UHD Blu-ray/Xbox one question

Terriss99

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Jun 5, 2014
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Some recent movies that I have been looking forward to purchasing have been released (among other formats) on 4K UHD Blu-ray. After a cursory google search, I've found that these discs cannot be played on non-UHD Blu-ray players (at least most of them; some people claim they can play them anyways).

My question is this: has anyone been successful on playing the 4K UHD Blu-Ray discs on the blu-ray player of the Xbox One? I do not have a 4K TV to output to (it's on the to-buy list eventually), so I don't care if the movies output at 1080p, but before I buy I want to make sure that they will work period.

If they do work, my follow-up question would be, would the XB1 output them as 4K assuming I did have a 4K tv? I'm hearing mixed claims on the XB1's capabilities.

If it makes a difference, I have the Halo 5 edition of the XB1.

I would prefer answers from those who have physically tried this, but if you know for sure one way or the other without trying, please feel free to answer.
 

why_wolf

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Aug 28, 2015
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depends on if the UHD standard requires a change in hardware (specifically the laser reader) or if a simple firmware update could do the job. But as it stands right now, no the X1 can not play UHD discs.

Yes the X1 and PS4 can play back 4k video. Though I don't think either one sells 4k videos in their stores so you'd have to bring your own. Frankly its quite likely that part of the hardware refresh this summer is probably going to add 4k video abilities since its rather low hanging fruit for them to do.
 

Terriss99

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So again, I've got the answer that it does and the answer that it doesn't. So if I put a 4K Blu-Ray in my Xbox, will it play?

Not trying to be confrontational about it, my tech knowledge is just too deficient to make an accurate guess about the situation. And I'd like to know before I buy a disc.
 

bigpinkdragon286

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The Xbox One does support 4k video, but it does not support UHD Blu-ray playback.

4k video support by the Xbox is going to have to come from streaming sources, such as Netflix, and will be restricted to 24 fps playback, which should be just fine for most movies, as that's usually their frame rate anyway.
 

bigpinkdragon286

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Furthermore, your TV will also have to have HDCP 2.2 (not backward compatible) on it's HDMI 2.0 input, or the movie will not enable 4k output. I'm not sure right off-hand what other features get disabled if you don't jump through every hoop required.
 

bigpinkdragon286

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LOL, had no idea the content restrictions were so bad on Netflix as well, as there isn't even enough bandwidth for regular Netflix where I live. Sounds like it just keeps getting better and better for restrictions against a regular Joe enjoying 4k without headaches.
 


If the TV is not HDCP 2.2 compatible, or any device in the chain, including the player itself, you will not get a signal to the display, at all, black screen.
 

jeff_rigby

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The XB1 and PS3 2013 launch consoles are UHD capable confirmed Independent Inspector Annual
Compliance Report
page 9 has this:

Three Ultra High Definition games consoles were included under the SRI; two models of the Sony
PlayStation 4 and the Microsoft Xbox One. The latest version of the PlayStation 4 (the 12 series) and
the Xbox One met the requirements
(Testing HD media mode and Navigation power caps, UHD firmware update coming in 2016 and the 2016 compliance test will test UHD)

I believe the drive is also firmware update-able. BD-ROM can be updated to BD-R (Sony states the PS4 is both) and BD-R Version 3 (2010) can read a three layer disk 33/66/100 version 2 disk. In the Mount Fuji drive book differences from version 8 to 9 which covers the changes from BD-ROM3 (HD) to BD-ROM4 (UHD) specs it appears to be all firmware. Two modes are created and when reading a UHD disk the drive is put in UHD mode with register addresses different than in HD mode. This keeps a HD player from reading a UHD disk as the drive can read both.




 

jeff_rigby

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In those EU compliance reports that call the 2013 game consoles UHD Capable is that they are to be firmware updated in 2016. Why has no PC received UHD blu-ray yet? Does that mean PCs are not getting UHD Blu-ray? There is one APU from AMD (Carrizo) and 2014( GCN 1.2) dGPUs with the ability to support UHD blu-ray. Key servers are needed to pair the public key encrypted firmware update and create the private key encrypted routines that the TEE can use.

I'm guessing the PS4 will get a firmware update by October 13th. Sony has a BDA UHD Blu-ray licence for Game consoles/Embedded and a UHD Blu-ray app Licence for PCs as well as a drive licence. Sony is going to release a stand alone UHD blu-ray player by March 2017. Are we to assume that because it hasn't arrived yet it's not coming?


 


On PC you just have to swap out the graphics card and you'll have HDMI 2.0, HDCP 2.2. They can't do that with these consoles. If they simply update it, that means that they've been deceiving people for all these years, not a very realistic or good PR move by either company. Remember that on PC, the software is behind, on console, the hardware is behind.
 

jeff_rigby

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In 2013 a Microsoft VP said the XB1 has the hardware to support UHD blu-ray. A Sony VP said the PS4 can display 4K media. At a upper end EU trade show for projection TVs in 2013 a Sony rep is quoted as saying the PS4 has a HDMI 2 port.

HDCP 2.2 is required to be in the Media TEE and mapped (software) to the HDMI chip that forwards negotiation to the TEE. The PS4 has a custom Panasonic HDMI chip that does this. In PCs the Media TEE is either in an APU or the dGPU card and the HDMI chip is similar to the HDMI chip in the PS4. In a PC it's a combo DP 1.3 and HDMI which has the timing to do multi-monitor or 5K res and/or 4K through the HDMI port. In any case the same HDCP 2.2 routine in the TEE is used for HDCP2.2 for Display port monitors and HDMI 2 monitors.

HDCP 2.2 was developed in 2012 and used in ARM phones for Miracast. A paper with the software specs to map HDCP2.2 to the HDMI2 port was published Feb 2013. HDCP2.2 will be used on the PS4 and XB1 for HDCP, Miracast, HDMI over LAN and Playready. Miracast is required for Vidipath which the PS4 and Xb1 will be supporting.

AACS2, BD Mark, BD+, HEVC codec, Player, HDR and HDCP 2.2 are required to be in the TEE. So AACS2 encrypted media enters the TEE and HDCP 2.2 encrypted media exits the TEE.
 

Shawn_81

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Apr 23, 2017
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"It's not the player, that's false.

The problem is the HDMI output and the software. The Xbox One's HDMI output is required to be HDMI 2.0, with HDCP 2.2 protection. If it doesn't, the display will receive no signal, as it's cut off due to the lack of HDCP."

Whoever wrote that above is 100% false it comes with HDMI 2.0. No this is an old thread but it does work.