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Comparison of 8K UHDTV, 4K UHDTV, HDTV and SDTV resolution
Diagram of the CIE 1931 color space that shows the Rec. 2020 (UHDTV) color space in the outer triangle and Rec. 709 (HDTV) color space in the inner triangle. Both Rec. 2020 and Rec. 709 use Illuminant D65 for the white point.

Ultra-high-definition television (also known as Ultra HD television, Ultra HD, UHDTV, UHD and Super Hi-Vision) today includes 4K UHD and 8K UHD, which are two digital video formats with an aspect ratio of 16:9. These were first proposed by NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories and later defined and approved by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).[a]

The Consumer Electronics Association announced on October 17, 2012, that "Ultra High Definition", or "Ultra HD", would be used for displays that have an aspect ratio of 16:9 or wider and at least one digital input capable of carrying and presenting native video at a minimum resolution of 3840 × 2160.[5][6] In 2015, the Ultra HD Forum was created to bring together the end-to-end video production ecosystem to ensure interoperability and produce industry guidelines so that adoption of ultra-high-definition television could accelerate. From just 30 in Q3 2015, the forum published a list up to 55 commercial services available around the world offering 4K resolution.[7]

The "UHD Alliance", an industry consortium of content creators, distributors, and hardware manufacturers, announced during a Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2016 press conference its "Ultra HD Premium" specification, which defines resolution, bit depth, color gamut, high dynamic range (HDR) performance required for Ultra HD (UHDTV) content and displays to carry their Ultra HD Premium logo.[b]

Alternative terms

[edit]

Ultra-high-definition television is also known as Ultra HD, UHD, UHDTV, and 4K.[13][14][15][16][17] In Japan, 8K UHDTV will be known as Super Hi-Vision since Hi-Vision was the term used in Japan for HDTV.[18][19] In the consumer electronics market companies had previously only used the term 4K at the 2012 CES but that had changed to "Ultra HD" during CES 2013.[16][17] "Ultra HD" was selected by the Consumer Electronics Association after extensive consumer research, as the term has also been established with the introduction of "Ultra HD Blu-ray".[20]

Technical details

[edit]
Super Hi-Vision/8K Specifications [18][19][21][22]
Number of pixels7680×4320
Aspect ratio16:9
Viewing distance0.75 H
Viewing angle100°
ColorimetryRec. 2020
Frame rate120 Hz progressive
Bit depth12 bits per channel (RGB)
Audio system22.2 surround sound
Sampling rate48/96 kHz
Audio bit depth16/20/24 bits
Number of audio channels24 ch
Upper layer9 ch
Middle layer10 ch
Lower layer3 ch
LFE2 ch
Uncompressed video bit rate144 Gbit/s
See also: Rec. 2020 and DisplayPort: DisplayID

Resolution

[edit]

Two resolutions are defined as UHDTV:[13][14][15]

  • UHDTV-1 is 3840 pixels wide by 2160 pixels tall (8.3 megapixels), which is four times as many pixels as the 1920 × 1080 (2.07 megapixels) of 1080p HDTV (full HDTV).
    • Also known as 2160p, and 4K UHD. Although roughly similar in resolution to 4K digital cinema formats, it should not be confused with other 4K resolutions such as the 4096 × 2160 DCI 4K/Cinema 4K. The total number of pixels of RGB stripe type is 8.3 megapixels.
  • UHDTV-2 is 7680 pixels wide by 4320 pixels tall (33.18 megapixels), also referred to as 4320p and 8K UHD, which is sixteen times as many pixels as 1080p HDTV, which brings it closer to the detail level of 15/70 mm IMAX.[14][23][24] NHK advertises the 8K UHDTV format with 22.2 surround sound as Super Hi-Vision, which can be broadcast with H.264 codecs.[25]

Color space, dynamic range, frame rate and resolution/aliasing

[edit]

The human visual system has a limited ability to discern improvements in resolution when picture elements are already small enough or distant enough from the viewer. At some home viewing distances and up to 60-70" TV sizes, HD resolution is near the limits of resolution for the eye and increasing resolution to 4K has little perceptual impact, if consumers are beyond the critical distance (Lechner distance) to appreciate the differences in pixel count between 4K and HD. One exception is that even if resolution surpasses the resolving ability of the human eye, there is still an improvement in the way the image appears due to higher resolutions reducing spatial aliasing.

