in 
2016, 4K UHD, Blu-ray, Display Tech, LCD, Previews, Quantum Dots
2016, 4K UHD, Blu-ray, Display Tech, LCD, Previews, Quantum Dots Entries in Blu-ray (4)
Best 2016 LCDs: Samsung
Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 2:00PM Updated March 31, 2016: availability and 3D
Samsung introduced its premium SUHD line of televisions in 2015 that improved the image quality of previous designs with technology to enhance color, increase brightness, and to provide a better-optimized interface for a screen with more than 8-million pixels. Today, Samsung Electronics introduces a flagship TV and Blu-ray player that seek to deliver a best-in-class viewing experience for the maturing ultra-high definition (UHD) video format.
The Flagship - KS9500 Series
The Samsung KS9500 SUHD TV series is the successor to the simply stunning JS9500 that continues to wow our eyes. The design of the KS9500 (pictured above) retains the elegant Y-shaped matte-finished metal base stand, but the screen perched upon it now features a unique "bezel-less curved design" that keeps a viewer's attention firmly on those new pixels. While the top and sides of the KS9500's frame are indeed nearly imperceptible when viewed from the front, the bottom edge is just wide enough to center a Samsung badge.
Interesting specs for the KS9500 include:
- 10-bit VA-type LCD
- Sizes: 55-inches, 65-inches
- 1000-nit minimum (HDR playback)
- Quantum dot color
- Ultra Black anti-reflection tech
- 4200mm radius screen curve (55-inch+)
- HDMI 2.0a/HDCP 2.2
One item conspicuously missing from Samsung's 2016 premium TVs is support for viewing 3D content - the general lack of popularity of this feature and cost savings are the most likely reasons for its abandonment.
The KS9500's enhanced 10-bit panel is aiming for a "1000-nit minimum" of light output - a significant increase compared to Samsung's 2015 edge-lit TVs. This performance is achieved through improved efficiency of the blue LEDs in its backlight unit (BLU) as well as the ability for that light to more easily penetrate the color-enhancing quantum dot-impregnated film. For more information about quantum dot technology, please see this helpful article. These are impressive brightness claims that a Samsung representative said were obtained when displaying a 10% window - I was pressed to measure ~900-nits on the 2015 JS9500 when displaying a smaller, less challenging 2% window.
The Ultra Black technology of the KS9500 is a "moth's eye" layer of film that features nano-scale patterns made of up structures smaller than the wavelength of visible light. This surface structure mimics the characteristics of a moth's eye and enables the screen surface to prevent strong sources of external light from creating harsh reflections. Sharp Electronics has made impressive demonstrations of moth's eye tech since at least 2012, and anything that can help an LCD minimize glare and reflection will improve perceived picture quality and display efficiency.
Curved screen TV designs are about as polarizing of a home theater topic as I've encountered in recent years. Samsung will continue to utilize curved LCDs for its premium offerings. However, it is slightly reducing the radius of the curve for screen sizes 55-inches and larger. The KS9500 Series is available in screen sizes of 55-inches and 65-inches.
2016 Vizio SmartCast P-Series TVs
Review: Samsung's Best 2015 TV
Under the hood, Samsung's TIZEN operating system (OS) has received some upgrades and a new look.
Paired with a new Samsung Smart Control remote that increases the robustness of its universal control features and offers a simplified setup through connected device detection, the 2016 Smart Hub requires less digging to get at frequently viewed content and apps. Other features of the refreshed interface include:
- PlayStation Now - quality gaming without the console
- EXTRA Service - additional content information
- Smart View - upgraded Android/iOS sharing app
- NeuLion-enabled - live UHD sports streaming
- IoT (Internet of Things) hub - connect/control 200+ devices
I appreciated seeing some 2014 and 2015 Samsung UHD TVs receive the PlayStation Now update as it finally delivers a quality gaming experience without the need for console hardware - just add a controller. And live UHD sports streaming via NeuLion?!? I'll take some of that!
Review: A Great Bluetooth Speaker
UHD Blu-ray Arrives
The era of the Ultra HD Blu-ray Player has arrived. The Samsung UBD-K8500 is an ideal match for a TV like the company's KS9500. The K8500 is HDR compatible and content will be encoded to take advantage of the gigantic Rec.2020 color space (that a TV will conform to its hardware capabilities.) A prototype unit I previewed featured dual HDMI ports - the additional port for audio-only output to a compatible AV receiver. Visually-speaking, the HDR demo video previewed was a scene from A Million Ways to Die in the West, and the combination of a staggeringly high bitrate, HDR visuals, and wide color gamut were pure eye candy. Twentieth Century Fox, Sony Pictures, and Warner Brothers have all announced plans to release dozens of Ultra HD Blu-ray titles in 2016. The UBD-K8500 is available now.
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear
This article will be updated as new information becomes available
How to Watch 4K
Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 5:45PM 
Originally posted October 8, 2014
Updated December 1, 2015: added 4K video sources
TVs and projectors with four times the resolution of a high-definition Blu-ray movie are quickly becoming the new standard for larger home theater displays. The sources and selection of video material for this new ultra high-definition viewing experience are expanding as well, but let's start with the basics.
