PS4 To Offer The First 4K Movie Download Service

Sony are set to release a 4K video service which will work alongside the PS4: the first of its kind.

[drop2]The 4K format, also known as Ultra-HD, carries a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels.

Sony Electronics President Phil Molyneux told The Verge that despite the console’s ability to output this resolution, PS4 games will not be equipped to display in it.

The key issue with the format, however, is that downloads could exceed 100 Gb.

While Sony are touting the ability to download items in the background or overnight, that size of file is going to put a huge strain on the majority of average UK-based internet packages.

If this is the future of movie and media display formats, is our internet structure and storage medium actually prepared for it?

Source: Verge

31 Comments

  1. Technically no, the PS4 won’t be the first to get this service, it will launch with the 4K Bravias in the States in the next month or so.

    • Just to clear things up, the title, and the way the first 2 paragraphs are written, suggests this will be available on PS4 before other platforms, which is simply incorrect.

      • Depends. Last I heard the TV-based 4K downloads were US only. Has that changed?

      • As I said in the states in the next month but rolled out to further markets later on in the year.

      • The way it reads to me is that the world’s first 4K movie download service will be available on the PS4. That’s absolutely not incorrect, if Sony’s reps are to be believed.

        So, it might not be the first time a 4K movie can be downloaded but it’s the first service to offer that and it will work with PS4 when the console comes out.

        I can see how it could be interpreted the way you did though.

      • It’s my pedantic nature. I suppose it can be read both ways.

      • I’m sorry :)

      • Now I’m sorry too!

      • Don’t make me cry!

  2. Also Sony told me that the 3 Minute Amazing Spider-man 4K trailer weighed in at 100GB Uncompressed.

  3. Mental downloads. Absolutely mental. We have come a long way since dial up. Downloading a picture (of questionable material) took minutes and usually wasn’t what the title promised. Biggest buzzkill ever.

    • Perhaps this will be a return to those days, if you’re after high definition movies (featuring questionable material)!

      • So very true actually. In a weird way, it’s almost like going backwards. I’m away to think about this while buying a top shelf magazine.

      • HD porn is pretty nasty something’s need a softer focus. Haha. God knows what this will show up!

      • Porn? Who was talking about porn? I was describing my fetish for snuff movies… OK it was porn. I like it. Don’t judge me.

      • Ha! I think you’re probably right! I’m constantly marvelling over how haggard people look when you switch from an SD channel to an HD one! I don’t want to imagine what 4K will look like :/

  4. H.265 codec was ratified recently. This should lead to dramatic reductions in file size for video.

  5. I read that only people with perfect vision benefit of this 4K format. The major companies do not mention this due to the fact that they want to ship as many units as possible.

  6. I’m hoping that 4K comes along when consumers are happy to shift, en masse, over to it. The far more fascinating uptake will be that of OLED screens. It appears that’s the way the videophiles are going and one I completely approve of. No matter the screen size or pixel size, great colour (and depth of colour) will always be appreciated.

  7. So basically you’ll need to download the movie a week before you want to watch it and then put up with throttled internet speeds and will have probably gone over your allowance unless you have a truly unlimited package. 4k streaming will probably flop harder than 3D, for most people it would be quicker to order the 4k blu ray off amazon than stream it.

    • “flop harder than 3D”
      There’s other things in the movies featuring questionable material that “flop” even harder than that. :D

  8. Let’s not worry about internet speeds, because that can be upgraded. Hard drives, however, have been slowing down in terms of increases in space, and SSDs are way off larger sizes…

  9. 100GB? Yeah that’s never gonna happen. I’m guessing they are going to use something like H.265 and slack a bit on the bitrate, so they can keep size down to around 25GB for a 2 hour movie, which a stable 30mbit could handle.

    • Sure it will happen, here in the Netherlands 60mbit is fairly common with the ability to upgrade to 120Mbit. The new docsis (3.1 I think) standard will enable gigabit over your basic cable! That is rolling out as a test end this year in Belgium.

      Don’t let your ISP fool you. They’ve been milking everybody and keeping prices high, simply cos there is no demand (by the general people) for more.

      • No it will not happen, it will still take some years from now. It doesn’t matter that some can get great connections, when the majority can’t.

        While some countries do have fast internet, my self I am on a 50/5 with the possibilities of 100/10 and soon 150/15 via EuroDOCSIS 3.
        There are to many countries where connections over 20mbit is a real problem, because they have to use xDSL connections, which requires a DSLAM pretty close to the subscriber for a 20mbit to run or fiber-to-curve, which is not just something you spread easily and cheap. Some areas even rely on wireless connections, because they are to rural.

        US which is properly the biggest market for Sony in terms of 4K, has an avg. of around 7mbit. They could maybe launch this in Hong Kong or Japan, which has fairly good connections.

        http://grab.by/km1y

      • I agree that some form of compression will be used to stay well below that number. But a 4k 3d version of the extended version of The hobbit might do it :-P

        Just cos the average in the us is low doesn’t mean it’s not available. Being married to a us citizen whom I stole from the land of the free I’ve come to know that many Americans don’t feel the need to be online in their home as much and as fast as here in the us. Especially in “rural” areas like CO.

        Never say never :-)

  10. All this HD, 3D, 4K….. where’s me blimmin’ holodeck!

    • ^^^^^This.

      4K can jog right on by…

      Holodeck or at very least a ‘better than life’ machine or…i’m out.

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