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4K UHD/Blu-ray/DVD Community Thread: Bringing the Theater Home!

P

PhoncipleBone

Banned
Temeculan3000 said:
Logitech Harmony remote, once programmed it doesn't matter how complicated your setup is, they can just hit "Watch TV" and everything will turn on and switch to the correct input.
Click to expand...

hikarutilmitt said:
Not quite, but it didn't hurt. :p

I got the Harmony Touch on sale at Best Buy for like $100 or something. It was worth the upgrade from the old 600 because the touchscreen is decent, the remote programs nicely, is easy to customize and has a charging base (charge on it lasts 3-4 days, usually) so I don't have to swap batteries every month or so.

My game room ("my room") on the other hand I just use the AVR remote since it can turn the TV and AVR on and I know what inputs are to what device. It's easy.
Click to expand...
Echoing the Harmony recommendations as well.
I had a 600 for a few years and that thing was a godsend. No more juggling remotes, changing inputs, etc. It helped make life simpler for my wife, and it was so easy when the in laws visited.
I got a Harmony Touch a year and a half ago or so and liked it. I could finally put all my devices on it, and it was nice having the touch screen customization. But I hated how the control buttons were at the top of the remote instead of the middle. It also seemed slow to respond compared to the 600.
Late last year though I got the Harmony Elite, and can't go back now. It is so comfortable and easy to use, and I love having the Hub so I don't even have to have it pointed at the devices to work. And the Hub working with the Echo Dot just make other things simpler.

Harmony remotes are life changers really.
 
hikarutilmitt

hikarutilmitt

Member
Proteus said:
Better than GOTG2 but still not great.

Honestly, how do they keep fucking up steelbook art?
Click to expand...

I feel like GOTG2 was just a matter of it being kind of boring and weird, this WW art is legitimately awful.

I feel like a simple WW logo with it being a bit war torn, while unimaginative, would look better and more in-theme.

That Spidey cover, though, looks fantastic.

PhoncipleBone said:
Echoing the Harmony recommendations as well.
I had a 600 for a few years and that thing was a godsend. No more juggling remotes, changing inputs, etc. It helped make life simpler for my wife, and it was so easy when the in laws visited.
I got a Harmony Touch a year and a half ago or so and liked it. I could finally put all my devices on it, and it was nice having the touch screen customization. But I hated how the control buttons were at the top of the remote instead of the middle. It also seemed slow to respond compared to the 600.
Late last year though I got the Harmony Elite, and can't go back now. It is so comfortable and easy to use, and I love having the Hub so I don't even have to have it pointed at the devices to work. And the Hub working with the Echo Dot just make other things simpler.

Harmony remotes are life changers really.
Click to expand...

It's a bit pricey but I've always wanted one of those. Since you and I have similar experiences, does the Elite get rid of or at least reduce that input lag? That and if the IR repeater maybe works on a Marantz, because then it could be a solution for my father-in-law. I've heard a bunch of IR blasters just don't work with Marant for some weird reason.
 
P

PhoncipleBone

Banned
hikarutilmitt said:
It's a bit pricey but I've always wanted one of those. Since you and I have similar experiences, does the Elite get rid of or at least reduce that input lag? That and if the IR repeater maybe works on a Marantz, because then it could be a solution for my father-in-law. I've heard a bunch of IR blasters just don't work with Marant for some weird reason.
Click to expand...

The Elite is much faster than the Touch. I don't notice anywhere near the same lag, but it might be because I don't have to have it perfectly pointed at the device. But, the remote itself is so much more comfortable to hold and use than the Touch.
Really, the only thing missing from it is a mic.
 
P

PhoncipleBone

Banned
Westonian said:
Blade Runner reviews are starting to hit and it sounds amazing. They really made an effort to use HDR to its fullest:

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/item/blade-runner-final-cut-uhd-bd

Also, Amazon price matched Wal-mart, so you can pick it up for ~$28 now instead of $40.
Click to expand...

Well, much like blu ray, whenever I get a UHD player, Blade Runner will be the first disc I buy.

