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[Rest]

I ask this because I didn't even know they were called UHDs until I saw a video from a YouTuber called Techmoan. I had thought they were called 4k Blu-Rays before then. On top of that, the only UHDs that I have, I bought because they also came with Blu-Rays in the box, and were cheaper than buying the Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack. I don't personally own a UHD player and won't be getting one unless the PS5 or XBox Whatever plays them natively.

I also think about the fact that Blu-Rays haven't even replaced DVDs. Most consumers that buy movies still buy DVDs it seems, over 10 years after Blu-Ray came out. DVD supplanted VHS in about five years, but Blu-Ray did not force DVD out of the market in the same way. In a world where DVD still dominates, and Blu-Ray is a distant second, is there really a reason for UHD to be on the market?

 

[brap]

Nobody gives a shit about physical media anymore so it's hard to say.

is there really a reason for UHD to be on the market?

Yes.

 

[AV]

"UHDs" isn't the name of the format, it's just marketing jargon, they're still just 4K Blu-rays discs. No idea what they're gonna call 8K. Omega? OHD?

It's all to do with the times at which everything released, and who they're aimed at. DVDs came at a time where everyone was using VHS tapes, and the improvement in quality and quality-of-life (no rewinding, scene selection, extras etc.) was an enormous leap. DVD players after a few years also weren't much of a luxury item, and a hell of a lot of people had PS2s as their primary players. Many, many people think DVDs look "just fine" which is why they're still so dominant (compared to other discs). Also, people really invested in their DVD collections and hated the idea of having to re-buy everything on a new disc format.

Then Blu-ray came along and it was already niche in comparison. More expensive players, or consoles to play them on, a less distinct leap in quality. But the main issue was that Blu-Ray came around just as Netflix started streaming. As DVD sales started to fall, streaming started to rise, and it directly hindered the progress of Blu-Ray. Not inherently a bad thing.

4K Blu-rays are in the same situation, but greatly exaggerated. We already live in a time where the vast majority of entertainment consumers just stream everything, and plenty of these streaming services already offer 4K. Why would they go to the trouble of shelling out for a standalone player and $25-per-movie discs when they can watch the same thing on Apple TV? Well, because they look better. But only to dorks like me who can spot these things. No streaming service so far is capable of replicating what a 4K Blu-ray running on a player looks like, they can just get close. And when you're a movie nut who's got a ridiculous TV already, you want the best of the best available.

It's not that it's a branding failure, it's just very niche. 4K Blu-rays will never ever be "the norm" now that streaming exists. They're for enthusiasts who want to get the most out of their expensive setups. The vast majority of people are quite happy watching Netflix on their 1080p TVs.

 

[Grinchy]

I used to care about getting blurays and was excited for 4K blurays, but the prices never made sense. I've seen movies come out at $30 and I just have no idea who is a part of the market that is willing to pay that much for a single movie.

 

[haxan7]

I also think about the fact that Blu-Rays haven't even replaced DVDs. Most consumers that buy movies still buy DVDs it seems, over 10 years after Blu-Ray came out. DVD supplanted VHS in about five years, but Blu-Ray did not force DVD out of the market in the same way. In a world where DVD still dominates, and Blu-Ray is a distant second, is there really a reason for UHD to be on the market?

They're on the market because most TVs sold these days are UHD (4K). I think you're a few years behind the times in your thinking (but that's ok).

They have to keep consumers buying new electronics somehow (not that I'm complaining, I appreciate the gradual increase in image quality). There will always be a new level of displays for sale, along with a plan to bring the related technologies up to that level. The older technologies only get cheaper as a result, bringing up the overall quality of all TVs sold.

 

[Fushitsusha]

Too much focus on resolution when it comes to discussions about streaming when the biggest hurdle is bandwidth. Not much difference between 1080p and 4k streamed on the majority of viewing distances and display sizes currently used compared to the compression...

4k physical is very much justifiable still.

 

[Kagey K]

I thought UHD was the the general term for 4K (Ultra High Definition) and 4K Blu Ray meant exactly that. A blu ray that displayed in 4K.

Disney + is the only streaming service that uses UHD as a term. Netflix and Prime still say 4K on the resolution.

Im guessing they are trying to transition because of 8K TVs coming soon? UHD4 or UHD8 but they will probably find new names for it before it happens.

 

[SentientStone]

I skipped 4k, waiting for 8k.
If 8k does not happen then oh well., money saved.

 

[Kagey K]

I skipped 4k, waiting for 8k.
If 8k does not happen then oh well., money saved.

It's got to be super hard to avoid 4K. It seems it took off way faster then HD did.

 

[Elektro Demon]

Unfortunately physical media is pretty much dead, so nobody cares. It's all about streaming these days.

