4k Discs -12/26/2020 Are they worth investing in?

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by jojopuppyfish, Dec 26, 2020.

  1. jojopuppyfish

    jojopuppyfish Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maryland
    I was looking at old threads, but I haven't seen anything new.
    Just curious if people have changed their minds and started buying 4k Discs.
    I have been sticking with Blu ray, but over at blu-ray.com I've seen many diehards really see a jump up in quality.
    And I'm starting to see more combos of 4k and blu ray in the same packaging.
    Just like to hear some opinions out there.
    Personally I find streaming hit and miss in terms of quality
     
    Manutius, audiomixer and jamesc like this.
  2. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni

    Location:
    USA
    I’ve been picking up great deals on 4K that includes the Blu-ray for less than just the Blu-ray.

    I watch all my discs, DVD, Blu-ray and 4K. I’m not big into streaming services. I only got Netflix and don’t plan on getting any others.
     
    Gaslight, Remlap, Manutius and 3 others like this.
  3. Joshua Tree

    Joshua Tree Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hamburg, Germany
    I needed a new BR player after the old one stopped working after 8 years and got a Sony UBP-X800 instead because it was cheaper than any solid BD only player on the market. After a while I got curios and bought a couple of 4K discs and somehow they don't look like much of an upgrade to their BR counterparts to. The increase in detail, sharpness and the wider color range of 4K discs was minimal. I have a 4K Sony TV and sit less than 6 feet away from the screen. I have to admit though, that I watch mostly older movies, 4K UHD discs may be impressive with more modern films though...
     
  4. jojopuppyfish

    jojopuppyfish Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maryland
    Interesting.
    Originally I told myself no 4k. But I'm slowly evolving. Would like to see more of you try to convince me.
    I'd have to get a new tv and player
     
  5. jojopuppyfish

    jojopuppyfish Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Maryland
    I've heard some people say that Dolby Vision is more important to the player than the 4k part of it.
    And I still wonder if its hit and miss.
     
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  6. The Hud

    The Hud Breath of the Kingdom, Tears of the Wild

    I think 4K is the way to go, especially when you get a BD and Digital Copy in the same package.

    There are exceptions, Terminator 2 on 4K is almost universally hated. I haven't watched it myself, so I cannot give you my opinion.

    www.highdefdigest.com is a great review sight that can help you decide which discs are worth getting.
     
  7. Deuce66

    Deuce66 Senior Member

    Location:
    Canada
    Are any of the streaming services that offer 4K really streaming in 4K? no compression at all?
     
    Darren Richardson likes this.
  8. I notice a bit of difference but not enough that it would make me want to upgrade a disc that I already have a standard Blu-Ray of.
     
    RSteven, SandAndGlass, fogalu and 3 others like this.
  9. Carrman

    Carrman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    that’s not possible yet due to limited bandwidth, unfortunately. even HD broadcast is still compressed.
     
  10. Turnaround

    Turnaround Senior Member

    Location:
    -
    I have many 4K discs. But I do not expect to be buying them in a couple years from now. I don't think you are getting in on something that will grow and grow. More like getting in before physical media takes its last breath.

    First, movie studios will be releasing fewer 4K discs, as they push consumers to streaming services. 4K players are basically not being made anymore.

    Second, 4K streaming is currently not there yet on streaming the full info of a 4K physical disc because of bandwidth constraints. But we may get to the point where they are basically the same quality.

    Third, many recent movies were finished in 2K, so the 4K disc is basically just an upscaled presentation. The 4K format may still offer some improvements on these titles (e.g., wider color palate), but not quite the "wow" factor I want. I have cut back on buying 4K titles, sticking now mostly with new movies that are actually finished in 4K or older movies sourced from film.

    I have seen my own consumption of CDs go way down as streaming services become available and better quality, so I foresee that happen for me with movie physical media too.
     
  11. Paul_s

    Paul_s Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Same thought here.


    There's only a handful of titles I'd possibly pick up on 4K (Groundhog Day (1993) looks nice in Ultra HD, better than the Japan BR which also looked very nice), so can't really justify the cost of a new player/television.


    One bug bear of mine - with each evolution of video formats the choice seems to lessen (this goes back to DVD too). Mainly for classic/pre-2000 titles (sure, there are the odd nice surprises that pop up every now and then, but costs/return profit plays into this I guess)

    I'd check caps-a-holic / hidefdigest websites (as suggested above) before purchasing though, seen a few 4K turkeys (that's if you take the plunge).
     
    mdm08033 and Shawn like this.
  12. Manapua

    Manapua Forum Resident

    Location:
    Honolulu
    I'll usually get a 4K version if it drops to a great price which many did this past Black Friday although I can't say the upgrade is big enough to stop buying BRs. In fact, for some titles, the BR looks better to me. My real concern is if the format dies and they stop making the players rendering the discs obsolete. I'm still kicking myself for not picking up an Oppo player when they weren't so darn expensive.
     
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  13. GregM

    GregM The expanding man

    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    Upgrading to 4K discs, OLED screen and Atmos has been the most rewarding home theater experience since I adopted DVD in the late '90s. It's relatively easy to get good picture streaming but when you dial it in with 4K discs, it takes the quality to a new level. The discs are pretty much always superior to streaming on my system, with my comcast service.
     
