What is 4K?

4K UHD (Ultra High Definition) is the current standard for high-definition content and viewing. We started releasing titles on 4K in 2016 and have continued expanding our 4K line-up as the format becomes the best way to showcase a director’s vision and provide a home viewing experience unlike any other. Discover gorgeous views in lush 4K releases like The Last Reef: Cities Beneath the Sea or Journey to Space, and get the most visually out of your favorite films with their 4K remasters, like we’ve done for The Deer Hunter and Halloween (1978).

What do you need to enjoy 4K at home?

To watch 4K UHD discs the way they were meant to be seen, you need a 4K-capable television and a 4K player, as well as a 4K-compatible HDMI cable to connect the two. Because this format has become so pervasive, it’s easy to get the right equipment for not much more money than a standard definition home entertainment set-up. In fact, your television may already be 4K and you didn’t even realize it! With more and more content released that is meant to be seen in this quality, there has never been a better time to upgrade the experience in your living room, bedroom, or home theater. Having a 4K television also means you can watch streaming content in the format as well, so it benefits you in several ways.

The picture quality is so sharp that it’s almost like being there in person and you can see every detail. Whether you’re watching a movie or playing a game, the experience is more immersive with 4K. A 4K television will also upscale content you watch that isn’t originally in 4K, so even if you prefer to stick to your collection of Shout! Factory DVDs, each one will look its best on a 4K set-up. As Shout! Factory continues to expand into 4K, with a slate of Scream Factory titles leading the charge, we will always provide releases that allow you to create a cinematic experience at home.

What’s the difference between DVD and 4K UHD?

There is a significant difference between DVD and 4K UHD quality. 4K UHD has about four times the number of pixels as 1080p HD which results in a much sharper, more detailed picture. The extra pixels also allow for a more immersive experience when watching movies and TV shows. You don’t need to worry about viewing distance, so you have more freedom in where you place your television and how you arrange seating. The format on 4K has been formatted as it was intended to be viewed, instead of sometimes winding up with a full screen release like on several older DVDs.

What is the difference between Blu-ray and 4K UHD?

Choosing 4K over DVD feels like an easy call, but things get more complicated when looking at 4K vs Blu-ray. Blu-ray was the next evolution after DVD, and many people upgraded their home movie collections from DVD to Blu-ray and are now frustrated that there is another format in 4K. Shout! Factory still releases plenty of Blu-rays because it’s a wonderful format for the right films, but when a 4K disc is available, it usually represents the best version of whatever you’d like to watch. DVDs are standard definition, and Blu-rays, like 4K releases, are high definition. DVDs can store less than 10 GB and Blu-rays can store up to 25GB on single-layer discs and 50 GB on dual-layer discs, meaning that they can hold much higher quality files. 4K UHD discs can store up to 66GB on dual-layer discs and 100 GB on three-layer discs. It’s the natural evolution of home viewing, meant to improve on its predecessors. For the absolute sharpest colors, deepest blacks, and best contrast, 4K is the right choice. Not all movies are available on 4K because it is a newer format, but we are constantly working to remaster and release older film favorites in the 4K UHD standard, like Candyman (1992), Escape From New York, and The Craft. If you care about having the best possible picture quality, whether you’re a film buff or just enjoy family movie night, 4K UHD is the easy choice.

Why should you purchase 4K UHD?

There are several reasons why you should consider purchasing 4K UHD releases and making it the standard choice for your home (where available). It is the latest generation of home viewing, meaning it has the most advanced specifications – from the biggest storage size, to the most pixels, to an eye for detail in the contrast: darker blacks and brighter whites. The image is made more immersive and engaging through the technological advancements that have happened since DVDs and Blu-rays each became the norm. If you prefer to watch things in the best possible quality, we recommend choosing 4K UHD. Is 4K better than DVD and Blu-ray? We can definitively say the technology is more advanced, but it’s up to you what you value most in your home releases. For price reasons, or maybe to fit with your current collection, you may choose to stick with our DVD and Blu-ray releases. But if you have any interest in creating the most cinematic experience at home, then upgrade your system and your collection to 4K UHD.