Sony "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray Titles May 14 and July 16

[jceperley]

Originally Posted by Kenbar

Oh, and are there any "Mastered in 4k" 3D movies out yet?

I'm not aware of any 3D features that have been completed or exhibited in 4k.

[chip75]

They're just standard Blu-rays with Expanded Colour features, mastered from 4K source files. Most of them are decent upgrades on older releases, some are not. The Mastered in 4K releases are your only option with some titles, like Ghostbusters 2 and other new SONY releases, released after they launched the range (Grown Ups, Elysium et cetra), so there's no avoiding them.

Just research each release if it's available in a non-Mastered in 4K version, as they're sometimes better than the 4K release. The newer titles I wouldn't worry about. Some of the older titles have better bonus features and very little difference in picture quality, so some people prefer them.

They're not going to look any better on a 4K system than a regular Blu-ray (apart from the Expanded Colour feature), so I wouldn't worry about that aspect.

[steve_dave]

Mastered in 4k discs are still 1080p.

The film master is at 4k then downconverted to 1080/24f. Most offer picture quality improvements since these are from new masters. However, many catalog releases are supplemental free.

The Wizard of Oz 3D was restored at 8k and some 3D theaters showcased the 4k print. The 3D Blu-ray uses a 1080/24f master from that.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by jceperley

I'm not aware of any 3D features that have been completed or exhibited in 4k.

Amazing Spiderman 2 is part of Sony's Mi4K line

[Kenbar]

Looking at Amazon, it does not look like there are many 4k disc's out. 4 pages and for some reason the search includes some that are not 4k.

http://www.amazon.com/s?rh=n%3A26253...U3U,B00BUKQA62

Prices seem to be just a bit more than the straight blu-ray versions, one I saw was less (Men in Black). Don't want to buy now...and re-buy later to move up if it's practical to buy them now...I did not know these 4k disc's would run on 1080 systems. And i thought they were a lot more $$$ than standard blu-rays.

[dvdmike]

These are over a year old as a thing

[steve_dave]

MGM actually restored quite a few dozen of their films recently at 4k resolution. They just don't advertise that on their art.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by Kenbar

"The Blu-ray “Mastered in 4K” collection will set a new standard for Blu-ray HD picture and sound, creating the ultimate 1080p home entertainment experience.

Created from the highest quality 4K source materials with new expanded color*, consumers can enjoy a brilliant picture with exquisite detail using their existing Blu-ray player or PlayStation®3.

The Blu-ray “Mastered in 4K” collection is optimized so that 4K Ultra HD TV owners can take full advantage of the new 4K upscaling technology, delivering an outstanding near-4K experience.

“Mastered in 4K” Blu-rays also work with all 1080p HDTVs for spectacular high definition picture and sound."

http://www.amazon.com/Angeles-Master...ld+los+angeles

That's the claim, from Amazon (Battle: Los Angeles). Has anyone noticed any improvement when playing a 4k mastered disc on their existing 1080p system?

I'm debating if I should opt for "Mastered in 4k" discs, when there is a choice, even though I don't yet own a 4k system...I'm sure I will in the future (we all will). Would I see an improvement on 1080p right now?

This is a complicated issue.

First start with this thread: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=212350

Unfortunately, some of Sony's BDs have black crush, which means that detail is being destroyed when creating the BD transfers.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=257809

Other studios are also releasing BDs prepared using 4K masters. It's unknown if they have the same expanded color space as Sony's Mastered in 4K BDs.

[HD Goofnut]

I imagine the mastered in 4K confusion is just going to confuse the average folks more and more even as we get closer to the 4K format coming later this year.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I imagine the mastered in 4K confusion is just going to confuse the average folks more and more even as we get closer to the 4K format coming later this year.

Agreed.

Even 1080p upscaling DVD players confused enough people back in the mid 2000s. I remember Crutchfield advertising, "Upscale all of your DVDs to near HD!"

[filmmaker_nc]

True 4k resolution is 3840 x 2160. Standard full HD is 1920 x 1080.

Therefore, a lot of people feel that it's simply hype when a standard Blu-ray is said to be "mastered" from a 4K source.

It's not all hype. There is some validity to this statement. Basically, they are saying that they are making a copy of a copy. However, they are making a copy of a copy from the BEST possible source that is currently available.

Think of it this way...recently I scanned ALL of my old photographic still prints into a digital form. I did this to preserve them before they degraded any more. Some of the prints were so scratched, had spots on them, etc...that I went back to the negative (the best possible image) and scanned the negative at a super high resolution.

Now, if I ever decided to reprint the photos on photo paper...the ones "remastered" from the super high resolution files...will look AMAZING! If I reprinted photos from the lower resolution scans from the prints...they will never look better than the originals.

I understand that this is a simplistic way to look at things...and not exactly as techy as most replies...but I hope it helps clarify why it IS better.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by filmmaker_nc

True 4k resolution is 3840 x 2160. Standard full HD is 1920 x 1080.

Therefore, a lot of people feel that it's simply hype when a standard Blu-ray is said to be "mastered" from a 4K source.

It's not all hype. There is some validity to this statement. Basically, they are saying that they are making a copy of a copy. However, they are making a copy of a copy from the BEST possible source that is currently available.

