True 4K Blu-ray - why I will mostly skip if released

[Ruined]

Hi all,
So, with the advent of 4K there is the likely chance we will see physical media @ 4k in 2014 as the BDA has stated they are debating this as we speak. Personally, though, I am finding it hard to get excited about this tech. Reasons:

1) JOE KANE of Video Essentials/DVE fame, said outright in his testing you need a 120" screen before you even start to notice any real benefit of 4k over 2k (1080p) at normal viewing distances. This is an extremely trustworthy source who has been a video expert for a long time. Now, I actually have a 120" screen. But this is telling of how (little) improvement there will be with BD > BD 4k compared to say DVD > BD.

2) RESOLUTION in most MASTERS just isn't there, and the studios don't want to spend money to do restorations - All I have to do is look at my Blu-ray library. Most of the catalog films I have just barely get to effective 1080p resolution if lucky. There are some exceptions that could benefit from more res, sure, like some Warner/Sony/Criterions that are mastered in 4k. But the vast majority are mastered in 2k and some of those look like they have an effective resolution of 720p with the EE/DNR applied (and in some more rare cases don't look any better than a DVD!) So, aside from some of the newer movies and the rare exception where studios have spent a buck on 4k restoration I don't see the effective resolution being there on the vast majority of titles. And if the studio couldn't spend the money to restore for Blu-ray, why in the heck would they do so for an even more niche 4k market?

3) TWILIGHT TIME / limited release model is telling of catalog Blu-ray low sales - So, you are telling me that massive box office hits like Sleepless in Seattle, Philadelphia, and As Good As it Gets need a 3000 copy limited release @ $30/ea to make a profit? These limited releases Sony and other companies have farmed out to 3rd parties like twilight time indicate to me that some of these catalog titles are deemed unprofitable through the standard retail sell through model. So with an even smaller niche market of 4K I don't see how they are going to sell any copies of these movies, and likely if they go to twilight time we will see the price inflated to $50 or some ridiculous number like that.

4) MORE DRM - You just know this is coming. With the studios adding Cinavia on top of things after deeming BD+ was not good enough and 4K BD requiring all new hardware, you know a new and more advanced helping of intrusive DRM will be on the way. No thanks.

5) MOVIE THEATERS with MUCH LARGER SCREENS USE 2k/1080p - Very simply, if a movie theater with a screen many times larger than mine looks amazing with 1080p, why do I need 4k?

6) COST vs BENEFIT - Given all of the above and the fact that 4k will require display, source, and individual movie upgrades, I am finding it hard to see how the benefit outweighs the cost.


So, if 4K ever gets down to normal prices and display technology evolves in other areas where a 4k display might make sense I could be interested in the future. But, it won't be like DVD to Blu-ray. It will only be a few select titles where the mastering allows for a significant difference to be seen, but from what I have seen over the course of Blu-ray mastering my thoughts are that pool will be a small one.