UHDTV provides other image enhancements in addition to pixel density. Specifically, dynamic range and color are greatly enhanced, and these impact saturation and contrast differences that are readily resolved greatly improve the experience of 4KTV compared to HDTV. UHDTV allows the use of the Rec. 2020 (UHDTV) color space which can reproduce colors that cannot be shown with the Rec. 709 (HDTV) color space.[18]

In terms of CIE 1931 color space, the Rec. 2020 color space covers 75.8%, compared to coverage by the DCI-P3 digital cinema reference projector color space of just 53.6%, 52.1% by Adobe RGB color space, while the Rec. 709 color space covers only 35.9%.[18] UHDTV's increases in dynamic range allow not only brighter highlights but also increased detail in the greyscale. UHDTV also allows for frame rates up to 120 frames per second (fps).[15][26]

UHDTV potentially allows Rec. 2020, higher dynamic range, and higher frame rates to work on HD services without increasing resolution to 4K, providing improved quality without as high of an increase in bandwidth demand.

History

[edit]

In 1986, Sony introduced a smectic light valve LCD laser projector that could display high resolutions up to 8K resolution (8000×10,000).[27] In 1995, NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories began research and development on a Super Hi-Vision UHDTV system as a successor to their Hi-Vision HDTV system.[28] In 2000, JVC introduced the first 4K resolution video projector, a D-ILA digital cinema projector.[29] In 2001, the first LCD displays capable of displaying 4K content were the IBM T220/T221 LCD monitors for computers.

2003–2005

[edit]
Prototype camera head (2006)
Prototype camera head (2009)

NHK, JVC and Ikegami Tsushinki researchers built an early UHDTV prototype, Super Hi‑Vision, which they demonstrated in January 2003.[30] They used an array of 16 HDTV recorders with a total capacity of almost 3.5 TB that could capture up to 18 minutes of test footage.[30] The camera itself was built with four 2.5-inch (64 mm) CCD image sensors, each with a resolution of 3840 × 2048 (4K resolution).[30] Using two CCDs for green and one each for red and blue, they then used a spatial pixel offset method to bring it to 7680 × 4320 (8K resolution).[30][c]

Subsequently, NHK built an improved and more compact system using CMOS image sensor technology[31] and the CMOS image sensor system was demonstrated at Expo 2005, Aichi, Japan, the NAB 2006 and NAB 2007 conferences, Las Vegas, at IBC 2006 and IBC 2008,[32] Amsterdam, Netherlands, and CES 2009. A review of the NAB 2006 demo was published in a broadcast engineering e-newsletter.[33] Individuals at NHK and elsewhere projected that the timeframe for UHDTV to be available in domestic homes varied between 2015 and 2020 but Japan was to get it in the 2016 time frame.[34]

2006–2010

[edit]

On November 2, 2006, NHK demonstrated a live relay of a UHDTV program over a 260 kilometer distance by a fiber-optic network.[35] Using dense wavelength division multiplex (DWDM), 24 Gbit/s speed was achieved with a total of 16 different wavelength signals.[35]

On December 31, 2006, NHK demonstrated a live relay of their annual Kōhaku Uta Gassen over IP from Tokyo to a 450 in (11 m) screen in Osaka. Using a codec developed by NHK, the video was compressed from 24 Gbit/s to 180–600 Mbit/s and the audio was compressed from 28 Mbit/s to 7–28 Mbit/s.[36] Uncompressed, a 20-minute broadcast would require roughly 4 TB of storage.

The SMPTE first released Standard 2036 for UHDTV in 2007.[37] UHDTV was defined as having two levels, called UHDTV1 (3840 × 2160) and UHDTV2 (7680 × 4320).[37][38]

In May 2007, the NHK did an indoor demonstration at the NHK Open House in which a UHDTV signal (7680 × 4320 at 60 fps) was compressed to a 250 Mbit/s MPEG2 stream.[39] The signal was input to a 300 MHz wide band modulator and broadcast using a 500 MHz QPSK modulation.[39] This "on the air" transmission had a very limited range (less than 2 meters), but shows the feasibility of a satellite transmission in the 36,000 km orbit.[39]

In 2008, Aptina Imaging announced the introduction of a new CMOS image sensor specifically designed for the NHK UHDTV project.[40] During IBC 2008 Japan's NHK, Italy's RAI, BSkyB, Sony, Samsung, Panasonic Corporation, Sharp Corporation, and Toshiba (with various partners) demonstrated the first ever public live transmission of UHDTV, from London to the conference site in Amsterdam.[41][42]

On June 9, 2010, Panasonic announced that its professional plasma display lineup would include an 152-inch (3.9 m) plasma display with 4K resolution. At the time of announcement, it was the largest 4K display and the largest television.[43]

On September 29, 2010, the NHK partnered up and recorded The Charlatans live in the UK in the UHDTV format, before broadcasting over the internet to Japan.[44]

2011

[edit]

On May 19, 2011, Sharp in collaboration with NHK demonstrated a direct-view 85 in (220 cm) LCD display capable of 7680 × 4320 pixels at 10 bits per channel.[45] It was the first direct-view Super Hi-Vision-compatible display released.[46]

