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Ultra HD Blu-ray specification now complete, logo unveiled

The Blu-ray Disc Association today announced it has finalized what could be the last major disc-based movie format: Ultra HD Blu-ray.

Ty Pendlebury Editor
Ty Pendlebury is a journalism graduate of RMIT Melbourne, and has worked at CNET since 2006. He lives in New York City where he writes about streaming and home audio.
Expertise Ty has worked for radio, print, and online publications, and has been writing about home entertainment since 2004. He majored in Cinema Studies when studying at RMIT. He is an avid record collector and streaming music enthusiast. Credentials
  • Ty was nominated for Best New Journalist at the Australian IT Journalism awards, but he has only ever won one thing. As a youth, he was awarded a free session for the photography studio at a local supermarket.
Ty Pendlebury

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Blu-ray Disc Association

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has announced the Ultra HD Blu-ray (4K) specification is now complete and has also revealed the next-gen format's official logo.

The new disc format promises the incorporation of the latest video standards, and players will also be backward-compatible with existing Blu-ray discs.

The BDA says the format incorporates a 3,840x2,160-pixel resolution, expanded color range support, high dynamic range ( HDR) and high frame rate content (read 60fps). As well as the promise of up-to-date video, UHD Blu-ray will also support "next-generation immersive, object-based sound formats."

The BDA has yet to expand on which specific standards will be supported as for each of these features there are a number of competing options: for example there are two object-based sound formats -- DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. However, a spokesperson for the BDA said that specific audio support is optional and not mandatory so "if it's on the disc it's passed through".

In addition UHD Blu-ray will bring with it the Ultraviolet-like "digital bridge" feature that will allow consumers to "view their content across the range of in-home and mobile devices."

The association has announced it will begin licensing Ultra HD Blu-ray products this summer.

Panasonic was the first company to announce a prototype Ultra HD Blu-ray player at this year's CES, and consumers can expect to see players hit the market by the end of 2015.

Update, 3:12 p.m. ET Added information from the BDA about DTS:X and Dolby Atmos support