Still rocking my Panasonic plasma, so will be a few years before I get a 4K tv and player, but great to know that Blade Runner was done justice.
 
P

peppermints

Member
This is kind of an off topic question, but - I was too young to ever really buy VHS (born in 1989) myself, but I was the prime age to buy DVDs. My parents (or older brother) bought them but I mostly rented from video stores and libraries.

How do the prices of 4K and regular Blurays compare to VHS tapes of the time? Was it similar to cartridge games vs CD/DVD games where cartridge games were significantly more? Obviously inflation pays a part, so relative to things now of course.
 
B

Beer Monkey

Member
peppermints said:
This is kind of an off topic question, but - I was too young to ever really buy VHS (born in 1989) myself, but I was the prime age to buy DVDs. My parents (or older brother) bought them but I mostly rented from video stores and libraries.

How do the prices of 4K and regular Blurays compare to VHS tapes of the time? Was it similar to cartridge games vs CD/DVD games where cartridge games were significantly more? Obviously inflation pays a part, so relative to things now of course.
Click to expand...

Major studio VHS tapes were initially priced at like $80-$90 or more to milk the rental market, and then after rentals slowed down the titles were rereleased as $20-$30 "sell thru" copies.

This model was eventually replaced by profit sharing with the rental outlets.

Back when this early model was hot it was often cheaper to buy a new film on Laserdisc instead of VHS because the Laserdiscs weren't "rental priced".
 
hikarutilmitt

hikarutilmitt

Member
peppermints said:
This is kind of an off topic question, but - I was too young to ever really buy VHS (born in 1989) myself, but I was the prime age to buy DVDs. My parents (or older brother) bought them but I mostly rented from video stores and libraries.

How do the prices of 4K and regular Blurays compare to VHS tapes of the time? Was it similar to cartridge games vs CD/DVD games where cartridge games were significantly more? Obviously inflation pays a part, so relative to things now of course.
Click to expand...

TBH, I think even with our "expensive" UHD releases, it's still pretty cheap. The newest format is always going to have the early adopter tax, but given the economy at the time, VHS tapes were rather expensive for what they were and you had fewer options for some things. DVDs were kind of expensive in some cases, aside from intentional milking catalog releases, because there weren't as many mastering plants and lots of studios hadn't gotten in yet because of adoption time. I remember my first DVD player when I graduated from HS in 99 was $350 (I miss my old Pioneer...) and I had to get DVDs from Best Buy and Suncoast for my anime and some regular movies.

The Matrix on DVD was relatively inexpensive at $30 in 99. If that tells you anything.

IIRC though VHS tapes were not "meant" for home ownership, so they were typically $100 or so because of rental shops buying them.
 
T

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
hikarutilmitt said:
TBH, I think even with our "expensive" UHD releases, it's still pretty cheap. The newest format is always going to have the early adopter tax, but given the economy at the time, VHS tapes were rather expensive for what they were and you had fewer options for some things. DVDs were kind of expensive in some cases, aside from intentional milking catalog releases, because there weren't as many mastering plants and lots of studios hadn't gotten in yet because of adoption time. I remember my first DVD player when I graduated from HS in 99 was $350 (I miss my old Pioneer...) and I had to get DVDs from Best Buy and Suncoast for my anime and some regular movies.

The Matrix on DVD was relatively inexpensive at $30 in 99. If that tells you anything.

IIRC though VHS tapes were not "meant" for home ownership, so they were typically $100 or so because of rental shops buying them.
Click to expand...

Anyone who actually paid $30 for The Matrix on DVD was a moron. I don't think it was even possible to find it for that high a price except at Suncoast or Dave's.
 
hikarutilmitt

hikarutilmitt

Member
TAJ said:
Anyone who actually paid $30 for The Matrix on DVD was a moron. I don't think it was even possible to find it for that high a price except at Suncoast or Dave's.
Click to expand...

Sure, okay. Small towns suck, I guess?

I got it for $25 on release because I preordered it at Sam Goody (it was still Musicland at the time, in said mall).

But thanks for being a dick!
 
