Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

As Adam says, it's possible that 3D could be added to the format at a later date. However, at present, the Blu-ray Disc Association has been very clear that UHD Blu-ray does not support 3D and there's no current plan to change that.

Right now, there is no venue for 3D in true 4k. Cinemas project 3D in 2k. All 3D movies are produced in 2k. Even movies that are shot with higher resolution cameras (like the Hobbit trilogy with 5k cameras) are downgraded to 2k during post-production.

True stereoscopic 4k would require a tremendous increase in bandwidth at every stage of post-production, from visual effects to color grading. The current production pipeline has no resources for that now.

With 3D's popularity in cinemas declining and the format being nearly a total failure at home, the entire industry has decided that there's no need to push for 4k 3D.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Well UHD BD won't be selling like gangbusters either. They would make good company. Sometimes the sum is greater than the parts. I think this is one of those cases.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Disney hasn't "dropped support for 3D entirely"- they just released Inside Out in 3D and have consistently put out the Marvel titles. They have had 4 titles that didn't come out in the US but can be ordered from overseas- not ideal but not dropping support entirely. I sent them a printed letter a few months ago expressing my disgust with them about that. 3D may never reach the desired market level but there's plenty of people out there who love it, and giving it time will let more people catch onto it. How long did it take home surround sound to be at least somewhat commonplace? What about Dolby Atmos- I don't have that yet, but appreciate discs having it so that I'll be able to play it when I DO get it. What about D-Box? That's hardly been pushed at all on the mainstream market- I'd love to have that but the price is just ridiculously out of my range. Still I'm conscious of discs that are coded for that and I'd like to see equipment prices come down before anyone "drops support for it entirely".

One advantage of 4K TVs is that they supposedly can use passive (polarized, non-electronic) glasses without the loss of resolution that they showed on initial 3D TVs. Of course the electronics stores won't put any of those on display so I can see for sure. While 4K 3D discs might not be "necessary", why are they releasing so many 3D titles on it? There does need to be a way to show high-frame-rate 3D movies like The Hobbit at home properly.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

And Star Wars The Force Awakens is going to be in 3D. Hard to say if the other new Star Wars movies will be in 3D too.

It seems much easier for studios to make UHD BDs than 3D BDs. Though does Amazon sell any UHD BDs yet?

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

^ as much as they are maligned - I really want to see the 3D conversions of Episode II and III

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

I gotta say that I was never a believer in home 3D but I just bought a new projector to tied me over until an affordable 4K projector comes out. The new projector does 3D extremely well. I was astonished at how good Tron Legacy and The Avengers looked in 3D. And those are the only two I have tried so far. I liked it so much that I plan to definitely search out more 3D titles and probably re-buy many I already have on BD.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

...though not in 4K. There's still resolution loss, but it's just that halving the vertical resolution still leaves you with 1080 lines.

3D-in-4K doesn't really exist, although you could make the argument that including it would've been forward-looking, or at least they could've support 2K 3D with some of the other benefits of UHD BD.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

What's your point? Alan was referring to the present tense and even in the best case scenario we won't see any 4K 3D for at least several more years (probably beyond normal upgrade period of that precious 4K passive set that provides the best of both worlds regarding 3D home video).

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

That a 4K format is being admonished for not supporting 3D when 4K-in-3D has neither the content nor the displays to support it.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Whatever their native resolution, several movies that WERE shown in 3D (some even natively shot and not conversion jobs) will be on this new 4K disc format in 2D. Doesn't make sense.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

If you want to watch 2K movies in 3D, there's already a format for that.

Yes, it's dumb that Fox is releasing a bunch of 2K 2D movies in 4K. Yes, Ultra HD Blu-ray is in many ways not the most forward-thinking format, apparently not even supporting the 48fps that The Hobbit movies were shot in. Yes, Ultra HD Blu-ray has more to offer than strictly resolution. But if your goal is to watch 2K movies in 3D, I don't understand being so up in arms about a 4K format not supporting 3D, especially given the near-total (perhaps complete?) lack of true 4K-3D TVs in existence. The overwhelming majority -- perhaps all -- of the 4K TVs on the market halve the vertical resolution to support 3D, bringing you more or less to where we already are today. Maybe that content and technology will exist one day, but it doesn't really exist now. When it exists, 3D can be added in, similar to how it was with traditional BD.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Sony announced they will stop selling Betamax in March. In those three months they will still sell more than they do of Ultra HD BD the entire year.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

I think I'll only adopt to 4K if I see hot wanted titles that wasn't on Blu-ray like The Abyss, True Lies etc.. Otherwise I'll just wait this shit out or not even pick it up at all.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Are people "up in arms?"

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

The 0.5 % who are interested in this, probably so. Either way, 3D isn't happening with 4K right now, so I'm not sure what the point is in arguing about it.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

For me, even replacing DVD catalogue titles in my collection with Blu-ray is tough to justify.

My current TV is a 40" Sony Bravia and most DVDs just don't look bad enough to warrant upgrading.

Having said that, it's possible the same criteria may justify the upgrade to 4K: Players under $100 and discs in the $5-$10 range.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

We have a 60" and some DVDs are finally starting to look bad enough that I'd rather have the Blu. But I'm also able to buy DVDs for two or three bucks and the Blu is still pricey so I don't bother.

But blurays still look fantastic so I can't see getting into Ultra until the point in its lifecycle where we are now with DVD.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

i refuse to accept a new format and that is that...

