be gone completely as far as electronics companies go, they are already slowing down now. Laserdisc had a longer better life span than 4K did!

 

[paulboland]

by 2020, 4K will be gone completely as far as electronics companies go, they are already slowing down now. Laserdisc had a longer better life span than 4K did!

What TV's do you think will be purchased from 2020 and later years it won't be TV panels from 2010-2018

 

[BluSteel2012]

What TV's do you think will be purchased from 2020 and later years it won't be TV panels from 2010-2018

I bet it will depend on what technology James Cameron comes up with for this new glasses-less 3D he's pioneering for his new Avatar movies.

Just like it paved the way for original 3D sets for the first movie......