 

[eot]

Is streamed 4K actually any good? Which service actually offers a proper bit rare that takes advantage of the resolution? Physical media is too expensive, I agree, but with 8K coming it feels like streaming isn't there yet and won't be for a while. Of course most ppl won't care.

 

[brap]

Is streamed 4K actually any good? Which service actually offers a proper bit rare that takes advantage of the resolution? Physical media is too expensive, I agree, but with 8K coming it feels like streaming isn't there yet and won't be for a while. Of course most ppl won't care.

No.

 

[Kagey K]

Is streamed 4K actually any good? Which service actually offers a proper bit rare that takes advantage of the resolution? Physical media is too expensive, I agree, but with 8K coming it feels like streaming isn't there yet and won't be for a while. Of course most ppl won't care.

Disney+ looked good on some of the stuff I streamed in 4K Netflix and Prime are hit or miss depending on the source.

 

[nush]

The problem I have is that UHD/4K Blu Rays are just upgrades for the discs I already own on Blu Ray. So until movies are released new on all formats at the same time it's the double dip format for me. In comparison I brought many Blu Rays that I did not have on DVD.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

I used to care about getting blurays and was excited for 4K blurays, but the prices never made sense. I've seen movies come out at $30 and I just have no idea who is a part of the market that is willing to pay that much for a single movie.

4k movies are on sale every 2 months or so.

 

[Teletraan1]

The failure is that more people are content watching a movie on their phone or streaming a low quality video to even care. Cape shit movies are just effects driven trash that looks worse in good quality. You can tell the effects are upscaled. Older movies have been bought on too many formats in the last 40 years so there is burnout there. It is a shame because we are finally at resolutions that actually do 35/70mm justice at home. The best UHD experiences have been pre-mid 90s movies or anything shot on film.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Distributors are so worried about controlling consumers with dvd, uhd, 4k etc. we've seen formats come and go and now a large volume of viewers go online and stream.

 

[gatti-man]

Nobody gives a shit about physical media anymore so it's hard to say.


Yes.

People that care about quality care about physical media. Also people who care about ownership care about physical. The reason digital is taking over is it's half the price of physical for movies.

Is streamed 4K actually any good? Which service actually offers a proper bit rare that takes advantage of the resolution? Physical media is too expensive, I agree, but with 8K coming it feels like streaming isn't there yet and won't be for a while. Of course most ppl won't care.

Streamed 4k is good on the right services. It's not as good as physical 4k but it's better than Blu-ray. I use vudu it's usually the best for streaming.

 

[ManaByte]

Streamed 4k is good on the right services. It's not as good as physical 4k but it's better than Blu-ray. I use vudu it's usually the best for streaming.

VUDU's HDR can sometimes be a bit dark. Disney+ has the best 4K HDR followed by iTunes and then MoviesAnywhere/Vudu.

 

[GV82]

Slap a U on the name of a new upgrade of an already existing product and you are going to cause confusion to the casual audience just ask Nintendo and I own a WiiU, so I am not being snarky.

For the reveal I still thought it was a add-on as lots of us did even though we are on these gaming websites, the casual gamers brought in from the Wii had no chance.

Also Microsoft had the ill fated HD-DVD name, I call them 4K Blu-ray Discs too as I don't buy them, I just assumed that's what they were called

 

[888]

Until streaming catches up to discs when it comes to audio then I'll bail on discs. I only buy a disc when it's a good candidate for the atmos system in the house. Everything else gets streamed.

 

[TaySan]

People just don't give a shit about quality anymore. It's cringey how people refuse to even try a new format that's superior.

 

[Spukc]

I got about 40 movies on UHD
It def is worth it imo.

Esp the old remakes.
Alien , predator etc etc.
Blade runner

New ones

The martian
John wick
Blade runner 2049
Mad max fury road
Basically most bbc documentaries


Funny enough the things that stand out the most for me is. HDR / dolby vision and dolby atmos.
4k is def amazing but not the main focus imo.

The quality is so much better then streaming.
My older blurays look better then this so called "4k" streaming.

Only streaming stuff that impresses me is 8k from youtube from a couple of videos(As the bitrate seems better)

As in pricing always get them in special deals.
HMV has plenty of em.
2 for 30 quid. John wick 3 / predator
6.99 for some. Men in black / chappie

Try to shop smart and you will be ok.
As 25 each is just silly.

 

[Rest]

I thought UHD was the the general term for 4K (Ultra High Definition) and 4K Blu Ray meant exactly that. A blu ray that displayed in 4K.

Disney + is the only streaming service that uses UHD as a term. Netflix and Prime still say 4K on the resolution.

Im guessing they are trying to transition because of 8K TVs coming soon? UHD4 or UHD8 but they will probably find new names for it before it happens.

