Is Pioneer planning to make or release a 4K blu-ray player this year and which other firms are also planning 4K players this year?
4K Blu-ray players
- Thread starter Bonajones38
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bigboss
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Pioneer sold its AV business to Onkyo last year. So future players will be Onkyo with a Pioneer badge, if they come.Bonajones38 said:
Samsung and Panasonic are. The Samsung one is supposed to be quite cheap at around £350 and has two HDMI'sBonajones38 said:
wtaylorbasil
Well-known member
bigboss
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Son_of_SJ
Well-known member
Bonajones38 said:
So, what will happen if you do wait another year? Will your hair fall out? Will you lose your job? You'll find out that you CAN wait another year. Televisions and home cinema are not essential to life.
Well, the panasonic has emerged, and with a 5 star review. Do I wait for more competition, and/or for more 4k blu-ray discs, before I commit to one and a 4K TV? Will I have to get a new AV reciever? I currently have the Arcam AVR 300 and quite old with no HDMI.?
The_Lhc
Well-known member
Bonajones38 said:
If the AVR300 has 5/7.1 analogue inputs then no, you don't need a new amp, the Panasonic has 7.1 outputs so you wire the 4k player to the amp that way, whilst sending the video directly to the tv via hdmi.
Edit: A spot of googlage suggests that the AVR300 does indeed have 7.1 analogue inputs, marked "DVD-A IN".
Pioneer just announced the Elite BDP-85FD and the BDP-88FD. Both players also have Pioneer’s own Precise Pixel Driver image processor and the new 4K Reference Converter for upconverting existing content to a 4K resolution.
bigboss
Moderator
They're normal blu ray players with 4K upscaling, in the market since September 2014. They won't play 4K discs.Nepheler said:
The three UHD BDPs announced or available so far (Samsung, Panasonic and Philips) all have dual HDMI sockets to deal with legacy AVRs that won't pass 4k, HDCP 2.2, HDR, Atmos, DTS:X, etc.
The main HDMI output goes straight to your TV, which they assume is 4k, otherwise why bother with a UHD BDP at all. The second HDMI cable, usually audio only, goes to your AVR.
UHD BDPs will play regular Blu-Ray discs, as well as DVDs and CDs (though not necessarily SACDs). Regular BDPs will not, however, play UHD discs, any more than a DVD will play Blu-Rays or a CD player DVDs.
More and more titles are coming out on UHD Blu-Ray every week, but it's your decision whether to be an "early adopter" or wait for the second wave of players which should have all the wrinkles ironed out.
The main HDMI output goes straight to your TV, which they assume is 4k, otherwise why bother with a UHD BDP at all. The second HDMI cable, usually audio only, goes to your AVR.
UHD BDPs will play regular Blu-Ray discs, as well as DVDs and CDs (though not necessarily SACDs). Regular BDPs will not, however, play UHD discs, any more than a DVD will play Blu-Rays or a CD player DVDs.
More and more titles are coming out on UHD Blu-Ray every week, but it's your decision whether to be an "early adopter" or wait for the second wave of players which should have all the wrinkles ironed out.
Not ready to commit yet, but may be by early 2017, when I may be tempted by a Pioneer AVR to replace my Arcam 300 (no HDMI in or out) . If an even better 4K blu-ray player than the Panasonic comes out I will consider it at around 800 quid. Of course it will make redundent my current pioneer Blu-ray player, and maybe my Arcam DV79 (DVD) player as well.
So what advantage does the latest hi end AVRs with many HDMI ins and outs have over my old Arcam 300 as far as sound is concerned? I have bi amped my dedicated stereo Arcam amp. with the AV300 to run my right & left front speakers when needed. For plain music CDs I switch off the Av300, but use both for TV broadcasts. Perhaps you can tell me whether the proms are broadcast in surround sound?
New AVRs pass 4k pictures, some even upscale 1080p to 4k.
New AVRs have the latest surround sound codecs, e.g. Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, etc.
New AVRs have the latest HDMI2.? spec HDMI connections, high dynamic range (HDR) colour capabilities and HDCP2.2 encryption compatibility.
Sadly none of them will yet wake you up with a freshly brewed cup of tea yet, although some say Onkyo do run hot enough to burn toast.
New AVRs have the latest surround sound codecs, e.g. Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, etc.
New AVRs have the latest HDMI2.? spec HDMI connections, high dynamic range (HDR) colour capabilities and HDCP2.2 encryption compatibility.
Sadly none of them will yet wake you up with a freshly brewed cup of tea yet, although some say Onkyo do run hot enough to burn toast.
bigboss
Moderator
The Panasonic UB900 4K blu ray player has 7.1 channel analogue outs so technically you can continue to use your Arcam. It'll be the Panasonic decoding audio, not Arcam.
I suspect most BDPs and AVRs "handshake" somehow to ensure only sound codecs they can both handle are used. I also suspect that the discs themselves will include several soundtracks, from basic stereo, through 5.1 and / or 7.1 up to and possibly up to and including Atmos and / or DTS:X.
But yes, to get the full benefit of all of the features / benefits / technology of UHD BDs and BDPs, you'll need a 2015 or 2016 model AVR. You might get away with a 2014, as the first wave of UHD BDPs include twin HDMI outputs - one for audio and visual to your TV, and the second for audio only to your AVR. Otherwise it'll be like listening to a stereo cassette (remember them?) on a mono cassette player. Well, not quite, but you get the idea.
And you'll need a 4K TV, of course. ( Isay this because I remember countless anecdotes of people buying black and white TVs back in the 60s and 70s (and 80s even) and wondering why they weren't getting those new fangled colour TV pictures.)
But yes, to get the full benefit of all of the features / benefits / technology of UHD BDs and BDPs, you'll need a 2015 or 2016 model AVR. You might get away with a 2014, as the first wave of UHD BDPs include twin HDMI outputs - one for audio and visual to your TV, and the second for audio only to your AVR. Otherwise it'll be like listening to a stereo cassette (remember them?) on a mono cassette player. Well, not quite, but you get the idea.
And you'll need a 4K TV, of course. ( Isay this because I remember countless anecdotes of people buying black and white TVs back in the 60s and 70s (and 80s even) and wondering why they weren't getting those new fangled colour TV pictures.)
Thanks to you and Big Boss for your help. I am now convinced of the need for an up-to-date AVR. Thinking of a Pioneer.
If you're content with a 5.1 or non Atmos 7.1 setup and can rig your UHD BDP with dual HDMI leads, one to the receiver, one directly to the TV, you can probably get by with your current unit until it dies of old age.Bonajones38 said:
The way things are developing these days we will all be using Star Trek Next Generation Holo-decks by then anyway. Rumors that Bill Gates already has one are unconfirmed....
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