T

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
hikarutilmitt said:
Sure, okay. Small towns suck, I guess?

I got it for $25 on release because I preordered it at Sam Goody (it was still Musicland at the time, in said mall).

But thanks for being a dick!
Click to expand...

You didn't pay $30. You still got ripped off but it could have been worse. You could have been shopping in Nova Scotia
And you're welcome. :)
 
H

Hero_of_the_Day

Member
I remember when DVD launched. My dad got a player and Twister right at launch. We would go up to Chicago once a month for work related shit, which is when we'd get new DVDs. There was no place else around to get them. It was pretty exciting times.


EDIT: Doing some googling, it was either the Toshiba 2006 or 3006 we got at launch:

zBPI4mS.jpg


I'm betting it was the 3006, 'cause it had component out, which is something my dad would have given a shit about. Article I'm reading said they launched in March of '97 for $599 and $699. Can't find either one on ebay, oddly enough. According to a random person, the launch list was:

A Time to Kill

Blade Runner

Eraser

Goodfellas

Interview with the Vampire

The Road Warrior

Se7en

The Birdcage

The Bridges of Madison County

The Fugitive

The Mask

The Wizard of Oz

Twister

Unforgiven

Woodstock
Click to expand...

I only remember Twister that first night. I remember going to Chicago and getting The Mask some time after. We also got The Fugitive pretty early on. I'm fairly certain Twister was the only movie we got at launch, though.
 
C

CloudyTuba

Member
peppermints said:
This is kind of an off topic question, but - I was too young to ever really buy VHS (born in 1989) myself, but I was the prime age to buy DVDs. My parents (or older brother) bought them but I mostly rented from video stores and libraries.

How do the prices of 4K and regular Blurays compare to VHS tapes of the time? Was it similar to cartridge games vs CD/DVD games where cartridge games were significantly more? Obviously inflation pays a part, so relative to things now of course.
Click to expand...

Adjusting all historical amounts for inflation for proper contextual understanding:

  • The earliest recognizable VHS players that emerged victorious from the format wars were priced ~$4500 USD early on, coming down to around $1000 by the mid 80s when they really got popular. Blank tapes were $30-$40, but actual movies were $180 due to studio fuckery at the time. This is why we had video rental stores.
  • DVD launched around 1997. The earliest home players cost ~$1000 in today's money at release and early video releases were ~$30-$40.
  • Bluray's early players in 2006 were ~$1200 dropping swiftly to ~$700 within 6 months. Discs priced around ~$30-$40.
  • Compared to 2016, the first consumer 4k players were between $400-$600 at release with discs at ~$30-$40.
We're basically spoiled at this point, when a format-launching player is cheaper than it's ever been and early disc prices have been steady for 20 years. Plus you have the option of buying cheaper streaming versions now.

Like always, players will go down in price relatively quickly and discs will cool off over time also.
 
T

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
The only stores that had DVD at launch in San Diego were Dow and Fedco. I don't know how they managed to get stock because San Diego wasn't one of the test markets.
Fedco had the Toshiba players for way under MSRP and sold every available title for under $20
 
T

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
JB1981 said:
Are you guys buying 4K titles even if you don't have a 4K tv for future proofing purposes
Click to expand...

I've had a policy of not buying anything from 2015 and later on regular Blu-ray except 3D.
But I also have a policy of waiting for deep, deep discounts (preferably <$5 per title) on stuff that's not limited or from boutique publishers who don't do heavy discounts. I make very few exceptions to this second rule, maybe five to ten a year.
So basically most of what I have in 4K is these limited edition, exclusive 4K/3D bundles, which I find to be an infuriating development, but whatever.
 
K

KDash31987

Member
I was gonna ask if I should get the Blade Runner 30th Anniversary Blu-ray set or the 4K Final Cut release, but I just found out thanks to an unboxing that the 4K version includes everything from the 30th Anniversary (except instead of a DVD disc of the Final Cut, you get the 4K version)...so, I guess I'll go for the 4K release.

