4K Players + Play 4K Ultra HD Video on PC with Two Methods

Here explain you what 4K is, why call it 4K, top 5 4K players and how to downscale 4K to play on PC.

Everyone wants 4K and no one knows why. It's the hottest techy buzzword of 2015, and it's a technology that's rewriting the rulebook when it comes to image quality. When you own 4k, you will find it will not be as easy as we imaged. It needs professional 4K players or to compress 4K to 1080p if you want to play 4K on PC. Here, the article will told you all of the things you need to know about 4K.



What is 4K?

Technically speaking, 4K refers to a digital cinema standard that calls for a 4096 x 2160 pixel resolution. This is double both the horizontal and vertical measurements of the 1920 x 1080 standard (1080p, AKA Full HD) that most of us use today, offering four times the overall pixel resolution. 

Why is it called 4K?

Because the images are around 4,000 pixels wide. The industry named 1080 resolution after image height, but named 4K after image width. 

Where to Get 4K Video Content?

Netflix becomes the first platform to deliver 4K video samples since April this year. When you open the Netflix app on a 4K TV, 4K content will stream automatically where it's available. Started with House of Cards Season 2, a lot more content like documentaries are rolling out. Second comes YouTube. As the biggest video sharing site, rich 4K videos and movies are offered on YouTube. And also a nascent 4K channel has been established.

How to Play 4K Video on PC?

Method 1: Top 5 4K Players to play 4K on PC

Top 1： 5KPlayer

5KPlayer is a mixture of free (MKV) HD video player, music player, AirPlay media streamer and online video downloader which can Play 4K/5K/1080p HD videos, DVDs and radio with revolutionary design. If you have downloaded some 4K video from Netflix and YouTube, you can try play the 4K with 5kplayer on PC.

Top 2: VLC Player

VLC is always the first consideration when people meet media playback issue on PC. This player was recently updated to include support for 4K video playback in version 2.1. This player has support for a very large range of codecs, making it possible to play back virtually any type of video file (as well as audio).

How search: Watch 4K on VLC | Play Blu-ray in VLC | Watch DVD in VLC 

Top 3: DivX Player

DivX Player is very popular and well known for supporting playback of files up to 4K in resolution. It supports DivX HEVC video with the HEVC plugin, as well as regular DivX and DivX Plus. DivX Player is promoted as a very high quality media player and is one of the most popular choices. 

Top 4: CyberLink PowerDVD PRO 14

PowerDVD can playback DVD and and Blu-ray discs, as well as any video file formats. It supports UltraHD 4K videos, which can be even further enhanced with their unique TrueTheater Lighting technology, that enhances detail and colors.

Top 5: Media Player Classic and K-Lite Codec Pack

Media Player Classic on its own does not yet provide 4K playback capabilities. The key is to also install the K-Lite Codec Pack. This is simply a package of many different codecs, all rolled into one for convenience. 

Method 2: Compress 4K to play 4K on PC

From Google search, Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate is a top-ranked 4K video converter. It can transcode 4K UHD videos to PC in MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, MPEG4, H264, MKV and other existing video types. Since the majority of playback work is still being finished in 1080p, it is also equipped with the power to compress 4K to 1080P, 720p for common media players’ playback. In settings window, you can freely adjust the video and audio size, codec, nitrate, frame rate, etc. (Review)

The equivalent Mac version is iMedia Converter for Mac which has updated to support Mac OS X 10.11 El Capitan. And both the versions are participate in the Pavtube Thanksgiving Coupon where you can get the product at 20% discount.  

Free download and install

          

Other Download:
- Pavtube old official address: http://www.pavtube.cn/blu-ray-video-converter-ultimate/
- Cnet Download: http://download.cnet.com/Pavtube-Video-Converter-Ultimate/3000-2194_4-75938564.html

Step 1: Add 4K videos.

Open the program, click “File” menu, from its drop-down option, select “Add Video/Audio” to load 4K video to the program.



Step 2: Choose output file format.

From “Format” bar drop-down list, choose the formats that you want to output for later use. For compatibility consideration, it is idea for you to choose “Common Video” > “H.264 HD Video (*.mp4)” as output file format.



Step 3: Compress 4K video to 1080p for VLC

Open “Profile Settings” window, click “Size(pix)” to select 1920*1080 as the final resolution for output video.



Step 4: Change 4K video to 1080p.

