NETFLIX 4K is here....

[D Fuller]

I am using it as my desktop monitor.. and it is incredible. Brings the sides into you which was a mild annoyance with previous 4K displays I used. When you are 3 feet away from the panel the curve makes a huge difference.

Do you think you could use it for color grading?

 

[Phil Holland]

It is a big day for 4K. Our new Samsung 4k 55" Television monitor just showed up ( I ordered it off of Amazon.com on Tuesday ) , and along with it came NETFLIX 4K pre-loaded.

Very cool. I'd love to see how that curved look works. I can see it being very useful from optimal viewing distances.

I'm really into how Netflix 4K has been implemented on SmartTVs. My Sharp 70" hooks up to the internet via WiFi, load up the app, and boom Netflix 4K right there. Streaming at 15.6Mbps via the Vanguard HEVC V.265 encoding. House of Cards: Season 2 looks phenomenal. Can't wait for more goodies.

A few notable things that this tech provides.

- No special box is required.
- Televisions have access to many of the SmartTV apps.
- True connected experience provides more options than a simple "cable feed".

I'm freaking loving having 4K here on the big screen.

I forget who at Netflix said it, but their hope was for Netflix to become "the next HBO" before HBO could become "the next Netflix"... I think having 4k "broadcast" first is a HUGE benefit/step for Netflix... HBO can NOT get 4k any time soon because they don't own the platforms/infrastructure they are broadcast on (cable/sat providers).

Yep. I remember that quote. Netflix wants to be the next HBO and in many ways they have surpassed what HBO is, however more content and access to "now" content is needed.

One thing that is interesting. HBO is owned by Time Warner, who in my mind is lagging real hard on creating a digital delivery solution. They essentially have left the door wide open for companies like Netflix and soon Google and Apple to take over the market share. They honestly needed to push harder in this arena, however cable subscription as well as hardware rental is big bucks for them. However...... This will all change real soon. Exclusivity contracts are nice but now entities like Netflix, Amazon, and others are financing and looking for content with handsome budgets to boot.

HOC had a big budget this season. Several million an episode. Netflix has executed this plan on a few properties now and HOC is obviously the most successful out of the bunch. As they fish for more content that hooks viewers they will hone in on what becomes their voice. The Netflix image. Hopefully that can be as successful for them as it has been for the HBO marketing and original content strategy.

I really do admire these companies making strides in bringing 4K into our homes. They are pushing the market and the medium.

 

[paulherrin]

Now all we need is a 4K home laser projector....

oh come on now... you're not just gonna bait jarred into sayin' somethin he's not supposed to. we've been at that for awhile!

that being said, i sincerely hope i'm on whatever email list (that may yet to exist) for any scraps of info about projectors. i realize everybody wants one, but you better believe i want it mo' - plane, train, submarine, spacewalk... i'm there

back on topic, very exciting to hear about netflix rolling out according to plan. i really, really, really think that such 'alternative' modes of distribution are and will be the fastest and bestest (and maybe, onliest) way to get it done for just a bit. i haven't seen the netflix 4k stream, but i have seen the stuff cable calls high-definition, so i can imagine it's quite the jump. as phil said, the interest of content providers does not match that of consumers, and a lot of those customers have not had the taste in their mouth to know they want it.

course, low cost of entry projection would probably fix that up in a jiffy

 

[Mark L. Pederson]

I forget who at Netflix said it, but their hope was for Netflix to become "the next HBO" before HBO could become "the next Netflix"... I think having 4k "broadcast" first is a HUGE benefit/step for Netflix... HBO can NOT get 4k any time soon because they don't own the platforms/infrastructure they are broadcast on (cable/sat providers).

Well ... I would not be so quick to assume HBO is asleep at the 4K delivery wheel. HBO is no stranger to innovating.

Cinemax/HBO is currently in post production on Stephen Soderbergh's new series THE KNICK with Clive Owen - and they are doing a full 4K post finish - for a reason

http://www.cinemax.com/the-knick/

 

[Jason Rivera]

I just want the toys in that room

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

I have the 55" Samsung 4K (not curved) from last year and I really like it. Also uses the OneConnect box and presumably could use this newer version box to gain HDMI 2.0, etc.. No info from Samsung yet on potential upgrades. I'm just hoping they make good on the upgrade thing. They have dropped the OneConnect from most of their new TVs this year, it's pretty much the flagship 4K models that get the box. That said, I wouldn't want the upgrade yet anyway. Not interested until they can send me a OneConnect that gives me full HDMI 2.0 18+Gbps with HDCP 2.2.

One downside to last year's "old" model 4K is no 4K Netflix support in the app. Unless I'm missing something. Then again, Netflix is only serving 4K into a couple markets at the moment. We don't have the bandwidth where I'm at, anyway. Need a few more Mbps to pull it off.

Very cool. I'd love to see how that curved look works. I can see it being very useful from optimal viewing distances.

Very dependent on viewing distance. If you sit close enough it works great. Otherwise it's stupid.

oh come on now... you're not just gonna bait jarred into sayin' somethin he's not supposed to. we've been at that for awhile!

I wish he would say something… I figure it will probably be in the next few weeks. Just after the return window closes on that Sony 4K projector I just bought. <sigh…>

 

[paulherrin]

I figure it will probably be in the next few weeks. Just after the return window closes on that Sony 4K projector I just bought. <sigh…>

haha, sorry... def feel for ya. hopefully you're right and it'll be before your return window, although i was figuring radio silence til the end of the year. i suppose i'm not as hurried as you, i just don't want it to be dead :/

maybe you can get on that email list as well and still have some resale value... for about 24 hours :/

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Hehe. I'm ready for the laser projector as soon as (or if) RED can send it to me… Someone might get a smokin' deal on a Sony 600ES 4K too.

