Apple TV+ General Discussion Are These Really 4K? (1 Viewer)

[Johnny Angell]

I was just perusing my library via ATV4K. Most of these movies were purchased by redeeming digital codes. I then highlighted 4K. Everything it shows me should be in 4K, but nope. Despicable Me 1&2 I’ve not heard they were in 4K. Jurassic Park 3, Rango (great animated feature but 4K?). And finally, War of the Worlds (1953) is in the 4K category. I don’t think so.

Methinks they need to improve the accuracy of their categories. One more, Dredd?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

The iTunes version of War of the Worlds is indeed a 4K HDR master.

 

[Johnny Angell]

The iTunes version of War of the Worlds is indeed a 4K HDR master.

So you’re telling me that the iTunes version will look better than my Criterion? It was scanned in 4K? So that means the others I mentioned are 4K also?

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Even though most of your iTunes digital library were redeemed via DC codes (presumably) from your BD purchases, at least some of them probably got the free 4K upgrade if they were redeemed via iTunes (instead of other sites like Vudu or Movies Anywhere). That's been their general policy for the last few years.

It's not a guarantee their 4K streams are better than Criterion BDs, but probably at least some are at least equal or better...

Thought you were aware from checking the couple threads where we mentioned the (free) 4K upgrades fairly often... It's partly why various HTFers have been buying tons of digitals via iTunes often hoping/expecting free 4K upgrades...

_Man_

 

[Josh Steinberg]

So you’re telling me that the iTunes version will look better than my Criterion? It was scanned in 4K?

“Better” in this case is subjective. iTunes has a 4K HDR master with 5.1 surround audio only. The Criterion disc, sourced from the same underlying master, had additional color correction performed to give it a look believed to be closer to the original theatrical release, and Criterion also included the original mono audio in addition to the 5.1 remix. I think both are pretty great but you may find that you prefer one over the other.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Even though most of your iTunes digital library were redeemed via DC codes (presumably) from your BD purchases, at least some of them probably got the free 4K upgrade if they were redeemed via iTunes (instead of other sites like Vudu or Movies Anywhere). That's been their general policy for the last few years.

It's not a guarantee their 4K streams are better than Criterion BDs, but probably at least some are at least equal or better...

Thought you were aware from checking the couple threads where we mentioned the (free) 4K upgrades fairly often...

_Man_

I knew about the upgrade policy, I just had no idea the WOTW had been scanned in 4K. Thank you for the info.

 

[dpippel]

I was just perusing my library via ATV4K. Most of these movies were purchased by redeeming digital codes. I then highlighted 4K. Everything it shows me should be in 4K, but nope. Despicable Me 1&2 I’ve not heard they were in 4K. Jurassic Park 3, Rango (great animated feature but 4K?). And finally, War of the Worlds (1953) is in the 4K category. I don’t think so.

Methinks they need to improve the accuracy of their categories. One more, Dredd?

Those are all legitimate 4K titles on iTunes and, with the exception of Rango and War of the Worlds, they also have 4K UHD disc releases.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I knew about the upgrade policy, I just had no idea the WOTW had been scanned in 4K. Thank you for the info.

We did have extensive discussion about WOTW in a few threads so I'm surprise you weren't aware of that info.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I was just perusing my library via ATV4K. Most of these movies were purchased by redeeming digital codes. I then highlighted 4K. Everything it shows me should be in 4K, but nope. Despicable Me 1&2 I’ve not heard they were in 4K. Jurassic Park 3, Rango (great animated feature but 4K?). And finally, War of the Worlds (1953) is in the 4K category. I don’t think so.

Methinks they need to improve the accuracy of their categories. One more, Dredd?

All of those movies are in 4K!

 

[JohnRice]

There's still the limitation of streaming bitrate vs. disc, plus the fact that BR has HD audio and streaming doesn't. It's debatable who can hear and see the difference or who has gear that can reproduce the difference, so that's really not what I'm addressing. Streaming is probably always going to be a fraction the bitrate of disc, especially discs like Criterion. The bottom like is, there are more variables than just 1080 and 4K.

 

[Robert Crawford]

There's still the limitation of streaming bitrate vs. disc, plus the fact that BR has HD audio and streaming doesn't. It's debatable who can hear and see the difference or who has gear that can reproduce the difference, so that's really not what I'm addressing. Streaming is probably always going to be a fraction the bitrate of disc, especially discs like Criterion. The bottom like is, there are more variables than just 1080 and 4K.

For most people they can't tell a difference or better yet, really don't care to do so.

Even with the bitrate differences, at times I have difficulty seeing a video difference with many movies. However, the audio differences are more apparent to me which is why I'm buying more discs lately, but still purchasing digitals for convenience watching.

 

[Tino]

So you’re telling me that the iTunes version will look better than my Criterion? It was scanned in 4K? So that means the others I mentioned are 4K also?

Yes (Close tho)
Yes
And Yes.