  14. Boomy

    Boomy Senior Member

    Location:
    Indiana
    Does it make more sense to get the 4K if you have a good sound setup? I’m thinking the visual isn’t as much of a sales point as i think Blu Ray is a good visual.
     
    Tyler Chastain likes this.
  15. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    4K discs only made an audio difference if they include a different mix than the BD.

    Some studios "dumb down" the BDs, theoretically to push people to buy the 4K.

    For instance, Disney usually gives BDs a 7.1 mix and saves Atmos for the 4Ks.

    If a 4K and a BD include the same kind of track, there shouldn't be an audio difference...
     
    Boomy likes this.
  16. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    I'm not going to rule it out, but I doubt I'll ever bother. To my eye, Blu-ray when done right looks great, as good as I think I'll ever expect home theater to look. I take the point that the bigger improvement with 4K relates to color rather than resolution (I was corrected on this in another thread). Still, as best I can tell, Blu-ray seems entirely able to capture the range of color I can perceive at the cinema (and, frankly, it sometimes seems even better, somewhat like the way that images of paintings in certain art books look sharper, brighter, and clearer than the paintings themselves).

    To DVD from VHS was a big step up, and to HD and Blu-ray was another significant step up. I think we've made it.
     
  17. mj_patrick

    mj_patrick Senior Member

    Location:
    Elkhart, IN, USA
    I was not initially positive towards 4K, but having spent time with it on a proper screen, it's certainly worth it.

    The resolution gain really isn't that big of a deal. The colors, however, are a completely different story if you get a large OLED screen or similar tech. It can be stunning.


    The jump in visual quality is engaging enough to where I've found myself excited to watch film for the first time in years. 2020 was a tough year, but it's been a great year to watch film at home. I've watched more films this past 9 months, in fact, than I have in the past 10 years.


    It's true; HDR and Dolby Vision are both the compelling reasons for upgrading to 4K. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are the best surround tech I've heard in consumer home theater as well.

    If you read the 4K UHD blu-ray reviews at Blu-Ray.com and use those impressions to help making your purchasing decisions, I think you'll be pleased with the purchases you make.
     
  18. mj_patrick

    mj_patrick Senior Member

    Location:
    Elkhart, IN, USA
    They are much more compressed than the 4K UHD blu-rays, so yes they are in lesser quality. However, when 10 bit HDR or Dolby Vision is being streamed, it can still look very, very good provided you have the bandwidth. Personally, it's not affected my ability to enjoy whatever I'm streaming.
     
  19. mj_patrick

    mj_patrick Senior Member

    Location:
    Elkhart, IN, USA
    I'm in complete agreement with everything you're saying here. It really has been a new high point for home theater. It's hard to imagine how they could take it further than here.
     
  20. From a color perspective, it beats Regulsr Blu.
     
  21. jbmcb

    jbmcb Forum Resident

    Location:
    Troy, MI, USA
    From my experience, you need to research the transfer they use. Some studios are pulling the same shenanigans they did with Blu-ray and up-scaling their old HD masters (many original Blu-ray titles were simply up-scaled DVD masters.)

    Personally, I wouldn't buy a 4K UHD disc unless:

    1. It's been verified by an independent review site that it's an original 4K film transfer, or a native 4K title (most theatrical titles are only released as 2K)
    2. It's encoded in HDR, as, from my experience, that makes a much larger difference in picture quality than HD vs. 4K
     
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  22. mj_patrick

    mj_patrick Senior Member

    Location:
    Elkhart, IN, USA
    You need to watch a well done UHD blu-ray of a film you're familiar with on a large OLED or similar screen.

    Also, Dolby Atmos is worth the investment. I'm amazed at what it can do with even just a 2.1 setup, which at times sounded larger.
     
    Boomy likes this.
  23. mj_patrick

    mj_patrick Senior Member

    Location:
    Elkhart, IN, USA
    I was exactly where you are at a few years ago... I wasn't on the fence, I thought we were being fleeced, and I wasn't going to upgrade. "4K, so what" was my impression.

    It really is both the color and brightness that makes the difference; and Dolby Atmos is nothing to sneeze at. But you really can't make any decision without seeing it in person, on a proper screen.

    Getting a good 4K set hasn't made me feel like my standard Blu-Ray collection is now somehow obsolete. They still look great.
     
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  24. Mirrorblade.1

    Mirrorblade.1 Forum Resident

    What happened to 3D?
     
    chaz, hi_watt and Michael like this.
  25. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    If the set isn't calibrated, you have no idea what you're looking at. I own three calibrated LG OLEDs -- a C8, a C9, and a CX -- and the difference between HD and 4K HDR/Dolby Vision is mind-blowing. We just watched the next-to-last episode of Star Trek: Discovery and I was amazed by the clarity, the sharpness, and the vividness of all the effects and the sets and the people, and it added that much more to the story.

    One key is to turn off all the automatic crap on the set. Do that, and that's actually a pretty good starting point. Modern sets are starting to provide "Filmmaker Mode" as an option, which allows you to see TV shows and feature films the way they were intended:

    CES: Directors, Cinematographers Endorse "Filmmaker Mode" Setting on 2020 TVs | Hollywood Reporter

    Amen to all that.
     

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