[woodsyi]

So I got a 4K TV and 4K processor but my disc player is a venerable Oppo BDP83. 

This room is for movies and not music for music.  Should I get the first UHD player to hit the market or wait for an Oppo version that will surely follow?   Later this year?  Next year?  Once I am done, it will probably be another 7 years or so before I upgrade again (like this time).  With Streaming (Netflix and Amazon Prime that I get), do I even need a UHD player?  Will I want to buy UHD discs?  At what cost? 

[WGH]

The only place I rent Blu-Ray disks is my neighborhood Red Box and I haven't seen any 4K disks available to rent yet. The only movie I saw that is available in 4K was Netflix's The Ridiculous 6 which get's my award for the worst movie of the decade. I think you should wait.

[RDavidson]

I read somewhere here on AC that Oppo will have a 4K machine later this year. Makes sense. I think the current lineup reached full maturity last year and I'm sure sales have tapered off. I agree with WGH, though. 4k is a technology without material to show it off....so it's sort of pointless for the time being, except for being another thing for people to toss money at.

[Phil A]

I'm waiting for Oppo.  Starting to look at TVs now (usually good sales in January but no rush).  It's for a back-up HT (old B&W speakers, Marantz SR5010 and Emotiva XPA200, Roku 3, etc., where I have a 103D right now.  Unless they start flooding the market fast with new discs/sources real quick, I'm not in a rush.  I mainly watch Blu-Rays in that room and sometimes Amazon Prime or Netflix.  I think they are still playing with compression to use for 4k streaming.

[woodsyi]

So I can get a Amazon Fire TV or Roku4 and stream UHD material on Amazon Prime.  I would have to upgrade my $7.95 Netflix for 2 room HD to $11.95 mult-iroom UHD.  Then I can watch whatever UHD it offers. 

I buy music and not subscribe to any service.  I am not sure I would want to buy UDH discs at $25 or more a pop.   I listen to same music many times but I don't watch movies over and over.  Maybe I don't need a new UHD player.  Just get a UHD Streamer. 

[Phil A]

So I can get a Amazon Fire TV or Roku4 and stream UHD material on Amazon Prime.  I would have to upgrade my $7.95 Netflix for 2 room HD to $11.95 mult-iroom UHD.  Then I can watch whatever UHD it offers. 

I buy music and not subscribe to any service.  I am not sure I would want to buy UDH discs at $25 or more a pop.   I listen to same music many times but I don't watch movies over and over.  Maybe I don't need a new UHD player.  Just get a UHD Streamer. 

I have Roku 3 boxes (4 of them).  Mainly use the one in the bedroom but sometimes use the others.  They (Roku) did a firmware update a couple of months back and Amazon Prime does not work (on the Roku 3) on it now (looks like it starts to load, gets stuck and then after a minute or two gives me a message that the video is not available and to contact Amazon Customer Service).  Purchased videos and Amazon Music (MP3s of CDs or SACDs I've bought) work fine but anything on the wish list or instant video does not.  Roku service was extremely unhelpful (blaming Amazon, my internet speed and I tested it as I was chatting with and Netflix or any other channel has no problem - they just did not want to deal with it).  I just dragged an old Sony Blu-Ray player from the guest room (a few nights ago) and hooked it up in the master bedroom for Amazon Prime.  Works fine. 

I probably won't rush out and buy (or re-buy) tons of discs.  I use an Epson 5030 projector in the main system and an 8350 in the bedroom and I'm just going to do 4k in the one room for now (or whenever I get to it over the next few months).

[kingdeezie]

Streamed 4K from Netflix or Amazon doesn't even generally exceed regular 1080p bluray picture quality.

I wish Oppo comes out with a 4K player this year, but I would doubt it.

I will assume 4K bluray will be stunning.

[Big Red Machine]

http://www.costco.com/Samsung-BD-JM63C-Wi-Fi-4K-UHD-3D-Blu-ray-Player.product.100232499.html

[kingdeezie]

http://www.costco.com/Samsung-BD-JM63C-Wi-Fi-4K-UHD-3D-Blu-ray-Player.product.100232499.html

That isn't a real 4K player. It just upscales blurays to 4K, presumably.

Native 4K blurays and their players haven't released yet.

[*Scotty*]

woodsyi, how big is your 4K set and how close are you when watching it?
Here is a link to an interesting article about 4K resolution and the viewing requirements for taking advantage of it from TechRadar. https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.techradar.com/us/news/television/the-tv-industry-wants-you-to-go-4k-but-the-professionals-won-t-be-joining-you-1306835&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjV0quI2arKAhWEyyYKHc6-DJIQFggeMAY&usg=AFQjCNGevdQGRz-9_sv_3ShlJQ1IwGE7sg
Scotty

[Guy 13]

woodsyi, how big is your 4K set and how close are you when watching it?
Here is a link to an interesting article about 4K resolution and the viewing requirements for taking advantage of it from TechRadar. https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.techradar.com/us/news/television/the-tv-industry-wants-you-to-go-4k-but-the-professionals-won-t-be-joining-you-1306835&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjV0quI2arKAhWEyyYKHc6-DJIQFggeMAY&usg=AFQjCNGevdQGRz-9_sv_3ShlJQ1IwGE7sg
Scotty

Thanks Scotty,
very interesting and make me stop dreaming about 4K TV.

