Will the satellite/cable industry influence 4k Blu-ray? - Blu-ray Forum

ADWyatt · 03-09-2016, 08:12 PM

At least as far as I'm aware, I've seen every type of 4k material that I'm able to view in my geographical area. Sources include DirecTV, Netflix, various other streaming 4k sources, YouTube and 4k Blu-ray disc. At least from a layman's point-of-view, I'm just about as experienced and knowledgeable as the average person could be on the subject of 4k. With that in mind, I'm wondering how the satellite/cable industry might ultimately influence disc technology, if at all.

I currently own 12 4k Blu-ray discs, and they range in display quality from barely fair to really stunning, at least in terms of what the celluloid-style movie look can give. But the best of these cannot hope to compare to the 4k display quality of DirecTV's IMAX documentaries, which are downloaded into the main receiver and then played back through the 4k mini-Genie. I'll admit that I don't really know what type of material IMAX is using, whether it's a large film source or 4k digital, but these types of productions aren't hindered by having to produce the Hollywood-style celluloid look, which can diminish detail. And so they're more impressive than any 4k movie I've ever seen, and by a wide margin. And the kicker is that they're all quite interesting and absolutely free to download.

And that brings me to satellite/cable 4k movies, and not the IMAX documentaries. How might their quality compare to 4k discs, and how could that ultimately impact disc delivery? I won't spend $10 to rent out a 4k movie from DirecTV; to me that's just too much money. And so I can't judge the picture quality, but what if it's comparable to the IMAX features? I doubt that it is, but if so, the BDA is really going to have to put pressure on studios to make sure customers get their money's worth from rather expensive discs.

Disagree with me if you wish, but I don't think HDR and 10-bit color are going to tip the scales for discs if the basic picture quality doesn't have that Wow! look. And from what I've seen and read about, I have to wonder if studios are really trying very hard to give us our money's worth. Yes, there's 'Mad Max', but there are also movies like 'Wild' and 'Salt', which are anything but impressive.

My opinion is that the satellite/cable industry will indeed have a big impact on the future of disc technology, and force studios to redouble their efforts to produce stellar movies that really show off the best that 4k discs can offer. Until then, it's largely a hit-and-miss affair. For $30 a pop, we deserve better.

But this is only my opinion. Please feel free to give your thoughts on the matter as well. You may be able to add more information on this subject than I can.

03-09-2016, 08:12 PM	#1
ADWyatt Active Member Member since:Jan 2007	Will the satellite/cable industry influence 4k Blu-ray? At least as far as I'm aware, I've seen every type of 4k material that I'm able to view in my geographical area. Sources include DirecTV, Netflix, various other streaming 4k sources, YouTube and 4k Blu-ray disc. At least from a layman's point-of-view, I'm just about as experienced and knowledgeable as the average person could be on the subject of 4k. With that in mind, I'm wondering how the satellite/cable industry might ultimately influence disc technology, if at all. I currently own 12 4k Blu-ray discs, and they range in display quality from barely fair to really stunning, at least in terms of what the celluloid-style movie look can give. But the best of these cannot hope to compare to the 4k display quality of DirecTV's IMAX documentaries, which are downloaded into the main receiver and then played back through the 4k mini-Genie. I'll admit that I don't really know what type of material IMAX is using, whether it's a large film source or 4k digital, but these types of productions aren't hindered by having to produce the Hollywood-style celluloid look, which can diminish detail. And so they're more impressive than any 4k movie I've ever seen, and by a wide margin. And the kicker is that they're all quite interesting and absolutely free to download. And that brings me to satellite/cable 4k movies, and not the IMAX documentaries. How might their quality compare to 4k discs, and how could that ultimately impact disc delivery? I won't spend $10 to rent out a 4k movie from DirecTV; to me that's just too much money. And so I can't judge the picture quality, but what if it's comparable to the IMAX features? I doubt that it is, but if so, the BDA is really going to have to put pressure on studios to make sure customers get their money's worth from rather expensive discs. Disagree with me if you wish, but I don't think HDR and 10-bit color are going to tip the scales for discs if the basic picture quality doesn't have that Wow! look. And from what I've seen and read about, I have to wonder if studios are really trying very hard to give us our money's worth. Yes, there's 'Mad Max', but there are also movies like 'Wild' and 'Salt', which are anything but impressive. My opinion is that the satellite/cable industry will indeed have a big impact on the future of disc technology, and force studios to redouble their efforts to produce stellar movies that really show off the best that 4k discs can offer. Until then, it's largely a hit-and-miss affair. For $30 a pop, we deserve better. But this is only my opinion. Please feel free to give your thoughts on the matter as well. You may be able to add more information on this subject than I can.

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