4k UHD blu-ray player advice

[Sir Snaz]

HI all, just picked up a new TV - panasonic TX-58GX820B 58" - and have realised that I need a new blu-ray player too.
Not looking to spend the earth on one, but appreciate that not all blu-ray players are created equally.
Is it worth sticking with same brand? and if so what suggestions do you lovely people have?

[telecat]

The Sony X800 is a very good all rounder and can be picked up for a decent price. I think the X500 is also a good player and is price inclined to Video rather than being a good Audio and Video player.

[the prescotts]

Sir Snaz said:

HI all, just picked up a new TV - panasonic TX-58GX820B 58" - and have realised that I need a new blu-ray player too.
Not looking to spend the earth on one, but appreciate that not all blu-ray players are created equally.
Is it worth sticking with same brand? and if so what suggestions do you lovely people have?

I went for the Pana UB820 that does the trick for me especially at the price of just £299. The UB9000 is a serious bit of kit but for me I could not justify the £849.00 price tag. Both are HDR10+ compatible and work seamlessly with your Pana TV.

[BlueJazz]

I chose the LG lg-UBK90 due to the Dolby Vision support.

[kingston12]

the prescotts said:

I went for the Pana UB820 that does the trick for me especially at the price of just £299. The UB9000 is a serious bit of kit but for me I could not justify the £849.00 price tag. Both are HDR10+ compatible and work seamlessly with your Pana TV.

It's the UB820 I'd be looking at as your TV supports Dolby Vision. As I understand it this is amongst the only players that not only support DV, but will auto-detect it. With some players, you have to manually change it in the menu.

Its less relevant at the moment with the lack of DV titles, but could become important in the future.

The UB820 has also got quite a number of picture adjustment options that the others don't, as I understand it.

[hornmeister]

Sony 800 here but I needed SACD & DVD Audio compatibility. The lower model 300? supports Dolby vision I think as it's technically newer so a better bet if Audio is not your bag.

You don't need a 4K player unless you intend to buy 4K disks however and if you're running through an AV amp make sure it supports 4K.

Unless your old Bluray player has died I wouldn't bother.

[Zirconia]

The UB820 does have the HDR optimiser which is superb, on screen info is useful.
The HDR optimiser is a cracking bit of software and a few options that are handy. It has bumped up poorly set up Netflix titles (not many need it) to watchable and for OLED, a boon. Cannot say how it works with other technology screens.
820 also does HLG convert meaning if your TV is not on the BBC list, you can get the BBC iPlayer 4k tests via 820. I sort of assume it converts to HDR10 for my older panel.

Obviously need to sort out what amp is in the way etc. and connections with audio and all that.

https://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/home-enterta...

And don't fall for any expensive HDMI bks if required. Certified Premium High Speed is all you should need but the snake oil is strong with HDMI cables, Omars going for around £6-8 on the usually suspect site. Unless of course the ones you already have work in which case you won't need any new ones.

[Sir Snaz]

Thanks all, went for the UB820! does exactly what I want and didnt break the bank. Just need to buy some 4k dvds now and see if i can tell the difference

[Zirconia]

Part of the problem is checking which films are mastered in 2k, 4k 4k+ etc. That is the DI (Digital Intermediary, what the masters are whatever k format that make the released title from). Blu ray web site has some handy help. 2kDI is a small step up from what Blu-ray is (1080p) but the bonus is HDR if it is done well. There are some good 2kDI films out there. Mad Max as a 2K DI I think but the HDR really makes it.

Planet Earth II is about the pinnacle (in my opinion and opinions will vary), min 5k DI I understand. Followed by Blue Planet II but also some film transfers have been superb, Blade Runner and 2001 (absolutely superb), Alien etc. New titles are also very good but then I watched Solo on the weekend and not too impressed. Then found I had a wrong setting on the TV I didn't remember setting, might have to watch it again.......

Apocalypse Now and Water World are about to be released as a scan in from film and polished up. (watch out for the Water World 1080p re edit but I think that has all sold out, from Arrow films, not 4K but from a 4K master, the 4k release is a few weeks away yet??)

Mortal Engines (superb 4k from a 8k DI but film makes no plot sense and I liked the books). Some films are not so great, check reviews.

