4K Blu-ray Confirmed, Coming in

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I can't wait until the 4K BD + 3D BD + 2D BD + DVD + UV combos are released. If they call 4K BD 'Ultra Blu-ray' then they can call the packs 'Ultra Combos'. I just hope Nintendo haven't trademarked that phrase.

You betray your age, sir. I could only pull off that feat with Thunder on the SNES.

[Lentulus Batiatus]

Originally Posted by GenPion

They keep pressing DVD's because a lot of people still buy them (and in higher numbers than Blu-ray). Even if there is a decline. As much as those of us on Blu-ray.com would like for the format to be even more widely accepted by consumers, including 3D Blu-ray, there are a lot of people who just don't care. Some of it is due to a poor marketing campaign from the studios and retailers and some of it is just that people don't see a point at all.

It is kind of ridiculous how we now have Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD, Digital Copy (Flixster UV, Amazon, Vudu, iTunes, etc.), Streaming Digital, Digital to Own, and 4K Blu-ray coming up. So many formats and options it's kind of hilarious. As long as Blu-ray and it's incarnations (3D, the forthcoming 4K) options stay around though I'll be pleased.

The point of people not caring isn't lost. It's that the studios should not be catering to every facet of the market. Still pressing DVD's is fine (there are a number of places I would even use them) but there shouldn't be separate DVD and BD releases. It's a BD + DVD combo pack, or just BD. If you don't care about BD so what? You buy the same combo that the BD lovers who don't care about DVD buy. 1 price. 1 SKU. 1 spot on store shelves. Manufactures stop producing regular DVD players and only produce BD players. Start making portable and car BD players and stop making DVD players. It's all completely backwards compatible, not like Xbox and Playstation and their BS reasons they can't have backwards compatibility. 4K will be backwards compatible to DVD so again 1 release, 1 SKU 1 box that everyone buys. This will get BD into more homes. New players bought will be BD only. Print giant stickers that say "PLAYS ALL YOUR OLD DVDS AND THE NEW BLU-RAYS!!!!!!!" and even the stupidest people will get it. Well maybe not some of those mouth breathing hill folk in the deep south, but enough will. Stop giving the dumb consumer the choice to continue to be dumb. Force their hand. It's not difficult to do. If I were a director or producer with any clout in the business I'd not allow DVD only releases of my films. It's 2014. Get with the now. Why are they even going to bother with 4K if they will continue this stupid model of selling stand alone DVD's to the masses? It makes no sense at all and no it's not because of money. There's more money to be saved not producing 2/3 cases and artwork for every DVD, BD and future 4K disc pressed. 3 cases plus 3 artwork plus 3 shrink wrap plus 3 boxing plus 3 shipping costs more money than 1. Again, stupid. Just plain STUPID.

[Canada]

Originally Posted by Huseyin

4K? 1080? To be fair its for 40% of the market as a lot of people don't have a TV bigger than 40", my knowledge of 4K and up-scaling is limited but surely you need a TV over 40" to see the difference between the two resolutions.

I heard that you need a TV that is 70" or higher. I heard that you practically need a projector to see the difference in resolution at a typical sitting distance of about 8-10 ft.

[GenPion]

It is because of money. You say it isn't... but it is. You say they shouldn't cater to "every facet of the market" but if they didn't then they would lose money. A lot of people would simply refuse to buy a Blu-ray + DVD Combo pack because of the higher cost -- or even should they charge the same amount, they would perceive it as being a higher cost as a result of the two format choices. That's why there are divisions made now. They market releases based on how they think they will sell. Is it a Blu-ray + DC only combo? They think it caters to those who use both formats and will inspire more purchases. Do they throw in a DVD? They are trying to cater to more family members, including kids. Do they release a Blu-ray by itself? It's just targeting the film fandom community dedicated enough to buy Blu-ray only releases.

What I do agree with is that they should make more effort to print materials on box packaging indicating backwards compatibility but not as you suggest... let's not go around insulting people reading these releases. Yet I have encountered a lot of people who don't realize there is backwards compatibility so I do see a good reason to change some marketing ideas.