Before 2011, UHDTV allowed for frame rates of 24, 25, 50, and 60 fps.[38] In an ITU-R meeting during 2011, an additional frame rate was added to UHDTV of 120 fps.[47]

2012

[edit]

On February 23, 2012, NHK announced that with Shizuoka University they had developed an 8K sensor that can shoot video at 120 fps.[48][49][50]

In April 2012, Panasonic, in collaboration with NHK announced a 145 in (370 cm) display (7680 × 4320 at 60 fps), which has 33.2 million 0.417 mm square pixels.[51]

In April 2012, the four major South Korean terrestrial broadcasters (KBS, MBC, SBS, and EBS) announced that in the future, they would begin test broadcasts of UHDTV on channel 66 in Seoul.[52][53] At the time of the announcement, the UHDTV technical details had not yet been decided.[52][53] LG Electronics and Samsung are also involved in UHDTV test broadcasts.[53]

In May 2012, NHK showed the world's first ultra-high-definition shoulder-mount camera.[54] By reducing the size and weight of the camera, the portability had been improved, making it more maneuverable than previous prototypes, so it could be used in a wide variety of shooting situations.[54] The single-chip sensor uses a Bayer color-filter array, where only one color component is acquired per pixel.[54] Researchers at NHK also developed a high-quality up-converter, which estimates the other two color components to convert the output into full resolution video.[54]

Also in May 2012, NHK showed the ultra-high-definition imaging system it has developed in conjunction with Shizuoka University, which outputs 33.2-megapixel video at 120 fps with a color depth of 12 bits per component.[55][56] As ultra-high-definition broadcasts at full resolution are designed for large, wall-sized displays, there is a possibility that fast-moving subjects may not be clear when shot at 60 fps, so the option of 120 fps has been standardized for these situations.[55] To handle the sensor output of approximately 4 billion pixels per second with a data rate as high as 51.2 Gbit/s, a faster analog-to-digital converter has been developed to process the data from the pixels, and then a high-speed output circuit distributes the resulting digital signals into 96 parallel channels.[55] This 1.5 in (38 mm) CMOS sensor is smaller and uses less power when compared to conventional ultra-high-definition sensors, and it is also the world's first to support the full specifications of the ultra-high-definition standard.[55]

During the 2012 Summer Olympics in Great Britain, the format was publicly showcased by the world's largest broadcaster, the BBC,[57] which set up 15-meter-wide screens in London, Glasgow, and Bradford to allow viewers to see the Games in ultra-high definition.[58][59]

On May 31, 2012,[60] Sony released the VPL-VW1000ES 4K 3D Projector,[61] the world's first consumer-prosumer projector using the 4K UHDTV system, with the shutter-glasses stereoscopic 3D technology priced at US$24,999.99.[62][63]

On August 22, 2012, LG announced the world's first 3D UHDTV using the 4K system.[64]

On August 23, 2012, UHDTV was officially approved as a standard by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), standardizing both 4K and 8K resolutions for the format in ITU-R Recommendation BT.2020.[26][65]

On September 15, 2012, David Wood, Deputy Director of the EBU Technology and Development Department (who chairs the ITU working group that created Rec. 2020), told The Hollywood Reporter that South Korea plans to begin test broadcasts of 4K UHDTV next year.[66][67][68] Wood also said that many broadcasters have the opinion that going from HDTV to 8K UHDTV is too much of a leap and that it would be better to start with 4K UHDTV.[66] In the same article, Masakazu Iwaki, NHK Research senior manager, said that the NHK plan to go with 8K UHDTV is for economic reasons since directly going to 8K UHDTV would avoid an additional transition from 4K UHDTV to 8K UHDTV.[66]

On October 18, 2012, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced that it had been unanimously agreed by the CEA's Board of Industry Leaders that the term "Ultra High-Definition", or "Ultra HD", would be used for displays that have a resolution of at least 8 megapixels with a vertical resolution of at least 2,160 pixels and a horizontal resolution of at least 3,840 pixels.[69][70][71][72] The Ultra HD label also requires the display to have an aspect ratio of 16:9 or wider and to have at least one digital input that can carry and present a native video signal of 3840 × 2160 without having to rely on a video scaler.[69][70][71][72] Sony announced they would market their 4K products as 4K Ultra High-Definition (4K UHD).[73]

On October 23, 2012, Ortus Technology Co., Ltd announced the development of the world's smallest 3840 × 2160 pixel LCD panel with a size of 9.6 in (24 cm) and a pixel density of 458 px/in.[74][75][76] The LCD panel is designed for medical equipment and professional video equipment.[74][75][76]