Check Zoom and Zaavi, they have sales on occasion, 2 for 15 etc. Usually they are pegged at £20 or so. Studios creaming it I think. Really are some great 4k films there if the player and TV are set up right and up to the task.

bluray.com forum lists a good few and worth a visit to see reviews. I usually get the really good films on hard copy and the rest on Apple TV.

[dc2rr07]

Zirconia said:

Part of the problem is checking which films are mastered in 2k, 4k 4k+ etc. That is the DI (Digital Intermediary, what the masters are whatever k format that make the released title from). Blu ray web site has some handy help. 2kDI is a small step up from what Blu-ray is (1080p) but the bonus is HDR if it is done well. There are some good 2kDI films out there. Mad Max as a 2K DI I think but the HDR really makes it.

Planet Earth II is about the pinnacle (in my opinion and opinions will vary), min 5k DI I understand. Followed by Blue Planet II but also some film transfers have been superb, Blade Runner and 2001 (absolutely superb), Alien etc. New titles are also very good but then I watched Solo on the weekend and not too impressed. Then found I had a wrong setting on the TV I didn't remember setting, might have to watch it again.......

Apocalypse Now and Water World are about to be released as a scan in from film and polished up. (watch out for the Water World 1080p re edit but I think that has all sold out, from Arrow films, not 4K but from a 4K master, the 4k release is a few weeks away yet??)

Mortal Engines (superb 4k from a 8k DI but film makes no plot sense and I liked the books). Some films are not so great, check reviews.

Check Zoom and Zaavi, they have sales on occasion, 2 for 15 etc. Usually they are pegged at £20 or so. Studios creaming it I think. Really are some great 4k films there if the player and TV are set up right and up to the task.

bluray.com forum lists a good few and worth a visit to see reviews. I usually get the really good films on hard copy and the rest on Apple TV.

Good advice, if the 4K has just been upscaled I will normally just purchase the Blu-ray as the player up scales blu-rays anyway, what annoys me is why they insist on packaging a blu-ray with the 4K, do away with the blu-ray and reduce the cost.

[Zirconia]

dc2rr07 said:

Good advice, if the 4K has just been upscaled I will normally just purchase the Blu-ray as the player up scales blu-rays anyway, what annoys me is why they insist on packaging a blu-ray with the 4K, do away with the blu-ray and reduce the cost.

But adding HDR is the key with 4k upscaled, however HD can do HDR as well. Latest Jurassic film is superb on disk and that is a 2kDI I think, post processing with HDR is done well in that.

The pricing is all a mess at the moment. I would like to know what the actual cost to the studio for making of a 1080p title is vs SD vs 4k. I would not be surprised if the included 1080p in a 4k title is three parts of sod all. The money earner for the studios seems to be the bulk selling of DVD, it still holds the largest market share in the US latest along the lines of 60% DVD 30 odd for Blu and 4k the rest, people will watch it so they will sell it. I wonder if they see no future in 4k hard copies past a few years and are just milking it till streaming takes over. 4k remains a niche at the moment for disk.

[the prescotts]

Sir Snaz said:

Thanks all, went for the UB820! does exactly what I want and didnt break the bank. Just need to buy some 4k dvds now and see if i can tell the difference

After seeing the difference between streamed HDR and Blu Ray HDR I went all retro and subscribed to Cinema Paradiso (similar to the old Love Film) and for round £5 a month rent two 4K HDR Blu Ray disks per month. Saves forking out £20-£30 on disks that I will probably only watch once anyway.

https://www.cinemaparadiso.co.uk

[kingston12]

the prescotts said:

After seeing the difference between streamed HDR and Blu Ray HDR I went all retro and subscribed to Cinema Paradiso (similar to the old Love Film) and for round £5 a month rent two 4K HDR Blu Ray disks per month. Saves forking out £20-£30 on disks that I will probably only watch once anyway.

https://www.cinemaparadiso.co.uk

Same here. As well as being better quality, it’s the cheapest way to watch new films.

I’m on the £20 a month subscription, and watch at least 10 films a month. That would cost twice as much on iTunes.

[Tony1963]

The cost of films on disc can be dramatically reduced by first of all sharing with friends, and then selling. In my man-maths, it works out at under £5 per film