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

That's what people said when HD-DVD and Blu-Ray came along. Blu-Ray still has room for improvement, but I don't think all of them are in this new format yet.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

DVD succeeded on all fronts before the industry moved forward with Blu-ray.

Blu-ray, to me, still feels incomplete and I don't think 4K is going to solve any "problem" or fill-in any deficiencies that Blu-ray already has.

It's going to have same number of hurdles to overcome.

-lack of available titles

-requires new TV and new disc player

-high prices (at least for the first few years)

-lack of retail support

-lack of extras and weak packaging.

Couple that with the declining interest in physical media over the last 9 years.

I think the march forward to 4K Blu-ray is more about the corporate fear of not progressing than it has to do with the needs or desires of the public.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

In the early days of DVD, I thought the picture quality looked fantastic.
When BD came out, I definitely saw a huge upgrade in picture quality - especially on TVs that are 55"-70". OTA 1080i feeds looked fantastic as well. DVD felt so inadequate.

I'm not getting the same feeling with 4K - even on 70" TVs. There's no wow factor. And as I've said previously in this thread - it's even hard to tell the difference in many cases. Maybe the difference becomes more apparent when comparing the two on an 80"-100" TV - but I don't plan on owning something that large... neither are most people.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

It was the movie industry pushing Blu-ray as much as anyone last time we upgraded from DVD. It is the hardware manufacturers seriously pushing UHD as a format. After 3-D flopped, they are desperate to find a way for the top 33% of the market to upgrade their hardware.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

I have no incentive to upgrade yet again, I like where things are right now with blu. Its popular enough to keep supporting, while still remaining somewhat of a niche market in comparison to the amount of people who STILL buy dvd. I currently view my programming on an 82" mitsubishi 3d tv and am happy with it

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

There's a part of me that wants to make the usual joke about only buying into Ultra if we got the original theatrical versions of Star Wars, but I'm not sure even that would make me pull the trigger (as long as the same was available on Bluray). At a certain point it's just not worth the trouble.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Pixar and Marvel are run independently within Disney and are exempt from the "No 3D on Blu-ray" policy. Disney has not released any of its own Walt Disney Studios movies in 3D since 2013.

Titles that Disney failed to release in 3D include: Frozen, Maleficent, Planes: Fire and Rescue, and Big Hero 6.

I was specifically referring to the domestic market, not overseas.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Inside Out has a 3D release, I own it.

Was Cinderella (2015) released in theaters in 3D? If so, that one didn't get a 3D blu ray release here in the states.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

No, Cinderella was shot and released in 2D only. I have all the aforementioned titles on 3D Blu-Ray imported; Planes Fire and Rescue was only released in India of all places!

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Yup. As well as many other recent examples, especially if one is willing to import. Disney certainly has slowed support of 3D, but certainly not "dropped support for 3D entirely".

May the goal post shifting commence. :lol:

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Wait until you buy a movie theater. You'll see the difference then.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

But by then I'll jump on the new 64K UMFHD-BD format.
It will launch with Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser as the format seller.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Surely Josh put Inside Out on there by mistake, since it's a Pixar title, and he already acknowledged that Pixar is exempt from the 3D policy.

Yes, well, if I bought a movie theater, I'd use it to screen 35mm prints, but then I'd be independently wealthy now, wouldn't I?

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Pssh, 35mm is so boring! 70mm only!

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Correct. That was just a mistake. As I said, Pixar is exempt from the policy. I've edited the post.

Aside from Pixar and Marvel, which are run independently, Disney has dropped all support for 3D Blu-ray in North America. This is a factual statement.

There are no "other recent examples" of Walt Disney Studios movies being released on 3D Blu-ray in this market. They haven't done so since 2013. This is not something you can debate. It is a plain fact.

The only one here shifting goalposts is you, when you keep talking about foreign releases as if they had any relevance to the North American market.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

It's interesting to see they are introducing the format with a reasonably priced player. I think for at least the first year or so the MSRP for Blu-ray players didn't dip below $499.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

I recall the initial Samsung player for Blu was a piece of shit. It's why I went for the insanely more expensive Sony BDP-S1 since PS3's were still somewhat scarce in the fall of 2006.

Also, can't believe it's been almost 10 years for the format!

It was fun being an early adopter for Blu but nothing short of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings will bring me into this new format. Maybe in a few years when I'm ready to upgrade all my gear.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Nothing short of a top-notch, very high bitrate, remastered 4k edition of BLADE RUNNER, STAR WARS, 2001, CLOCKWORK ORANGE, TOWERING INFERNO, etc, etc would bring me into the format. No film newer than 2000 need apply.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

Doesn't really matter what I think about the format now. What matters is what I think of it when it is launched. I'll probably cave. At least I know I won't be buying regular BDs when a UHD BD is available (or is likely to be available in the next few years).

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

I made the early adopter mistake with HD DVD, and even though there is a "ooooh, shiny, new technology!" devil on my shoulder egging me on, I'll probably wind up giving it another year or so before diving in. Plus it gives 65" 4K/HDR OLED displays a chance to come to Earth price-wise. :D

I can see myself getting UHD BD combo packs in the meantime, though.

Re: Let's talk about Ultra HD Blu-ray
 

I was an early adopter for HD-DVD, but don't consider it a mistake at all. I got to watch Blade Runner in HD for a very low price. If this format was presenting anything anywhere near as enticing (Lawrence of Arabia?), I'd be all over it. As is, there aren't any movies I want to watch yet, and hardly anything worth looking at just as a format showcase in the interim. Not an exciting way to roll out a format, IMO.