On October 25, 2012, LG Electronics began selling the first flat panel Ultra HD display in the United States with a resolution of 3840 × 2160.[77][78][79] The LG 84LM9600 is an 84 in (210 cm) flat panel LED-backlit LCD display with a price of US$19,999 though the retail store was selling it for US$16,999.[77][78][79]

On November 29, 2012, Sony announced the 4K Ultra HD Video Player—a hard disk server preloaded with ten 4K movies and several 4K video clips that they planned to include with the Sony XBR-84X900.[80][81][82] The preloaded 4K movies are The Amazing Spider-Man, Total Recall (2012), The Karate Kid (2010), Salt, Battle: Los Angeles, The Other Guys, Bad Teacher, That's My Boy, Taxi Driver, and The Bridge on the River Kwai.[80][81][82] Additional 4K movies and 4K video clips will be offered for the 4K Ultra HD Video Player in the future.[80][81][82]

On November 30, 2012, Red Digital Cinema Camera Company announced that they were taking pre-orders for the US$1,450 REDRAY 4K Cinema Player, which can output 4K resolution to a single 4K display or to four 1080p displays arranged in any configuration via four HDMI 1.4 connections.[83][84] Video output can be DCI 4K (4096 × 2160), 4K Ultra HD, 1080p, and 720p at frame rates of up to 60 fps with a color depth of up to 12 bpc with 4:2:2 chroma subsampling.[83] Audio output can be up to 7.1 channels.[83] Content is distributed online using the ODEMAX video service.[83] External storage can be connected using eSATA, Ethernet, USB, or a Secure Digital memory card.[83]

2013

[edit]

On January 6, 2013, the NHK announced that Super Hi-Vision satellite broadcasts could begin in Japan in 2016.[85]

On January 7, 2013, Eutelsat announced the first dedicated 4K Ultra HD channel.[86][87][88][89] Ateme uplinks the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC channel to the Eutelsat 10A satellite.[86][87][88][89] The 4K Ultra HD channel has a frame rate of 50 fps and is encoded at 40 Mbit/s.[86][87][88][89] The channel started transmission on January 8, 2013.[86][87][88][89] On the same day Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs announced that mobile devices capable of playing and recording 4K Ultra HD video would be released in 2013[needs update] using the Snapdragon 800 chip.[90][91][92]

On January 8, 2013, Broadcom announced the BCM7445, an Ultra HD decoding chip capable of decoding High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) at up to 4096 × 2160 at 60 fps.[93][94][95][96] The BCM7445 is a 28 nm ARM architecture chip capable of 21,000 Dhrystone MIPS with volume production estimated for the middle of 2014.[93][94][95][96] On the same day THX announced the "THX 4K Certification" program for Ultra HD displays.[97][98][99] The certification involves up to 600 tests and the goal of the program is so that "content viewed on a THX Certified Ultra HD display meets the most exacting video standards achievable in a consumer television today".[97][98][99]

On January 14, 2013, Blu-ray Disc Association president Andy Parsons stated that a task force created three months ago is studying an extension to the Blu-ray Disc specification that would add support for 4K Ultra HD video.[100][101]

On January 25, 2013, the BBC announced that the BBC Natural History Unit would produce Survival—the first wildlife TV series recorded in 4K resolution. This was announced after the BBC had experimented with 8K during the London Olympics.[102][103]

On January 27, 2013, Asahi Shimbun reported that 4K Ultra HD satellite broadcasts would start in Japan with the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[103][104][105] Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications decided on this move to stimulate demand for 4K Ultra HD TVs.[103][104][105]

On February 21, 2013, Sony announced that the PlayStation 4 would support 4K resolution output for photos and videos but wouldn't render games at that resolution.[106][107]

On March 26, 2013, the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) announced a call for proposals for the ATSC 3.0 physical layer that specifies support for 3840 × 2160 resolution at 60 fps.[108][109][110][111]

On April 11, 2013, Bulb TV created by Canadian entrepreneur Evan Kosiner announced a 4K linear channel and VOD content to cable and satellite companies in North America.[112][113][114][115] The channel planned to be licensed by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission to provide educational content.[116]

On April 19, 2013, SES announced the first Ultra HD transmission using the HEVC standard.[117][118][119] The transmission had a resolution of 3840 × 2160 and a bit rate of 20 Mbit/s.[117][118][119]

