Best 4k Ultra Hd Blu-ray Player Australia

[Graziana Getz]

Buyingphysical movies is less popular than it used to be, but movies and TV shows are often removed from streaming platforms, which will make movie lovers think twice about relying on streaming-only, since no one can take a physical movie away from you.

What this means is that if you have a Blu-ray disc you can play that on both a Blu-ray player and an 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player. If you have an 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc, you can only play that on a 4K Blu-ray player.

You might find that when you buy a Blu-ray disc it also comes with a regular DVD version to use with older players. Similarly, if you buy a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc it may also come with a Blu-ray version too. However, this isn't always standard so make sure you check you have the right one before you buy.

If the disc you're playing isn't 4K, your blu-ray player will upscale it. That uses an algorithm to fill in the gaps between the quality of the source material and what a 4K version would be, and the best 4K players do a superb job of this. They can't work miracles but we think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how much better your older discs can look when they've been upscaled.

We say \"can deliver\" rather than \"does deliver\" because there are lots of variables in play here, ranging from how carefully the original film stock has been stored to the skills of the restorers and the resources they've been given. That's particularly apparent with remastered films released in the early days of Blu-Ray, not all of which were as good as they could have been. However, more careful restorations, such as the 11-month, 2,700-hour restoration of Apocalypse Now for its 40th anniversary edition, or the 4K Blu-ray of Casino, are absolutely stunning and make you feel like you're watching the film for the very first time.

That said, HD Blu-ray discs will be upscaled to 3840 2160 (4K) resolution by way of filling in the extra pixels, but the quality will appear noticeably lower-grade than Ultra HD Blu-ray discs (which provides a native 4K image).

They're much better. Depending on the streaming service, 4K video is transmitted at data rates between 20Mbps and 40Mbps. 4K Blu-Ray delivers much more: up to 128Mbps. And it delivers that data reliably: there's no network congestion to slow down your stream or make it buffer just as you get to the best bits.

That's significant, because the lower bandwidth of streaming means compromises have to be made. For example, Dolby Atmos on streaming video usually comes in the compressed Dolby Digital+ format. On Blu-Ray its full quality Dolby TrueHD. If you want DTS:X, which has more control and detail than Atmos, that has to be on a disc.

The big exception here is Sony's BRAVIA core, which is exclusive to its BRAVIA TVs and offers Blu-Ray equivalent data speeds. There's also the highly expensive Kaleidescape streaming system, which offers incredible quality, but is not priced for the mainstream.

The selling point of streaming is convenience and low cost (although some services charge more for higher quality streaming), and it definitely delivers instant gratification. But when it comes to the ultimate AV experience, Blu-Ray can't be beaten.

The best 4K Blu-ray players deliver the ultimate picture quality for watching movies and TV series at home. Although streaming services are popular, Blu-rays deliver video at a higher bitrate, bringing you more detail and realism. There are other benefits to Blu-rays, like the fact you truly own your movie collection, and get stunning box art and behind-the-scenes extras that come on the disc.

Looking for a quick run-down of the best 4K Blu-ray players? Check out the list below which summarizes each entry in this list. If you're looking for a more detailed look at each entry, you can jump down to a more detailed review of each player.

The Panasonic DMP-UB820 is easily the best 4K Blu-ray player on the market for most people. It offers full HDR support, plenty of connectivity options with up to 7.1 channels of analogue audio output, Wi-Fi capabilities including video streaming, and varied playback functionality. And as an added bonus, it comes at a very competitive price.

Picture quality on the Panasonic DP-UB820 is fantastic, with 4K HDR images looking particularly brilliant. Colors are punchy, textures are sharp and defined, and black tones are accurate. We found during our testing that this was the case across the board, whether it was 4K Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray and even DVD. In our review, we said "Its 4K upscaling is effective, giving regular (non-4K) Blu-ray a whole new level of detail". So for those looking to get that little bit extra out of their Blu-ray picture, the DP-UB820 is here to help.

