4K Blu Ray - anyone collecting?

[strider]

I'm not really happy with the streaming services for 4K so I've finally decided to invest in a player in the coming weeks.

ive picked up the revenant, the Martian and Independence Day and am looking forward to getting back into my movies. Seeing planet earth 2 made me realise I had to upgrade. Does anyone else collect, or is everyone happy with streaming services?

[Steve McQueef]

Balls deep:

 

I have Netflix, but the 4K there is about equal to a decent 1080p blu-ray, nothing more. Disc based content all the way. 

[Sabreman]

I haven't gone 4K yet, largely because I use a projector for movies and they need to be significantly cheaper for me to upgrade to a 4K one. I collect 'boutique' blu-rays with loads of extra content (Criterion, Arrow, Indicator, etc.) and I'll always get the discs for movies that demand the A/V quality, but I'll also happily buy iTunes versions of technically bog-standard drama films I just want to watch. 

 

I did try going completely digital a couple of years ago, but I started directly comparing the quality of iTunes to blu-rays and jumped back on the disc collecting. I don't particularly like having the physical media but I love digging into films, and until the day comes when digital versions come with all the content of a disc and are of comparable quality I have to keep filling shelves...

[DC Lemon]

I buy rather than collect. Let's not make this any geekier than it needs to be.

 

However, I do have Kong: Skull Island and Mad Max: Fury Road with slipcases so claim a moral victory over John Edward Gammell

[V3zna]

I went 4K in 2015 but nothing has convinced me to go for UHD blu ray. I’m certainly interested in Apple TV 4K and could be convinced to go down that avenue. Blu ray never really took off into the mainstream and I can’t see how the UHD version will either. No doubt discs are superior but after literally binning a dvd collection my blu rays are gathering dust in the cupboard. The convenience of streaming services despite the inferior quality appeals more. 4K Narcos on Netflix and 4K HDR The Grand Tour on Amazon do look pretty damn good though to be fair.

[Paulando]

I have a few 4K Blu-Rays, and a 4K Apple TV. Honestly, on a 58” screen the difference between 1080p and 4K resolution is negligible for most things, but the extra brightness of HDR makes the biggest difference - it really is stunning on some content.

 

I own The Martian on 4K disc and iTunes and honestly can’t tell the difference between them. You don’t get Atmos sound on iTunes though (yet). Crucially, the disc cost £20, on iTunes the film cost £1 (it was in a bundle with 9 other films, including 4K Independence Day, for £9.99). I’m the same as Black Cat: I’ve just chucked a load of DVDs, and my Blu-Rays have been gathering dust (I’d rather download/stream a film than go and find the disc I own), because they’re just so inconvenient.

 

I do watch most films on a 92” projector screen, so when I upgrade that I’m sure the 4K discs will look better. But by then I’m sure they’ll be £3 from CEX 

[strider]

9 hours ago, John Edward Gammell said:

Balls deep:

 

I have Netflix, but the 4K there is about equal to a decent 1080p blu-ray, nothing more. Disc based content all the way. 

Nice collection!

you seem to have purchased everything!

[womblingfree]

I’ve got a shopping list of 4K titles but won’t be investing until the PS5 hits and I have a 4K TV.

[MansizeRooster]

13 minutes ago, womblingfree said:

I’ve got a shopping list of 4K titles but won’t be investing until the PS5 hits and I have a 4K TV.

Exactly the same as me. PS5 will convince me to pull the trigger on a 4K TV. After that I'll most likely re-buy most of my blu-ray collection in 4K.

[V3zna]

This is the problem though, rebuying collections. VHS to DVD to blu ray and now 4K blu ray. The fact that people that invested in HD movies on iTunes are having some of them upgraded to 4K for free is a game changer for me. I unfortunately didn’t and the thought of buying Aliens for the tenth time doesn’t really appeal anymore. 

[DC Lemon]

The good news is a whole week has passed without Termimator 2 getting another delay.

[Treble]

I'm struggling to decide too. The regular streaming options aren't great (I pay for 4K Netflix and it's only passable IMO) and I detest the iTunes ecosystem, but on the other hand I don't really want more physical media cluttering the place up. Still can't decide what to do.

 

Should I suck it up and go in for the Apple TV? Anyone actually had a hands on with it yet? 

[JohnC]

I did buy DVD and Blu-ray, with not a whole lot of upgrading from one to the other. I’m not buying 4K discs though. Not buying nearly as many Blu-ray as I used to either. 

[Waggo]

What is Xbox One S like for playing 4k discs?

