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.

[toronto699]

The 2020 Olympics in Toyko Japan will be Broadcast in 8K {HNK TV Japan} just to throw a wrench in every thing ,, HA HA Sony and Panasonic NBC , HNK, CBCTV are working on the technology now

[Smiggy]

I wonder if te ASUS® ROG MAXIMUS IX FORMULA is compatible with UHD Playback requirements?

[triffid]

Smiggy wrote:
I wonder if te ASUS® ROG MAXIMUS IX FORMULA is compatible with UHD Playback requirements?

If you want to use ASUS board, both Z170 Deluxe and Z170 Premium should be OK. Users on forums confirm SGX in BIOS 3401.
The best board of the trio, Z170 WS, may or may not have SGX. ASUS tech support confirmed HDCP 2.2, not a word about SGX though.

[Smiggy]

triffid wrote:
If you want to use ASUS board, both Z170 Deluxe and Z170 Premium should be OK. Users on forums confirm SGX in BIOS 3401.
The best board of the trio, Z170 WS, may or may not have SGX. ASUS tech support confirmed HDCP 2.2, not a word about SGX though.

I've gone for the Gigabyte Aurora Gaming 9. Gigabyte has confirmed SGX is supported in their BIOS.

Check other thread too, please.

[triffid]

No. It has HDMI 1.4. So far, no ASUS motherboard is compatible.
Only the four ASUS boards I mentioned at the beginnig of this thread may possibly pass the requirements if there is SGX in BIOS and HDCP 2.2.

[Smiggy]

triffid wrote:
No. It has HDMI 1.4. So far, no ASUS motherboard is compatible.
Only the four ASUS boards I mentioned at the beginnig of this thread may possibly pass the requirements if there is SGX in BIOS and HDCP 2.2.

From Asus tech support.

Dear ******,
Thank you for contacting Asus, my name is Paul and I will try my best to assist you with your situation.
Concerning your message.

I believe that the only motherboard that supports HDR and has HDCP 2.2 is the one below however we cannot confirm about the Intel SGX as that depends on the CPU. The Maximus IX Formula does not support HDCP 2.2.

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z270-WS
Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get back in touch with us.
Please feel free to rate our service according to the solution provided in the questionnaire that will be sent to you shortly after our reply to your inquiry.
Best Regards

[triffid]

Smiggy wrote:
Concerning your message.
I believe that the only motherboard that supports HDR and has HDCP 2.2 is the one below however we cannot confirm about the Intel SGX as that depends on the CPU. The Maximus IX Formula does not support HDCP 2.2.
https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Z270-WS
Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get back in touch with us.
Please feel free to rate our service according to the solution provided in the questionnaire that will be sent to you shortly after our reply to your inquiry.

See? This is why I do not ask the so-called technical support for help anymore. You must understand that they are just ordinary people equipped with manuals, not REAL technicians. All they can do is to tell you the information they can find on the web and in the manuals. Everybody can open Z270 WS specifications page (which clearly confirms HDCP 2.2), but neither you nor the "technician" can tell if there is SGX or not, because this information is not a part of the official specs. I am trying to find answers on forums like this instead.

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[Korth]

Intel/AMD iGPU (from the processor or chipset) can't drive enough pixels to require (or even use) HDMI 2.0 features and bandwidths, HDMI 1.4 is quite adequate for them. Some HDMI 1.3/1.4 devices can provide HDMI 2.0 compatibility through firmware upgrades, meaning they'll be able to interface with HDMI 2.0 stuff but still continue to operate within the limits of their (HDMI 1.3/1.4) hardware capacities - such firmware upgrades would allow motherboard HDMI 1.4x output to work properly on HDMI 2.0 displays, but they wouldn't magically upgrade motherboard HDMI hardware so it could work at HDMI 2.0 performance specs.

While any proper GPU card provide its own display outputs and never uses the motherboard display outputs.

So there's no reason for manufacturers to mount HDMI 2.0 hardware/components onboard, it would just be a bunch of parts which increase cost and complexity but never (are impossible) to use at full spec.

[sk2play]

Korth wrote:
Intel/AMD iGPU (from the processor or chipset) can't drive enough pixels to require (or even use) HDMI 2.0 features and bandwidths, HDMI 1.4 is quite adequate for them. Some HDMI 1.3/1.4 devices can provide HDMI 2.0 compatibility through firmware upgrades, meaning they'll be able to interface with HDMI 2.0 stuff but still continue to operate within the limits of their (HDMI 1.3/1.4) hardware capacities - such firmware upgrades would allow motherboard HDMI 1.4x output to work properly on HDMI 2.0 displays, but they wouldn't magically upgrade motherboard HDMI hardware so it could work at HDMI 2.0 performance specs.

While any proper GPU card provide its own display outputs and never uses the motherboard display outputs.

So there's no reason for manufacturers to mount HDMI 2.0 hardware/components onboard, it would just be a bunch of parts which increase cost and complexity but never (are impossible) to use at full spec.

Yep, all the reason I am not upgrading anything for another year on the GPU/LCD/HDTV/CPU for me

[triffid]

Korth wrote:
So there's no reason for manufacturers to mount HDMI 2.0 hardware/components onboard, it would just be a bunch of parts which increase cost and complexity but never (are impossible) to use at full spec.

Well, the reasons why a dedicated GPU is far better than any iGPU are quite obvious, aren't they?
Some new AM4 boards (especially the high-end models) don't have any video output even if Ryzen APU processors are going to contain the graphics core. The manufacturers were thinking the same way you did and removed the connectors from the boards completely.
But you are missing the point of this thread, because UHD BD playback is possible exclusively on motherboards with HDMI 2.0 output. We are talking about 4k DRM protected video @ 60, not about playing games.

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