Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems HD621 with 4K and 8K

Hi folks,

I need to add an HD621 to my G61RSL. I am aware of the arrival of 4K and 8K televisions and wrote to M enquiring if the HD621 does or will support HDMI v2.0. Here is the response I received.
Looking at the wealth of information on Wikipedia I can see that:

• A 4K receiver running at 60 FPS needs MPEG 2.0
  
• 1536kHz audio needs MPEG 2.0
  
• There are a number of additional features that demand MPEG 2.0
  

It is highly likely that any replacement TV I buy will be 4K but I am told by M that the HD621 does not support it. The use of the word "officially" implying there is performance without stating as much is not sufficient information upon which to base a decision.

Can anyone throw more light on this matter or possibly suggest an alternative way forward? For example is there another manufacturer of audio processors with the appropriate capability?

Best wishes,
Mephistopheles

Hi,

There has been some discussions the HD621 and 4K on the board.
Try a forum Google Search for "HD621 4K".

This is one thread I found HD621 Does it support 4K

Regards,
Carl

Surely the 4K source you buy will have two HDMI outputs, in which case you would feed the audio one at a lower resolution to your HD621.

Also, how much 4K material do you expect to be available?

Hello,
Thanks for the reply. I accept that a source might have two outputs. My current HUMAX Freesat does not.

A principle capability of the HD621 seems to be splitting audio and video without further action from the owner. Synchronisation is achieved as part of this process so one would be relying on the possibly less capable source for this.

I fully accept that 4K material is not yet available and given the transmission problems, on satellite, may not be for some time on satellite.

However 4K OLED screens are quite stunning and, purely in my own opinion, do have a future.

I am trying to work out a forward progression path that will not leave me disgarding equipment after a couple of years.

Mephisto

The only problem I'm seeing is that you will have to switch to the 4K input on your display device, rather than having the HD621 switch for you.

I can't see 4K going mainstream, the broadcasters barely allocate enough bandwidth to 1080i transmission as it is (ITV, Sky).

Buy a good 4k capable video scaler, e.g. Lumagen would be my advice. That will allow separation of the audio and video paths with its 2 HDMI outputs and also allow the optimal delivery to your 4k display of 1080p material which will be around for a long, long time yet. IMHO

A Lumagen would be sensible, especially as at least 50% of broadcast material will be SD for a long while yet and most pre-recorded content will be 1080p at best for an equivalent amount of time.

I know of a couple of folks on other forums who had high-end pre/pros that weren't capable of taking HDMI inputs for BR audio. Foolishly they dumped them for cheaper ones that were. It then transpires that most of their watching/listening was of material not from BR at all and they find themselves selling the interim devices anyway because their handling of inferior sources was atrocious.

Thanks Cliff and Mudge,

I can see that a Lumagen unit would do the job and is a perfectly sensible way forward. I shall study their offerings and eBay as well since they do not appear to be at the bottom end of the market.

My main objective in writing was to stimulate comment from Meridian officianados regarding what one can do with an HD621.

I had in mind :

• An explanation of what the word "officially" means in the original reply from Meridian which I quoted or
• Patches and fixes from whatever source.
  
• Inside information on a new version of the HD621 or its firmware.

All the best,
Mephistopheles

From the look of things 4K died in the starting line before even reaching the finish line.

HD TV still in 720p which is going to stay there for a long time.

I have not been following up on the 4k stuff, but this 100GB 4K Blu-ray Outed Ahead Of Official BDA Announcement
was posted a couple of days back.

So I think 4k is looking promising. Mind you, they need to get 1080 right first. But looks like 4k will have to meet certain criteria, no good just dumping a dodgy transfer on a disc.

I think the key point here is that if that whatever becomes of the 4k bandwagon, the HD621 is unlikely to become redundant as there are options to take it out of the 4k video chain (if indeed required).

May be another story if you want HDMI 2 and more than 7.1 audio

Based on what information? Cinema is already 4K. 4K consumer displays are already here. 4k sources are now starting to arrive. Sky is already prototyping 4k for broadcast so that won't be far behind.

4K is going to happen.