UHD Samsung Launches Ultra HD Blu-Ray Player; Fox Commits To 4K and HDR Content (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Ugh.

What is that response for, the new format and/or the film title?

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Fox has the largest library of large format titles, with at least some, like Oklahoma! ready to go.

As 4k is apt to be a niche market, I'd like to see them put there best foot forward.

Likewise, Sony's inaugural titles should include Aurens, Strangelove and other titles that would appeal to the early adopter / cinephile. I fear we'll be seeing Godzilla once again.

This. I only want to buy large format and finished in 4K titles on UHDBR. Full stop.

 

[Dr Griffin]

What is that response for, the new format and/or the film title?

Title.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Title.

That's too bad as it's an entertaining film that many of us enjoyed.

 

[Dr Griffin]

That's too bad as it's an entertaining film that many of us enjoyed.

That's fine of course, but the new format launcher poster child?

 

[Tony Bensley]

That's fine of course, but the new format launcher poster child?

Hi Stanley!


Better KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE than "Floptastic 4K", though why that's also getting the UHD 4K treatment is a bit beyond my comprehension!


CHEERS!


Tony

 

[Sean Bryan]

I don't think any of them had been mastered in HDR either, so that the players and televisions are capable of displaying HDR doesn't really matter.

I believe they all are. From this article a few months ago, Fox said they were doing HRD masters of all their recent titles.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/fox-be-first-studio-create-796952

And you can purchase many of these HDR titles right now if you have a new TV with the M-GO app.

http://www.mgo.com/hdr

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Interesting - thanks for pointing that out, I didn't realize these masters were already available for home users. I just knew that they weren't released theatrically in HDR. So that brings up another interesting question that probably has no single right answer- if OAR and "as originally presented in theaters" are usually our guiding principles here, and these films were not originally released in HDR - is remastering them in HDR a change that we'll be in favor of?

The theater near me that's set to offer HDR hasn't yet upgraded, so I've never seen a movie that way - so I honestly don't know how I'd feel about it. Will these be true to the theatrical presentations or will they be made to look like the demo programming you see on new displays at the stores?

But it does seem a little interesting or maybe weird that the first titles being released on a new UHD format that supports 4K and HDR were not made in 4K and not originally released in HDR.

 

[Sean Bryan]

Better KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE than "Floptastic 4K", though why that's also getting the UHD 4K treatment is a bit beyond my comprehension!

I think the only reason Fant-four-stic is getting the UHD treatment is that Fox has said several months ago that ALL of their movies would be available in UHD. As much of a disaster as it was, it's still one of their movies.


As for most films being finished in 2K, I know I've said this before elsewhere, but the increase in resolution is probably the least significant improvement going to UHD BD from legacy BD. The higher bit-depth, DCI color space, and high dynamic range are more likely to have more noticeable improvements in picture quality than the increase in resolution. But all that stuff is so new to us home theater enthusiasts (most of us haven't seen it yet) that it's hard to have concrete expectations of what that brings. Resolution is an easier concept to have expectations about.

Still, hopefully studios will start finishing more of their films in higher resolution over the next few years.

 

[Sean Bryan]

Interesting - thanks for pointing that out, I didn't realize these masters were already available for home users. I just knew that they weren't released theatrically in HDR. So that brings up another interesting question that probably has no single right answer- if OAR and "as originally presented in theaters" are usually our guiding principles here, and these films were not originally released in HDR - is remastering them in HDR a change that we'll be in favor of?
The theater near me that's set to offer HDR hasn't yet upgraded, so I've never seen a movie that way - so I honestly don't know how I'd feel about it. Will these be true to the theatrical presentations or will they be made to look like the demo programming you see on new displays at the stores?
But it does seem a little interesting or maybe weird that the first titles being released on a new UHD format that supports 4K and HDR were not made in 4K and not originally released in HDR.

That is a good question. It think the answer will probably depend on how it's implemented.

If it looks great and more natural I think most would be for it regardless of what was originally in cinemas. If it is over-cooked then I'd imagine enthusiasts would be less accepting.

The new Samsung and Sony UHD TVs that are full array local dimming and can do HRD are so new that there isn't much reliable feedback yet out there about how these UHD with HRD movies look other than "OMG, GREAT!"

Those that really know their stuff about video calibration don't seem to have had the opportunity to really dissect the image being displayed with the these new HRD movies on these new UHD sets yet.

 

[Persianimmortal]

No surprise that not a single classic title is part of the initial release range. As expected, UHD Blu-ray is primarily a format for new releases where sales will be sufficient (for now at least) to make it commercially viable. Fortunately I have zero interest in new releases


HDR will definitely be the most eye-catching aspect of UHD, giving a pop-out high contrast effect. We've had a form of HDR simulated in PC games for years and it's quite nice. But once again, classics were never made with HDR in mind, and I personally would object to catalog titles being remastered with HDR (I feel that it's similar in concept to colorization of B&W movies). So once again, it's something that really only applies to new releases.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

As for most films being finished in 2K, I know I've said this before elsewhere, but the increase in resolution is probably the least significant improvement going to UHD BD from legacy BD. The higher bit-depth, DCI color space, and high dynamic range are more likely to have more noticeable improvements in picture quality than the increase in resolution. But all that stuff is so new to us home theater enthusiasts (most of us haven't seen it yet) that it's hard to have concrete expectations of what that brings. Resolution is an easier concept to have expectations about.

