Apple 4K / 5K

[Jawads]

So I learnt from Apple Support, that the iMac 5k is NOT compatible with Apple (finally) available 4K content. Also, that 4K YouTube is not compatible with Apple 4K TV. This is an absolute joke. I bought the 5K iMac thinking I would be ahead when the 4k content was available, but alas not. What a con. Totally cheated.

 

[m0nkeyb0y]

This is looney. Is it a permissions issue, HDMC 2.2?

 

[Jawads]

This is looney. Is it a permissions issue, HDMC 2.2?

No idea. Even the Apple support guy didn’t understand. With the Apple TV YouTube issue; The YouTube revelation is more fundamental, although there is a technical reason backing it. The Apple TV supports H.264, HEVC and MP4 video formats. YouTube serves 4K HDR video in the open-source VP9 format.

 

[m0nkeyb0y]

I've been holding out to replace my 2010 27" with a 5k, and take advantage of 4k content. I'll do it anyway, of course. But this is really disappointing. Perhaps this will get worked out by next year, and they'll add HDR capacity to the 2018 imac.

 

[Jawads]

I've been holding out to replace my 2010 27" with a 5k, and take advantage of 4k content. I'll do it anyway, of course. But this is really disappointing. Perhaps this will get worked out by next year, and they'll add HDR capacity to the 2018 imac.

This is the thing with Apple and this whole 4K thing. It’s really gloss over content half heartedly done. Okay, points for upgrading HD purchases to 4K, but there are only 15 movies in the Apple Store that are currently available. They don’t have some major studios behind them on this one. For example Disney and Warner Bros. Their OS is not primed for 4K content. Example; Safari, Apple TV 4K will not play YouTube 4K. It’s all rush to get something out. Disappointed is putting it mildly.

 

[Apple_Robert]

No idea. Even the Apple support guy didn’t understand. With the Apple TV YouTube issue; The YouTube revelation is more fundamental, although there is a technical reason backing it. The Apple TV supports H.264, HEVC and MP4 video formats. YouTube serves 4K HDR video in the open-source VP9 format.

For now, (at least) you will have to use Google Chrome if you want to view YouTube 4K videos. As to not being able to view 4K iTunes movies on the new iMac, I am very frustrated (as well) that I can't watch 4K iTunes movies on my new 27" iMac.

 

[Jawads]

For now, (at least) you will have to use Google Chrome if you want to view YouTube 4K videos. As to not being able to view 4K iTunes movies on the new iMac, I am very frustrated (as well) that I can't watch 4K iTunes movies on my new 27" iMac.

It is frustrating. Yes you can use Crome but since Apple promote themselves as a one stop shop it’s not really. It’s a mis-selling to say, well here is a 4K or 5K mac, but small print it’s not compatible with 4K viewing.

 

[tn-xyz]

this is a software issue more than anything else.
especially when you think about the upcoming imac pro not being able to deliver apple's 4K content.
this will get fixed.

 

[Apple_Robert]

this is a software issue more than anything else.
especially when you think about the upcoming imac pro not being able to deliver apple's 4K content.
this will get fixed.

I thought High Sierra was the software needed. Thus far, it hasn’t made a difference.

 

[tn-xyz]

but did apple think this far? they put out 4K movies just recently.
high sierra is – at least felt – still in beta.

you've got to expect baby steps from apple at any stage these days.
the 4K upgrade was targeted at appleTV buyers specifically.

the 4/5K iMacs are certainly equipped to deliver the experience.
it's just laziness from apple's side at this point.

 

[EugW]

this is a software issue more than anything else.
especially when you think about the upcoming imac pro not being able to deliver apple's 4K content.
this will get fixed.

but did apple think this far? they put out 4K movies just recently.
high sierra is – at least felt – still in beta.

you've got to expect baby steps from apple at any stage these days.
the 4K upgrade was targeted at appleTV buyers specifically.

the 4/5K iMacs are certainly equipped to deliver the experience.
it's just laziness from apple's side at this point.

Well, it's a software AND hardware issue.

Yes, it would appear that the OS has not yet been designed to implement the appropriate DRM for iTunes 4K and Netflix 4K content, but the important point to note here is that even if/when this happens, it will only apply to Kaby Lake 7th generation Macs or later. Any 4K/5K machine from Skylake or earlier will be excluded, and this is due to hardware support. Those chipsets simply don't have the native secure HDCP 2.2 that industry wants for this. Kaby Lake does, including even the lowly 2017 MacBook's Core m3-7Y32. IOW, strictly speaking from a hardware standpoint, the 2017 MacBook Core m3 is more capable for 4K than a 2016 MacBook Pro Core i7 or a 2015 iMac Core i7.

Furthermore, as we already know, only Kaby Lake has full hardware 10-bit 4K HEVC decode support. No prior generation Intel chip has that, yet another reason any Mac with Skylake or earlier will be likely be excluded from the 4K streaming evolution.

We have just described 2 different but complementary hardware reasons for this. So, yes, I am predicting this will "get fixed", but only in 2018 when macOS 10.14 is released, and it will require a 2017 Mac or later (but will not include the 2017 MacBook Airs, since those are Broadwell).

As for Chrome and VP9, again only Kaby Lake has full hardware 10-bit decode for VP9. No prior generation Intel chips have that. I don't know though if this will ever get implemented, as currently Chrome VP9 is purely software decode. Also, Safari will definitely not be implementing hardware VP9 acceleration in the foreseeable future.

 

[fathergll]

It's funny how studios are not that protective of the movies themselves but it's the quality of the movies that they are protective of. They have no problem with the risks associated with 1080p content but 4K is where they draw the line. To me this is the most frustrating part of it all. The movies are there and available, they just want the DRM for 4K.

 

[EugW]

It's funny how studios are not that protective of the movies themselves but it's the quality of the movies that they are protective of. They have no problem with the risks associated with 1080p content but 4K is where they draw the line. To me this is the most frustrating part of it all. The movies are there and available, they just want the DRM for 4K.

Well, the ship has sailed already for 1080p. 1080p DRM in many forms is already broken. UHD 4K is a whole other ballgame for DRM.

 

[Icaras]

This is the thing with Apple and this whole 4K thing. It’s really gloss over content half heartedly done. Okay, points for upgrading HD purchases to 4K, but there are only 15 movies in the Apple Store that are currently available. They don’t have some major studios behind them on this one. For example Disney and Warner Bros. Their OS is not primed for 4K content. Example; Safari, Apple TV 4K will not play YouTube 4K. It’s all rush to get something out. Disappointed is putting it mildly.

That sucks that it doesn’t play yet on an iMac but I just wanted to point that there are definitely more than just 15 titles available in 4K. More like over 100 at least and I definitely have more than 15 in my library as well:

http://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1505495519

 

[cynics]

4k content isn't available on iTunes for Mac/PC because the movie studios just wont allow it. Not yet anyway. Apples DRM isn't strong enough for movie studios.

We will eventually see it however it wont be in the same form we are used to with iTunes 1080p content. There will be better anti piracy techniques used.

If I were to guess it would be streamed only with the latest HDCP requirements likely limited to a specific iTunes player or something. Maybe even only with future CPU's as it seems Intels current SGX has already been side step with some content.

The better the people get at cracking media encryption and other forms of DRM the more invasive it will get. This typically only hurts the non pirates because they are the only people that have to deal with invasive DRM. Meanwhile the pirates just crack it and enjoy the media without it.