Who do you think will make the first 4K Blu-Ray player and when?

[Andy Clough]

Panasonic have one at CES! Just a prototype though.

Indeed they did: http://www.whathifi.com/news/ces-2015-panasonic-unveils-new-4k-tvs-and-prototype-4k-blu-ray-player

Also, I have been in touch with the BDA (Blu-ray Disc Association) asking for more details on the 4K Blu-ray spec. Waiting to hear back from them, and will update story when I have more info.

UPDATE: I have a phone interview with Victor Matsuda, chairman of the BDA in America, booked for next week so hope to get more info then.

 

[bigboss]

This is not aimed directly at you BB. I just followed your link.

Well a 100G disc is only twice that of the current crop of BD. Though 4K is twice the size of 2Kwe know it's actually more than that. So the nice Ultra HD picture will need even more compressing than its 2K BD counterpart.

It's about time the undustry gave us a HD format that they don't have to compress but because the provider (film/TV industry) is running much faster than the middle man (TV and player manufacturers) the middle men can never catch uo. So they palm us off with what ever they can manage to do with the content.

If all DVD content was now released on BD ti's likely they wouldn't have to compress the picture. As long as the Bites Per Minute is quick enough. Same for the current BD content if the speed of a 100G BD was quick enough the wouldn't need to compress the 2K content and we wouln't see half the picture artifacts that get created by the compression.

567i content looks far better than we've ever seen in and I mean from a non 2K digital source. As I've said elsewhere both new BD and DVD content is taken from the same source and compressed accordingly.

So 4K in the Cinema will look stunning but if they then pile it on to a 100G BD I don't think it will look quite so good as the difference from 2K Cinema to current BD spec.

Rant over.

It's the new H.265 compression they're employing which is meant to be superior. Let's see.

 

[Deleted member 116933]

I thought it Really depended on compression system used and how well it was/is coded. I know storage space is the biggest factor. 1 to 1 will always be best. But even on home projection system the articfacts shouldn't be visable now. Right?

 

[Glacialpath]

It's the new H.265 compression they're employing which is meant to be superior. Let's see.

Yeah I guess it will be. You can see what I'm getting at though. They are still having to compress huge amounts of data when putting it on to a disc. Maybe it's time we gave up on the disc format just because a lot of people are asking/expecting a new disc format.

This just encourages the brands to come up with a compromising formats which of course will make them a quick buck and then they won't develop a format that will actually do 4K the justice it deserves.

After all CD, DVD and mostly BD were designed for storage mediums. The whole putting HD footage/audio and other entertainment media on to them was a bi-product. A pretty good one but none the less compremised the Video and Audio.

I wish I could have all the movies and TV content I own on the HD CAM-SR tapes so I can really see the video as it was intended just minus the size of the tapes and not having the ability to go directly to the scene I want.

Of course have it all on a HDD style system would be best so lest not bother with another disc format and go straight to what we know they've been pushing for.

 

[simonlewis]

I shudder to think what would have happened if hddvd would have won the format war.

http://www.whathifi.com/news/ultra-hd-4k-blu-ray-spec-about-more-just-resolution-says-bda

 

[Glacialpath]

HAHAHA! don't even think about it *biggrin*

 

[simonlewis]

Good news at last, i just hope it is affordable. *good*

http://www.whathifi.com/news/4k-blu-ray-discs-bda-agrees-standards-next-generation-discs

 

[cheeseboy]

imho not really sure much will come of 4k blu rays.

They're already behind to the streaming/download world. There's still 3 different HDR standards, two of which aren't even out yet (which will push things back more) and there's talk of a possible first release mid 2015, but nothing definite.

Given it usually takes a good couple of years for the take up rate to increase, we're looking at at least 2017 before they become affordable to the masses, given they also need to upgrade their tv as well, i really can't see it taking off. I honestly think it'll fall by the wayside for enthusiasts only with a very limited release (given the studios have to make some money after they re-sample and re-release titles) for only certain titles.

My money is on most people using streaming services by then.

 

[bigboss]

imho not really sure much will come of 4k blu rays.

They're already behind to the streaming/download world. There's still 3 different HDR standards, two of which aren't even out yet (which will push things back more) and there's talk of a possible first release mid 2015, but nothing definite.

Given it usually takes a good couple of years for the take up rate to increase, we're looking at at least 2017 before they become affordable to the masses, given they also need to upgrade their tv as well, i really can't see it taking off. I honestly think it'll fall by the wayside for enthusiasts only with a very limited release (given the studios have to make some money after they re-sample and re-release titles) for only certain titles.

My money is on most people using streaming services by then.

If this report is to be believed, number of people owning a 4K TV isn't a problem. Also, streaming services compress picture and audio isn't up to scratch as yet. Until full streaming including uncompressed video and audio happens, there will be a market for 4K blu ray.

 

[cheeseboy]

If this report is to be believed, number of people owning a 4K TV isn't a problem. Also, streaming services compress picture and audio isn't up to scratch as yet. Until full streaming including uncompressed video and audio happens, there will be a market for 4K blu ray.

