Subj : 4 awesome 4K Blu-rays for evaluating your TV's picture To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Wed Sep 03 2025 19:15:09 4 awesome 4K Blu-rays for evaluating your TV's picture Date: Wed, 03 Sep 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Description: 4K Blu-rays are essential for evaluating TVs. Here are the discs I use on a regular basis. FULL STORY ====================================================================== As one of TechRadars TV reviewers, 4K Blu-ray is integral to my testing process. Thats because 4K Blu-ray discs provide consistent picture quality, along with a higher bitrate compared to streaming (128Mbps for 4K Blu-ray vs 17-25Mbps average with 4K streaming). They also provide uncompressed soundtracks, making them a superior option for audio testing. As part of TechRadars Home Theater Week, I thought Id share what 4K Blu-rays I use for testing not only the best TVs , but also the best soundbars and best projectors . There are four discs I routinely use, though my rotation has changed over time and Im always discovering new discs for testing via our monthly Blu-ray Bounty feature, where we review the best 4K Blu-ray releases from each month. Black levels and contrast Image 1 of 4 The Batman (1) can be a challenging movie for TVs due to its low brightness. Alien: Romulus (2), Nosferatu (3) and Dark City (4) are also excellent for testing black levels. (Image credit: Future) Image 2 of 4 (Image credit: Future) Image 3 of 4 (Image credit: Future) Image 4 of 4 (Image credit: New Line Cinema / Future) The main disc I use for testing a TVs black levels and contrast is The Batman .. This disc was mastered at 400 nits of brightness, compared to the industry standard of 1,000 nits, making it a challenging source for TVs and projectors to handle. One of the movies opening scenes, at Mayor Mitchells house, is great for testing how well a TV can reveal shadow detail, and it also shows up any black crush (a loss of detail in darker areas). This scene also features shots of lamps and torches balanced against dark surroundings, which is perfect for evaluating contrast. Here Ill be looking for both high peak brightness and deep black levels, something the best OLED TVs often display. Other discs I use for testing black levels and contrast include Alien: Romulus , a movie that features many scenes with deep shadows, especially in the shots of space and dark tunnels. Nosferatu also features several challenging dark scenes, such as one where Hutler first visits Count Orlocks castle. Dark City is a new 4K disc that I will be adding to my rotation, thanks to its many scenes with deep black levels and strong contrast. Color Image 1 of 3 Wicked (1) is my main disc for testing color on TVs. The Wild Robot (2) and La La Land (3) are great discs for this as well. (Image credit: Universal Pictures / Future) Image 2 of 3 (Image credit: Universal Pictures / Future ) Image 3 of 3 (Image credit: Future) There are several discs I use for color testing, but my primary one is Wicked .. Not only does Wicked feature incredibly vibrant and punchy colors that convey the magical feel of Oz, but its colors also strike a balance between gaudiness and realism. The Wizard & I scene is my go-to as it features a tree with bright pink flowers, Elphabas green skin and the blues of the students uniforms. Other discs I use for evaluating color include the animated movie The Wild Robot . I have also used La La Land , looking at the vibrant blues and purples in the night sky and Mias yellow dress in the A Lovely Night musical scene. All of these discs are great for evaluating color, but Wicked is the most essential one for me. Motion handling Image 1 of 2 No Time To Die (1) has scenes that are perfect for testing TV motion handling, and Top Gun: Maverick (2) has many scenes that fit the bill, too. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge) Image 2 of 2 (Image credit: Future) For motion testing, my primary 4K discs are No Time To Die and Top Gun: Maverick . In No Time To Die , a scene early on where a camera pans across a cemetery on a rocky hillside can easily reveal judder and motion blur artifacts. Watching it also lets me explore a TVs motion settings to determine if they can reduce those artifacts without adding a soap opera effect to movies. Top Gun: Maverick features many scenes with fast-moving jets and quick panning camera shots. Famously, Tom Cruise and director Joseph Kosinski said this movie should be viewed with all motion settings turned off. Unfortunately, that wont be a good idea for TVs that are ill-equipped to handle fast motion. Black and white uniformity Image 1 of 3 Oppenheimer (1) is great for testing screen uniformity, and there are many 4K restorations of black and white movies that work equally well, including Seven Samurai (2) and Double Indemnity (3). (Image credit: Future) Image 2 of 3 (Image credit: Criterion / Future) Image 3 of 3 (Image credit: Paramount Pictures / Future) Although it may not be the first thing youd think of nowadays, its important to test TVs using black and white images. These are useful for testing screen uniformity, which is a TVs ability to evenly display areas of the same color, black, white, and gray included. Many recent movies ( Mad Max: Fury Road and Furiosa , Oppenheimer ) feature black and white scenes, and more black and white movies are getting 4K Blu-ray releases, so there is a practical benefit here as well. While Ive come across several great black and white movie discs in my Blu-ray Bounty reviews, I continue to use the black and white scenes in Oppenheimer , especially one where Strauss and Oppenheimer first meet at the university. This scene has an excellent balance of black (Oppenheimers suit and the office), white (the common room window, building and some details on Strauss suit) and gray tones, making it perfect for testing screen uniformity. Sound quality Image 1 of 4 The Batmobile chase scene from The Batman (1) is my go-to sound test, but Top Gun: Maverickthat wont be a good idea (2), Wicked (3) and La La Land (4) all have great soundtracks as well. (Image credit: Future) Image 2 of 4 (Image credit: Paramount Pictures / Future) Image 3 of 4 (Image credit: Universal Pictures / Future ) Image 4 of 4 (Image credit: Future) Another important aspect of TV testing is the sets built-in sound. How accurate is the bass, soundstage and speech performance? Its important to know this with TVs and some projectors, as it will tell you if youre going to need to factor a soundbar into your budget. My main 4K disc for testing sound is The Batman . I use the Batmobile/Penguin chase scene where the Batmobile is first introduced. The rumble of its engine is perfect for testing bass power and control, and the ever-present rain is good for testing height channels. With constantly swerving traffic, bullets and car collisions, this scene is also great for testing sound effect mapping, or the connection between the sound and the action on screen. I also use Top Gun: Maverick for testing Dolby Atmos and surround effects, primarily the Darkstar mission in the movies opening. I will also use musicals such as Wicked and La La Land for testing, evaluating the clarity of vocals, the balance of instruments, and the soundstage width. You might also like The weird, wonderful world of 4K Blu-ray Steelbooks the highs and lows of physical media special editions I tested Blu-ray vs Netflix and Disney Plus on the same movies, and the biggest difference surprised me Looking to get into 4K Blu-ray? Here are the 4 things you need to get started ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/televisions/blu-ray/4-awesome-4k-blu-rays-for-evalua ting-your-tvs-picture --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .