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

^ I've got that set!

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

I think "quality" was the appeal for us. We got our first Laserdisc player in 1984 (I think?), and our first two titles were MetalStorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn and Strong Kids, Safe Kids (which was my father's not-very-effective way of saying to my mom, "it'll be good for the kids!").

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

In early 1980 when I was stationed in VA. I walked into a Video Concepts store in Tyson Corner Mall.
Usually these stores were dimly lit. On a 50 inch tv was Michael Jackson dancing. I just stood there watching the screen. I was amazed at the picture quality. I asked the clerk what I was watching & he said it was the "Motown 25: Yesterday.Today.Forever" on laserdisc. This show original air live on broadcast tv. I was hooked right then & there. Did some research & brought my first Laserdiscs player a few months later. First models were huge & could only play one side & you had to get off your butt to flip disc over. I ended up with 500+ discs. Many I sold off to replace the fullscreen version with they started releasing widescreen version. I brought a lot of used laserdiscs online. Sort of like buying used bd's from GoHastings now. Can't remember that site any more. Where I worked when they would mail my discs to. I had about 3-4 people you ended up buying a laserdisc player after I gave them a demo.

Here in Hawaii, most people brought them for "Karaoke". Heck in my neighborhood there never a weekend where you could here people having Karaoke partys.

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

As others have mentioned, Laserdisc didn't really have any "killer app" titles. The format had negligible market penetration for its entire run. For the niche that was invested in it, the killer app was the fact that LD picture quality was much better than VHS and that (by the early '90s) most titles were presented in letterboxed widescreen, which was rarely offered on VHS.

Unfortunately, those advantages were offset by the inconvenience of having to interrupt the movie and flip or change the disc every half hour to an hour.

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

Right--look how you turned out! ;)

Maybe your dad's strategy would've worked if he hadn't also gotten Metalstorm. :lol:

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Those were the titles that led to laserdisc's renaissance. After DVD came out and Lucas made it clear he wasn't interested in putting the originals (or anything, at first) on DVD, that's when folks like me started scouring pawn shops for old players and discs.

I built up a decent collection of odd and unusual titles (including the Holy Trilogy) but let it go in late 2014 when we had to move. We downsized from a house to a condo and I let go of a lot of stuff like the laserdiscs, vinyl and some books and CDs.

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

Truer words were never spoken.

According to a report from U.K.-based Generator Research: DVD and Blu-ray revenues will fall because consumer demand is falling and competition from so-called "virtual formats" is increasing. Revenue from DVD and Blu-ray sales will decrease by 38% from $14.3 billion in 2014 to $8.9 billion in 2018, the report showed.

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

Even though it is on the downslide, any industry that still generates $8.9 billion is nothing to sneeze at.

I opened up this weeks Best Buy flyer and all of the new release physical media titles still featured photos of the DVD with a bold $19.99 price tag and in small, fine print - Blu-ray combo $24.99.

I suppose stores still like featuring that lower DVD price.

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

As you point out, DVD still maintains its dominance a decade after the introduction of Blu-ray. And lets face it folks, the push was hard—very hard to get the public to adopt Blu-ray disc. Those of us who disposed of our DVDs and plunged into HD DVD and then Blu-ray disc were treated to some unbelievable bargains during the HD wars. Even so, despite the rather obvious upgrade in image and other capabilities, the public largely did a collective yawn. So the idea that UHD as a format will gain anywhere near the popularity of even Blu-ray disc is a laughable pipe dream. All signs point to the eventual demise of all physical media. Much like 3D, UHD will be embraced by a niche market that will see newer titles and a precious few catalog releases. I suspect there are many like me who reached the point of diminishing returns. I've amassed a huge high definition collection and from what I've seen and read UHD is hardly revelatory. Sitting the proper distance from the screen its hard to imagine most of my films looking much better. Will UHD measurably improve the viewing experience—not for most.

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

I think Digital HD/streaming/VOD will gain in popularity over new forms of physical media. Shit, I just discovered VUDU.

I have

Netflix
VUDU
Amazon PRIME
HULU

I don't need UHD. Now when the time comes to upgrade it will be due to my equipment breaking down and not working anymore but to go out of pocket right this second, because I need these new and shiny toys is not an option.