On May 9, 2013, NHK and Mitsubishi Electric announced that they had jointly developed the first HEVC encoder for 8K Ultra HD TV, which is also called Super Hi-Vision (SHV).[120][121][122][123] The HEVC encoder supports the Main 10 profile at Level 6.1 allowing it to encode 10 bpc video with a resolution of 7680 × 4320 at 60 fps.[120][121][122][123] The HEVC encoder has 17 3G-SDI inputs and uses 17 boards for parallel processing with each board encoding a row of 7680 × 256 pixels to allow for real time video encoding.[120][121][122][123] The HEVC encoder is compliant with draft 4 of the HEVC standard and has a maximum bit rate of 340 Mbit/s.[124] The HEVC encoder was shown at the NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories Open House 2013 that took place from May 30 to June 2.[120][122][125] At the NHK Open House 2013 the HEVC encoder used a bit rate of 85 Mbit/s, which gives a compression ratio of 350∶1.[126][127]

On May 21, 2013, Microsoft announced the Xbox One, which supports 4K resolution (3840 × 2160) video output and 7.1 surround sound.[128][129][130] Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of marketing and strategy for Microsoft, has stated that there is no hardware restriction that would prevent Xbox One games from running at 4K resolution.[129]

On May 30, 2013, Eye IO announced that their encoding technology was licensed by Sony Pictures Entertainment to deliver 4K Ultra HD video.[131][132] Eye IO encodes their video assets at 3840 × 2160 and includes support for the xvYCC color space.[131][132]

In mid-2013, a Chinese television manufacturer produced the first 50-inch UHD television set costing less than $1,000.[133]

On June 11, 2013, Comcast announced that they had demonstrated the first public U.S.-based delivery of 4K Ultra HD video at the 2013 NCTA show.[134][135] The demonstration included segments from Oblivion, Defiance, and nature content sent over a DOCSIS 3.0 network.[135]

On June 13, 2013, ESPN announced that they would end the broadcast of the ESPN 3D channel by the end of that year and would "...experiment with things like UHDTV."[136]

On June 26, 2013, Sharp announced the LC-70UD1U, which is a 70 in (180 cm) 4K Ultra HD TV.[137][138] The LC-70UD1U is the world's first TV with THX 4K certification.[137][138]

On July 2, 2013, Jimmy Kimmel Live! recorded in 4K Ultra HD a performance by musical guest Karmin, and the video clip was used as demonstration material at Sony stores.[139]

On July 3, 2013, Sony announced the release of their 4K Ultra HD Media Player with a price of US$7.99 for rentals and US$29.99 for purchases.[140][141] The 4K Ultra HD Media Player only worked with Sony's 4K Ultra HD TVs.[141]

On July 15, 2013, the CTA published CTA-861-F, a standard that applies to interfaces such as DVI, HDMI, and LVDS.[142] The CTA-861-F standard adds support for several Ultra HD video formats and additional color spaces.[142]

On September 2, 2013 Acer announced the first smartphone, dubbed Liquid S2, capable of recording 4K video.[143]

On September 4, 2013, the HDMI Forum released the HDMI 2.0 specification, which supports 4K resolution at 60 fps.[144] On the same day, Panasonic announced the Panasonic TC-L65WT600—the first 4K TV to support 4K resolution at 60 FPS.[145][146] The Panasonic TC-L65WT600 has a 65 in (170 cm) screen, support for DisplayPort 1.2a, support for HDMI 2.0, an expected ship date of October, and a suggested retail price of US$5,999.[145][146]

On September 12–17, 2013,[147] at the 2013 IBC Conference in Amsterdam, Nagra introduced an Ultra HD User Interface called Project Ultra based on HTML5, which works with OpenTV 5.[148]

On October 4, 2013, DigitalEurope announced the requirements for their UHD logo in Europe.[149] The DigitalEurope UHD logo requires that the display support a resolution of at least 3840 × 2160, a 16∶9 aspect ratio, the Rec. 709 (HDTV) color space, 8 bpc color depth, a frame rate of 24, 25, 30, 50, or 60 fps, and at least 2-channel audio.[149]

On October 29, 2013, Elemental Technologies announced support for real-time 4K Ultra HD HEVC video processing. Elemental provided live video streaming of the 2013 Osaka Marathon on October 27, 2013, in a workflow designed by K-Opticom, a telecommunications operator in Japan. Live coverage of the race in 4K Ultra HD was available to viewers at the International Exhibition Center in Osaka. This transmission of 4K Ultra HD HEVC video in real-time was an industry-first.[150]

On November 28, 2013, Organizing Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi chief Dmitri Chernyshenko stated that the 2014 Olympic Winter Games would be shot in 8K Super Hi-Vision.[151]

On December 25, 2013, YouTube added a "2160p 4K" option to its videoplayer. Previously, a visitor had to select the "original" setting in the video quality menu to watch a video in 4K resolution. With the new setting, YouTube users can much more easily identify and play 4K videos.[152]

On December 30, 2013, Samsung announced availability of its 110 in (280 cm) Ultra HDTV for custom orders, making this the world's largest Ultra HDTV so far.[153]

2014

[edit]

On January 22, 2014, European Southern Observatory became the first scientific organization to deliver Ultra HD footage at regular intervals.[154]

On May 6, 2014, France announced[155] DVB-T2 tests in Paris for Ultra HD HEVC broadcast with objectives to replace by 2020 the current DVB-T MPEG4 HD national broadcast.

