4k Blu-Rays

[Smiggy]

Hi guys,

I was wondering someone can help me shed some understanding on Pioneer's new Blu-Ray optical drives, that can play 4k movies. I play 4k games on my Acer Predator XB321HK 32, but I am wondering, if I'll be able to play 4k games.

http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/1/25/14387744/pioneer-ultra-hd-bluray-drive-4k-pc

Apparently the requirements to play 4k movies are found on PowerDVD's site.

https://www.cyberlink.com/products/powerdvd-ultra/spec_en_GB.html?&r=1

1) The minumum requirement is your CPU must be one of the Kaby Lake editions or higher - this means my 6950, and Asus Rampage V Edition 10 are not compatible, right?

2) The GPU requirement states Ultra HD Blu-ray: Intel 7th generation (Kaby Lake) Core i processors integrated with Intel HD Graphics 630, Intel Iris™ Graphics 640 - what does this mean? I have 4 980 in Quad SLI configuration.

3) The Motherboard requirement states Ultra HD Blu-ray A mainboard is required which supports the Intel Software Guard Extensions (Intel SGX) technology. The Intel SGX feature needs to be enabled in the BIOS* settings and allocated with 128 MB or above memory space. To view the HDR 10 effect of Ultra HD Blu-ray movies, a mainboard that supports exporting HDR 10 signal is required - I take it mine is not compatible because it doesn't support the Kaby Lake/Skylake editions?

4) Under Display Device, it says Display device with HDMI 2.0a/DisplayPort 1.3 connection interface, and must support HDCP 2.2 - why is a DP 1.3 required? Mine only support 1.2, but how is everyone else been watching 4k content/movies on their HD/QHD monitors? There are plenty of examples of this on YouTube.

5) Do the same requirements apply, if you're playing downloaded 4k content from netflix. So, you're not playing it from a disc.

Thanks guys.

[sk2play]

I think you are confusing the HDR feature content with 4K movies with watching 4K movies without HDR turned on. Consider HDR having different requirements to run properly or at all as you would with 3D. You're system should have no problem running a 4K movie with Cyberlink PowerDVD 17. For HDR featured content, you need a HDR compatible TV (all the 2017 models have it and most of the 2016) or Monitor (which are coming out by nVidia (via Asus/Acer) later this year and HDR compatible GPU. The Monitor, GPU and/or AVR has compliance requirements just like 3D did.

Regarding motherboards, a dedicated GPU or integrated CPU/GPU should have no issues running 4K movies from the 4,5,6 generations. For HDR content, the requirements make sense that you posted on question 4.

Try this link for a further evaluation of your question regarding 4K movie watching on a low end GPU/CPU/Motherboard which is dated 2014.
https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?t=1252691

Regarding nVidia HDR monitor coming out later in 2017, go here:
http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/articles/nvidia-g-sync-hdr-announced-at-ces-2017

A good read on 4kBR breakdown and preview evaluations
https://www.cnet.com/news/will-the-new-ultra-hd-blu-rays-really-look-better/

[Smiggy]

sk2play wrote:
I think you are confusing the HDR feature content with 4K movies with watching 4K movies without HDR turned on. Consider HDR having different requirements to run properly or at all as you would with 3D. You're system should have no problem running a 4K movie with Cyberlink PowerDVD 17. For HDR featured content, you need a HDR compatible TV (all the 2017 models have it and most of the 2016) or Monitor (which are coming out by nVidia (via Asus/Acer) later this year and HDR compatible GPU. The Monitor, GPU and/or AVR has compliance requirements just like 3D did.

Regarding motherboards, a dedicated GPU or integrated CPU/GPU should have no issues running 4K movies from the 4,5,6 generations. For HDR content, the requirements make sense that you posted on question 4.

Try this link for a further evaluation of your question regarding 4K movie watching on a low end GPU/CPU/Motherboard which is dated 2014.
https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?t=1252691

Regarding nVidia HDR monitor coming out later in 2017, go here:
http://www.geforce.com/whats-new/articles/nvidia-g-sync-hdr-announced-at-ces-2017

A good read on 4kBR breakdown and preview evaluations
https://www.cnet.com/news/will-the-new-ultra-hd-blu-rays-really-look-better/

Hi sk2play,

Thanks for this overview.

I've read your post a few times, but more confused. The requirements for the CPU/GPU/Motherboar/Display Device on the Cyberlink's page. What is all that referring to then, if my system is well equipped to play 4k discs? Are all those the minumum requirements?

What difference does HDR make to 4k content, and 4k content without HDR?

[JustinThyme]

You wont have any issues due to having a 6950.
Your rig with 4 980s will smoke a kabylake with integrated graphics.
Playing movies and playing games are two totally different critters. DP 1.2 will do 4K up to 75Hz. Its good for up to 17.28 Gbps and 4K at 75 Hz is 15.79 Gbps

[Smiggy]

JustinThyme wrote:
You wont have any issues due to having a 6950.
Your rig with 4 980s will smoke a kabylake with integrated graphics.
Playing movies and playing games are two totally different critters. DP 1.2 will do 4K up to 75Hz. Its good for up to 17.28 Gbps and 4K at 75 Hz is 15.79 Gbps

JustinThyme, thanks for my contribution.

