Those wanting the option to play 4K Blu-ray movies from Sony will have to wait till Spring 2017 when they’ll launch their first Ultra HD Blu-ray player, the UBP-X1000ES. Friend of the site, Richard Lawler, writing for Engadget:

 Sony says it will be exclusively available through custom installers at first. The player is ready for “virtually any optical disk format” as well as Atmos and DTS:X audio tracks. 

So what exactly will the X1000ES offer when it launches in 2017?

 In addition to support for Ultra HD Blu-ray discs the X1000ES utilizes a Sony developed Precision HD drive to help maintain consistent performance with virtually every optical disc format, including DVD Video and DVD Audio; CD and SA-CD; and Blu-ray 3D, and BD-ROM media. The player further incorporates a variety of video codecs that can deliver 4K streaming from video streaming services like Amazon Video, YouTube and others. 

Of course like the PS4 Pro, X1000ES includes 4K streaming services though curiously, Sony’s own Ultra service is not listed there. As for Dolby Vision, it doesn’t look like Sony and many others plan to support that any time soon.

 The UBP-X1000ES is also a great match to Dolby Atmos™ and DTS:X™ object-oriented audio compatible receivers, for the most immersive home theater experience possible. Plus its 32-bit processing DAC is compatible with both native DSD (at up to 11.2 MHz) and LPCM (at up to 192kHz) Hi-Res Music files, which are available in a number of different formats. 

No word yet on pricing though I’m sure we’ll learn by CES 2017, coming up this January, but I don’t think it’s going to be cheap.

 Furthermore, The UBP-X1000ES provides virtually every connectivity option required for today’s complex custom installations, including IP Control over CAT 5 cable or Wi-Fi networks; RS232C two-way control and IR-IN. A web browser interface is also offered, along with support for ihiji, a cloud-based network management solution used by custom installers for remote maintenance. 

Also yes, for their ES line 4K Blu-ray player announcement, Sony didn’t bother releasing a higher resolution pic than the above.

Discuss:

Does the X1000ES offer what you’re looking for?