Priming the 4K Pump

While most programmers are taking a wait-and-see approach to 4K, TV makers are working on ways to supply Ultra HD content that can take full advantage of the pricey sets they’re trying to sell to consumers.

Sony is trying to fill that initial content gap with the FMP-X1, a media player that will come pre-loaded with 10 movies in the 4K format, including The Amazing Spider-Man and Total Recall 2012. Sony hasn’t announced a release date (“coming soon,” it said), but the player will set consumers back $699.99.

Sony will offer additional titles to the device via broadband and try to keep bandwidth requirements low by leaning on proprietary compression encoding technology developed by Eye IO, a company that also counts Netflix among its prime customers.