Sony's new UHD streaming service to cost $30 per film

Rollins

Rollins

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Sep 11, 2013
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http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...gh-definition-movie-streaming-service-n547906

Sony Launches Ultra High-Definition Movie Streaming Service
Sony is launching a 4K Ultra High-Definition movie-streaming service starting April 4. The service, called Ultra, will debut only on Sony 4K Ultra HD TVs equipped with Android TV (Google's version of Apple TV).

The new picture technology quadruples the number of pixels found in a full-HD picture, with the aim of giving a clearer image on screen.


Sony said that each movie will cost $30 in 4K with high dynamic range (HDR). Images shot in HDR essentially make the contrast between light and dark colors even more prominent so the white highlights are even brighter. The purpose is to make the image on screen look more realistic.

Movies will include Sony Pictures titles such as "The Night Before" and "The Walk" as well as older movies like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

"Consumers are rapidly upgrading their living rooms to 4K, and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's new Ultra streaming service will provide a premium viewing experience to satisfy growing demand for 4K movies and television shows," Jake Winett, vice president of consumer services and advanced platforms at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, said in a press release on Tuesday.

Customers who purchase eligible Sony 4K Ultra HD televisions with Ultra this summer will receive four complimentary movies when they sign up for the service.

There are a few challenges facing the widespread adoption of 4K currently. Firstly, even though the likes of Samsung, LG and Sony are betting big on 4K, the actual TVs are still relatively expensive. The second major issue is that there is still a lack of 4K content around.

This is what Sony and other firms are hoping to change. By making more 4K content available, TV manufactures are hoping to drive uptake of their products. Last year, Michael Zoller, head of visual display for Europe at Samsung, told CNBC the firm was in discussions with Netflix, Amazon and major Hollywood studios about pushing 4K content.

Still, Sony's price tag of $30 per film appears steep when compared to the $12 per month Netflix fee to access 4K content. Also, the Ultra service is only available on Sony TVs, which limits its reach.

Sony did not respond to a request for comment about the competitiveness of their pricing or whether the Ultra streaming service could be released on other devices such as the company's PlayStation 4 games console.
 
and you don't even own it? And that is PER movie? WTF?
 
If the price is high enough, they stop focusing on what a stupid idea it is and focus on how stupid overpriced it was. Good on you, Sony.
 
Wow. For a freaking streaming service. You don't even own an offline digital copy of the movie.
 
As a huge UHD supporter....
Only on Sony sets?
$30 per rental?

Lol and wth Sony!?

I just wanna rent in 4k via streaming,is it that hard?

Well at least I have....UHDBR,Netflix,Amazon and am waiting on my devices to be compatible with Vudu's UHD.
 
4K, just like 3D, was always going to be a niche market. Sorry, it just isn't a great mass market idea. This is coming from a movie nut, and projector owner.

The electronics industry has really gotten silly the last 7 years, always chasing the next thing that will revolutionize the market, when we already had the revolution everyone really wanted. People were happy with NTSC "color TV" at 480i since the 60s. Then, 35 years later, three things happened:
  • the technology to make the screen unbelievably compact by going from vacuum tube to a flat technology, like LCD, Plasma, or OLED.
  • Switching to digital instead of an analog signal.
  • Increasing the resolution threshold to 1080p.
Those were all very significant reasons to own a new TV. The fact that they seem to always act like there is going to be a revolution again, just shows that these companies might not actually be grounded in the same universe that public opinion resides. I really think these companies could be shooting themselves in the foot, where the average consumer starts to just wait out their purchasing more, just because the average consumer doesn't want to get taken for a ride.

Sure, 4K content could be a lot more common, not too far in the future, but in the age of streaming, it's is going to cost more. Even the Ultra Blu-ray disc will cost more. This is enthusiast territory, and should realistically be treated as such. I willingly pay more for my 3D Blu-rays. It's a niche thing, but they really should have always known that too.
 
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TV is one of those things, that once you have it, there is no reson to upgarde until it is spoiled. In order for people to keep purchsing TV, they have to keep coming up with new features.

Thankfully, unlike game or software, they cannot make TV a 'service' (period).
 
starseeker said:
TV is one of those things, that once you have it, there is no reson to upgarde until it is spoiled. In order for people to keep purchsing TV, they have to keep coming up with new features.

Thankfully, unlike game or software, they cannot make TV a 'service' (period).
Click to expand...

Yeah that's why they keep coming up with new bulls***.

1080p already looks crazy good and it's pretty easy to be content with that. 4K? Sure, fine, don't really care, but I'll take it but not paying any premium over 1080p. Heck, when I download stuff I take the 720p version to get it faster/use up less bandwidth because it looks pretty much the same to me on a 47" LED.