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

On a rare note of agreement. Even though I buy alot of used Blu-ray disc at local shops, most had unredeemed digital codes and I have also amassed a VUDU and iTunes collection of well over 300 titles. I still plan on continuing to buy Blu-ray discs because I prefer physical media but I am also adopting services like itunes and VUDU for versatility and convenience.

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

I think that's the toughest pill to swallow for many people, especially early adopters.

How many more times can you feel like a chump?

What was the definition of an "unbelievable bargain" on Blu-ray and HD-DVD back in 2006/2007? $24.95? $19.95 on Black Friday maybe?

Within three years, the same titles were in the $5 dump-bin at Wal-Mart.

When you multiply that by 200-300 titles, it adds up.

Reflecting back, do you specifically remember seeing a movie in 1080p? Or was it 720p? Hell, it might have been standard def?

It all becomes somewhat arbitrary after a while.

There will always be those who sleep better at night knowing they unequivocally have the very best of the best.

For the general consumer, it's all a moot point.

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

I probably won't be able to for at least another year- I'm FINALLY close to landing a job but still have to move before I can upgrade the equipment again.

I remember magazine ads saying "Just wait til you hear Olivia get Physical in stereo!" They generally seemed to push music titles more than anything else the first few years out, with the ABBA video album on the DiscoVision label being the very first. There was also a Ray Charles concert- he later did ads for laserdisc saying that the sound on them was so good, it didn't matter that he couldn't see the picture.

"Strong Kids Safe Kids" is truly messed up- you can see parts of it on YouTube. (And yes, I have that disc, just because :) )

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Stores simply feature what sells to the vast majority of shoppers. It only helps that it is priced lower as well.

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

I think DVD Savant might be in. I know he inquired about Sicario on UHD BD, anyway.

If anyone else has thrown their hat into the ring, I'm not aware of it. I'd like to this year, but I want more mature players first.

Music releases were all over the early days of DVD and Blu-ray too, which is why I'm a little surprised we haven't seen anything along those lines announced yet. Maybe it's too niche-y for the Eagle Rock-s of the world to support right now? Heck, Sony has a decent number of 4K concerts in their arsenal.

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

It seems like music titles in general have declined in the past 10 years, even though they've always been my favorite category. Likely having to do with MTV not playing music anymore, the overall sad state of the music biz in general, and the crowd who thinks YouTube is "good enough" for music videos.

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I was slow to the draw when it came to HD TV and Blu Ray. For some silly reason around 06 when my tube tv finally died, I told myself I didn't really want a plasma or LCD tv, that I didn't like them and that I wanted another tube tv. So thats what I did. I went to Best Buy and searched the store high and low until I found that they were still selling ONE tube tv. A pretty nice 32" Sony. So I bought it. The thing I didn't realize then was that while a lot of people still had tube tv's, this new one I bought was probably going to last me 10 + years and that theres no fucking way I was gonna want to be the last person on the fucking planet in 2016 to have a relic like that as my primary source of visual media. But this didn't really dawn on me or effect me until around 2010 when I really started to get the itch to ditch the relic and get an HDTV and blu ray player. Because I was stubborn and decided I wanted a tube tv, that mean't naturally I wanted a dvd player and a dvd player only plays dvd's, so dvd's are what I bought. I did this for a couple years after the format war was over, I decided I wasn't going to go blu and didn't want to replace over 1000 dvd's. (Another sad little reason I didn't want to go blu was because I HATED the fucking cases, and the ugly inch long blue bar at the top of each case. A depressing bit of aesthetic OCD that is actually reflected in my first ever thread I posted on this board) When I finally decided I was going to buy an HDTV and blu ray player, I was still constantly picking up new dvd's, while leaving the blu rays on the shelf next to them. This.... is the biggest lapse in judgement I've ever had as a collector. Why it didn't occur to me once I decided I was gonna buy an hdtv and blu ray player that I'd probably want some blu rays to go along with them, is a fucking mystery to me. So many criterions bought that I eventually had to sell and replace. I cry salty tears as I type this. Anyhow, eventually it did sink in and I went out and bought a steelbook that was Blu Ray only (Inception in case you were wondering) close to half a year before I bought my hdtv and blu ray player. Hindsight being 20/20 I wish I would have started buying Blu's the day HD DVD threw in the towel. Or at least when Criterion got rid of those shitty cardboard cases. But what are you gonna do.

