4K Blu-ray Confirmed, Coming in

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

I had a hunch CES 2016 would end up being UHD Blu-ray's formal launching pad. Since the BDA is still polishing the specs. I just don't see how everything would be ready to go this year.

Agreed, I really didn't think anything would launch this year. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me to see anything released until summer of 2016.

[Kirsty_Mc]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

Agreed, I really didn't think anything would launch this year. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me to see anything released until summer of 2016.

If this is the case, then I really suspect that UHD Blu-Ray will be in serious danger of completely missing the boat. Before that, even ardent supporters may drift towards alternative providers. Sort of: line the crosshairs up on your foot and pull the trigger!!!

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by 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.

Yes, it’s difficult to believe that one single HDR scheme will prove best for both live broadcast and Ultra HD Blu-ray movies…if only because of the inherent differences between real time (broadcast) and non real time (post produced movie content). For instance, due to the need for more pre-processing and higher latency, I can’t see Dolby Vision being as practical as a single layer approach for broadcasting something like a live basketball, football or soccer match.

In regards to movies and Ultra HD Blu-ray though, I think it’s fabulous to have a mandatory open signaling system for HDR as well as allowing for optional HDR schemes. Whichever scheme, connected in the chain to one’s display device (be it LCD or OLED), as they say, let the best man win…with the judges being consumers’ eyes as to the best quality scheme/display combo.

P.S.
Word of caution though to those with a lot of money burning a hole in their pockets, if one’s idea of the HDR Holy Grail be Dolby Vision and a 4K LG OLED tv, well, the 2015 LG OLEDs don’t support DV and I believe won’t be able to do so through any software upgrade.

Meanwhile, also not DV, but first 4K tv review I’ve read in which the author addresses the quality of HDR content (supplied on a stick from Samsung), scroll down to ‘HDR’….http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/ue65j...1502234012.htm

But readers shouldn’t be surprised by all this, as we’ve been discussing the particular ingredients of the UHD recipe for next gen video for over 2 years, long before it became fashionable, e.g.

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

The technological merits of current 4K displays completely aside, for the time being, I see the adoption of 4K tv in the home being largely dependent upon how robustly it is marketed (like 1080p was to 720p displays) and phased in by the consumer electronics industry and the 4K media providers. Now, what will provide a big impetus or push for mainstream usage, or ubiquity, will be when Joe6Pack can clearly notice dramatic advantage of 4K displays (of any size) from well beyond a 2PH viewing distance. That should come when increased color bit depth, HDR and HFR are added to the 4K recipe. We’ve already discussed the former (color) on previous pages here.

As to the middle factor, that’s quite a complex subject which I would have to postpone discussing for another day when I have much more time. Suffice to say that HDR is on the far horizon but, is of great significance since current displays come nowhere near to that of approaching the dynamic range of the human visual system, so HDR will not be on the order of a marginal change, but rather, a marked, almost revolutionary change to improvement of the viewing experience…..once the scientists/engineers can get it *to work*. But they are working on it, esp. those from Dolby…
http://conferences.smpte.org/content.../1.17.abstract
http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=2077451.2077484

As for the last factor (HFR), or essentially increasing the temporal resolution, the industry already has the capable cameras. And producing 4K HFR capable displays won’t be a huge hurdle, more like the next small obstacle; however, the big hole is the distribution chain between the camera and the display. Intelligent minds at Sony and Panasonic are working on that production infrastructure as we speak.

But the bottom line is that they’ll come a day that even the most skeptical of 4K critics, like apparently Mr. Zitter, will look back upon the introduction and sales of initial consumer 4K tv’s as being, at the very least, a necessary prerequisite stepping stone in the progression towards a more optimal home-viewing experience with digital displays.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by AudioWarrior

4k Blu-rays coming later then expected, or Panasonic coming late in the game?


http://www.whathifi.com/news/panason...er-spring-2016

The way it sounds in that article is that the delay is more due to having content providers on board (or at least on the same page) more than having the final tweaks on the specs.

[AudioWarrior]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

The way it sounds in that article is that the delay is more due to having content providers on board (or at least on the same page) more than having the final tweaks on the specs.

I'm just worried the fact that Sony is backing out the A/V industry if it will have any significant impact on 4k Blu-ray development? Most likely because of this, 4k Blu-ray won't make the end of the year release schedule

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by AudioWarrior

I'm just worried the fact that Sony is backing out the A/V industry if it will have any significant impact on 4k Blu-ray development? Most likely because of this, 4k Blu-ray won't make the end of the year release schedule

Sony needs to concentrate on what they do best and that is broadcast and professional electronics. They need to remove themselves from razor thin margin products (TV's, AVR's, DVD players, etc.). They should still be very involved with UHD BD on the professional side (UHD/4K hardware, software, disc replication, etc.). They probably make more profit from the sale of one HDC-2000W camera than they make from a boatload of LCD TV's.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by AudioWarrior

I'm just worried the fact that Sony is backing out the A/V industry if it will have any significant impact on 4k Blu-ray development? Most likely because of this, 4k Blu-ray won't make the end of the year release schedule

I didn't know Sony was backing out of the A/V industry. I recently bought some rather expensive Sony products, and the FMP-X10 depends on both firmware and content updates. It would suck to see them lose interest in it.