On May 26, 2014, satellite operator Eutelsat announced[156] the launch of Europe's first Ultra HD demo channel in HEVC, broadcasting at 50 fps. The channel is available on the Hot Bird satellites and can be watched by viewers with 4K TVs equipped with DVB-S2 demodulators and HEVC decoders.

In June 2014, the FIFA World Cup of that year (held in Brazil) became the first shot entirely in 4K Ultra HD, by Sony. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) broadcast matches of the FIFA World Cup to audiences in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia in Ultra HD via SES' NSS-7 and SES-6 satellites.[157] Indian satellite TV provider unveils its plan to launch 4K UHD service early in 2015 and showcased live FIFA World Cup quarter final match in 4K UHD through Sony Entertainment Television Sony SIX.[158]

On June 24, 2014, the CEA updated the guidelines for Ultra High-Definition and released guidelines for Connected Ultra High-Definition, adding support for internet video delivered with HEVC.[159][160] The CEA is developing a UHD logo for voluntary use by companies that make products that meet CEA guidelines.[159][160] The CEA also clarified that "Ultra High-Definition", "Ultra HD", or "UHD" can be used with other modifiers and gave an example with "Ultra High-Definition TV 4K".[159][160]

On July 15, 2014, Researchers from the University of Essex both captured and delivered its graduation ceremonies in 4K UHDTV over the internet using H.264 in realtime.[161][162] The 4K video stream was published at 8 Mbit/s and 14 Mbit/s for all its 11 ceremonies, with people viewing in from countries such as Cyprus, Bulgaria, Germany, Australia, UK, and others.

On September 4, 2014, Canon Inc. announced that a firmware upgrade would add Rec. 2020 color space support to their EOS C500 and EOS C500 PL camera models and their DP-V3010 4K display.[163][164]

On September 4, 2014, Microsoft announced a firmware update for the Microsoft Lumia 1020, 930, Icon, and 1520 phones that adds 4K video recording. The update was later released by the individual phone carriers over the following weeks and months after the announcement.[165]

On September 5, 2014, the Blu-ray Disc Association announced that the 4K Blu-ray Disc specification supports 4K video at 60 fps, High Efficiency Video Coding, the Rec. 2020 color space, high dynamic range, and 10 bpc color depth.[166][167] 4K Blu-ray Disc will have a data rate of at least 50 Mbit/s and may include support for 66 GB and 100 GB discs.[166][167] 4K Blu-ray Disc began licensing in 2015, with 4K Blu-ray Disc players released late that year.[166][167]

On September 5, 2014, DigitalEurope released an Ultra HD logo for companies that meet their technical requirements.[168][169][170]

On September 11, 2014, satellite operator SES announced the first Ultra HD conditional access-protected broadcast using DVB standards at the IBC show in Amsterdam. The demonstration used a Samsung Ultra HD TV, with a standard Kudelski SmarDTV CI Plus conditional access module, to decrypt a full 3840 × 2160 pixel CAS-protected Ultra HD signal in HEVC broadcast via an SES Astra satellite at 19.2°E.[171]

On November 19, 2014, rock band Linkin Park's concert at Berlin's O2 World Arena was broadcast live in Ultra HD via an Astra 19.2°E satellite. The broadcast was encoded in the UHD 4K standard with the HEVC codec (50 fps and a 10 bpc color depth), and was a joint enterprise of satellite owner SES, SES Platform Services (later MX1, now part of SES Video) and Samsung.[172]

2015

[edit]

Indian satellite pay TV provider Tata Sky launched UHD service and UHD Set Top Box on 9 January 2015. The service is 4K at 50 fps and price of the UHD box is ₹5900 for existing SD/HD customers and ₹6400 for new customers. The 2015 Cricket World Cup was telecast live in 4K for free to those who own Tata Sky's UHD 4K STB.