I don't have a 4K...well, anything, so I was gonna get the 30th Anniversary set for all of the different cuts of the movie and the special features, but there's no real point in getting that now.
 
M

Marty Chinn

Member
JB1981 said:
Yea I'm just getting into that mindset now. I think I may start doing it seeing that the blu-rays are included as well as a digital copy
Click to expand...

My only conflict is if I want a 3D version and I can't decide which version to get. A part of me leans towards the 3D since I think those might be hard to come by later on.
 
B

Beer Monkey

Member
JB1981 said:
Are you guys buying 4K titles even if you don't have a 4K tv for future proofing purposes
Click to expand...

Just Blade Runner for now.

I'm probably getting an OLED in November. X1X on order.

KDash31987 said:
I was gonna ask if I should get the Blade Runner 30th Anniversary Blu-ray set or the 4K Final Cut release, but I just found out thanks to an unboxing that the 4K version includes everything from the 30th Anniversary (except instead of a DVD disc of the Final Cut, you get the 4K version)...so, I guess I'll go for the 4K release.

I don't have a 4K...well, anything, so I was gonna get the 30th Anniversary set for all of the different cuts of the movie and the special features, but there's no real point in getting that now.
Click to expand...

Actually the new set is missing the Workprint in 1080p from the last set.
 
H

Hero_of_the_Day

Member
I'm ready to ditch my One S. It glitches at a couple of spots on Batman V Superman. Always the same spots, and the same disc plays fine in my dad's Samsung player. Watched Arrival yesterday and it glitches in a spot too. I need to go to my friend's house and try Batman on his S and see if it does it on his too, or if something is up with mine. But, all my other movies are fine.
 
W

Westonian

Member
It's most likely at the layer change. The One S is not a great player. You don't need to grab an Oppo or Panasonic, but a dedicated player is going to out perform it, out at the very least have less issues.
 
H

Hero_of_the_Day

Member
I don't know what the deal is. In Arrival, it was pretty early in the movie. Like, as Lois Lane and Hawkeye are first getting to the alien site.

In BvS it does a little glitch during the batmobile murder massacre. But, then it goes to complete shit during the actual Batman/Supes fight. Think it does it a little more during the Doomsday fight too.

I also have Logan, Guardians 2, Ghostbusters 1 & 2, Hacksaw Ridge, John Wick, Creed, and Revenant. They all play 100% fine.

Fuck it. I filed a repair report with MS. Gonna send it in. Have the feeling they aren't going to see shit since it is at exact spots on certain discs only. But, my warranty runs out in November, so it's now or never.
 
P

PhoncipleBone

Banned
Might also be one of those odd compatibility issues with the player. Some discs just don't get along with certain players. Or certain codecs don't.

My first Samsung DVD player back in 1999 couldn't play The Matrix and about two other films properly for one reason or another. But they worked perfectly fine on my JVC.

I had issues with Atmos tracks and newer Dolby True HD audio tracks having sync issues on my old Panasonic blu ray player, but my newer one I got two years ago has zero issues with those same discs.

It really could just be those discs don't get along with the Xbox One S. It sucks, but it does happen.
 
H

Hero_of_the_Day

Member
PhoncipleBone said:
Might also be one of those odd compatibility issues with the player. Some discs just don't get along with certain players. Or certain codecs don't.

My first Samsung DVD player back in 1999 couldn't play The Matrix and about two other films properly for one reason or another. But they worked perfectly fine on my JVC.

I had issues with Atmos tracks and newer Dolby True HD audio tracks having sync issues on my old Panasonic blu ray player, but my newer one I got two years ago has zero issues with those same discs.

It really could just be those discs don't get along with the Xbox One S. It sucks, but it does happen.
Click to expand...


I assume I am alone in this issue though, or the internet would be filled with complaints. I can't find anyone having my exact issue.
 
P

PhoncipleBone

Banned
I would only get concerned about your One S if similar issues happened with almost all discs. But when it is only 2 and no others, it is either an issue with the discs or an incompatibility issue that a firmware update might fix.
Do you have other UHD discs to test with, or are those it?
 