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

I didn't know Sony was backing out of the A/V industry. I recently bought some rather expensive Sony products, and the FMP-X10 depends on both firmware and content updates. It would suck to see them lose interest in it.

They are spinning off parts of the company, there will be sony AV equipment for years to come including UHD bluray spinners

[JoeDeM]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

I didn't know Sony was backing out of the A/V industry. I recently bought some rather expensive Sony products, and the FMP-X10 depends on both firmware and content updates. It would suck to see them lose interest in it.

so far no, but they aren't ruling it out.

Originally Posted by Reuters

Both Hirai and Yoshida have been honing Sony's focus on niche markets where sales have been strong, such as the PlayStation videogame network and the camera image sensors, while cutting back on loss-making products such as TVs and smartphones.

As well as Sony's plans to further grow these businesses, investors are hoping to hear more details on its how it intends to cut losses in smartphones, a business that has struggled to compete with cheaper Chinese rivals.

Yoshida, who also became chief financial officer last April, said this month that there were no "sacred" businesses. Some investors and analysts are speculating that Sony may gradually exit from mobile phones if sales continue to fall.

Sony has already spun off its TV operations and announced thousands of job cuts in an attempt to shake off losses.

full text here
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0VS10Q20150218

[bruceames]

So Sony is no longer making TVs?

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

So Sony is no longer making TVs?

They are, but Sony Tv division is a separate company basically

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

Sony needs to concentrate on what they do best and that is broadcast and professional electronics. They need to remove themselves from razor thin margin products (TV's, AVR's, DVD players, etc.). They should still be very involved with UHD BD on the professional side (UHD/4K hardware, software, disc replication, etc.). They probably make more profit from the sale of one HDC-2000W camera than they make from a boatload of LCD TV's.

This month, the Trimaster line-up was ‘officially’ expanded with a new Top Gun….http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-o...vmx300:bvmx300

Incidentally, since I’m keen on color space (color science) and nits… as first previewed here on Blu-ray.com

Zee gauntlet has been thrown down…. And I await the challenge from Dolby with a commercial 4K HDR capable professional mastering monitor come April at the Show.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by dvdmike

separate

Where's Geoff? Is he still in the dog house?

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

I didn't know Sony was backing out of the A/V industry. I recently bought some rather expensive Sony products, and the FMP-X10 depends on both firmware and content updates. It would suck to see them lose interest in it.

IMO, they will retain profitable products (high end LCD, UHD/4K, ES lines, etc.) in the separate division.

[Tech-UK]

We need the Geoffmyster back!

I miss his southern wit.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

This month, the Trimaster line-up was ‘officially’ expanded with a new Top Gun….

Be interesting to see what the BVM-X300 goes for. The PVM-X300 can be had for around $18,000.

FWIW to anyone: In 2000 - 2001 range, we paid (MPB) about $20,000 each for 20" CRT Sony HD monitors with 1 component and 2 HD-SDI inputs.

[AudioWarrior]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

So Sony is no longer making TVs?

I don't know if they'll stop making TV's in the near future, but I do know they're killing their movie division when they hired this guy



Who gave us awesome movies like:

Daredevil
Fantastic Four
X-Men 3
AVP
Die Hard 4
A Good Day to Die Hard

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by AudioWarrior

I don't know if they'll stop making TV's in the near future, but I do know they're killing their movie division when they hired this guy



Who gave us awesome movies like:

Daredevil
Fantastic Four
X-Men 3
AVP
Die Hard 4
A Good Day to Die Hard

Wow. Just wow. Sony ought to sell Columbia Pictures while they're at it. Maybe someone else will get it for a song once that joker is done with them.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Tech-UK

We need the Geoffmyster back!

I miss his southern wit.

Didn't know there was such a thing?!

(Spoken like a true northern guy!)

[raygendreau]

Worth waiting for? By the time these get to the U.S. at a reasonable price......

"LG's 77EC9800 (in Korea it is 77EG9700) is a 77" curved UHD (4K, 3840x2160) OLED TV. This TV was first unveiled at the IFA 2013 exhibition. Features include LG's Color Refiner that results in superior color consistency and balance, High Dynamic Range (HDR), passive 3D FPR, LG's Tru-ULTRA HD Engine Pro that can upscale resolutions from SD to 4K and Motion Estimation Motion Compensation (MEMC). The TV also includes LG's newest Smart-TV platform.

The 77EC9800 can decode broadcast signals in both H.264 and HEVC H.265 formats, at 30p or 60p. A built-in decoder can be used to display Ultra HD content from external devices connected via the TV's HDMI, USB or LAN ports."

http://www.oled-info.com/lg-77ec9800