A brand new name
Most of us are familiar with the term "1080p" and its variants such as "Full HD", FHD, 1920x1080 pixels, or the more vague descriptor "high def". To assist consumers looking to experience ultra high-definition (UHD) in the home, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) recently announced that UHD display devices shall use the branding 4K Ultra HD and 4K Ultra HD Connected.
What qualifies as an ultra HD display?
The CEA characterizes ultra high-definition TVs, monitors, and projectors as display devices that meet the following minimum attributes:
- Display Resolution – Has at least eight million active pixels, with at least 3840 horizontally and at least 2160 vertically.
- Aspect Ratio – Has a width to height ratio of the display’s native resolution of 16:9 or wider.
- Upconversion – Is capable of upscaling HD video and displaying it at ultra high-definition resolution.
- Digital Input – Has one or more HDMI inputs supporting at least 3840x2160 native content resolution at 24p, 30p and 60p frames per second. At least one of the 3840x2160 HDMI inputs shall support HDCP revision 2.2 or equivalent content protection.
- Colorimetry – Processes 2160p video inputs encoded according to ITU-R BT.709 color space and may support wider colorimetry standards.
- Bit Depth – Has a minimum color bit depth of eight bits.
Learn about: Quantum Dot Color
The CEA defines connected ultra high-definition displays as meeting all of the above requirements as well as:
- Video Codec – Decodes IP-delivered video of 3840x2160 resolution that has been compressed using HEVC* and may decode video from other standard encoders.
- Audio Codec – Receives and reproduces, and/or outputs multichannel audio.
- IP and Networking – Receives IP-delivered ultra HD video through a Wi-Fi, Ethernet or other appropriate connection.
- Application Services – Supports IP-delivered ultra HD video through services or applications on the platform of the manufacturer’s choosing.
*High Efficiency Video Compression Main Profile, Level 5, Main tier, as defined in ISO/IEC 23008-2 MPEG-H Part 2 or ITU-T H.265, and may support higher profiles, levels or tiers.
4K in cinema
The CEA's definition of ultra high-definition displays specifies at least a certain number of pixels, a picture shape (aspect ratio) of 16:9/1.78:1 or wider, and the possibility of richer colors. The use of the term "4K" in cinema production means something slightly different than it does in the UHD video world.
For the cinema industry, the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) consortium has defined several 4K formats for various applications that include pixel resolutions of 4096x2160 (1.90:1), 4096x1716 (2.39:1), and 3996x2160 (1.85:1).
DCI also specifies an expanded color palette and advanced compression scheme for these "true 4K" formats that the home user is unlikely to encounter in typical consumer products - at least in the near future. It's understandable that some cinema purists cringe when the terms 4K and UHD are used interchangeably.
Sources of UHD video
Ultra HD video enjoyment is available now albeit with a fairly limited (but growing) selection of content to choose from. How you will experience ultra HD depends on the hardware you own and the services you subscribe to. Here's what you can expect from these current, and soon to be, UHD video providers.
Netflix
Netflix demonstrated its UHD video streaming service at the 2014 CES and has since found its way into new consumer devices including UHD TVs and set top boxes. Looking to the future, Netflix has indicated that they are working toward improving its ultra high-definition streaming service with increased color precision and higher framerates.
Amazon
Amazon's 4K Ultra HD Instant Video streaming service has launched (press release) and is currently available on select LG, Samsung, and Sony TVs. More details are available in the Amazon 4K Ultra HD Guide. Amazon has begun streaming UHD video with high dynamic range (HDR) and select TVs from Samsung, LG, and Sony have been software upgraded to support HDR decoding and playback.
Sony
The Sony FMP-X10 is an Internet streaming appliance that integrates a 1TB hard drive for local storage. Powered by the company's Video Unlimited 4K service, the FMP-X10 currently lists more than 65 feature films that are available for rent or purchase. Sony recently updated the FMP-X10 to be compatible with any display that features an HDMI v2.0 port that supports HDCP v2.2. Read my review of the Sony FMP-X10.
Samsung
Owners of newer Samsung UHD TVs can purchase a compatible UHD Video Pack that is decoded through the M-GO streaming video app - this content includes HDR and wide color gamut (WCG) enhanced videos that are currently unavailable by any other means. Samsung SUHD TVs have also been upgraded to support UHD/HDR streaming from Amazon and UHD streaming from YouTube, Netflix, and other popular UHD video applications.
DirecTV
Satellite television provider DirecTV is currently testing limited UHD video delivery with wide deployment scheduled for 2015-16. Cable and fiber TV providers are also in the early testing phase for deploying UHD video services. It seems likely that all of these TV providers will utilize streaming video technology to delivery UHD content to its subscribers.
Blu-ray
The Blu-ray Disc Association indicated at IFA Berlin 2014 that UHD Blu-ray technology will reach consumers by the end of 2015 (likely 2016).
