Blu-ray vs 4K: Differences between Blu-ray and 4K Video
Posted by Paula Pailaga to Rip Blu-ray Aug 07, 2024
There is much discussion about the differences between Blu-ray and 4K movies with the rise of streaming services. For average viewers, they are both great and cannot see much of the difference. It makes sense that viewers asked whether it is worth the upgrade of movies. This article will answer the question in detail as well as explain the differences so that viewers can get a truly immersive visual experience in their living rooms.
Guide List
What Are Blu-ray and 4K Comparison of Blu-ray and 4K Why You Should Choose 4K The Best Way to Rip Blu-ray to 4K FAQs about Blu-ray vs 4KWhat Are Blu-ray and 4K
Both Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD content offer great visual and audio experience, but they are different in resolution, video quality, watching devices, and more. Before we explain the difference, let’s talk about the terms.
Blu-ray is the latest optical disc technology. Compared to the DVD, a Blu-ray disc is able to store much more data. A single Blu-ray disc can hold up to 25GB of data. As the successor to DVD, Blu-ray discs are used to store hours of HD and Ultra HD movies. Currently, lots of movies are published via Blu-ray partly because of the excellent copyright protection.
4K refers to the latest video resolution. In fact, it is called 4K Ultra HD, which was developed for display format with a horizontal resolution(3840 x 2160) of approximately 4,000 pixels. When it comes to 4K streaming, the resolution(4096 x 2160) is more than 3 times as many pixels as Blu-ray.
Another term involved is 4K Blu-ray, which uses a new video codec, HEVC. It is the next generation of HD Blu-ray discs. It comes with a maximum video bitrate of 128Mbps. It makes a difference with high dynamic range 4K Ultra HD content. As a result, the images are sharper, and the colors are richer.
Comparison of Blu-ray and 4K
Some viewers said that they could not find the differences between Blu-ray movies and 4K streaming. If you stand in front of the screen and study details carefully, you will find little bits you couldn’t see before. In addition to higher resolution, 4K provides more information per pixel.
Resolution
Blu-ray discs usually store videos in three resolutions, 4K(3840 x 2160), 1080p(1920 x 1080), and 720p(1280 x 720). The normal Blu-ray movies are 1080p. In other words, most commercial Blu-ray discs that you view on the market are in 1080p. 4K Blu-ray or 4K UHD Blu-ray is still a small niche.
4K streaming has a resolution of 4096 x 2160 pixels. The pixels of 4K content are around three times what standard Blu-ray offers.
Video and Audio Codec
Supported video and audio codecs are another difference between Blu-ray and 4K. The video codecs supported by Blu-ray include MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, and SMPTE VC-1. The audio codecs supported include Linear PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS Digital Surround, and DTS-HD.
H.265 is the common video codec for 4K streaming due to its support for high-resolution video. Moreover, there are more video and audio codecs available for 4K videos, like AV1, HEVC, and more.
Prerequisite
To watch a Blu-ray disc or 4K Blu-ray movies, you must have a Blu-ray player device. If you wish to watch Blu-ray movies on your computer, you must have an internal or external Blu-ray drive. To watch it on a smart TV, you need to connect a Blu-ray player to your TV.
There are lots of platforms that support 4K streaming, such as YouTube, Netflix, and more. All you need is a good internet connection and an appropriate internet device, like a smartphone, a tablet, a PC, or a laptop.
View Experience
Since 4K has higher resolution and video quality, it delivers better viewing experience than Blu-ray to watch 4K movies. Bear in mind that the result also depends on the condition of your display.
Why You Should Choose 4K
For a part of viewers, the smooth viewing experience is enough to make a purchase when it comes to home entertainment. For others, it is more than that. It is too expensive to purchase a new TV or a new Blu-ray player. The main reasons why you should choose 4K but not Blu-ray include:
1. Convenient and portable. You can enjoy 4K streaming at anytime and anywhere with an internet connection. To view Blu-ray, you need specific devices.
2. Affordability. Compared to purchasing a Blu-ray player or Blu-ray drive and Blu-ray discs, it is more affordable to subscribe to a 4K streaming service.
3. No restriction. Blu-ray discs are protected by copyright and region codes. You can only use Blu-ray movies on specific devices. 4K streaming, on the other hand, does not have these restrictions.
The Best Way to Rip Blu-ray to 4K
Due to the benefits of 4K, you’d better rip your Blu-ray movies to 4K videos. From this point, we recommend 4Easysoft DVD Ripper. It integrates everything you need to convert Blu-ray movies to 4K without quality loss.
Convert Blu-ray movies to 4K quickly.
Protect Blu-ray video quality with AI.
Utilize GPU Acceleration to improve the performance.
Bypass region codes and encryption on Blu-ray movies.
Support a wide range of video and audio codecs.
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How to Rip Blu-ray to 4K Without Losing Quality
Step 1Launch the best Blu-ray ripping software after you install it on your PC. There is another version for Mac. Insert a Blu-ray disc into your computer, and click the "Load DVD" menu at the top left corner to load the disc.
Tips
If you want to rip specific titles, click the "Full Title List" button and choose the desired titles.
Step 2Press the "Rip All to" menu at the top right side to trigger the profile dialog. Go to the "Video" tab, and choose a 4K supported format, like MP4. Pick a preset, click the "Settings" button, and set the video and audio codecs accordingly to prepare upscaling the video to 4K.
Step 3Click the "Folder" button at the bottom and set a directory to save the output. At last, hit the "Rip All" button to begin ripping Blu-ray to 4K immediately.
FAQs about Blu-ray vs 4K
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Can you play 4K movies on a Blu-ray player?
No. Old Blu-ray players cannot play 4K Blu-ray discs. You need a 4K Blu-ray player to watch the 4K Blu-ray movies, such as Panasonic 4K Blu-Ray Player, Sony BDP-S6700, and more. The price is over one hundred dollars.
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Is Blu-ray still worth buying?
Yes. Although Blu-ray discs are expensive, a part of movies is only available on Blu-ray. If you do not want to buy Blu-ray movies, you can search the titles on Netflix or other 4K streaming platforms.
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Does standard Blu-ray look better on 4K players?
Yes, standard 1080p pictures can be upconverted by your 4K player or Ultra HD TV. Some standard Blu-ray discs can look much smoother when upscaled for a 4K display but you cannot expect full 4K quality.
Conclusion
This guide has discussed the difference between Blu-ray and 4K streaming. You can learn the introduction and the comparison of the two terms. More importantly, you should know how to make the best decision. On the other hand, 4Easysoft DVD Ripper is the best option to convert and upscale Blu-ray to 4K. If you have other questions about this topic, please feel free to leave a message below this post.
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