As considered one of TechRadar’s TV reviewers, 4K Blu-ray is integral to my testing course of. That’s as a result of 4K Blu-ray discs present constant image high quality, together with the next bitrate in comparison with streaming (128Mbps for 4K Blu-ray vs 17-25Mbps common with 4K streaming). Additionally they present uncompressed soundtracks, making them a superior choice for audio testing.
As a part of TechRadar’s House Theater Week, I assumed I’d share what 4K Blu-rays I exploit for testing not solely the greatest TVs, but additionally the greatest soundbars and greatest projectors. There are 4 discs I routinely use, although my rotation has modified over time and I’m all the time discovering new discs for testing through our month-to-month Blu-ray Bounty characteristic, the place we evaluate one of the best 4K Blu-ray releases from every month.
Black ranges and distinction
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The primary disc I exploit for testing a TV’s black ranges and distinction is The Batman. This disc was mastered at 400 nits of brightness, in comparison with the trade normal of 1,000 nits, making it a difficult supply for TVs and projectors to deal with. One of many film’s opening scenes, at Mayor Mitchell’s home, is nice for testing how properly a TV can reveal shadow element, and it additionally reveals up any black crush (a lack of element in darker areas).
This scene additionally options photographs of lamps and torches balanced towards darkish environment, which is ideal for evaluating distinction. Right here I’ll be searching for each excessive peak brightness and deep black ranges, one thing the greatest OLED TVs usually show.
Different discs I exploit for testing black ranges and distinction embody Alien: Romulus, a film that options many scenes with deep shadows, particularly within the photographs of area and darkish tunnels.
Nosferatu additionally options a number of difficult darkish scenes, corresponding to one the place Hutler first visits Depend Orlock’s fortress. Darkish Metropolis is a brand new 4K disc that I shall be including to my rotation, because of its many scenes with deep black ranges and robust distinction.
Shade
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There are a number of discs I exploit for coloration testing, however my main one is Depraved. Not solely does Depraved characteristic extremely vibrant and punchy colours that convey the magical really feel of Oz, however its colours additionally strike a stability between gaudiness and realism.
The Wizard & I scene is my go-to because it incorporates a tree with shiny pink flowers, Elphaba’s inexperienced pores and skin and the blues of the scholars’ uniforms.
Different discs I exploit for evaluating coloration embody the animated film The Wild Robotic. I’ve additionally used La La Land, wanting on the vibrant blues and purples within the night time sky and Mia’s yellow gown within the A Beautiful Night time musical scene. All of those discs are nice for evaluating coloration, however Depraved is probably the most important one for me.
Movement dealing with
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For movement testing, my main 4K discs are No Time To Die and High Gun: Maverick. In No Time To Die, a scene early on the place a digicam pans throughout a cemetery on a rocky hillside can simply reveal judder and movement blur artifacts. Watching it additionally lets me discover a TV’s movement settings to find out if they will cut back these artifacts with out including a cleaning soap opera impact to films.
High Gun: Maverick options many scenes with fast-moving jets and fast panning digicam photographs. Famously, Tom Cruise and director Joseph Kosinski mentioned this film ought to be considered with all movement settings turned off. Sadly, that received’t be a good suggestion for TVs which can be ill-equipped to deal with quick movement.
Black and white uniformity
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Though it will not be the very first thing you’d consider these days, it’s essential to check TVs utilizing black and white photos. These are helpful for testing display screen uniformity, which is a TV’s potential to evenly show areas of the identical coloration, black, white, and grey included.
Many latest films (Mad Max: Fury Street and Furiosa, Oppenheimer) characteristic black and white scenes, and extra black and white films are getting 4K Blu-ray releases, so there’s a sensible profit right here as properly.
Whereas I’ve come throughout a number of nice black and white film discs in my Blu-ray Bounty critiques, I proceed to make use of the black and white scenes in Oppenheimer, particularly one the place Strauss and Oppenheimer first meet on the college. This scene has a superb stability of black (Oppenheimer’s swimsuit and the workplace), white (the frequent room window, constructing and a few particulars on Strauss’ swimsuit) and grey tones, making it excellent for testing display screen uniformity.
Sound high quality
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One other essential facet of TV testing is the set’s built-in sound. How correct is the bass, soundstage and speech efficiency? It’s essential to know this with TVs and a few projectors, as it is going to inform you if you happen to’re going to wish to issue a soundbar into your funds.
My essential 4K disc for testing sound is The Batman. I exploit the Batmobile/Penguin chase scene the place the Batmobile is first launched. The rumble of its engine is ideal for testing bass energy and management, and the ever-present rain is nice for testing peak channels. With continuously swerving site visitors, bullets and automotive collisions, this scene can be nice for testing sound impact mapping, or the connection between the sound and the motion on display screen.
I additionally use High Gun: Maverick for testing Dolby Atmos and encompass results, primarily the Darkstar mission within the film’s opening. I will even use musicals corresponding to Depraved and La La Land for testing, evaluating the readability of vocals, the stability of devices, and the soundstage width.