After all the settings is completed, hit right-bottom “Convert” button to start to convert and downscale 4K video to 1080p format videos.

With this latter method, you not only can play your 4K video on PC smoothly, but also can watch these 4K on your Amazon Fire TV(2015), iPhone, LG TV, even upload it to YouTube. 

Related Software:

BDMagic for Windows/Mac - The best Blu-ray solution to rip and backup any commercial and region-locked Blu-ray to H.265, M3U8, MP4, MKV, AVI, FLV, etc.  
DVDAid for Windows/Mac - Capacity of ripping copy-protected and homemade DVD to iPhone 6S, iPad, Surface Pro, Synology NAS, Seagate Wireless Plus, etc with suitable format.
ByteCopy for Windows/Mac - It can rip Blu-ray/DVD to lossless MKV keeping multi-track subtile/audio and all chapter markers.

Related Articles:

• 3 Ways to Copy Best Vampire DVD Movies on Mac/PC
• How to Rip and Stream DVD to 4K TV (and HD TV, 8K TV)?
• Backup Blu-ray to NAS for 4K HD TV or Normal def TV
• 4k to Xbox One Conversion – Play 4K Movie with Xbox One
• Play Any 4K & 1080p HD Movies on 5K Retina iMac Display

Source:http://i-loveshare.com/play-4k-on-pc/

FAQ: What is 4K exactly, and do I have to buy a new TV now?

4K TVs were all the rage at this year's CES. Does that mean the TV you just bought is obsolete? 

One of the most undeniable trends as this year's CES expo was 4K TVs. There were giant 4K sets, curved 4K sets, and bendable 4K sets. But all that 4K action might leave you wondering: what does 4K mean? And what effect does the onslaught of 4K have on the future of the HDTV I just bought?

Worry not, my techno-curious friend. We have all the answers.

I'm reading about "Ultra HD." Is my new HDTV obsolete already?

Your TV's not obsolete, but it will soon be a generation behind state-of-the-art.

Nuts… So, what does "Ultra HD" mean exactly?

Ultra high definition (UHD) is a standard that exceeds high definition (HD). The Consumer Electronics Association defines UHD displays as having a 16:9 ratio (the same as HD) and a minimum pixel count of 3840 by 2160. HD maxes out at 1080p, which is 1920 by 1080 pixels.

Okay, so if that's "Ultra HD," what's "4K"? Is that some other format I need to worry about?
 

The impressive image on this 4K TV from

Samsung is wasted on your dinky display.

Right now, the terms 4K and Ultra HDare essentially used interchangeably. 4K is one type of UHD defined by a 2160p resolution (the minimum threshold for UHD), and it's quickly becoming the first widespread UHD standard. Another UHD standard—8K UHD, which has a 4320p resolution (7680 by 4320 pixels)—is out there, but no one uses it yet.

It's the same as how both 720p and 1080p formats are considered "high definition" even though one has a much higher resolution than the other (marketing folks sometimes call 1080p "full HD").

4320p, huh. Wow. That's really impressive. Just remind me, what does the“p” in 1080p, 2160p and 4320p stand for again? I'm asking for a friend who doesn't understand technology as well as I do.

Progressive scan. In most everyday uses, “p” can just be thought of as referring to the number of horizontal lines of pixels a display has. So a 2160p display (4K) has twice as many horizontal lines as a 1080p display (HD). It happens to have twice as many vertical lines, too (3840 vs. 1920), for a total of 4 times as many pixels.

4K images are composed of nearly 8.3 million pixels. Compare that to the just over 2 million found in a 1080p image, the full HD resolution produced by Blu-rays.

Okay, so 4K has a lot more pixels than HD. But is it really that much better?

4K images are composed of nearly 8.3 million pixels. Compare that to the just over 2 million found in a 1080p image, the full HD resolution produced by Blu-rays. It's ninetimes as many pixels as a 720p HD broadcast. That's like the difference between an 8-megapixel camera and a 2-megapixel camera.

Can I even see all those pixels?

It depends. The extra pixels make 4K images look great in the store when you're standing close to the TV. But if you expect to sit on your couch 8 feet away from your TV, you'll need a 60-inch TV or bigger to see the improvement. And the farther from the TV you sit, the bigger the TV you need in order for 4K to make a difference.


The smaller your TV and the farther you sit from it, the less distinguishable individual pixels become. So 4K mostly benefits viewers who sit close to large TVs.

