UHD Review A few words about...™ It's a Wonderful Life -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray

This is the only forum in which I feel appreciated.

 

I smell sarcasm!

"Sorry we hurt your field, mister"!

 

I said it earlier, but it's simply not enough anymore to properly review a 4K HDR disc without mentioning the gear you are using to make that evaluation. The simple days of a DIY (using a calibration pattern disc) or ISF calibration to Rec.709, 100nits, and HD for Blu-ray (or Rec.601 for DVD) are over when it comes to HDR. With those standards you knew that what you were seeing would not only be accurate, but that it would be the same for everyone with a calibrated display. With HDR you simply have no idea if what you're seeing is accurate or what it will look like for anyone else, because of the nature of HDR and how it looks different on every display for reasons stated in this and plenty of other threads out there. As you can see in this very thread, some have the crushed shadows, some don't! It's the unfortunate truth, and I don't know why some get defensive our touchy about it. I'm honestly surprised this hasn't come up before! I think it's important to address though.

When I read Mr. Harris' reviews, I don't look for all the technical minutia I might in other reviews, but I look for the larger picture and background that comes from his vast experience. There's a lot of value in there that you won't find anywhere else. But I do read other reviews to complement, but I cannot trust them. Not because the reviewers are not honest, but because HDR is what it is. As videophiles, we should welcome these discussions, not turn away from them, or shun someone with a different or unpopular opinion. There's a lot to learn with HDR, that's just the way it is.

 

The 824 should do fine for your needs.

It always helps to have more display resolution. Perfect solution for lacking shadow detail, bad masters and all other kinds of ailments.

 

It is frustrating to read reviews that are giving perfect scores, and not seeing that resembled on the HT display that is running in your house. Solely because of HDR, and how the hardware you are using is processing/displaying such films.

Regarding HDR we now also have to take into account flagship TV's/normal TV's, max peak nits/brightness, OLED, QLED, LCD..Dolby Vision HDR10 etc, So many variables, so many different results. Mind boggling.
I could probably get the video on disc to emulate what these reviewers are seeing by manipulating the feature set on my player/display, and get perfect video quality out of it. But I just have to put in the work to get it there.

 

If we look back to the history of consumer based home display technologies, I think HDR will make a great case study of how NOT to release a new technology. It still boggles my mind in this day and age there wasn't more corroboration on coming up with another way and some kind of standard of implementing HDR.

 

8k does wonders for my lumbago.

 

That's the spirit. With 8k and a bunch of HDR formats life is exciting and full of surprises.

 

Have you been able to look at the new BD?

 

Am I right in interpreting your comments as saying that we 203 owners have a pretty fair machine even without the ability to rurn DV off and on? That would be agreeable news indeed .. I don't want to have to replace my unit for no real gain in picture quality.