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You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > UHD and HDR, is it worth it?

View Poll Results: Are you planning on biting the HDR bullet?
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Already there! 3 votes (27.27%)
I'm ready to dive in, can't wait! 0 votes (0%)
I might, when it gets cheap and has been around for a while. 7 votes (63.64%)
No interest, it's just more marketing from TV manufacturers and studios. 1 votes (9.09%)
Voters: 11. You may not vote on this poll
UHD and HDR, is it worth it?
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Cap'n Tightpants
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May 13, 2017, 05:42 PM
 
I've looked into this quite a bit and experimented with many different products and setups and have come to a conclusion on this, but I'm curious to hear your experiences with the newer HD formats. Personally I see HDR as much more of a game-changer than 4K, by a mile, but not all HDR is created equal and the quality of the content, and source, matters more than ever before. In a nutshell, greater resolution doesn't mean a damned thing if what you're watching doesn't have natural colors and contrast.

Worth it? If you're a movie nerd and go ga-ga over great visuals, and don't mind the early adoption "tax", hell yes. Otherwise, wait for this Xmas at the earliest, that's when I expect mainstream adoption to really kick in, leading to a more bountiful market and lower prices.
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subego
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May 13, 2017, 05:52 PM
 
What I want is HDR. As both a creator and consumer.

My experience is limited however.

Creation-wise, there aren't a whole lot of full-frame options. Everything is Super 35/APS-C.
     
Brien
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May 13, 2017, 11:04 PM
 
Only had the chance to watch a few Netflix shows in HDR10.

I don't really notice the 4K resolution but HDR (and wider gamut) are impressive. Those make it feel like the SD -> HD jump. UHD by itself is pretty "meh" (maybe if you have a 100"+ TV it would be a different story).
     
P
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May 14, 2017, 08:25 AM
 
IMO, 4K is great for computer work but irrelevant for TVs, while HDR is mostly the other way around.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Chongo
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May 15, 2017, 01:31 AM
 
LG OLED 4k sets are amazing. Unfortunately they are out of my price range at the moment.
45/47
     
subego
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May 15, 2017, 02:37 AM
 
Unfortunately, even if I do upgrade my decade old set, I don't think there'd be any point for me to get 4K. I can maybe squeeze a 50" into the designated spot, and it's 11' away from the couch. In most situations I probably couldn't tell the difference.
     
subego
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May 15, 2017, 02:43 AM
 
Originally Posted by P View Post
IMO, 4K is great for computer work but irrelevant for TVs, while HDR is mostly the other way around.
With 4K, it's really a question of how titanically huge the screen is.

Or... sitting really close, like with a computer.
     
P
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May 15, 2017, 03:51 AM
 
Not only that, but 4K is great for computers because resolution is much more noticeable for text than for moving images. 4K streams look better than 1080p stream, but that is in large part because the compression is not as hard. If you spent the bandwidth that a 4K stream gets on a regular 1080p stream, it would look pretty good as well.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Cap'n Tightpants  (op)
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May 15, 2017, 02:16 PM
 
Well, until broadband connections become more robust (on both ends), embracing UHD + HDR requires using blu-rays. That's what I prefer, since I prefer owning physical copies of movies (I have close to 5000 now), but many (most?) would rather stream.

Viewing distance is important, if you sit >2x the diagonal size of the screen away, distinguishing between 1080p and UHD is tough for the vast majority. In fact, with streamed content, good 1080p can look better than 4K, depending on compression. The benefits of HDR, OTOH, can be seen from practically any distance. Of course, as was pointed out, only newer movies are going to benefit, because that more natural color depth and contrast has to be available (and captured properly) in the first place. Still, when everything does line up correctly, it is an awesome experience.
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subego
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May 15, 2017, 02:50 PM
 
For numerous reasons, I should prefer what the artist prefers, which will be the most pristine image available, but I've ditched physical media. I just can't be arsed with it anymore.

Further, as I've touched on before in a different thread, with my particular TV/TV size/viewing distance combo, I've preferred upconverted DVD to BR for the same content.
     
P
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May 15, 2017, 05:11 PM
 
Originally Posted by Cap'n Tightpants View Post
Viewing distance is important, if you sit >2x the diagonal size of the screen away, distinguishing between 1080p and UHD is tough for the vast majority.
Distinguishing between 1080p and 720p is hard at that distance, unless you pause. In fact that was the reason they picked 720 pixels high - it should be "as good as it gets" at 4x screen height (which becomes 2x diagonal dimension on a 16:9 screen).
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
sek929
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May 16, 2017, 05:15 PM
 
Originally Posted by P View Post
Distinguishing between 1080p and 720p is hard at that distance, unless you pause.
I tell people my 51" Plasma is 720p after they've been watching something for a while and they can't believe it's not full HD.

As for 4K/HDR, when it's as cheap, reliable, and backed by standard media formats I'll adopt, until then, nahhhhhhhh.
     
Chongo
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May 16, 2017, 07:01 PM
 
4K allows you to have a bigger screen in a smaller room. I have a 60" 1080P Samsung plasma and my "theater seats" are 8' away. I won't think about a 4K set until the 70" and larger sets come down in price. Why bother replacing a 60" with a 60"? Ya gotta go bigger!

45/47
     
Brien
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May 17, 2017, 02:13 AM
 
I sit 10 feet away from a 75" set and I honestly can't tell 4K from 1080p half the time.
     
Chongo
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May 17, 2017, 11:02 AM
 
You can sit closer to a 4K before seeing the pixels.
45/47
     
Cap'n Tightpants  (op)
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May 17, 2017, 11:38 AM
 
Originally Posted by Brien View Post
I sit 10 feet away from a 75" set and I honestly can't tell 4K from 1080p half the time.
At that distance, you'd need to increase the screen size by 60% before it became obvious (for most people).
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Jawbone54
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May 18, 2017, 12:13 PM
 
Originally Posted by P View Post
IMO, 4K is great for computer work but irrelevant for TVs, while HDR is mostly the other way around.
I fall into this camp. Why edit video and photography on an HDR monitor when the vast majority of people consume the material without HDR? Not to mention prints...

HDR seems great for watching TV/movies and gaming, but I can't imagine why it would be good from a creator's standpoint.
     
Cap'n Tightpants  (op)
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May 18, 2017, 02:48 PM
 
HDR is nice for PC gaming.
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P
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May 20, 2017, 01:08 PM
 
Originally Posted by Cap'n Tightpants View Post
HDR is nice for PC gaming.
It eats performance if you don't have Freesync 2, though.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
   
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