YouTube
YouTube also has a growing selection of UHD videos available for streaming, however, not every UHD TV supports UHD YouTube playback at this time and are limited to 1080p streaming quality.
M-GO
The video streaming service M-GO now offers a growing selection of 4K UHD movies and TV shows. The M-GO app is also used for playback of content purchased on secure storage (with compatible UHD TVs).
Ultraflix
Ultraflix is another source of streaming UHD programming that's available on select 2015 Sony, Samsung, Vizio, and Android TV-powered UHD TVs.
Downloads
Here are a few sources of 4K UHD video material that you are free to explore and download for playback.
Tears of Steel (2012) - a group of warriors and scientists attempt to rescue the world from destructive robots
Sintel (2010) - a woman's search for a dragon that she had once nursed back to health
Big Buck Bunny (2008) - a day in the life of a big bunny named Buck
Demo UHD 3D - a source of various 4K UHD and 3D videos
Ultra Video Group - test sequences
houkouonchi.jp - a directory of 4K UHD material
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear
Not all UHD is created equal
Resolution is only one component of video picture quality. A still picture that is JPEG encoded can be compressed by an arbitrary amount while maintaining the original pixel resolution. Increasing picture compression produces a smaller file size but fine details become increasingly softened and blurred. Likewise, a lightly or uncompressed image will exhibit more detail and clarity along with a larger corresponding file size. The same concept applies to video.
The datastream of Blu-ray video can peak at 40Mbps enabling it to reproduce even the most detailed, quick-moving video imagery with very few compression artifacts. Likewise, 1080p video from Internet streaming services reaches a maximum average bitrate of 5-7Mbps. The current library of Netflix UHD videos average 16Mbps - less than half of Blu-ray's maximum bitrate yet with four times the pixel resolution. Improvements in video compression technology help make HD and UHD video delivery possible, but there is no substitute for pure bitrate to maintain video quality.
Bitrate is king
For the quality conscious home theater enthusiast, video compression is only part of the story. Blu-ray supports multichannel lossless audio at up to 27.7Mbps (48Mbps total for audio and video data) providing a "like you are there" listening experience that is unmatched by any Internet streaming service or DVD video. If you believe that quality audio is at least half of the home theater experience, streaming services have a ways to go to catch up to good ol' Blu-ray.
UHD is a work in progress
Plenty of pitfalls remain for early adopters of UHD gear. A major issue relates to the need for HDCP v2.2 support between an external UHD video source device and UHD display. HDCP v2.2 is a complete break from previous versions, and this means that the entire video pathway must support HDCP v2.2 in order for UHD playback to occur - older gear will most likely not be upgradable to the new HDCP spec. The good folks at Audioholics wrote up an excellent article detailing the current mess that is HDMI v2.0 and HDCP v2.2 and how it relates to current and upcoming home theater gear, and I encourage anyone interested in this subject to give it a careful read.
Blu-ray Movies for Less Than $10
Tuesday, August 19, 2014 at 8:37PM 
Updated and filed under "something for everyone!": HD Nation fan Chris C. pointed out this excellent Amazon search
The Sub-$100 Blu-ray Player Has Arrived!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 6:59PM 
My local Wal*mart had a stack of Magnavox NB530MGX Blu-ray Disc Players ready for purchase at a non-sale price of $98 USD. The NB530MGX's sub-$100 price is a historic first for a brand new Blu-ray disc (BD) player, and I'm looking forward to writing up a full review of this value priced player in the coming days. In the mean time, here are the player's specs as taken from the Magnavox website:
Blu-ray / DVD
- Plays BD Video, BD-RE (Single/Dual), BD-R (Single/Dual), DVD Video, DVD-R/RW, CD-R/RW, Audio CD, DTS-CD, HD JPEG
- BD Profile 1.1 (BONUSVIEW)
- HDMI Full-HD 1080 24p / 60p Output
- HDMI 1080p Up-Conversion Output
- Progressive Scan Video Output
- HDMI 1.3a - Deep Color Processing
- HDMI Audio Output: Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD,DTS, DTS HD, Linear PCM
Convenience
- FL (Fluorescent) Display
- Trilingual On Screen Display (English / Spanish / French)
- Parental Lock
- Remote Control
Input/Output
- Composite Video Output
- Component Video Out
- RCA Audio Output (L+R)
- Digital Audio Output (Coaxial)
- Digital Audio Output (Optical)
- HDMI Output
- SD Memory Slot
Some notable items from the above list includes an SD card slot for simplified picture browsing, coaxial and optical digital audio outputs, and 1080p24 output (via HDMI) - not bad at all for the least expensive BD player around. However, the NB530MGX lacks network support (Ethernet or otherwise) for simplified firmware updates and it is a Profile 1.1 BD player so it supports picture-in-picture but not the online interactive features of BD-Live - considering the poor quality of most BD-Live content, this missing feature may be a non-issue for most shoppers.
Stay tuned.
