Tony Bensley
Senior HTF Member
OK, so a few months back, I decided that I wanted to have 4K disc playback capability. Actually, I’ve been wanting it for years, but until recently, didn’t have the financial capability to do so. Recently, I was able to tap into some funding which over the past several months has allowed me to upgrade my entire Entertainment/PC system setup, all of which was over a decade old, with the exception of my Pioneer Blu-ray Drive, which will be a decade old come this Father’s Day.
My Key Upgrades & Acquisitions (From November 2024 – May, 2025!):
Acer Aspire 315-58 Intel i7 GEN 11 PC Laptop (From Acer Aspire E1 Series PC Laptop) - (November, 2024)
The Intel i7 processor and 40 GB of RAM makes for a much faster and smoother experience than the the old quad core processor with 12 GB of RAM, which was only upgraded from 6 GB last year. The graphics in the newer Acer are capable of outputting native 4K resolution to a separate display TV/Monitor, vs 2K from the old Acer. The Gen 11 processor doesn’t allow for 4K Ultra HD disc playback however, as due to security issues, the necessary SGX is only included in PCs with Gen 6 to Gen 10 Intel processors! This I found out after acquiring an LC UltraHD capable external disc drive in early April! At least I can use it to pull some vital 4K disc stats, so there's that!!
Hisense 43 Inch 4K Smart TV (From Toshiba 32 Inch 720p TV) - (April, 2025)
As the 32 Inch screen size was once considered entry level for HD TVs, 43 Inches is now considered the entry level for 4K TV models. Two aspects of this TV that I especially appreciate are the Google Smart TV options, and the FILMMAKER MODE Picture option, which is my go to for nearly all non 4K content!
SONY UBP X700 4K Ultra HD Multi-Region player - (May, 2025)
I’m not calling this an upgrade, as I still currently have my other 2 Toshiba DVD/VHS players connected to my TV, with no immediate plans to divest myself of either one.
Among my many recent upgrade decisions, this was by far the most agonizing for a number of reasons, mostly for the much reported tendency for triple layered 100 GB 4K UHD Discs to freeze at the 2nd/3rd layer change on the SONY 4K players, while this appears to be largely a non issue with Panasonic’s 4K UHD Player line! Nevertheless, I also really wanted Multi-Region disc playback capability, and the price was right for the SONY model I chose. Thankfully, the hack reported on a YouTube channel about a year ago, which recommends the changing of 2 settings on the SONY X700 and X800 4K players to overcome the triple layer Ultra HD disc freeze, has worked so far, in my case!
The other agonizing factor was the reported measurements of the above player would have been far too big to fit directly underneath my new TV! Thankfully, those measurements proved vastly exaggerated, and the SONY player just nicely fits under the Hisense TV, with maybe a ¼ inch to spare!!
220 Electronics is definitely the company to go with in regard to acquiring a Multi Region Disc player! They actually include the how to instructions for appropriate region selection for successful disc playback!
My 4K Discs (So Far!) -
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1943) - (April, 2025)
My very 1st 4K UltraHD disc (+Blu-ray), acquired used from downtown London's City Lights bookshop, with $5-6, plus $15 store credit, via trade-in, including ironically, my PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1943) Blu-ray!
TITANIC (1997) - (May, 2025)
My 2nd 4K UltraHD disc and first Triple Layer 100 GB disc, ordered from Amazon Canada. Looks fantastic in Dolby Vision!
CHEERS!
My Key Upgrades & Acquisitions (From November 2024 – May, 2025!):
Acer Aspire 315-58 Intel i7 GEN 11 PC Laptop (From Acer Aspire E1 Series PC Laptop) - (November, 2024)
The Intel i7 processor and 40 GB of RAM makes for a much faster and smoother experience than the the old quad core processor with 12 GB of RAM, which was only upgraded from 6 GB last year. The graphics in the newer Acer are capable of outputting native 4K resolution to a separate display TV/Monitor, vs 2K from the old Acer. The Gen 11 processor doesn’t allow for 4K Ultra HD disc playback however, as due to security issues, the necessary SGX is only included in PCs with Gen 6 to Gen 10 Intel processors! This I found out after acquiring an LC UltraHD capable external disc drive in early April! At least I can use it to pull some vital 4K disc stats, so there's that!!
Hisense 43 Inch 4K Smart TV (From Toshiba 32 Inch 720p TV) - (April, 2025)
As the 32 Inch screen size was once considered entry level for HD TVs, 43 Inches is now considered the entry level for 4K TV models. Two aspects of this TV that I especially appreciate are the Google Smart TV options, and the FILMMAKER MODE Picture option, which is my go to for nearly all non 4K content!
SONY UBP X700 4K Ultra HD Multi-Region player - (May, 2025)
I’m not calling this an upgrade, as I still currently have my other 2 Toshiba DVD/VHS players connected to my TV, with no immediate plans to divest myself of either one.
Among my many recent upgrade decisions, this was by far the most agonizing for a number of reasons, mostly for the much reported tendency for triple layered 100 GB 4K UHD Discs to freeze at the 2nd/3rd layer change on the SONY 4K players, while this appears to be largely a non issue with Panasonic’s 4K UHD Player line! Nevertheless, I also really wanted Multi-Region disc playback capability, and the price was right for the SONY model I chose. Thankfully, the hack reported on a YouTube channel about a year ago, which recommends the changing of 2 settings on the SONY X700 and X800 4K players to overcome the triple layer Ultra HD disc freeze, has worked so far, in my case!
The other agonizing factor was the reported measurements of the above player would have been far too big to fit directly underneath my new TV! Thankfully, those measurements proved vastly exaggerated, and the SONY player just nicely fits under the Hisense TV, with maybe a ¼ inch to spare!!
220 Electronics is definitely the company to go with in regard to acquiring a Multi Region Disc player! They actually include the how to instructions for appropriate region selection for successful disc playback!
My 4K Discs (So Far!) -
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1943) - (April, 2025)
My very 1st 4K UltraHD disc (+Blu-ray), acquired used from downtown London's City Lights bookshop, with $5-6, plus $15 store credit, via trade-in, including ironically, my PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1943) Blu-ray!
TITANIC (1997) - (May, 2025)
My 2nd 4K UltraHD disc and first Triple Layer 100 GB disc, ordered from Amazon Canada. Looks fantastic in Dolby Vision!
CHEERS!
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