 

I will be upgrading to a 4k Samsung Qled tv at some point in the next few months & they currently chuck in an UHD Blu ray player at Currys & John Lewis, but I also have the Xbox so I am wondering if I am better forgetting the dedicated player and just waiting for a cheaper price?

[Steve McQueef]

I abandoned it in April as my 4K player, when the Sony X800 came out. Certain discs it point blank refused to play, others it stuttered on, plus it sometimes wouldn't process the HDR signal properly on certain Sony discs. By all accounts it much better now and has had numerous updates, I just wouldn't want to be relying on it 100%.

 

I bought the Atmos for headphones app and have used it once, after it crapped out ten minutes into Lego Batman. 

 

[strider]

I've just gone with the Panasonic 300 something or other. It's supposed to be an excellent entry level player for the price and I can always upgrade down the line. It also apparently has a skip trick for playing region locked blu rays so I will try that shortly as well.

[Steve McQueef]

The 300 has no WiFi built in, if that's an issue. Aside from that, it's a great player. 

[strider]

3 minutes ago, John Edward Gammell said:

The 300 has no WiFi built in, if that's an issue. Aside from that, it's a great player. 

Player is right next to router.

my region a memento plays right out the box, but dexter doesn’t. Will keep testing stuff tonight. Put LEGO Batman on and even without hdr it looked ace. Will tweak the dynamic range later.

[Down by Law]

I'll buy marquee releases going forwards, like Blade Runner 2049 in 4K UHD but I'm more than happy with Blu Ray for the majority of movies. Sod rebuying them all again, spending 1000's on discs that may be spun once a year if that in this day and age just seems like a terrible waste. To each their own though

[AK Bell]

I'm not in. It's the TVs I don't like. I don't feel 4k TVs are good enough for games yet. I really notice the response rates of the 4k tvs just isn't quite fast enough yet.

 

I'm bound to get one eventually but the step up in image quality isn't as wide as DVD to blu ray. I've seen 1080 scaled up to 4k before and it seems to make a decent stab at it. Enough to not have to rebuy anything.

 

I'm already onto only buying blu rays if I'm sure I'm going to rewatch a film a few times. Unlike DVD where you'd just go nuts and buy everything. I'd have to really love the film to get it again. Especially since I think prices will remain high because streaming becomes the more affordable option.

[strider]

Here's my collection as it currently stands.

im going to try and steer clear from legacy releases unless they're absolutely spectacular offerings, although I do need to buy Leon as my German steel book now refuses to play on anything.

got baby driver and planet earth 2 on the way. In fact, seeing the latter on Xbox one X is what convinced me to upgrade.

[Pug]

Most people have The Martian, The Revenant & Independence Day.

 

Nothing to do with all three came with a certain Samsung 4K blu player?

[strider]

38 minutes ago, Pug said:

Most people have The Martian, The Revenant & Independence Day.

 

Nothing to do with all three came with a certain Samsung 4K blu player?

Well that explains why mine don't come with the blu rays of the standard versions!

[Triple A]

I haven’t upgraded my setup to 4K yet but anticipate I will when the next gen of NVIDIA graphics cards come out.

 

I have a couple of 4K discs in prep though - The Neon Demon and The Revenant.

I see myself buying a few discs to get the ultimate version, but not loads due to the price. That said, streaming services’ shonky audio in particular can do one.

[Captain Kelsten]

I've been wondering it's worth going to uhd bluray. I recently got a 4k TV but don't have a uhd player. Was thinking of maybe getting the one s, but I'm worried it's a fad medium - uhd doesn't seem to have taken off at all so far. 

[Mr Cochese]

Don’t really see the point in 4K. I’m unlikely to ever have a wall sized screen in my house.

[V3zna]

Even on a smaller screen as long as it’s 4K and HDR you’ll notice the difference. If it’s 4K only then certainly it’s not a huge upgrade. This is for film only, games are different. 

[strider]

Just had my Planet Earth II turn up. Only cost me £20 so more than happy at that price.

[JimmytheMook]

Problem is the HDR format issue isn't resolved. To my eyes, the Dolbyvision material on Netflix is superior to HDR10 and only a few expensive players support Dolbyvision right now. Will probably jump in when DV is more widely available and more classic movies are remastered for it. 4k isn't really a big deal either way, makes no real appreciable difference to the picture in most viewing contexts. (have 4k 65" tv)

[Oracle]

I only have pacific rim on 4k HDR blu ray, which is pretty (2k upres), but I am interested in actual 4k reference quality films if there are any about?