LG unveils UP970 4K Blu-ray player with Dolby Vision HDR support

As leaked last month, LG has joined the slowly swelling ranks of manufacturers offering Ultra HD Blu-ray players.

The new player on the market is the LG UP970, with LG choosing to focus on the player's (soon to be added with a software udpate) support for Dolby Vision HDR video.

HDR is increasingly seen as every bit as crucial as 4K resolution when it comes to progressing picture quality, and there are, somewhat confusingly, various versions of HDR available.

The LG UP970 will support HDR10, which is the most common form, as well as Dolby Vision, the version found in Dolby Cinemas around the world, as well as on some AV products and video content.

In fact, LG and Dolby have confirmed the first Ultra HD Blu-ray discs with Dolby Vision HDR imaging will be released in early 2017. Netflix, for example, already offers some Dolby Vision video.

Aside from 4K disc and HDR support, the player supports 10-bit color, Rec.2020/BT.2020 color gamut and HEVC video, plus Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

There are two HDMI outputs, one 1.4 for audio and one HDMI 2.0a video, plus Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity and a USB input.

As for the all-important price and release date information? We await confirmation.

The LG player follows the launch of the Sony UBP-X800 4K Blu-ray player and three new Panasonic 4K players.

MORE: HDR video explained

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Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff and The Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).