

While you’ll likely have to cross the $100 mark to get a solid model, for those serious about their home theater, it’s well worth the investment. Another bit of good news is, while they debuted in the $300-400 range, you can find a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player for a killer deal these days (if you’ve got the new Xbox One S or Xbox One X, you’ve already got an Ultra HD Blu-ray player - here’s how you can use it). Fortunately, Ultra HD Blu-ray players will play just about any disc you throw at them, including all your existing DVDs, Blu-rays, and any old CDs you’ve got lying around. Yes, you need a new player, as standard Blu-ray players can’t handle the new discs. Do I need a new Blu-ray player for Ultra HD Blu-ray discs? For more on Dolby Atmos, see our guide to getting a true Dolby Atmos experience.Īs such, Ultra HD Blu-ray still offers significantly better picture and sound quality than any other format available. However even those streaming services that support it only do so using Dolby Digital Plus, a compressed format that doesn’t have the same fidelity as Ultra HD Blu-ray’s native Dolby True HD. While Atmos is trickling to streaming services, it is currently available only from a few services, with Netflix predictably leading the way. Perhaps just as importantly, streaming is still behind when it comes to the most readily available object-based surround sound format, Dolby Atmos. It’s definitely getting better, especially for those with fast internet hookups, but the difference is there. Even with relatively fast connections, we’ve noticed artifacts and other issues with streaming 4K content - and it gets even worse when you’re trying to stream HDR content. Simply put, the more data you can deliver, the better the picture and sound quality are going to be, and Ultra HD Blu-ray can deliver a lot of data. If you want to enjoy Ultra HD Blu-ray discs, you’ll need to buy a new Ultra HD Blu-ray disc player. The reason comes down to one very simple, but important factor: Bit rate. It’s true that streaming movies and TV shows from services like Netflix, Amazon, and Vudu are the future of TV, but although streaming has made big strides in recent years, discs still outdo streaming when it comes to performance. Do you need a new disc player? Will it be backward compatible? Do you need new cables, a new receiver, or any other new equipment? For the answers to those questions and more, read on. Of course, with any technology upgrade comes plenty of conditions and caveats. Is Ultra HD the same as 4K? Clearing confusion.Does Ultra HD Blu-ray support digital transfers?.Are Ultra HD Blu-ray players backward compatible?.What kind of 4K UHD TV will work with Ultra HD Blu-ray?.Do I need a new Blu-ray player for Ultra HD Blu-ray discs?.What’s so great about Ultra HD Blu-ray?.