Now there's Dolby Atmos, which is basically rear ceiling "presence" speakers from what I gather?

All that s*** is cool but it's never going to be anything but niche.

The one newer technology that is potentially awesome (and could get me to consider a new TV in a few years) is OLED. From what I gather it has the positives of Plasma tech but better. Plasma still looks better than LCD/LED and has no motion issues for sports/gaming.
 
GordoSan said:
4K, just like 3D, was always going to be a niche market. Sorry, it just isn't a great mass market idea. This is coming from a movie nut, and projector owner.

The electronics industry has really gotten silly the last 7 years, always chasing the next thing that will revolutionize the market, when we already had the revolution everyone really wanted. People were happy with NTSC "color TV" at 480i since the 60s. Then, 35 years later, three things happened:
  • the technology to make the screen unbelievably compact by going from vacuum tube to a flat technology, like LCD, Plasma, or OLED.
  • Switching to digital instead of an analog signal.
  • Increasing the resolution threshold to 1080p.
Those were all very significant reasons to own a new TV. The fact that they seem to always act like there is going to be a revolution again, just shows that these companies might not actually be grounded in the same universe that public opinion resides. I really think these companies could be shooting themselves in the foot, where the average consumer starts to just wait out their purchasing more, just because the average consumer doesn't want to get taken for a ride.

Sure, 4K content could be a lot more common, not too far in the future, but in the age of streaming, it's is going to cost more. Even the Ultra Blu-ray disc will cost more. This is enthusiast territory, and should realistically be treated as such. I willingly pay more for my 3D Blu-rays. It's a niche thing, but they really should have always known that too.
Click to expand...
4k ultra hd is here to stay this sony service is doa though.
 
VaLLiancE said:
4k ultra hd is here to stay this sony service is doa though.
Click to expand...
Only for hard-core people who care to pay extra... Not the general population. End of sorry. Care to argue otherwise?
 
4K TV's are selling and getting into homes as fast as 1080p did as they can be purchased dirt cheap and hq 1080p sets are no longer made anymore with 4k being every companies replacement.
You think what you want but whenever you buy a new big screen and it ends up being 4k you will get the drift.
 
4k will be important when eagle eye transplants are a normal procedure @ birth like circumcision
 
VaLLiancE said:
this is not true
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With little content there's no reason to buy a TV for upscaling. It's best to wait until the HDR sets come down in price and move to 4k when there's more 4k content. Right now, owning a 4k TV is nothing more than, "Oooo I own a 4k TV." As a tech head its been hard to resist but I know there's no reason to upgrade yet. When HDR 65" sets are sun $1500, then people can think about it.
 
Plainview said:
With little content there's no reason to buy a TV for upscaling. It's best to wait until the HDR sets come down in price and move to 4k when there's more 4k content. Right now, owning a 4k TV is nothing more than, "Oooo I own a 4k TV." As a tech head its been hard to resist but I know there's no reason to upgrade yet. When HDR 65" sets are sun $1500, then people can think about it.
Click to expand...
Plenty of 4K content is available as is 4K gaming.
 
Plainview said:
Not unless you break the bank on a PC. Original 4K content is minimal. Re-releases of older movies is not a 4K selling point unless it's an ungodly shot movie, not Blazing Saddles.
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This argument worked a year ago but not these days my 4k appetite is fed.
I have Netflix,Prime,Ultra HD BR,Vudu and MGO to name a few.
Blazing Saddles? Haha no try Daredevil,Blacklist and Hand Of God to name a few.
Yup Again I say 4K gaming is more than possible with a good gaming PC.
 
Plainview said:
Not unless you break the bank on a PC. Original 4K content is minimal. Re-releases of older movies is not a 4K selling point unless it's an ungodly shot movie, not Blazing Saddles.
Click to expand...

Dagnabbit, I said the new sheriff is 8294400 pixels!
 
VaLLiancE said:
4K will be important when you buy a new TV.
Click to expand...
Like 3d?

I understand the resolution will be going up but less people care. I'd rather have an 1080p oled picture than 4k res. 480i was tolerated because there wasn't a choice. People loved the 720p/1080i switch because it was a flat screen and 4:3 wasn't sexy anymore either. Then the craze of flat panel picture frame over a fireplace lunacy was as big as the texting and driving fad.

There isn't a push by the public for 4k like there was for HD sets. Especially if people bought a perfectly good 720p plasma just over a decade ago (or a 1080p set 3years ago) and is still rocking and sit 12ft away watching a 1080i signal or even less. If you're the 0.01% of early adopters that this matters for YOU DON'T MATTER. Not even to the manufacturers.

OK I'm not sure what my point actually was just needed to rant after 4 beers...
 
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