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Panasonic 4K Blu-ray prototype
Panasonic is showing off a prototype 4K Blu-ray player at CES 2015.
While 4K TV is definitely a thing now, with a greater range of Ultra High Definition TV sets on display at this year's CES, there's still the small matter of content.
Put simply, there isn't much around, aside from a small range of Netflix shows and some other scattered streamable content.
There's no physical 4K format on the market as yet, but that's all set to change. An updated 4K Blu-ray format is coming, and Panasonic is showing off the first ever 4K Blu-ray player.
It's just a prototype right now, but the player should become available to buy later in the year.
Of course, any new physical format player needs to go the extra mile in the age of silky smooth 1080p and 4K streaming, and Panasonic's first attempt at a 4K Blu-ray player certainly does that. It supports additional standards such as HEVC, High Dynamic Range, and Rec.2020.
But the main advantage over current 4K streaming efforts will be sheer quality, with the absence of any compression techniques leading to an inevitably superior picture. And after all, isn't quality what it's all about?
Read More: What is 4K TV and Ultra HD?
As all of this suggests, you won't be able to add 4K capabilities to your existing Blu-ray player with a handy software update. If you've splashed the cash on a 4K TV, you're going to need to splash a little extra on a dedicated 4K player.
Okay, so you're probably going to have to spend a LOT of cash on the first dedicated 4K Blu-ray player. Panasonic is keeping schtum on exactly how much right now.