Anyways, point is. I have no idea when I'll get an Ultra HD TV or player, but I already picked up The Martian and Sicario from Best Buy. I'm not gonna replace existing Blu's I already own anytime soon, but I sure as shit am gonna buy Ultra HD for something new or for something I don't already own, when the option is available. (Also it doesn't hurt that most come with Blu Rays anyhow).

So there you have it, my life story.

PS my old tv still lives a very active lifestyle for an old broad and gets regular use when I play NES/SNES/N64 and when I get new wrestling vhs tapes off ebay.

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Hi-Def CRTs actually have a better picture than any flatscreen, but they never would've been able to make them as big as flatscreens are now. I could never go back to anything less than a 60-inch screen, my next one will be at least 70".

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No kidding. I have a decent-sized flat screen LCD for my main setup, but a 12-year old HD CRT TV in the basement that often looks better to my eyes (even limited to 1080i). It's a beast at nearly 150 lbs., which is another reason to put off fully "retiring" it.

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

My 32" (or was it 36") Toshiba CRT HDTV was awesome, but I made the mistake of going into the service menu and trying to adjust the overscan out. The picture was just never as good after that.

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

I wonder if there ever will be 4K OTA digital tuners.

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Word on the street is that the Panasonic player throws a MUCH better image than the Samsung. Seems like their is something wrong with the video processing with regards to HDR on the Samsung. I might throw mine on Ebay in a month or so and trade up.

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Not surprising. Samsung's first BD player was shit.

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Eh, some unfortunate decisions there, but life goes on. :shrug:

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So network bugs can have even higher resolution!

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Well, I think that there will be a test run for the Masters on Direct TV, so their tuners must be out there now.

I have a feeling that while The Masters is always associated with CBS, this might be a test run for ESPN, since they co-broadcast the event. They've been ramping up to 4K since they officially ditched the 3D channel.

fitprod

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There's already been some test broadcasts of ATSC 3.0 in 4K.
http://www.tvtechnology.com/news/000...-at-ces/277694
It looks like this was a "field test" specifically for CES.

It's not clear when, or if, ATSC 3.0 will be adopted as a broadcast standard by the FCC.
http://blog.videon-central.com/the-n...cast-atsc-3-0/

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

They are probably referring to the HDR to SDR conversion on non-HDR TVs. I doubt the actual HDR picture itself will be 'much' better, if at all. The Samsung doesn't have an on/off for HDR but the Panasonic will.

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

Does Sony have a UBD player yet?

No, but expect one in the back half of 2016.

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A reviewer posted a side by side picture of both players running the same disc on the same display. The Samsung HDR was REALLY dim compared to the Panny which was very vivid.

I am aware of the HDR to SDR problem though because it looks like garbage on my 1080p projector.

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Now here's the dilemma for a collector like me that gets jazzed about limited edition steelbooks and store exclusive content. If a new movie is released on Blu in a steelbook or with exclusive content but its 4K Ultra HD counterpart comes in a standard case without the exclusive content, which one do I get? I'm sure tonight will be one of many sleepless nights I ponder this question. hah!

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I've always gone for the superior format. The Transformers transforming DVD case was cool, but I bought the HD-DVD instead because that was obviously better (though either way it didn't help the movie!)

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Never having been a fan of special packaging I would pick the format I wanted it in. But that's easy for me to say. You'll probably end of with both and not open either one. ;)

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I think the better question is do you buy the 3D/Blu ray bundle (assuming you support 3D and have a setup) which you can enjoy now or start your collection of 4K/Blu ray bundle to enjoy later? That's one of the reasons I skipped The Peanuts movie for now.

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DVD - 448 kbps x 6 channels (5.1 Dolby)
BD - 640 kbps x 8 channels (7.1 DTS HD MA)

Is the above about right for standard audio track bitrates?

What about DTS-X and Atmos for UBD?

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Include me on the list of people confused by the difference in BR players. I have a 4K TV and a 4K BR player, so I bought the new 4K Life of Pi....and it wouldn't play. That's right, my player is upscaling.

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Since UHD players are/will be region free does that mean that it stays region free for the BD's that you play on it or does it lock up?

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No, still Region A for standard blu rays.

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Only UHD BD's are region free. BD and DVD region codes are still enforced.