4K Blu-ray Confirmed, Coming in

[Richard Paul]

The optional HDR systems could deliver better video quality since they would allow for a higher bit depth (12-bit or more). Whether the optional HDR systems will stick around will depend on how much of an improvement they provide and how many movies and players support them. In the long term I wouldn't be surprised if we end up with a HDR system for movies, two or three different HDR systems for broadcast, and a HDR system for computers.

[Penton-Man]

It’s (HDR/WCG/4K rez) the beginning of some exciting times for the AV enthusiast (not prejudiced by emotional or personal financial investment in inferior technology)….

The Best TVs of CES 2015: 4K, Ultra HD, OLED, LED, HDR, Smart TV and more - YouTube

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by bailey1987

According to advanced television.com the bda has finalised the HDR technology that will be used apparently there going for all three.

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has agreed a batch of standards for ‘next generation’ Ultra-HD Blu-ray discs. The news, reported by trade magazine Large Display Monitor, says that the BDA will support three High Dynamic Range (HDR) technologies, including Dolby Vision, and the HDR on offer from Philips and a joint-suggestion from Technicolor that’s part of the MPEG/SMPTE proposals.

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

As to what remains inaccurate, well, for one thing, the author should investigate who all the members were (and what organizations they represented) in Study Group 6 and Working Party 6C with regards to his “EBU’s Recommendation 2020”.

And now to further address other inaccurate portrayals of the situation regarding the workings and progress of the technical group tasked with Ultra HD Blu-ray…http://mesalliance.org/blog/uncatego...still-in-flux/

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

And now to further address other inaccurate portrayals of the situation regarding the workings and progress of the technical group tasked with Ultra HD Blu-ray…http://mesalliance.org/blog/uncatego...still-in-flux/

I am now truly doubting there will be a major roll out of players and discs in 2015... more like a pinky toe in the water kind of approach with more movement in 2016.

There's not enough lead time between final spec. ratification, creating packaging standards, encoding and mastering compliant studio content, stamping discs, etc. to get a bunch of product out the door for the holiday rush.

[GenPion]

I hope we see a decent roll-out in December. I agree that there won't be AS huge of a wave initially though. We'll see a lot more in 2016.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by GenPion

I hope we see a decent roll-out in December. I agree that there won't be AS huge of a wave initially though. We'll see a lot more in 2016.

I'm just thinking of the lead time that regular Blu-ray titles need and it's years after the format's debut. The BDA keeps saying there are still things to iron out.

The studios usually start prepping for fall/winter video releases about... now.

[KRW1]

Are we going to start a book on films which will be part of the first wave, or the first miserable 6 titles? There has to be something like You Don't Mess With The Zohan in there.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

I am now truly doubting there will be a major roll out of players and discs in 2015... more like a pinky toe in the water kind of approach with more movement in 2016.

There's not enough lead time between final spec. ratification, creating packaging standards, encoding and mastering compliant studio content, stamping discs, etc. to get a bunch of product out the door for the holiday rush.

Another consideration…for those of us who were around in ’06 in one way – https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=256671

or another - https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=4988

you’ve got to remember that with the 8bit Rec. 709 SDR Blu-ray movie launch, the number of released titles wasn’t exactly overwhelming. And now of course flash forward 9-10 years, you’ve got more concerted effort going into alternative ways of delivering movies. I mean, for example, at the last HPA Tech Retreat, the panel “Shift Happens – Getting [It] There” which is included in the link which Richard kindly posted in Day 1 – https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...1#post10412190 (and although I’m sure Adam was transcribing as fast as possible),

I can tell you the tone of the panel was essentially a discussion about the shift from DVD and Blu-ray to streaming of video content. The optical disc segment these days is indeed challenged, even at the basic level – http://www.hughsnews.ca/singulus-rep...alters-0049366 and content creators/providers don’t see it as a growth area.

So, I think home theater enthusiasts for improving video quality can be appreciative that we’ll at least be getting something, sometime on physical media from the studios in these challenged times where consumers are inclined to convenience.

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

I am now truly doubting there will be a major roll out of players and discs in 2015... more like a pinky toe in the water kind of approach with more movement in 2016.

isn't that always the case? the fact that it is end of 2015 should make it more obvious, but there is never a "major roll out" depending on what you mean by that.

There's not enough lead time between final spec. ratification, creating packaging standards, encoding and mastering compliant studio content, stamping discs, etc. to get a bunch of product out the door for the holiday rush.

For the players you might have a bit of a point, but not for content. A studio can definitely take enough stuff for granted (especially with the first releases) to make it a none issue. What I mean is that the first BDs were mpeg2 and lpcm/DD, these were tools that would obviously be in spec and easily available so no one needed the full specs for them. The same here at minimum the resolution is known, the old codecs are supported (both audio and video) and disk size 50 is known while 66 can be taken for granted (while 100GB might be questionable right now even if it is in the specs)

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

...you’ve got to remember that with the 8bit Rec. 709 SDR Blu-ray movie launch, the number of released titles wasn’t exactly overwhelming. And now of course flash forward 9-10 years, you’ve got more concerted effort going into alternative ways of delivering movies. I mean, for example, at the last HPA Tech Retreat, the panel “Shift Happens – Getting [It] There” which is included in the link which Richard kindly posted in Day 1 – https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...1#post10412190 (and although I’m sure Adam was transcribing as fast as possible),

I can tell you the tone of the panel was essentially a discussion about the shift from DVD and Blu-ray to streaming of video content. The optical disc segment these days is indeed challenged, even at the basic level – http://www.hughsnews.ca/singulus-rep...alters-0049366 and content creators/providers don’t see it as a growth area.

