UHD Blu-ray Disc Authentication Poll

[Tns49]

Originally Posted by karussellbremser

I'm wondering as well. With some people already having bought titles like Kingsman they should be able to check that easily?! Or does nobody have a player yet?

I thought it was reported that the first discs couldn't require this feature. Something about not being ready for it yet.

[karussellbremser]

Originally Posted by Tns49

I thought it was reported that the first discs couldn't require this feature. Something about not being ready for it yet.

Haven't heard about that. Haven't read this whole thread though. Do you have a source?

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by karussellbremser

I'm wondering as well. With some people already having bought titles like Kingsman they should be able to check that easily?! Or does nobody have a player yet?

Someone already confirmed in another thread that the discs play without an internet connection. But they disconnected their internet connection before playing the disc, so it hasn't been 100% confirmed that you can play UHD discs without ever connecting your player to the internet.

Obviously anyone who has already connected their player to the internet would have no way of checking this. And those who are most concerned with the players working completely with no internet connection whatsoever are unlikely to buy a player until they know for sure. So I don't know when we'll get our answer.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

Someone already confirmed in another thread that the discs play without an internet connection. But they disconnected their internet connection before playing the disc, so it hasn't been 100% confirmed that you can play UHD discs without ever connecting your player to the internet.

Obviously anyone who has already connected their player to the internet would have no way of checking this. And those who are most concerned with the players working completely with no internet connection whatsoever are unlikely to buy a player until they know for sure. So I don't know when we'll get our answer.

I think you'll be able to play without ever connecting, don't see why not. However I don't see why you wouldn't want to leave this connected if you do any streaming (unless you already have a Roku 4). It works great for that.

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

I think you'll be able to play without ever connecting, don't see why not. However I don't see why you wouldn't want to leave this connected if you do any streaming (unless you already have a Roku 4). It works great for that.

It's a fair assumption that many who are concerned with discs requiring internet connections also don't like streaming. That's definitely true in my case: everything I watch (and play) is on physical media and doesn't require an internet connection.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

It's a fair assumption that many who are concerned with discs requiring internet connections also don't like streaming. That's definitely true in my case: everything I watch (and play) is on physical media and doesn't require an internet connection.

Your case sounds a little extreme, probably not too many concerned about the side effects of connecting this player to the internet and/or never will watch streaming content.

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

Your case sounds a little extreme, probably not too many concerned about the side effects of connecting this player to the internet and/or never will watch streaming content.

I'm not concerned about side effects. The issue is that if an internet connection is required than that means the players will be unrepairable after the servers are shut down. If your player stops working then if it is fixed and returned to factory default settings it still wouldn't work if an internet connection is required. I don't expect that is the case with UHD Blu-ray players, but I'm still waiting for confirmation.

As for not watching any streaming or downloadable content that is an issue of control. I refuse to support any content that the studios retain full control over. With physical media the used market ensures that all titles remain available long after the studios stop offering them. My signature sums up my stance.

[tkbryant]

As fast as this player loads discs there's no way it's seeking authentication from an online server. It loads way too fast for that.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

I'm not concerned about side effects. The issue is that if an internet connection is required than that means the players will be unrepairable after the servers are shut down. If your player stops working then if it is fixed and returned to factory default settings it still wouldn't work if an internet connection is required. I don't expect that is the case with UHD Blu-ray players, but I'm still waiting for confirmation.

Actually what you're describing is a possible side effect: that the player may require an internet connection someday from a FW update. It's already been discussed that this will not be the case. Any internet connection requirement will be from the discs only, not the player. And disc you buy that doesn't require a connection (which would only be an initial handshake connection, after which you can disconnect from the internet and play the movie for the first time on the player) will always not require a connection. You may be pessimistic about that, but that's your choice.

As for not watching any streaming or downloadable content that is an issue of control. I refuse to support any content that the studios retain full control over. With physical media the used market ensures that all titles remain available long after the studios stop offering them. My signature sums up my stance.

Huh? You don't own any a la carte Netflix/Amazon streaming titles to begin with. They're just like on demand movie channels. I guess you don't watch any Youtube videos either? Do you watch any TV channels at all? As for VUDU, almost all the movie I "own" came free with the disc, so I don't have anything to lose if something happens (except for convenience, should I want to watch a movie in my collection somewhere that I don't have the disc on hand).

[PenguinMaster]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

Actually what you're describing is a possible side effect: that the player may require an internet connection someday from a FW update. It's already been discussed that this will not be the case. Any internet connection requirement will be from the discs only, not the player. And disc you buy that doesn't require a connection (which would only be an initial handshake connection, after which you can disconnect from the internet and play the movie for the first time on the player) will always not require a connection. You may be pessimistic about that, but that's your choice.

