SKY productions on blu-ray - chance of 4K ?

[nigea99]

I am guessing this may not be the right place to ask & the audience here can only second guess but anyway here goes.  (I am open for this to be moved but not sure where else it would go - other than binned - or the dreaded Spam filter)

I love watching on SKY but I am, also,  one of a dying breed that still buys physical media - especially as on  blu-ray  ordinary HD & 4K discs we usually get uncompressed Dolby TrueHD  or DTS Master  sound  with 7.1 channels often available  as well as full Atmos / DTS-X often available - sometimes even on ordinary blu-ray. 

The other advantage  of physical discs,  is that they are not subject to expiry dates for content availability, 

I think I know the answer to this but do you think there is even a remote chance of getting Sky Original productions on 4K discs  or  is there no chance whatsoever ? 

They do usually seem to make it onto ordinary blu-ray but often on SKY TV platform itself they are in 4k/UHD (& now HDR - which I haven't upgraded to, due partially to the reports of sound drop outs) 

One of my favorites is The Discovery of Witches - I have series 1 on blu-ray and series 2 is due to be released but the blu-ray does not match the UHD image and far more importantly for me lacks the wonderful Dolby Atmos track that the UHD version on Sky  has.

There have been a couple of SKY original films I might consider as well.

I guess it is down to being larger players & having other markets, but the likes of HBO shows (which sometimes only get HD showing on SKY)  do make it onto 4K discs - I have all the Westworld  series in glorious 4k Dolby Vision HDR with Atmos as well as the last series of Game of Thrones in 4K   - GoT on ordinary blu-rays got great Atmos tracks from S5 (I think) 

I know that whilst I have SKY (which actually is still likely to be for  quite some time - having been with it since the early days after launch) I often have the chance of being able to watch but I know content does come & go and  I really would like some of my favourites on 4K discs 

So  do any of the SKY staff who do visit here occasionally  or other long standing members have any contact to request or suggest such 4K media ? 

[TimmyBGood]

@nigea99 

Realistically I suspect thats largely to do with market size: ownership of 4K Blu-ray hardware isn't widespread and while there's probably a large enough potential global audience for GoT or Westworld on such disks to justify a manufacturing run, a Sky Original has a much smaller  distribution even on broadcast/on-demand, let alone fixed media.

[nigea99]

Thanks @TimmyBGood.

I think I knew when I wrote my tome but I guess I had to get it off my chest, as it were.

My brain knows that 4K discs & players  is a niche market but it doesn't stop the heart from hoping.

I do realise that Sky productions - whilst they may get some intrenational sales - are not in the same league as  the likes of HBO

For me, I guess, it is my immersion in home cinema since the early 90s & aiming for the best quality I can afford. 

I do look forward to watching The Disovery of Witches (& other SKY original content)  in HDR & not just UHD (with Atmos tracks) in future but it will have to wait until I know sound problems are definitely fixed on the HDR boxes - I know the problems may not be experienced by everyone but as sound is very  important to me I am not going to risk it

Fortunately HDR is less important to me than the wonderful Atmos tracks they often produce 

[Plektrum]

I would be inclined to agree with @TimmyBGood - it's still a niche format and there probably isn't a Sky Original that could realiscally justify a release in the format though I also think Sky would prefer to keep those 4K versions exclusive to their platform as a way to attract subs. 

That being said, if you had to twist my arm, the only one I could see get a 4K physical release would be Chernobyl...but even then, having it exclusive in 4K HDR is probably a more commercially sound decision for Sky. 

I believe HBO have released it in 4K Blu over in the States but as they own distribution there and they don't have it in 4K on their platform it's a no brainer to release it there given how big of a hit it was.