Most director's with enough say in their films getting Blu-ray releases -- who care -- have done so. The ones who don't have no choice or say in the matter and the studio does exactly whatever they feel will sell best. It's unfortunate we still see so many new movies with ONLY DVD's for the film's presentations, or even strictly Digital copies -- or digital copies that cost a ridiculous $20 or so each. Its' price-gouging consumers for a digital copy, especially given the low data rates the studios pay to make such a thing happen and for the fact it removes a part of their marketing, delivery, and production costs. Yet they want to charge however much they see fit regardless of the fact the means should be able to provide consumers with more pricing options. It's price fixing, something that really rubs me the wrong way but continues to be a huge part of the digital marketplace.

Bottom line though... studios do whatever they will make them the most money from consumers. And they realize that there is some crossover on some reasons while a certain segment of the consumer populace doesn't want to buy combo pack's and somehow feels buying a DVD only edition is more cost-effective.

Do keep in mind they slash those standalone copies pricing a lot more than elsewhere, particularly around holiday sales. The same cannot always be said about the Blu-ray counterparts. I don't know the quantities produced but it's clear that people are still buying a multitude of releases and that's why there are many options now...

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Canada

I heard that you need a TV that is 70" or higher. I heard that you practically need a projector to see the difference in resolution at a typical sitting distance of about 8-10 ft.

I heard Elvis was spotted in my local supermarket!

[Lentulus Batiatus]

Continuing to pander to the lowest common denominator by releasing 3 different versions and 3 different formats of 1 movie (soon to be 4 or ever 5 with 4K and 4K 3D) is about money. It's about WASTING money. Perception may be reality but it's also a short-lived reality. The perceived higher cost of a BD + DVD combo pack when no DVD standalone release is offered will quickly wash when that it ALL there is to buy. Knee-jerk reactions from the general public will disappear pretty quickly. Every parent of a child under 10 had to go out and buy Frozen. If the only option was a 3D + BD + DVD combo for $24.99 it would have sold. If some were confused by the multiple formats (and this is a strawman argument because these 'confused' people seem capable of picking up the DVD only option) it will be short lived.

If you go to buy a new DVD player and OH NO there are no more new DVD players, only these things called Blu-ray players with giant "PLAYS ALL YOUR OLD DVDS" stickers on them, consider yourself educated. BD players are cheap and would be even cheaper if there were no DVD players that still have to hold some sort of value at 30-40 bucks.

This all should have happened at least 5 years ago. Today DVD combo packs would be disappearing save for a few studios like Disney. The masses would be moving to BD as the standard just as they've moved from SD TV's to only flat panels. Hanging on to DVD would be like still selling tube TV's today. There's no point to it and yes, you can move the masses forward. Every year there is a new iPhone that comes out and EVERYONE knows about it. No, not everyone buys one but the masses know about it and follow along even if they don't really care.

DVD should be on it's way out as a new release format and 4K should be pushing it's way into regular BD releases and follow the similar path as described above to eventually become the new standard.

Not doing this is pure stupidity and laziness on the part of the studios. They keep pandering to the bargain bin Walmart DVD shoppers while failing to recognize there's another bargain bin right next to it full of BDs and even some of those are CHEAPER than their DVD only counterpart. 4K is DOA if DVD still gets full stand alone releases beyond 2014. If there's no point for these masses to buy BD + DVD combos then why would they even bother buying 4K at all? Even if in 2 years they can only buy a 4K TV. I guess it will make their brand new copy of Superman v. Batman Dawn of Justice DVD look amaing(ly piss-poor).

[Derb]

I'm fine with my Oppo upscaling to 4K.

[Huseyin]

Originally Posted by Canada

I heard that you need a TV that is 70" or higher. I heard that you practically need a projector to see the difference in resolution at a typical sitting distance of about 8-10 ft.

I couldn't fit a 70" in my room

[Canada]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I heard Elvis was spotted in my local supermarket!

What does that mean?

Joe Kane on 4K

[Kirsty_Mc]

Originally Posted by Canada

I heard that you need a TV that is 70" or higher. I heard that you practically need a projector to see the difference in resolution at a typical sitting distance of about 8-10 ft.

