LAS VEGAS -- 4K TVs are great, but there isn’t a lot of content in the format yet. And even when you find some 4K videos, like Transparent on Amazon, whether or not you actually see those extra pixels is entirely dependent on your connection.
Really, the most surefire way to be guaranteed you’re watching 4K content is by watching it on disc. Well, you’re in luck: The Ultra HD Blu-ray format has been confirmed for a few months, and now the first players are coming out. One of the first ones is Samsung’s UBD-K8500.
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The player looks pretty unexceptional, although it’s noticeably thicker than your typical Blu-ray player, with a slant along the front panel that cuts inward from the top.
Samsung says the player can take advantage of the latest HDR (high dynamic range) tech in more recent 4K TVs, and it’s worked with studios to ensure there are HDR Ultra HD titles in the mix this year. Among them: The Martian, Peanuts and Fantastic Four from Fox.
Checking out the player at Samsung’s First Look event, I was impressed by both the picture quality as well as the player’s ability to load a 4K disc in mere seconds. Compared to the first Blu-ray players, which sometimes took up to 30 seconds to load, it’s a big difference.
Samsung says pre-orders on its Ultra HD Blu-ray player begin today.