4K Ultra HD Blu-ray confirmed, coming late 2015

[Arthur]

Time to start saving up for a 4K UHD telly and/or monitor!

 

Source: Blu-ray.com

 

4K Blu-ray is officially on the way. According to Victor Matsuda, Chairman of the Blu-ray Disc Association Global Promotions Committee, the BDA expects the specs for 4K Blu-ray to be finalized in the first half of 2015, paving the way for commercial availability by the end of the year. This means we can expect to see actual 4K Blu-ray movies and players available in stores by Christmas next year.

 

Apart from the jump to 4K resolution (3840 x 2160p) we can also expect 4K Blu-ray to support higher frame rates (up to 60fps), an expanded color gamut along with high dynamic range (HDR), as well as HEVC/H.265 encoding to compress 4K movies more efficiently and allow for higher bit rates. The group is currently exploring the possibility of increasing the disc capacity to 66GB or 100GB.

[FN-GM]

Is there any real point? Now we are in the days of streaming content?

[flyinghaggis]

Since my local exchange/cabinet was upgraded to fibre broadband earlier this year (my connection went from 1.5Mbps > 36Mbps) I personally don't really have any need for 4k blu-ray but I can appreciate that physical media is the only way millions of people will have to experience 4k movies for a good few years yet.

 

There's still a place for physical media IMO

Edited September 6, 2014 by flyinghaggis

[DrCheese]

Is there any real point? Now we are in the days of streaming content?

 

Ew. If streaming HD is still pretty terrible compared to blu-ray, I shudder to think what streaming 4k would be like.

[mac_shinobi]

Ew. If streaming HD is still pretty terrible compared to blu-ray, I shudder to think what streaming 4k would be like.

 

Thats without some ISP's doing traffic management / shaping / slowing your connection down all because "You've downloaded too much"

[Arthur]

If streaming HD is still pretty terrible compared to blu-ray, I shudder to think what streaming 4k would be like.

Horrible!

 

http://referencehometheater.com/2014/commentary/4k-streaming-guessing-quality

 

Blu-ray quality at 200% zoom

 

 

Netflix equivalent at 1/3rd of the bitrate of Blu-ray

 

[Arthur]

http://vgy.me/cgcJkl.jpg

 

Ultra-HD Blu-ray Spec. Released

 

The Ultra HD Blu-ray spec supports video at up to 3840x2160 resolution, expanded color gamuts, high dynamic range, high frame rate content, and object-based audio tech like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Likewise, the format includes an optional digital bridge feature that "enhances the value of content ownership by embracing the notion that a content purchase can enable the consumer to view their content across the range of in-home and mobile devices." Finally, the spec also requires that Ultra HD Blu-ray players offer backwards compatibility with current Blu-rays. Ultra HD Blu-ray discs will hold up to 66GB on dual layer discs and 100GB on triple layer discs.

 

Licensing for Ultra HD Blu-ray is scheduled to commence this summer. An exact release window for the first Ultra HD Blu-ray players and discs has not been announced, but previous rumors have indicated a possible holiday 2015 or early 2016 debut.

 

Backwards compatibility with CDs, DVDs and 3D Blu-rays is optional however.

 

The specification also mandates all new Ultra HD Blu-ray players be capable of playing back current Blu-ray Discs, although adding support for 3D Blu-ray Discs will be voluntary for the manufacturer. There are no current plans for 3D Ultra HD Blu-ray support. Whether or not the player supports other disc formats, like DVDs or CDs, will be left to the voluntary discretion of the manufacturer. (Source)

Edited May 12, 2015 by Arthur

[flyinghaggis]

Yes the quality might be slightly better than 4k streamed but for 99% of the population that's already good enough. I've given up buying Blu-rays though I still frequently rent them from Lovefilm purely because movies tend to be released on physical media before they're available to stream. If that were to change I'd have no reason to bother with physical media.

 

DVD was a giant leap forward from VHS tape and blu-ray/HD-dvd at 1080p made for a noticeable jump up from that but I'm finding it hard to get excited about a new physical media format given it's only offering what we already have available online.

 

100Gb on a triple layer UHD disc doesn't seem like much of an improvement given dual layer Blu-rays already hold 50Gb and that's now 10 year old technology? Ignoring the streaming media argument the format itself doesn't even sound very impressive from a technical viewpoint? It's feels out-dated and it hasn't even been released yet!

 

Meh, maybe I'm getting old

Edited May 14, 2015 by flyinghaggis