I never said there wasn't a market, just that it will be niche, unlike standard blu ray and dvd. Most people will be more than happy with the streaming versions. Look at all the current streaming services for example.

 

[bigboss]

If this report is to be believed, number of people owning a 4K TV isn't a problem. Also, streaming services compress picture and audio isn't up to scratch as yet. Until full streaming including uncompressed video and audio happens, there will be a market for 4K blu ray.

I never said there wasn't a market, just that it will be niche, unlike standard blu ray and dvd. Most people will be more than happy with the streaming versions. Look at all the current streaming services for example.

To be honest, blu ray is still pretty niche. It all depends on 4K marketing and whether people buy into it.

 

[simonlewis]

IMO people who have already upgraded to blu-ray from dvd will also upgrade to 4K blu-ray, i don't buy dvd's anymore and i'm sure a lot of people do the same, i'm quite looking forward to it to be honest as my blu-ray player is seven years old.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I hopefully won't buy into it! *mail1*

 

[Glacialpath]

I hopefully won't buy into it! *mail1*

You probably will though Gel *acute* That was meant to be a wink emoticon but can't find it.

The whole industry will implode if they don't get things right the Medium is running faster than the tech to support it and the end user can't keep up. In less then 10 years we've gone fron the very last of VHS to 4K

Of course DVD and VHS were side by side for a long time but we still had mostly CRTs then.

Then for once the TVs out ran the medium in Plasma making it's very poor mare (to start with) and LCD displays. I think this helped massivly when HD became available to the end user.

Barely into the HD medium...well about 8 years into it and we have 4K. Granted the display manufacturers are ahead of the medium in the home entertainment market but even though the medium has been 4K for longer that's ony been in the commercial world i.e. cinema and such.

If a way of geting native 4K to the end user on something like a 4K player ( I still don't believe 4K BD is the way forward) had come about in a viable manor before the display industry strated taking it on borad then I think 4K would be in most of our homes now. I think the TV manufacturers jumped the gun purely because there is next to nothing to display on them. Only a handfull of native 4K content.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I hopefully won't buy into it! *mail1*

You probably will though Gel *acute* That was meant to be a wink emoticon but can't find it.

The whole industry will implode if they don't get things right the Medium is running faster than the tech to support it and the end user can't keep up. In less then 10 years we've gone fron the very last of VHS to 4K

Of course DVD and VHS were side by side for a long time but we still had mostly CRTs then.

Then for once the TVs out ran the medium in Plasma making it's very poor mare (to start with) and LCD displays. I think this helped massivly when HD became available to the end user.

Barely into the HD medium...well about 8 years into it and we have 4K. Granted the display manufacturers are ahead of the medium in the home entertainment market but even though the medium has been 4K for longer that's ony been in the commercial world i.e. cinema and such.

If a way of geting native 4K to the end user on something like a 4K player ( I still don't believe 4K BD is the way forward) had come about in a viable manor before the display industry strated taking it on borad then I think 4K would be in most of our homes now. I think the TV manufacturers jumped the gun purely because there is next to nothing to display on them. Only a handfull of native 4K content.

I hope I won't. Panasonic to launch their 4K Blu-Ray player by spring 2016! Not until then, that's quite a wait.

 

[simonlewis]

Thats fourteen months away, it's too long i don't know if i will have enough patience, 8K will only be a few years away by then. *cray2*

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Thats fourteen months away, it's too long i don't know if i will have enough patience, 8K will only be a few years away by then. *cray2*

Pretty annoying.

 

[Deleted member 116933]

Thats fourteen months away, it's too long i don't know if i will have enough patience, 8K will only be a few years away by then. *cray2*

Well thats just panasonic's offereing. Samsung or who ever could be first and we havn't heard anything from the other manufactures! I personally think you will see one late autum, early christmas.... If i where them thats what i would be aiming for! The biggest shopping days of the year. And the streaming service's arn't exatly briming with content so for people to say Blu Ray dosen't have a chance is just silly. You need a £30-40 internet conection that's faster than 20mb then you have to go a for £10 netflix sub very month!!!!. Thats alot of money just to watch films (which arnt even up to date) there is no contest in my eyes. Blu Ray all the way.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100000090351445]

Will there be any 4k bluray ready with the TP HDR luminance standard incorporated when the players are released? The industry has never been in sync. Sony with fingers and fist in the movie industry will ensure their players be launched with 4k bluray....100%. On a passing note.... 4k bluray with the SUHD Samsung TV is going to crack open OLED like a nut. 1000 nit brightness of the top Samsung 9xxx series, full array LED lit at OLED prices,that will be a show stopper! S UHD indeed.

 

[AmberBeda]

Maybe you haven't realized that Panasonic has announced the new 4K Blu-Ray player that is expected to support the 4K Blu-ray standard.

 

[bigboss]

Maybe you haven't realized that Panasonic has announced the new 4K Blu-Ray player that is expected to support the 4K Blu-ray standard.

Maybe you haven't read the whole thread; this has been discussed.