I'm not talking about firmware updates. I don't use the Playstation 4 as a Blu-ray player because it has to connect to the internet for a one time authentication before it can play any Blu-rays or DVDs. Even if I had already done that one time authentication if my system broke I could get it repaired and it would play my games just fine, but it would need to do that authentication again. If the servers had been shut down by that point then I would never be able to activate the Blu-ray & DVD functionality.

None of my other Blu-ray players have had to do this (including Playstation 3). I don't expect that this will be the case with UHD Blu-ray players, but I would like confirmation.

Originally Posted by bruceames.

Huh? You don't own any a la carte Netflix/Amazon streaming titles to begin with. They're just like on demand movie channels. I guess you don't watch any Youtube videos either? Do you watch any TV channels at all? As for VUDU, almost all the movie I "own" came free with the disc, so I don't have anything to lose if something happens (except for convenience, should I want to watch a movie in my collection somewhere that I don't have the disc on hand).

I don't watch any TV channels and I only watch Youtube videos for instructional things. I separate art and tools and instructional videos firmly fall into the tools category. If a specific tool is no longer available someone can just make a functionally identical version. If a piece of art is no longer available then it can't be replicated.

Aside from news programs all TV, movies, video games, and music fit into the art category and therefore should be preserved. The best way to preserve something is to put control of it into as many hands as possible.

I'm not against rentals of physical media because the control over each title still remains with various sources rather than just the studios and no disputes over content ownership can ever take it away. With all streaming and downloads each title is controlled by a single company and they alone have full control over whether each title remains available.

[reanimator]

Originally Posted by PenguinMaster

it hasn't been 100% confirmed that you can play UHD discs without ever connecting your player to the internet.

When you power-up the Samsung K8500 the first time, it asks what language you want the player set to. The next step is connecting to the internet. I skipped that step. All of the UHD-BD Fox titles I own played perfectly fine. So to be clear... YOU DO NOT NEED AN INTERNET CONNECTION TO PLAY UHD BLU RAYS. You may consider this 100% confirmed.

[Optimus]

Originally Posted by reanimator

When you power-up the Samsung K8500 the first time, it asks what language you want the player set to. The next step is connecting to the internet. I skipped that step. All of the UHD-BD Fox titles I own played perfectly fine. So to be clear... YOU DO NOT NEED AN INTERNET CONNECTION TO PLAY UHD BLU RAYS. You may consider this 100% confirmed.

Awesome.

[aaronwt2065]

Originally Posted by reanimator

When you power-up the Samsung K8500 the first time, it asks what language you want the player set to. The next step is connecting to the internet. I skipped that step. All of the UHD-BD Fox titles I own played perfectly fine. So to be clear... YOU DO NOT NEED AN INTERNET CONNECTION TO PLAY UHD BLU RAYS. You may consider this 100% confirmed.

Fox also lets you play the UHD BD titles on a 1080P set. But this also doesn't mean that the other distributers of UHD BD titles will allow the same thing.

[ray0414]

When I got my 2nd samsung k8500 player, I got home and my cable/internet was down. Skipped the entire setup process and watched 2 uhd movies. Zero internet connection required. I like how the 4k disc has zero previews too.

[Geoff D]

Enjoy it while you can ray, they'll be spamming the discs with previews in no time.

[bruceames]

I wouldn't have minded at all seeing some UHD previews.

[aaronwt2065]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

I wouldn't have minded at all seeing some UHD previews.

Yes. Some UHD Previews would have been nice. But then if/when they have previews, they will probably be in 1080P or lower resolution.

[ray0414]

Originally Posted by aaronwt2065

Yes. Some UHD Previews would have been nice. But then if/when they have previews, they will probably be in 1080P or lower resolution.

Or they'll be the crappy upscale kind. The fake 4k trailers on youtube look aweful.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

I wouldn't have minded at all seeing some UHD previews.

Shut your mouth and stop giving them ideas! I would rather have NO previews with the disc loading directly to the menu because when and if they do add them, they'll probably be forced like on Blu-ray!

[Anthony P]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

I think you'll be able to play without ever connecting, don't see why not.

because that is the topic of this thread. According to what has been said the title key (a key component for deciphering what is on the disk) can either be on the disk (like with normal BD and 3D BD) and then a connection is not needed OR it can be hosted on a server and then the disk will only play if the player connects to the server and the title key is DLed to the player.

However I don't see why you wouldn't want to leave this connected if you do any streaming (unless you already have a Roku 4). It works great for that.

but that is immaterial it is not the fact of connecting that is the issue, it is the requirement to do so when you wasn't to watch the film. Simply put what happens when you sit down to watch the UHD BD you bought and the key is not being DL for any one of the myriad of reasons (server is busy, server is down for maintenance, key removed due to legal reasons, key is removed for economic reasons, key is corrupted, studio is out of business, server is no longer available, no internet connection......)