In May 2015, France Télévisions broadcast matches from Roland Garros live in Ultra HD via the EUTELSAT 5 West A satellite in the HEVC standard. The channel "France TV Sport Ultra HD" was available via the Fransat platform for viewers in France.[173]

In May 2015, satellite operator SES announced that Europe's first free-to-air Ultra HD channel (from Germany's pearl.tv shopping channel) would launch in September 2015, broadcast in native Ultra HD via the Astra 19.2°E satellite position.[174]

In June 2015, SES launched its first Ultra HD demonstration channel for cable operators and content distributors in North America to prepare their systems and test their networks for Ultra HD delivery. The channel is broadcast from the SES-3 satellite at 103°W.[175]

In June 2015, SPI International previewed its "4K FunBox UHD" Ultra HD channel on the HOT BIRD 4K1 channel, in advance of its commercial launch on Eutelsat's HOT BIRD satellites in the autumn.[176]

In July 2015, German HD satellite broadcaster HD+ and TV equipment manufacturer TechniSat announced an Ultra HD TV set with integrated decryption for reception of existing HD+ channels (available in the Autumn) and a new Ultra HD demonstration channel due to begin broadcasting in September.[177]

On 2 August 2015, The FA Community Shield in England was broadcast in Ultra HD by broadcast company BT Sport, becoming the first live football game shown in Ultra HD on the world's first commercial Ultra HD channel. The match was shown on Europe's first Ultra HD channel, BT Sport Ultra HD where selected live English Premier League and European Champions League matches were broadcast.[178]

Fashion One 4K launched on September 2, 2015 becoming the first global Ultra HD TV channel. Reaching nearly 370 million households across the world, the fashion, lifestyle and entertainment network broadcasts via satellite from Measat at 91.5°E (for Asia Pacific, Middle East, Australia) and from SES satellites Astra 19.2°E (for Europe), SES-3 at 103°W (for North America), NSS-806 at 47.5°W (for South America).[179]

In September 2015, Eutelsat presented new consumer research, conducted by TNS and GfK, on Ultra HD and screen sales in key TV markets. The study looked at consumer exposure to Ultra HD, perceived benefits and willingness to invest in equipment and content. GfK predicts a 200% increase in Ultra HD screen sales from June to December 2015, with sales expected to reach five million by the end of the year. GfK also forecasts that Ultra HD screens in 2020 will represent more than 70% of total sales across Europe and almost 60% in the Middle East and North Africa.[180]

On 2 September 2015, Sony unveiled the Xperia Z5 Premium; the first smartphone with a 4K display.[181]

On 9 September 2015, Apple Inc. announced that their new smartphone the iPhone 6S could record video in 4K.[182]

On 6 October 2015, Microsoft unveiled the latest version of their Microsoft Surface Book laptop with a display of "over 6 million pixels" and their new phones the Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950 XL, which, aside from 4K video recording that their predecessors included, feature a display of "over 5 million pixels".[183]

On 8 December 2015, the ceremony of the opening of the Holy Door in Vatican City, which marked the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy in the Roman Catholic church, was the first worldwide Ultra HD broadcast via satellite.[184] The event was produced by the Vatican Television Center with the support of Eutelsat, Sony, Globecast and DBW Communication. The team did some advanced experimentation with 4K/High Dynamic Range live images and in particular using technology developed by the BBC's R&D division and Japan's public broadcaster NHK in terms of Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) signals.[185]

2016

[edit]

The "UHD Alliance", an industry consortium of content creators, distributors, and hardware manufacturers, announced Monday on January 11, 2016 during CES 2016 press conference its "Ultra HD Premium" specification, which defines resolution, bit depth, color gamut, high dynamic range (HDR) performance required for Ultra HD (UHDTV) content and displays to carry their Ultra HD Premium logo.[8][9][10][11][12]

On April 2, 2016, Ultra-high-definition television demo channel UHD1 broadcast the Le Corsaire ballet in Ultra HD live from the Vienna State Opera. The programme was produced by Astra satellite owner, SES in collaboration with European culture channel ARTE, and transmitted free-to-air, available to anyone with reception of the Astra 19.2°E satellites and an ultra HD screen equipped with an HEVC decoder.[186]

As of April 2016, The NPD Group reported that 6 million 4K UHD televisions had been sold.[187]

In May 2016, Modern Times Group, owner of the Viasat DTH platform announced the launch of Viasat Ultra HD, the first UHD channel for the Nordic region. The channel features selected live sport events especially produced in Ultra HD and launch in the autumn via the SES-5 satellite at 5°E. Viasat is also launching an Ultra HD set-top box from Samsung and a TV-module that enables existing UHD TVs to display the channel.[188] Satellite operator, SES said that the launch of Viasat Ultra HD brings the number of UHD channels (including test channels and regional versions) carried on SES satellites to 24, or 46% of all UHD channels broadcast via satellite worldwide.[189] In August 2016, Sky announced that 4K broadcasts would begin via their new Sky Q 2TB box. The opening match of the 2016–17 Premier League between Hull City and Leicester City on Sky Sports was the first 4K transmission.[190]

2017

[edit]

On 29 September 2017, BSAT-4a, dedicated for UHDTV programming and was also claimed "the world's first 8K satellite", was launched from the Guiana Space Centre aboard Ariane 5 rocket. BSAT-4a would be used for 2020 Summer Olympics held in Japan.[191]

Additionally, in September 2017, Kaleidescape, a manufacturer of home-theater movie players and servers made 4K UHD movies compatible with their movie store, and with their movie players.[192]

In December 2017, Qualcomm announced that their Snapdragon 845 chipset and Spectra 280 Image Signal Processor would be the first phone SoC to record video in UHD Premium.[193]

2018

[edit]

In April 2018, RTL started broadcasting its own UHD channel in Germany. First available at Astra 19.2°E, the Channel shows UHD productions, Formula 1, Football and Deutschland sucht den Superstar.

