Have an Account?
| Register Now
Samsung Unveils First UltraHD Blu-ray Player, Fox Promises Movies

Posted on Thursday, September 3, 2015 4:55 PM

UltraHD Blu-ray LogoSamsung has unveiled its first UltraHD Blu-ray player, the UBS-K8500, at the IFA show in Berlin, Germany. It's not due to be released until sometime in 2016, and the pricing wasn't announced, but sources are saying that they are shooting for a $500 target price. While that may seem high when compared to the sub-$100 Blu-ray players out there, it's cheaper than the first Blu-ray players were, and initial players tend to be deluxe models with as many features as possible. The price is sure to come down once more manufacturers release products with varying levels of features.

Kingsman: The Secret Service UltraHD Cover ArtworkTwentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment also announced that they will be supporting the new format with a batch of releases that includes Kingsman: The Secret ServiceFantastic FourX-Men: Days of Future PastLife of Pi, The Maze Runner, Exodus: Gods and Kings, and Wild.

The artwork for Kingsman: The Secret Service shows that the package will include the Ultra HD Blu-ray, HD Blu-ray, and Digital HD copies of the movie, which should help drive adoption in the early days of the format's introduction. Depending on the pricing, it would make sense to buy the Ultra HD package even if you don't have an Ultra HD player right away, as it gives your movie library some future-proofing for when you do.

The movies will also feature HDR (High Dynamic Range), which is said to improve the difference between light and dark portions of the image. The Hollywood Reporter quoted Mike Dunn, president of Fox Home Entertainment:

"We are now preparing our recent releases ... in 4K Ultra HD to be available in conjunction with the launch of your Ultra HD Blu-ray players early next year," said Mike Dunn, president of Fox Home Entertainment. "We are committed to releasing our slate of movies going forward in Ultra HD with high dynamic range, day and date, with the Digital HD and Blu-ray release. We believe it is critical to have rich, compelling content available to consumers as the UHD TV market continues to grow."

You can read the entire article in the link below.

The UltraHD spec also allows for more colors to be displayed, something called the Rec. 2020 standard, which increases the 16.7 million colors possible on Blu-ray to 1.07 billion colors. Additionally, there is an expectation that movie titles will come with Dolby Atmos or DTS:X immersive soundtracks (when possible), but there wasn't any announcement by Fox to that end. Lots of details are still missing, and I'm sure that we'll hear more in the coming months.

Related News Articles

Please note: If you purchase through the links above, we may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for supporting The BigScreen Cinema Guide!



Add Your Comments

Reader VoiceReader Comments

No comments found. Be the first and let us know what you think!

Add Your Comments

Please login
Commenting on Journal Articles is available only to our readers who have customized this site, which makes it easier for you to complete the form and for us to contact you with any questions or concerns about your comments.

Please login or register a new account before continuing.


Already Registered?

Log in to retrieve your saved settings.

E-Mail Address:
BigScreen Passcode:

Forget Your Passcode?

Send My Passcode To Me

Not Registered? Create a New Account!

E-Mail Address
In case we need to contact you. A valid E-Mail address is required, profiles with invalid addresses will be removed.
Please Confirm Your E-Mail Address
ZIP Code
This helps us display theaters that are near you.

Our registered members enjoy more features, including:

Basic accounts are free -- sign up today!

Concerned About Privacy?

So are we! We won't sell, trade, or share your personal information with anyone unless required by law. For more information, please read our Privacy Policy.



Home - About Us - Feedback
News Headlines - Theaters - Movies - Reader Reviews - Movie Links
Your Account - VIP Service

The BigScreen Cinema Guide is a service of SVJ Designs LLC. All graphics, layout, and structure of this service (unless otherwise specified) are Copyright © 1995-2024, SVJ Designs. The BigScreen Cinema Guide is a trademark of SVJ Designs. All rights reserved.

'ACADEMY AWARDS®' and 'OSCAR®' are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Find Us on Facebook
Find Us on Instagram