H

Hero_of_the_Day

Member
Westonian said:
You are not the only one: http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1355089&page=1
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, I know there are plenty of people who have issues with it in general. But, I think I've only seen people having the issues that OP is talking about. I haven't found anyone else who has said they have repeatable glitches on certain movies like I am. I have no problem loading movies, no freezes or anything. The movie keeps going, it just starts having audio and video glitches. I'll try recording a video or something to show you guys at some point.

PhoncipleBone said:
I would only get concerned about your One S if similar issues happened with almost all discs. But when it is only 2 and no others, it is either an issue with the discs or an incompatibility issue that a firmware update might fix.
Do you have other UHD discs to test with, or are those it?
Click to expand...

I edited my post, but yeah, I have plenty of other UHD discs that work fine:

I also have Logan, Guardians 2, Ghostbusters 1 & 2, Hacksaw Ridge, John Wick, Creed, and Revenant. They all play 100% fine.
Click to expand...

And the discs have been tested on other players. I tried Batman on my dad's Samsung and it had no issues. Arrival is actually a friend's and he owns the Sony X800. He said he didn't have any issues.
 
P

PhoncipleBone

Banned
If all those other discs play fine, it looks like the issue is Arrival. As before, it could be incompatibility (and also depends on what run of the One S you have. Could only affect one production run, who knows), or could be a faulty batch of discs for Arrival or BvS.

It sucks a lot, but it happens. I wouldn't give up your One S just yet, but I would still get a dedicated player if you can afford it. Most of the time a dedicated player will still perform better.
 
H

Hero_of_the_Day

Member
My S is pretty much just a dedicated player. I have a PS4Pro, Switch, and bad ass gaming PC. And yeah, I did have the Samsung before switching to the S. Picture quality looked noticably better to me than the S. Kind of regretted the trade since I did it.

I guess I actually have a launch XOne also. It lives in the bedroom and gets so little use I forgot about it.
 
P

PhoncipleBone

Banned
When I say dedicated player, I don't mean a console you use only to watch movies. I mean a device built for one purpose: to watch movies. Sure, they usually have some crappy "smart" apps for Netflix, Amazon or whatever on there, but I never use them. My disc players only pull single duty. Play movies off of discs. Most of the time they are built and designed around that single purpose, and it shows. The apps are always secondary which is why they usually suck.
 
A

AngmarsKing701

Member
PhoncipleBone said:
If all those other discs play fine, it looks like the issue is Arrival. As before, it could be incompatibility (and also depends on what run of the One S you have. Could only affect one production run, who knows), or could be a faulty batch of discs for Arrival or BvS.

It sucks a lot, but it happens. I wouldn't give up your One S just yet, but I would still get a dedicated player if you can afford it. Most of the time a dedicated player will still perform better.
Click to expand...

How much better is the X1X expected to be over the X1S? I've got the X1X on order and am assuming that'll be my 4k player.
 
P

PhoncipleBone

Banned
No clue. I still have a regular XBO, and only used it to watch John Wick and Mad Max Fury Road on blu when my old Panasonic blu ray player had issues with Atmos soundtracks. But since getting a new dedicated Panasonic player, I have had zero issues with discs, so I haven't used my XBO for anything video.

But the few times I used the XBO I found the UI annoying, and it wouldn't seem to output the audio in bitstream and let my receiver decode it on its own.
 
H

Hero_of_the_Day

Member
PhoncipleBone said:
When I say dedicated player, I don't mean a console you use only to watch movies. I mean a device built for one purpose: to watch movies. Sure, they usually have some crappy "smart" apps for Netflix, Amazon or whatever on there, but I never use them. My disc players only pull single duty. Play movies off of discs. Most of the time they are built and designed around that single purpose, and it shows. The apps are always secondary which is why they usually suck.
Click to expand...

Oh, I got you. I just meant, that's why I'm ready to give up on it. I am only using it as a dedicated player, so might as well ditch it and get a real standalone player that will be better. Gonna send it in to MS first and see if they can do any magic to it. Don't want to sell it knowing it has an odd issue.
 
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