You have been misinformed!

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by Canada

What does that mean?

Joe Kane on 4K

It means the statement he used this comment on is equally unbelievable.

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I can't wait until the 4K BD + 3D BD + 2D BD + DVD + UV combos are released. If they call 4K BD 'Ultra Blu-ray' then they can call the packs 'Ultra Combos'. I just hope Nintendo haven't trademarked that phrase.

and then when 4k isn't selling as well as disney had hoped will try and sell the 4k blu-ray in America with no special features etc for $35 then when that unsurprisingly doesn't sell well will stop releasing uhd discs in America. Cuz Disney.

[Geoff D]

It's funny 'cos it's true.

Joking aside, Disney don't seem interested in 4K at all so I don't think we'll be seeing a lot from them early doors.

[Canada]

Originally Posted by Kirsty_Mc

You have been misinformed!

I will listen to Joe Kane, thank you.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Canada

I will listen to Joe Kane, thank you.

Kane initially pooh-poohed DVD (staunch LaserDisc die-hard) and I also think he backed HD DVD over Blu-ray (someone correct me if I'm wrong).


As an "only" 55" 4K UHD TV owner I can say the benefits of even 1080p upconverted material makes a difference.

[vargo]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Kane initially pooh-poohed DVD (staunch LaserDisc die-hard) and I also think he backed HD DVD over Blu-ray (someone correct me if I'm wrong).


As an "only" 55" 4K UHD TV owner I can say the benefits of even 1080p upconverted material makes a difference.

The goal of 'good' upconverting is to resize the image with the minimum negative artifacts possible. There's no improvement or benefit when watching 1080p content upconverted on a 4K display.

I would go one further and say that since the most common 4K displays are LCD (due to affordability), you're getting a significantly worse PQ than native 1080p on a same-size, same-price Plasma.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Canada

What does that mean?

Joe Kane on 4K

It means I heard there is not much difference between DVD and Bluray.
It means I heard I would need a screen much bigger than 32 inch to see the difference between DVD and Bluray.

Guess what, both were untrue. I think we just need to trust our own eyes etc..

[Kirsty_Mc]

Originally Posted by Canada

I will listen to Joe Kane, thank you.

At least you know your misinformant .

[Lentulus Batiatus]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

It means I heard there is not much difference between DVD and Bluray.
It means I heard I would need a screen much bigger than 32 inch to see the difference between DVD and Bluray.

Guess what, both were untrue. I think we just need to trust our own eyes etc..

I'm going to have to say that having something in 4K on a 32" sized screen, unzoomed, isn't going to look overly impressive over 2K. Not if you are sitting back 6-10' watching a TV. On my work 27" monitor I look at images of all sorts of resolutions up close and zoomed in all the time. There's obviously a difference to be seen when doing this but if I have a 4K and a 2K image both unzoomed I find it difficult to pick up what's better in the 4K.

Now saying that I don't mean that 4K is irrelevant and should not be coming out. Just that it's the law of diminishing returns and yes 4K on a smaller screen at distance won't be as discernible from 2K as BD was from DVD and previous.

Aside from higher pixels though, 4K has other benefits over 1080p. It's also the natural progression of technology. I believe once 4K becomes the main standard and almost fully replaces 1080p (likely within 10 years but no less then 7) that the next big thing will be 16K or beyond. There's little point in making the incremental steps the same as before. There won't be enough benefit to incur all the costs involved.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by vargo

The goal of 'good' upconverting is to resize the image with the minimum negative artifacts possible. There's no improvement or benefit when watching 1080p content upconverted on a 4K display.

Wrong. Just as it was shown that upconverted DVD looked pretty darn good in the past generation. I'm guessing you've never owned an OPPO player.

I would go one further and say that since the most common 4K displays are LCD (due to affordability), you're getting a significantly worse PQ than native 1080p on a same-size, same-price Plasma.

That would be hyperbole, and again: wrong. Plasma has its own issues. There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of display, but thinking an LCD is automatically worse than a plasma is the worst kind of generalization, especially since I've seen some pretty crappy plasmas over the years.