And most readers I assume know of/recall who Singulus Tech is given their major Press announcement in 2013….http://www.singulus.com/en/press-new...ay-disc/7.html

Which this website - https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=12140 as well as others (engadget, cnet, etc.) reported on the replication news a couple days after the press release.

Given all the challenges, I find this motto soothing to my mind. (I can flip it later on for those unable to do so, or unable to read upside down like ‘Dog’ )

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

And most readers I assume know of/recall who Singulus Tech is given their major Press announcement in 2013….http://www.singulus.com/en/press-new...ay-disc/7.html

Which this website - https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=12140 as well as others (engadget, cnet, etc.) reported on the replication news a couple days after the press release.

Given all the challenges, I find this motto soothing to my mind. (I can flip it later on for those unable to do so, or unable to read upside down like ‘Dog’ )

not sure if "while 100GB might be questionable right now even if it is in the specs" influenced you in making that post.

I was not trying to imply that 100GB is sci-fi but that studios can have already stocked up on 4K BDs using existing BD standards (except for the resolution) and it will work on the 4k players. The BDA is not going to brake anything, it will just add to the specs and so a studio does not need to use all of what it will add and need to wait for final specs to start working on titles. Now obviously if enough of those 100GB lines are out already all the better, but if not, it is not the end of the world the same way that it was not the end of the world when we had to wait for the end of 2006 for 50GB disks.

[vargo]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

And most readers I assume know of/recall who Singulus Tech is given their major Press announcement in 2013….http://www.singulus.com/en/press-new...ay-disc/7.html

Which this website - https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=12140 as well as others (engadget, cnet, etc.) reported on the replication news a couple days after the press release.

The Blueline III was also discussed here :
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=227676

According to some it was already shipping in Sep '13 so there must be tonnes of them out there by now. Anybody considering a Blueline II was apparently buying IIIs instead for futureproofing. Anybody know how many have shipped as of today?

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Anthony P

not sure if "while 100GB might be questionable right now even if it is in the specs" influenced you in making that post.

Nope it didn’t. Just following up on my previous post (#1688) with additional background information on Singulus. For I often just don’t have the time to type out everything I’d like to in one visit to the forum, so I have to make addendum-like sequential postings the next time I get a chance to log in. I hope readers don’t mind that practice, but my professional and personal life always takes precedence.

I did the same kind of thing with Steven Soderbergh on the last couple pages of the 4K Movies Releases thread.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by vargo

...Anybody know how many have shipped as of today?

All I can relate to you is that the Sony DADC people at HPA Tech retreat spoke not a word about BD replication systems, be they II or III.

[Richard Paul]

The recent version of the HEVC proposal from Movielabs includes some BDA slides about Ultra HD Blu-ray. Most of the information came out last month but it includes a bit more information about the metadata.

[GenPion]

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

I'm just thinking of the lead time that regular Blu-ray titles need and it's years after the format's debut. The BDA keeps saying there are still things to iron out.

The studios usually start prepping for fall/winter video releases about... now.

At the minimum, I expect a wave roll-out from Sony. Some other studios might join in... but with how many titles? I think all of us are unsure of that.

They aren't going to just magically release everything one could possibly hope for on 4K Blu-ray all at once. As with any format, it will start somewhere and then grow.

[Esox50]

CES told us all we needed to know that this is a non-starter with minimal impact for 2015. Compare this past show to CES shows when DVD and HD-DVD/Blu-ray were launching and you'll see what I mean.

[jono3000]

Originally Posted by Esox50

CES told us all we needed to know that this is a non-starter with minimal impact for 2015. Compare this past show to CES shows when DVD and HD-DVD/Blu-ray were launching and you'll see what I mean.

Link: https://www.blu-ray.com/ces2006/
Makes interesting reading. I believe at that point the spec had already been finalised and licensing had begun for a launch that summer.
If the UHDBD licensing begins early summer I would still expect the first player and titles by the end of the year.

[Esox50]

Exactly. A few players and a token handful of titles = non-starter for 2015.

I also don't sense much enthusiasm from the studios thus far.

Let's hope that while 2016 seems to be the key year, LG gets their act together with OLED in the meantime.

[JoeDeM]

Originally Posted by jono3000

Link: https://www.blu-ray.com/ces2006/
Makes interesting reading. I believe at that point the spec had already been finalised and licensing had begun for a launch that summer.
If the UHDBD licensing begins early summer I would still expect the first player and titles by the end of the year.

From a product design view, unless they have silicon ready to go it's not going to happen, or it will be a player without all the specs implemented.