4k Blu-rays on a 1080p TV?

[Musashi]

Hope this is the correct forum for this kind of question.

My main theater is using a 2009 Plasma TV. When possible, I get my movies on 4k: They come with regular blu-rays 99% of the time anyway, plus my smaller side TV in the kitchen is 4k.

In the main theater, I've been using a PS3 to play blu-rays, but I'm expecting to add a PS5 to the room sometime before year's end. When that happens: are there visual advantages to watching 4k discs on my 1080p plasma TV?

[Edward R. Meow]

Depends on the title, but I would go with the standard blu-ray is most instances. Trying to force HDR content through a SDR TV will cause the movie to look much darker than its supposed to.

And while there are a few SDR 4k discs out there, they're quite scare.

It is worth noting that there's a small handful of alternative cuts of films that only appear on a 4K disc, such as Rocky v Drago. So if you're stuck with a 1080 tv, your only option (save digital) is to do what you've described. The movie will definitely look off though.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

My advice here is likely of minimal help, but...

I also have a plasma TV. I got that last higher end plasma that Samsung released right before the technology was discontinued.

Then a few years ago, my main Blu-Ray player that I used with it died. While I had other players and game systems that would do the job, I still wanted to specifically replace the one that died.

I had been collecting 4K / Blu-Ray combo packs since the format launched, knowing that eventually at some point I'd end up replacing this TV when it dies out (hasn't happened yet, but it's a matter of when, no if).

I figured it would be a good opportunity to get a 4K player since I had those discs and wanted to get a player with solid quality.


In doing some searching here (I may have even started a thread, I forget offhand), it turns out that Panasonic players at the time were a solid option for this. Converting HDR to SDR does have some odd effects, but the Panasonic players at the time (and I assume now, though I haven't really looked into it) had options to adjust the HDR output in a way that most other players don't, which would help balance out these effects.

I'd have to look up the exact model of player that I got (I don't think they make that exact model anymore - I got it in 2018), but the standard price at the time was about $600, with it periodically going on sale for $450 at Best Buy. I got it during one of those sales. They probably don't make this exact same model, but there a few options from Panasonic of varying prices. They might be worth researching, especially if they still offer the ability to adjust the HDR. If I am not mistaken, the Panasonic players are also known for pretty reliable playback, while some other players sometimes have more issues with 4K discs (if I recall correctly from things I've casually read on here - I haven't been in the market for a new player since this one, so I haven't really been paying super close attention to these details).

I honestly only tried using 4K discs in it a handful of time right after getting it. The adjustments of the HDR did seem to help mitigate the issues. Though from what I recall, it didn't fully eliminate them. It is something that I've been meaning to mess around with again, especially with there being some movies now getting editions that either don't include a Blu-Ray disc and/or have cuts, features, etc. that are not available on a regular Blu-Ray.

That being said, one of the great things about this player has been the picture quality with regular Blu-Rays and even DVDs. I noticed a pretty nice uptick in picture quality/upscaling compared to the previous player we had been using or most any game console. Even my wife noticed the difference, and she is less apt to notice it than I am. And it has really solid build quality. It cost more than an "average" player, but it was worth it IMO.

We noticed the difference in Blu-Ray right away (we were in the middle of rewatching the MCU movies leading up to the release of Infinity War).

Then one time not long after we got the player, my wife, who works at a library (which carries movies that people can check out at no cost, mostly on DVD) brought home a movie we had been interested in watching. I was really impressed with how well it upscaled. While I would never opt to buy a movie on DVD that I can get on Blu-Ray or 4K, and while this was not a match for a Blu-Ray or 4K quality picture, the upscaling was so good that if I walked into the room with the movie already playing, and wasn't already aware it was a DVD, I wouldn't have known better. It didn't have the soft look that I was used to when watching DVDs on the previous player.


So if you are in the market for one and the cost isn't too much of an issue, you might look into getting a similar player. Even if you don't end up liking the end results of the HDR to SDR conversion options, there are still other benefits.