 

[Stacey Spears]

The 6P 4k laser projector that Christie demonstrated at NAB was pretty amazing. It was a 3D demo using Dolby 3D. 14fl off a 1.0 gain white Da-Lite JKP Affinity screen. No hot spotting or speckling and only minor crosstalk. They played the Frozen trailer, Hobbit HFR trailer, and 5 minutes from Avatar. They said it was all re-graded for this demo. It was simultaneous 3D, though all clips were 2k.

The curved screens are doing poorly in the market according to a couple of manufactures and I for one am glad.

 

[Patrick Grossien]

It is a big day for 4K. Our new Samsung 4k 55" Television monitor just showed up ( I ordered it off of Amazon.com on Tuesday ) , and along with it came NETFLIX 4K pre-loaded.

Distribution was the last piece of the 4K puzzle, and it is great to see Netflix be the first big dog to take the leap. This could be the spark that lights the 4K-to-the-masses fire.

Sorry to show one of my other nerd sides:

Yeah, yeah... 4K... Netflix... nice... but:
Did you skate the decks on your wall?

 

[Patrick Grossien]

On the the Netflix side of things:

We still don't have Netflix in Germany. Sure we got other channels to get some streaming net TV, but if Netflix is not moving to Germany,
I assume 4K will still be some time out to happen over here. Or we need somebody to step up their game over here.

Is Netflix on redray a possibility? Probably not because of the codec. I don't believe that Netflix would create specific RED 4K files just to get into the business with REDray
which is not used by the masses.

And I don't know if it would make sense for the masses either. Netflix is bundled with each and every TV and/ or TV box. So everybody can already get it without having
to pay another $1250 to get a better version of it. The step up from HD to 4K has to be preached already. But from HEVC/H.265 15Mbps 4K to RED 4K ...
That's a stretch for most "normal" people, I'm sure.

That said: how does it look and feel, Jarred? (The HEVC/H.265 15Mbps 4K Netflix stream I mean)

 

[paulherrin]

hola deutschland...

 

[Christoffer Glans]

oh come on now... you're not just gonna bait jarred into sayin' somethin he's not supposed to. we've been at that for awhile!

that being said, i sincerely hope i'm on whatever email list (that may yet to exist) for any scraps of info about projectors. i realize everybody wants one, but you better believe i want it mo' - plane, train, submarine, spacewalk... i'm there

back on topic, very exciting to hear about netflix rolling out according to plan. i really, really, really think that such 'alternative' modes of distribution are and will be the fastest and bestest (and maybe, onliest) way to get it done for just a bit. i haven't seen the netflix 4k stream, but i have seen the stuff cable calls high-definition, so i can imagine it's quite the jump. as phil said, the interest of content providers does not match that of consumers, and a lot of those customers have not had the taste in their mouth to know they want it.

course, low cost of entry projection would probably fix that up in a jiffy

The projector is the one thing I've been waiting for more then anything else, more then dragon, more then scarlet and so on. Right now, there isn't really any good option for viewing 4K in my opinion. If I want to view 4K I want to be able to do it on a 120 inch screen, which isn't possible in a smaller room without a projector. I'm using a 1080p projector right now, sitting around 2,5 meters away from my 120 screen and watching movies like Gravity in 3D on it is better then any cinema I've gone to... but it's still not 4K and a 4K laser projector with 3D capabilities would both be a joy for me professionally and personally. Such a projector would increase 4K demand, much more then Red Ray or small computer screens.

 

[Frank Glencairn]

This is what your glorious 4k footy (frame from a moving crane shot - 200% crop) looks like, when delivered at 15Mbps by Netflix.

Does anybody think, that there is 4k of image information in there?

 

[Alvise Tedesco]

We still don't have Netflix in Germany. Sure we got other channels to get some streaming net TV, but if Netflix is not moving to Germany,
I assume 4K will still be some time out to happen over here. Or we need somebody to step up their game over here.

Same here. So stupid Netflix didn't landed already. Were on 2014..

 

[Kemalettin Sert]

is it samsungs Netflix app shows 4K only content?

 

[Patrick Grossien]

This is what your glorious 4k footy (frame from a moving crane shot - 200% crop) looks like, when delivered at 15Mbps by Netflix.

Does anybody think, that there is 4k of image information in there?

Thank you Frank, for the comparison! This is really mushy looking stuff. All the HD streaming stuff is looking mushy, too but this shows one more time how good the .red codec actually is. It would be amazing if they could land it in consumer hands...

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Now more people wish they and listen to me when I instead on a 4k finish since years ago... Way to go Netflix!

 

[Jacques Mersereau]

I also attended the Christie laser projector demo. Totally amazing. I kept telling myself to JUDGE, but the images were so awesome that I was swept away and became the audience (not a judge). Christie is also now in the speaker biz. The audio delivered was sweet and powerful.
One thing stressed was the high price of the lasers.
To go brighter you add more lasers. Okay, I get that. But when asked about price, the answer was,
"One order of magnitude higher than Xenon." Hmm, so if a 10,000 lumen Xenon projector costs $10K,
then a laser equivalent costs $100K?!!! Perhaps this fixed cost is why RED has not yet delivered theirs. WHY?
It is likely that the (fixed) cost of the lasers is beyond what most of us can afford - perhaps they are waiting for the price to drop.

When I finally found where BARCO had it's hidden booth (in a meeting room), there I was told their projector is TWICE
the cost of the Christie and twice the power. 60,000 lumens!!! That said, with more lasers Christie can deliver 75,000 lumens.
Of course, cooling is not trivial. From what I could tell, Christie is leading this race.

 

[Stivan Widick]

Let the wild rumpus start...!!!