Audio is another of the UB820's strengths, with excellent Dolby Atmos reproduction in particular. During testing, we found that even through a mid-range Dolby Atmos soundbar, the room-filling effect we were looking for was still present. The UB820 also boasts different external audio connections including a dedicated HDMI audio output and up to 7.1 channels of direct analogue audio output for those with a home theater setup.

One of Panasonic's more budget-friendly 4K Blu-ray players, the Panasonic DP-UB154 gives you real value for money. It may be light on connections, but its picture quality more than makes up for this. As a bonus, it's also very competitively priced, currently sitting around the $169/159 mark.

One thing that we have noticed is that the DP-UB154 isn't readily available all the time so if you find this to be the case, look out for the Panasonic DP-UB150, which in terms of specs is virtually the same as the DP-UB154.

Contrast and natural textures are the UB154's real picture strengths, making any movie thrown at it look great. Its 4K upscaling really brings something new to non-4K discs, bringing extra detail. In our review we said, when viewing Godzilla vs Kong on 4K, that "the neon streets of Tokyo were bold, vibrant and as eye-wateringly garish as I hoped during the climactic fight scene between Godzilla and Kong".

It's not just a pretty face. The DP-UB9000 was the first UHD deck from Panasonic to support all the key HDR formats: vanilla HDR10, its dynamic sibling HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision. (The Panasonic DP-UB820 at the top of our list supports all these formats too, though.)

When we tested the DP-UB9000 we were as impressed by its audio as by its image quality. It boasts high-quality DACs, two-channel and 7.1-channel analogue outputs, and Hi-Res Audio support. Toss in a host of smart features, and the UB9000 ticks nearly every box in our book.

The UDP800 is a not just a powerhouse when it comes to picture, which we said in our review "conveys all the luster and near three-dimensional texture you would hope for", but also when it comes to audio, thanks to the built-in Burr-Brown PCM 1795 stereo DAC (32-bit, 192kHz) and balanced XLR stereo outputs.

When we listened to a recording of The Earth Overture by Kosuke Yamashita, which was in 96kHz, 24-bit 7.1 (we listened to in linear PCM) we said it "sounds superb, with crystal clarity and hugely dynamic fanfares. It's like sitting amidst the orchestra."

If you are looking for 7.1 analog audio outputs, sadly you won't find them here. Your best bet if you want this while keeping the SACD playback is the Reavon UBR-X200, however do note that UBR-X200 doesn't have DVD-Audio playback or HDR10+ HDR format compatibility.

As an all-round media center, the PS5 isn't quite as advanced as the Xbox Series X, largely because it doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR over streaming. However, both consoles can pass Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks through to your TV (with some minor tinkering in the Settings), and neither console supports Dolby Vision HDR or HDR10+ from Blu-rays, so actually the PS5 isn't at any disadvantage for discs compared to the Xbox.

It supports Dolby Atmos audio (including out to headphones, for a fee), but probably more usefully it passes Atmos or DTS:X soundtracks through to your TV to handle, when set up properly. We did find that it could be picky about passing DTS:X through a TV that doesn't support it to a sound system that does, though.

In our tests we also found that the 4K image quality and HD upscaling were both a little weaker from the Xbox Series X than the PS5. So we'd pick the PS5 if you're serious about playing UHD discs, but you can read more about the Xbox's disc support in our dedicated guide to whether the Xbox Series X is a good Blu-ray player.

You also need to consider compatibility and your current set-up. To make the most of a new 4K Blu-ray player you'll need a 4K TV, although it will still work on an HD display the picture quality will be limited to only 1080p.

It may seem obvious, but you'll also want to think about the design and size of the Blu-ray player. Do you have enough room on your TV cabinet to fit a Blu-ray player? Will it sit underneath your soundbar or be tucked away on a separate shelf? We've included the dimensions of all of the best 4K Blu-ray players above, so it's time to get out your tape measure.

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