[avexhype]

provide aspect ratio. I mean display type.

[Canadian_Thunder]

Often the included regular blu-ray is a very old scan.

[chip75]

Unless the PS5 has some kind of Dynamic Range adjustment for HDR to SDR conversion, your results will vary. It will all depend on how each disc is mastered.

Like the other chap mentioned, the Panasonic does have adjustment options, but results will vary. So you'll end up watching the 4K disc, fiddling around, and then decide if you want to switch to the Blu-ray.

But if you have a Panasonic player and a room with zero light pollution, and you're watching SDR Blu-rays at 100 nits, fiddling around might get decent results.

[Socko]

Originally Posted by chip75

Unless the PS5 has some kind of Dynamic Range adjustment for HDR to SDR conversion, your results will vary. It will all depend on how each disc is mastered.

Indeed

I've a 4k TV downstairs and just recently got a PS5
In my cinema room I've a good ol' 1080p projector and the Sony UBP-X700.
The latter has a HDR -> SDR conversion with 5 settings.

It all depends on the discs. Most 4k Universal Studios discs have the tendency to look awful when there's a dark scene. Somehow the gradient from light to black doesn't quite work well.

Some of my Warner titles like Aquaman look way too bright and in my opinion unwatchable.

Sony titles always look good actually. Not sure what they are cooking underneath, but those discs look good.

[cascade 15]

Originally Posted by Musashi

Hope this is the correct forum for this kind of question.

My main theater is using a 2009 Plasma TV. When possible, I get my movies on 4k: They come with regular blu-rays 99% of the time anyway, plus my smaller side TV in the kitchen is 4k.

In the main theater, I've been using a PS3 to play blu-rays, but I'm expecting to add a PS5 to the room sometime before year's end. When that happens: are there visual advantages to watching 4k discs on my 1080p plasma TV?

No, unless you didn't have a 4K display.

[peschi]

yeah if Im watching on a 1080p display the bluray always is preferable over the UHD disc because of the hdr -> sdr conversion problems.

[SlaughterX]

How do you have a 4k TV in your... kitchen, and still rocking an old 1080p as the main set? Upgrade that TV, come to the OLED side.

[Musashi]

Originally Posted by SlaughterX

How do you have a 4k TV in your... kitchen, and still rocking an old 1080p as the main set? Upgrade that TV, come to the OLED side.

Kitchen one is newer, and smaller. I got it when I moved and no longer had a kitchen and theater in the same room. I made a point for the kitchen TV to be as big as I could get it but have it still fit in my car so I can bring it places; I often host video game stations. Thus, I got a 4k.

The 2009 Plasma TV still works so I see no need to change it out. Plus its bigger (65 vs 49). My practice is to use my items until they're no longer functional. It's better on the bank account.

[cochon]

Originally Posted by Musashi

Hope this is the correct forum for this kind of question.

My main theater is using a 2009 Plasma TV. When possible, I get my movies on 4k: They come with regular blu-rays 99% of the time anyway, plus my smaller side TV in the kitchen is 4k.

In the main theater, I've been using a PS3 to play blu-rays, but I'm expecting to add a PS5 to the room sometime before year's end. When that happens: are there visual advantages to watching 4k discs on my 1080p plasma TV?

There are for me, I've been using 4k discs with my HD projectors and I certainly prefer always the 4k. There are a couple of cases where the conversion to SDR is really bad and causes problems. WIth my Sony UBP800 I find that if I force Dolby vision on regardless of the 4k disc, most problems go away.
If your TV is not huge it might reduce any advantages. TVs have dropped so much in price that If I were you I would upgrade it. I don't follow my advice on the projector because something that I would find satisfying would have one too many digits in the price tag. Also since you are going to have the equipment anyway, try for yourself and then you can decide.

[Musashi]

Originally Posted by SlaughterX

How do you have a 4k TV in your... kitchen, and still rocking an old 1080p as the main set? Upgrade that TV, come to the OLED side.