Think of it this way...recently I scanned ALL of my old photographic still prints into a digital form. I did this to preserve them before they degraded any more. Some of the prints were so scratched, had spots on them, etc...that I went back to the negative (the best possible image) and scanned the negative at a super high resolution.

Now, if I ever decided to reprint the photos on photo paper...the ones "remastered" from the super high resolution files...will look AMAZING! If I reprinted photos from the lower resolution scans from the prints...they will never look better than the originals.

I understand that this is a simplistic way to look at things...and not exactly as techy as most replies...but I hope it helps clarify why it IS better.

No need to apologize. Your analogy was great!

[tallrichard]

I have collected some 4K Blu-rays so far...

The best has been the picture and sound of the Mr. Smith Goes to Washington digibook which was released in December 2014. It is a stunning restoration!

[Kenbar]

Originally Posted by dvdmike

These are over a year old as a thing

Interesting. I see one that is newer..."Annie"...and it is more than double the price of the standard Blu-ray. Must be some marketing ploy going on here. Generally they release newer ones in 1080p...we buy them up now. Then later they will release them in 4k...and we will buy them up all over again. Same thing I did with some of my favorite DVD's when I upgraded to Blu-ray.

And glasses free 3D 4k set's are probably coming before to long. Yet another reason to re-buy some old favorites. And I hear 8k is coming soon too, mostly in Japan...but will trickle down to us soon enough. Have to re-buy favorites one more time. But I imagine by then hard copies will be practically non-existent...digital copies in the "cloud" will be the norm....

My kids will have to figure out what to do with my dvd collections down the road. Be sort of like figuring out what to do with grandpa's prized VHS collection he loved so much....but no one wants lol

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Kenbar

Prices seem to be just a bit more than the straight blu-ray versions, one I saw was less (Men in Black). Don't want to buy now...and re-buy later to move up if it's practical to buy them now...I did not know these 4k disc's would run on 1080 systems. And i thought they were a lot more $$$ than standard blu-rays.

The Mastered in 4K releases are usually quite reasonable, and they're standard for new SONY releases which have a 4K source (Elysium, Fury et cetra), they just have the Mastered 4K tagline on the back cover.

Plus there are a few releases in Japan that we you haven't had in the US, or we haven't had in the UK. Some of the original releases are worth avoiding, even if they're cheap. Ghostbusters and Godzilla are big improvements with the Mastered in 4K releases, others or negligible or even worse.

If you had DVDs, the Mastered in 4K line-up is very similar to the Superbit DVDs, just discs that try an maximizes picture and sound over everything else. A lot of studios are releasing titles from 4K sources, the important thing to remember is that if it's a Blu-ray movie, it will play on standard equipment. You don't have to worry about them having any issues.

[jscoggins]

Originally Posted by Kenbar

Interesting. I see one that is newer..."Annie"...and it is more than double the price of the standard Blu-ray.

Well, that's because one Annie is the recent remake.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by Kenbar

Interesting. I see one that is newer..."Annie"...and it is more than double the price of the standard Blu-ray.

Huh?

The 2014 Annie has only one release and it was mastered in 4k like all the other recent Sony Blu-ray releases.

The 1982 Annie also only has one release in the US.

And yes, Ultra HD BD is coming which is true 4k Blu-ray.

[Kenbar]

Originally Posted by filmmaker_nc

True 4k resolution is 3840 x 2160. Standard full HD is 1920 x 1080.

Therefore, a lot of people feel that it's simply hype when a standard Blu-ray is said to be "mastered" from a 4K source.

It's not all hype. There is some validity to this statement. Basically, they are saying that they are making a copy of a copy. However, they are making a copy of a copy from the BEST possible source that is currently available.

Think of it this way...recently I scanned ALL of my old photographic still prints into a digital form. I did this to preserve them before they degraded any more. Some of the prints were so scratched, had spots on them, etc...that I went back to the negative (the best possible image) and scanned the negative at a super high resolution.

Now, if I ever decided to reprint the photos on photo paper...the ones "remastered" from the super high resolution files...will look AMAZING! If I reprinted photos from the lower resolution scans from the prints...they will never look better than the originals.

I understand that this is a simplistic way to look at things...and not exactly as techy as most replies...but I hope it helps clarify why it IS better.

The one's I was pointing out say "Mastered IN 4k"...not "from". And the claim is they will play on a 1080p system...and seem to suggest they will play/look a bit better then a 1080p recorded one. At least that's what I am getting from reading the Amazon description...

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by Kenbar

The one's I was pointing out say "Mastered IN 4k"...not "from". And the claim is they will play on a 1080p system...and seem to suggest they will play/look a bit better then a 1080p recorded one. At least that's what I am getting from reading the Amazon description...

In the case of the Mastered in 4k line, its a "tag line" to sell the newly remastered discs.

Blu-rays can be mastered in 4k and from 4k, the difference is in how it reads but both are synonymous.

EDIT: Also, there is no claim that will play in 1080p. They do play in 1080p and reviews on this site prove it along with comments in this thread from those who own them.

[MisterXDTV]

Still waiting for the release of "A Few Good Men" the new 4K master is already available on Sony 4K streaming service and on amazon instant video

One of my favorite movies ever, maybe a Japanese release...