I thought so too, then I looked at the handful that I have. Neither UHD or 4k Blu-Ray appears anywhere on the box, but the logo where the Blu-Ray symbol used to be says 4K Ultra HD, and that's the closest thing to either that I could find.

 

[iconmaster]

No idea what they're gonna call 8K. Omega? OHD?

OSNAPD

 

[Susurrus]

While I won't deny streaming is always getting better, so is the discs. 4k streaming will not catch up with UHD BluRay. I know the recent Disney UHD discs have looked amazing; Aladdin and Lion King in 4k blu ray (with that HDR of course) were insane.

I'm kind of a bit of a crossroads on whether I stream or buy discs. I do use Netflix, and sometimes Vudu or some other streaming service, but when I know I really want that picture quality in a movie, I get the disc. However, even when I do get the disc, it comes with a digital redemption so I get the best of both worlds.

 

[Captain Zyrain]

I love 4K UHD, discs and digital.

I don't buy too many discs anymore, other than a few Steelbooks I really want. The difference for most of the movies I want to watch is negligible for me between disc & streaming at this point.

Marketing wise.. I dunno. Everyone loves streaming for the easiness. I suppose the only way to marketed 4K discs is for the quality (but also value, as you usually get a UHD disc, HD disc, and digital code).

 

[belmarduk]

Those little cd things that went in the psp? Yes they were a failure... I haven't seen one in a very long time.. even the Vita didn't use them!

 

[Amory]

It's a bad name but it probably would've failed regardless of what they called it. People just don't give a shit about discs anymore. And those who do, believe it or not, are largely still buying DVDs.

Personally I have more than 200 titles on UHD because I'm weird.

 

[Master Of Illusion]

UHD discs will gain a little more popularity once the next gen of consoles roll out. Not by much (definitely nowhere near what the PS2 did for DVDs / PS3 did for Blu-ray) since streaming is a thing, but a small uptick nonetheless.

Also, I think we've capped when it comes to mastering narrative film & TV in 4K. Anything extra in resolution is already bringing diminishing returns unless it's a live event shot on an 8K camera; it's much more beneficial to work on new modes of HDR color technology and scrambling the already existing pixels on the screen (rather than keeping 4K pixels linear) to more naturally match what cone cells in the eye process in real life.

 

[brap]

Also, I think we've capped when it comes to mastering narrative film & TV in 4K. Anything extra in resolution is already bringing diminishing returns unless it's a live event shot on an 8K camera; it's much more beneficial to work on new modes of HDR color technology and scrambling the already existing pixels on the screen (rather than keeping 4K pixels linear) to more naturally match what cone cells in the eye process in real life.

Things shot in 70mm can look better in 8k but that's about it. I mainly watch old movies and this is basically it for me. Makes me laugh when people talk about 8k discs.

 

[Master Of Illusion]

Things shot in 70mm can look better in 8k but that's about it. I mainly watch old movies and this is basically it for me. Makes me laugh when people talk about 8k discs.

I think Space Odyssey's negative was able to be scanned in at something ridiculous like 13K, but to think how huge a screen has to be to benefit from that makes my brain hurt.

 

[brap]

I think Space Odyssey's negative was able to be scanned in at something ridiculous like 13K, but to think how huge a screen has to be to benefit from that makes my brain hurt.

I hear it doesn't even look that good on 4k BD but I haven't seen it myself.

 

[Gargus]

My wife and I bought this on black friday.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-ubp-x800m2-streaming-4k-ultra-hd-hi-res-audio-wi-fi-built-in-blu-ray-player-black/6336494.p?skuId=6336494&ref=212&loc=1&extStoreId=394&ref=212&loc=DWA&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQiA9dDwBRC9ARIsABbedBMuDx9gyZGthv4iNJt2qu6aLH6X3cYmEM93yXcNCQlGcZ1vcJHholMaAiolEALw_wcB

And I bought a lot of 4k movies on black friday also that were cheap. We watched 2001 and it looked good. Then I realized I didnt turn on the hdr+ mode on the tv for the players source. Then we got around to watching the uhd infinity war and endgame and god damn did it look good. I loved it. I'm quite happy with it so far. Next it's either christine or dark crystal.

But at this point I will buy the occasionall new movie in uhd like once upon a time in hollywood, but most of the ones I'll get will be older movies and ones dear to my heart like die hard, alien, predator, etc.

For the most part I am an older movie fan so I'm good with blu Ray's as well. Luckily our player is one hell of an upscaler as well.

 

[Master Of Illusion]

I hear it doesn't even look that good on 4k BD but I haven't seen it myself.

I have it.

It's demo disc material. Very crisp, but it also has Nolan's insisted "historically accurate" color correction, so the color timing is a lot less blue-ish / modern looking than the '07 Blu-ray (which could throw some people off).