Without having seen the technology, I agree that all of those other things will have a greater impact on people than resolution alone. (Since IMAX, for example, can successfully use 2K digital projectors for their big screens, 2K would seem enough resolution for big screens at home if it was only about resolution.) But there's just something a little weird to me about slapping a "4K UHD" label on something when it's not actually in 4K. But I'm probably (ok, definitely) in danger of repeating myself here

I don't think this technology is something I'll be investing in immediately, but much like all the other cool toys I had to wait a little while to get, I am excited to see what it's like and how my fellow HTFers respond to it. And if they do combo packs like the sample artwork is hinting at (hopefully they aren't too much more than regular stand-alone BD releases), I'll probably end up owning a few 4K UHD discs before I've got a player. The combo packs are really cool for people like me who know one day they'll be upgrading but aren't quite there yet.

 

[Sean Bryan]

My 8-year old Sony SXRD rear projection TV is toast. It is dying the green death that affected those models. If I didn't have my JVC RS-57 projector I'd have been forced to buy a new set months ago.

Since I have the projector I've been trying to wait as long as I can to buy a new TV. Buying a new TV now, I really don't want to spend money on anything that isn't fully UHD compliant. I've been looking at the new top models of Samsung and Sony. I've been leaning toward the Sony because I think I'd be bothered by some of the minor motion judder issues that seem to plague Samsung's TVs. But the only Sony with full array local dimming is $7K and I'm not sure I'd be able to get the 75" behemoth into my current space. So I keep going back and forth.

Another concern I have it that I feel weird about the idea that a new UHD TV could display a better picture with UHD BD than I could display on my current projector with regular BD. I'd hate to be drawn to the smaller screen for movies because only it can do UHD. But then the new Sony and JVC projectors due later this year are supposed to support UHD and HDR. Of course, many question exist about how, exactly, these will handle HDR. But I'm tempted to turn over my RS-57 and upgrade.

So lots of uncertainty, and lots of expensive choices. Still, I'm excited about home video quality taking another leap forward.

 

[Sean Bryan]

But there's just something a little weird to me about slapping a "4K UHD" label on something when it's not actually in 4K.

Oh, I agree. That's probably why the BD forum officially named the new format (or format extension) "UHD Blu-ray" and 4K was not included in the format title.

It's unfortunate that here Fox is calling it "4K UHD Blu-ray" for the reason you mentioned. But I do think it's understandable from a marketing perspective since consumers have a context for what "4K" is compared to 2K but would have no concept of what "UHD" is supposed to improve upon other than resolution.

I'm curious to see if there will be more info from Sony and Panasonic at CEDIA next month.

 

[Sean Bryan]

That's too bad as it's an entertaining film that many of us enjoyed.

Hands down, my favorite of the year so far.

 

[DavidMiller]

I'd be curious to see if these releases replace blu-ray on the shelves, since they include the blu anyway. I can't imagine a store carrying 3 sku's of every title, especially since space for physical titles is so limited nowadays.

Also curious to see if the Digital HD code will put a 4K version in your UV locker, because if it doesn't a consumer would basically be forced to choose between buying the physical or digital 4K versions of a title, because one purchase wouldn't give both, as it does now...

So with M-Go I bought the streamed 4K UV copy of "Ghost in the Shell" it showed up as 1080p in Vudu. Not sure if it exactly answered your question but that would be my hope is you would get a 4K UV copy.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

How in Sam Hill does Fantastic Flop (2015) merit a UHD 4K release?

Fantastic Four-K


Neil

 

[Persianimmortal]

Hands down, my favorite of the year so far.

Being the best film of 2015 is a lot like being the smartest kid in a trailer park

 

[Patrick Donahue]

So with M-Go I bought the streamed 4K UV copy of "Ghost in the Shell" it showed up as 1080p in Vudu. Not sure if it exactly answered your question but that would be my hope is you would get a 4K UV copy.

I guess what I'm getting at is - is the Digital HD codes that come with the new discs 4K or 1080p? In other words, if you had purchased "Ghost in the Shell" as a 4K disc and redeemed the UV code, would it have given you the full 4K or or just the 1080p copy on M-Go?

 

[Brian Kidd]

Unfortunately, I doubt we'll see many classic films released on the format, if Blu-ray is anything by which to go. The amount of classic films on Blu-ray is tiny. It seems that, with every generational shift in format, we see fewer-and-fewer older films released. Part of that, I'm aware, is that the market for classic films is getting grayer.