Although...

Hypothetically speaking, if I were to change out the plasma TV for some kind of 4k, what would the best choice be someone who plays games and likes having high contrast / strong black levels per the selling point of plasmas back when I got mine in 2009? RTings seems to be suggesting the Samsung S90C.

[Rottweiler30]

Originally Posted by Musashi

Although...

Hypothetically speaking, if I were to change out the plasma TV for some kind of 4k, what would the best choice be someone who plays games and likes having high contrast / strong black levels per the selling point of plasmas back when I got mine in 2009? RTings seems to be suggesting the Samsung S90C.

Before you swap your plasma for a Oled or Led bear in mind you will have the choice between having stutter on panning shots or motion interpolation.

Just wanted to be honest with you because you wont hear much about this on here as people are now only concerned about screen size and brightness.

[Musashi]

Originally Posted by Rottweiler30

Before you swap your plasma for a Oled or Led bear in mind you will have the choice between having stutter on panning shots or motion interpolation.

Just wanted to be honest with you because you wont hear much about this on here as people are now only concerned about screen size and brightness.

I wonder if I could see it live somewhere so I can get an idea of if its that bad or not.

I'm likely just gonna use the Plasma TV until it's no longer functional, but I gotta think ahead a little, and be ready to cash in my $2,100 worth of Best Buy points if I suddenly have to.

[CatBus]

FWIW, I watch 4K discs at 1080p and it's usually better than the 1080p disc, although sometimes it's a pretty marginal difference.

The concerns about tonemapping are real -- YMMV a lot, depending on the player. Mine isn't perfect, but it works out more often than not (Oppo 203). Here are the things you'll notice.

1) Better masters. In many cases, the 1080p is a totally different and often f--ed up master. There is no way on God's green earth I'd watch the 1080p disc of Big Lebowski, but the 4K is lovely, and on my set at least it scales down nicely. Play it side-by-side with the 1080p and the difference is obvious. Mostly because the 1080p disc is terrible. There are actually a number of titles like this. There are also a handful where the 1080p disc is better (In the Mood For Love). In summary: better masters generally look better, and usually when there's a difference, the UHD is the better one.

2) Better compression. Generally, you won't see compression artifacts on UHD discs at all when they're played back at 1080p. I'm sure there are exceptions. But generally the artifacts that exist are so small that they get swallowed up in the downscale.

I always start buying next-gen media long before I have a display with matching resolution. I used to watch Blu-rays on my SD CRT (they looked like perfect-quality, artifact-free DVDs). So when I finally upgraded to HD, my collection was pre-upgraded. Saved me a number of double-dips. I expect I'll have a great time re-watching my old UHDs in 4K some day.

[meremortal]

Mastering and compression is a good point. One of my tvs is a non-hd CRT and blus look pretty solid despite sd resolution because of the mastering and compression. Agree with the above that they look like pristine dvds. And dvds watched on a 1080p or higher resolution tv can look very close to hd. But with uhd, that's an interesting complexity with the lack of hdr.

[deatheats]

I ran with a similar setup prior to getting a 4k TV and found the Panasonic 820 to do a decent job converting hdr to sdr. Sure it's not perfect, but probably the best player for this particular task.

[EinCB128]

I watched 4K films on a 1080p Sony Bravia TV and they all looked very good to me, with the exception of Michael Mann's Heat.

I used a Sony UBP-X700 for enabling HDR or Dolby Vision.

No complaints.

[stvn1974]

My cat destroyed my Sony 4K TV a few months back and I have been rocking a 43 inch Sony 1080p set with Sony and Samusung 4K UHD players hooked up to the receiver. The only films that give me problems are Disney UHD, they are really dark so I just watch the BDs for now. Luckily Disney doesn't put out much that I want to own anyway. Anyway I am getting 55 Samsung Qled from Santa, just got keep the fat furball away from it.