I made a mistake. I actually have a 5960, lol.

My understanding was even though it maybe more powerful it doesn't have the latest techologies to play 4k discs. The requirements for the CPU says Kaby Lake CPUs, and beyond. The 5960 was released prior to the Kaby Lake series.

Likewise for the GPU.

[triffid]

Smiggy wrote:

1) The minumum requirement is your CPU must be one of the Kaby Lake editions or higher - this means my 6950, and Asus Rampage V Edition 10 are not compatible, right?

2) The GPU requirement states Ultra HD Blu-ray: Intel 7th generation (Kaby Lake) Core i processors integrated with Intel HD Graphics 630, Intel Iris™ Graphics 640 - what does this mean? I have 4 980 in Quad SLI configuration.

3) The Motherboard requirement states Ultra HD Blu-ray A mainboard is required which supports the Intel Software Guard Extensions (Intel SGX) technology. The Intel SGX feature needs to be enabled in the BIOS* settings and allocated with 128 MB or above memory space. To view the HDR 10 effect of Ultra HD Blu-ray movies, a mainboard that supports exporting HDR 10 signal is required - I take it mine is not compatible because it doesn't support the Kaby Lake/Skylake editions?

4) Under Display Device, it says Display device with HDMI 2.0a/DisplayPort 1.3 connection interface, and must support HDCP 2.2 - why is a DP 1.3 required? Mine only support 1.2, but how is everyone else been watching 4k content/movies on their HD/QHD monitors? There are plenty of examples of this on YouTube.

5) Do the same requirements apply, if you're playing downloaded 4k content from netflix. So, you're not playing it from a disc.

Ultra HD Blu-ray playback is not the same thing as 4k video file playback!!! Here are correct answers to your questions:

1. No, your hardware is not compatible.
2. None of the current high-end graphics cards can pass the signal from UHD BD to your monitor. You must use IGPU (integrated graphics) HD 630 inside KabyLake CPU and you must connect it to the monitor or TV via onboard HDMI 2.0 output.
3. Check the list of motherboards in my signature. The mobo must support HDMI 2.0, HDCP 2.2 and must have SGX option enabled in BIOS. Sadly, there is currently no ASUS board I could recommend. What a shame...
4. HDMI 2.0 is enough until nVidia or AMD find a way how to make their graphics cards compatible. Then you can use DP too, probably.
5. Those are similar, yes. But I am not sure about this, I do not use Netflix.

FOR THE LIST OF ULTRA HD BLU-RAY COMPATIBLE MOTHERBOARDS CLICK HERE

[Smiggy]

triffid wrote:
Ultra HD Blu-ray playback is not the same thing as 4k video file playback!!! Here are correct answers to your questions:

1. No, your hardware is not compatible.
2. None of the current high-end graphics cards can pass the signal from UHD BD to your monitor. You must use IGPU (integrated graphics) HD 630 inside KabyLake CPU and you must connect it to the monitor or TV via onboard HDMI 2.0 output.
3. Check the list of motherboards in my signature. The mobo must support HDMI 2.0, HDCP 2.2 and must have SGX option enabled in BIOS. Sadly, there is currently no ASUS board I could recommend. What a shame...
4. HDMI 2.0 is enough until nVidia or AMD find a way how to make their graphics cards compatible. Then you can use DP too, probably.
5. Those are similar, yes. But I am not sure about this, I do not use Netflix.

FOR THE LIST OF ULTRA HD BLU-RAY COMPATIBLE MOTHERBOARDS CLICK HERE

Hi,

Thank you very much.

What is the difference between 4k video playback, and UHD Blu-Ray playback?

Playing downloaded 4k content is 4k playback, is it not?

[sk2play]

Smiggy wrote:
Hi,

Thank you very much.

What is the difference between 4k video playback, and UHD Blu-Ray playback?

Playing downloaded 4k content is 4k playback, is it not?

4K does not exist currently in a native format of film or digital, rather is it upscaled from 2K.

4K Bluray (4KBR) is not upscaled via 2K but produced in 4K. This is a future endeavor directors wish to market the current 4K market.

4KBR needs bandwidth and thus the new protocols for HDMI 2, Audio Atmos and DP 1.3

[triffid]

Smiggy wrote:
Hi,

Thank you very much.

What is the difference between 4k video playback, and UHD Blu-Ray playback?

Playing downloaded 4k content is 4k playback, is it not?

The difference from HW point of view is that this time it is not about computing power. All the seemingly ridiculous conditions are here to protect the content and prevent people from ripping and stealing the movies in 4k quality. SGX and HDCP work together to ensure this.
Your gaming rig is capable to play any unprotected video file on the world. But 4k movies from UHD BDs or Netflix require the security elements. Thus, do not buy the Pioneer drive yet, at this moment it is useless for you.

[Smiggy]

triffid wrote:
The difference from HW point of view is that this time it is not about computing power. All the seemingly ridiculous conditions are here to protect the content and prevent people from ripping and stealing the movies in 4k quality. SGX and HDCP work together to ensure this.
Your gaming rig is capable to play any unprotected video file on the world. But 4k movies from UHD BDs or Netflix require the security elements. Thus, do not buy the Pioneer drive yet, at this moment it is useless for you.

I think, I geddit now.