Guy 13
 

[*Scotty*]

Here are a couple more useful articles covering High Dynamic Range (HDR), High Frame Rate and Deep Colour tech.
http://www.techradar.com/us/news/television/tv-insider-going-ott-with-hdr-and-beyond--1309119
http://www.techradar.com/us/news/television/hdtv/is-the-tv-resolution-revolution-finished--1294168/1
http://www.techradar.com/us/news/home-cinema/will-high-dynamic-range-struggle-to-get-onto-our-tvs--1306147

I am waiting for a 70inch OLED display with at least HDR capability.
Scotty

[RDavidson]

Me too Scotty. OLED will be my next TV. Waiting for the right time to jump. No hurry. Enjoying my Samsung F8500 plasma very much. Also, I can't stand the curved screens that seem to be the norm, especially for the small number of OLED sets on the market. I think a curved makes a little more sense for a GIANT screen, but not a typical living room sized screen. Sorry for than tangent

[ddark65]

Roku 4 is your best bet for now ...  I just picked up a Sony XBR75X940C and that's what I ended up doing

[woodsyi]

woodsyi, how big is your 4K set and how close are you when watching it?
Here is a link to an interesting article about 4K resolution and the viewing requirements for taking advantage of it from TechRadar. https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.techradar.com/us/news/television/the-tv-industry-wants-you-to-go-4k-but-the-professionals-won-t-be-joining-you-1306835&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjV0quI2arKAhWEyyYKHc6-DJIQFggeMAY&usg=AFQjCNGevdQGRz-9_sv_3ShlJQ1IwGE7sg
Scotty

I got the cheapest 4k screen out there: Vizio M70-C3 -- really about the same as what I paid a Sammy LED 65 a few years ago.  It's 69.5" and we sit 12' from the screen.  I used Spears & Munsil HD Benchmark and Calibration Disc 2nd Edition to calibrate and I am liking what I see.  I don't know what resolution Downton Abbey was shot and broadcast on PBS but the season premiere looked really good with this set up. 

Am I too close or too far?

[woodsyi]

Roku 4 is your best bet for now ...  I just picked up a Sony XBR75X940C and that's what I ended up doing

Did you consider Amazon Fire TV, which is $25 less then Roku 4?  What does Roku do that Amazon doesn't?  I am not against Roku.  I have a 2 and it's been good.  I just want to know if 4 offers more than Fire TV.

[Phil A]

I got the cheapest 4k screen out there: Vizio M70-C3 -- really about the same as what I paid a Sammy LED 65 a few years ago.  It's 69.5" and we sit 12' from the screen.  I used Spears & Munsil HD Benchmark and Calibration Disc 2nd Edition to calibrate and I am liking what I see.  I don't know what resolution Downton Abbey was shot and broadcast on PBS but the season premiere looked really good with this set up. 

Am I too close or too far?

This is one of the charts on the benefits of UHD:   http://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/size-to-distance-relationship

[Phil A]

To make it easier below is the chart.  In the main system I have a 100 inch screen and sit 10 feet away.  I probably won't be doing 4k in there in the near term.  The one system I will do (sometime this year) is a 50 inch screen and I sit about 7 feet away so I'm getting the bare minimum benefit.  It's more to get my feet and appetite wet fro 4k than anything else.  Probably, the main system is 3-4 years off for me,

[*Scotty*]

woodsy, according to the information found in this article you need to being at a distance of 1.5X the screen height to benefit from the increased resolution, or 1.5X35.5 inches which is 53.25 inches.
http://www.techradar.com/us/news/television/hdtv/is-the-tv-resolution-revolution-finished--1294168/1
Scotty

[woodsyi]

woodsy, according to the information found in this article you need to being at a distance of 1.5X the screen height to benefit from the increased resolution, or 1.5X35.5 inches which is 53.25 inches.
http://www.techradar.com/us/news/television/hdtv/is-the-tv-resolution-revolution-finished--1294168/1
Scotty

I will have to show this to my wife.  The solution is clear.  I need to get a 100" screen to sit 12' away.   

I don't know about the math of it all.  I am sure it's valid but there is always some thing an equation doesn't cover.  History of science is replete with theories that claim too much domain of efficacy in the beginning.   I am seeing better picture in some stuff.  Not all but some.  I think they are just upscaled stuff.  I haven't seen a native UHD material yet.