But the Ultra HD standard is about more than just a lot of pixels. The video specs also call for a larger color space, which should make everything look better even if you can't see all of the pixels.

That's all well and good, but it's not like there's anything to watch on 4K, right?
 

Like all other original Netflix programs in 2014,House of Cards will be shot and offered in 4K.

That was a mostly true statement until very recently. But things are changing rapidly: Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube have all announced that they will produce more 4K content beginning this year.

So, I'll have to buy a UHD TV now just to watch Netflix and YouTube?

No, don't worry. Those streaming services will surely make various resolutions available for the foreseeable future.

Will my Blu-rays at least work on a UHD set?

All of your existing HD content, including Blu-rays, will work on an Ultra HD TV. They'll be scaled up to fill the screen, though, so they won't look as good as true 4K content.

The current generation of Blu-ray discs supports resolutions up to 1080p. But the Blu-ray Disc Association has expressed an interest in developing 4K-compatable Blu-rays down the road.

So, you're saying I'll need to get some of those “mastered in 4K” Blu-rays?

No, those are rubbish. Blu-ray packaging that describes the enclosed disc as “mastered in 4K” or as offering a “near 4K” experience may claim to offer a better viewing experience on a UHD TV, but even the studios behind them admit that they don't deliver a true 4K experience. The video on the disc is still just 1080p.

No current Blu-ray can offer 4K resolution, it's just not part of the Blu-ray spec.

That's sketchy, isn't it?

Indeed! But the more important question may be, why should anyone want physical movies in the age of the streaming services and smart TVs? In the future, physical movies may be as obsolete as physical albums.

 

All lies.

New video compression formats will allow broadcasters and Web services to stream bulky 4K video files more easily. The International Telecommunications Union recently introduced the H.265 (or HEVC—High Efficiency Video Codec) standard as a successor to the H.264 standard widely used to deliver video via Broadcast, Blu-ray, and Web. H.265 promises to deliver quality comparable to that of H.264, despite using half the bandwidth.

In addition, Google has developed its own competing bandwidth-lite format, VP9, which the company will use to stream 4K videos on YouTube. It, too, promises equivalent quality at half the bandwidth of H.264.

I'd probably need to buy a bunch of new hardware and stuff to go along with an Ultra HD set, huh?

Eventually, yes. Most TV peripherals use HDMI, but only the two most recent version of HDMI (1.4 and 2.0) support 4K resolution. And only HDMI 2.0 can handle a 4K signal at 60 frames per second. HDMI 1.4 is limited to handling a 4K signal at 30 frames per second.

Your current cable box, A/V receiver, Roku, Apple TV, and other hardware plugged into your TV probably don't support HDMI 1.4, much less 2.0. Not if they're a couple years old.

More frames is important, right?

More frames per second means less blur. What limited 4K content there is today tends to be available only at 30 FPS, but this will surely change down the line as more content becomes available. If you're going to make an investment in a 4K TV, you might as well go all the way.

HDMI 2.0 was unveiled in September and is still being introduced to the market (not even all 4K TVs have them standard yet). But because HDMI 2.0 is backward-compatible with all previous generations, a new UHD TV with HDMI 2.0 will still be able to "talk" to your old tech. It even uses compatible cables.

This 4K stuff sounds interesting and all, but I'll never be able to afford one, will I?
Well, the new 4K sets are very expensive right now, but they are rapidly becoming more affordable. Vizio, for example, recently unveiled a $1000 4K TV.

Remember, HDTVs were prohibitively expensive not so long ago, but their prices have come down. At this point, it's hard to find a new TV that isn't HD.

I guess I'll have to start thinking about getting a 4K TV—if not this year, then later. But for now I should plan to deal with my plain ol' HDTV?
If you recently purchased a new HDTV, don't worry. It's a great living-room addition with lots of available content! Everyone will be talking about 4K, but you can sit tight while the sets become cheaper, quality improves, and content becomes more readily available. That HDTV you just bought has several years of life left in it before you'll want to move on.

I know it can be tempting to spring for the latest and greatest thing as soon as it becomes available.

 

But sometimes it's wiser to wait and let the market shake out a little bit. This is one of those times.

From: http://www.techhive.com/article/2084979/faq-what-is-4k-exactly-and-do-i-have-to-buy-a-new-tv-now.html