Satellite operator SES broadcast an 8K television signal via its satellite system for the first time in May 2018. The 8K demonstration content, with a resolution of 7680 × 4320 pixels, a frame rate of 60 fps, and 10 bpc color depth, was encoded in HEVC and transmitted at a rate of 80 Mbit/s via the Astra 3B satellite during SES's Industry Days conference in Luxembourg.[194]

In June 2018, fuboTV broadcast the 2018 FIFA World Cup live in 4K and HDR10 becoming the first OTT streaming service to do so.[195] Quarter, Semi and Final matches were available on many popular streaming devices including Apple TV, Chromecast Ultra, Fire TV, Roku and Android TVs. Content was streamed at 60 frames per second using HLS and DASH. Video was sent in fragmented MP4 containers delivering HEVC encoded video.

On December 1, 2018, NHK launched BS8K, a broadcast channel transmitting at 8K resolution.[196][197][198]

2019

[edit]

In February 25, 2019 at the event of 2019 Mobile World Congress, Sony announced the Xperia 1, the first smartphone featuring a ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio 4K HDR OLED display (with a resolution of 3840 × 1644), which would be released on May 30, 2019.[199]

In May 2019, for the first time in Europe, 8K demonstration content was received via satellite without the need for a separate external receiver or decoder. At the 2019 SES Industry Days conference at Betzdorf, Luxembourg broadcast quality 8K content (with a resolution of 7680 × 4320 pixels at 50 fps) was encoded using a Spin Digital HEVC encoder (at a bit rate of 70 Mbit/s), uplinked to a single 33 MHz transponder on SES' Astra 28.2°E satellites and the downlink received and displayed on a Samsung 82 in (210 cm) Q950RB production model TV.[200]

List of 4K television channels

[edit]

Global

[edit]

Africa

[edit]
  • EBS 4K (Ethiopia)
  • Nahoo sports+ UHD (Ethiopia)
  • Nahoo sports+2 UHD (Ethiopia)
  • ETV sports UHD (Ethiopia)
  • Kana TV 4K (Ethiopia)
  • on Time sports HD (Egypt)

Americas

[edit]

Asia

[edit]

Europe

[edit]

Oceania

[edit]
  • Foxtel Movies Ultra HD (Australia)
  • Fox Sports Ultra HD (Australia)[218]

List of 8K television channels

[edit]

Field trials of UHDTV over DTT networks

[edit]

Field trials using existing digital terrestrial television (DTT) transmitters have included the following.[222]

Type Country / Region Transmitter site Covering ERP DTT system Channel bandwidth Transmission mode Multiplex capacity Signal bit rate Video encoding standard Picture standard Audio encoding standard Center frequency
8K‑UHD Japan[223] NHK Hitoyoshi Station Hitoyoshi Area, Kumamoto Prefecture 140 W (H)
135 W (V) 		ISDB-T 6 MHz 32k
GI=1/32, 4096QAM
FEC 3/4
dual-polarized MIMO 		91.8 Mbit/s 91.0 Mbit/s MPEG-4
AVC/H.264 		7680 × 4320p
59.94 frame/s
8 bit/px 		MPEG-4 AAC
384 kbit/s 		671 MHz
(Ch 46)
NHK Mizukami Station 25 W (H)
25 W (V) 		671 MHz
(Ch 46)
NHK STRL Building Tokyo 93 W (H)
93 W (V) 		581 MHz
(Ch 31)
8K-UHD South Korea Technical Research Institute Building of Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) Yeoeuido, Seoul 10 W (H)
10 W (V) 		– 6 MHz 2k
GI=1/16, 256QAM
FEC 3/4
dual-polarized MIMO 		50.475 Mbit/s
(Single band) 		50.0 Mbit/s
(Single band) 		HEVC – – 605 MHz & 623 MHz
(Ch 36 & Ch 39)
4K-UHD Australia [224] Gore Hill Sydney 50 kW DVB-T2 7 MHz 16k extended mode
GI=1/32, 256QAM32k
FEC 3/4, PP7 		38.63 Mbit/s Variable
(some trials at 35 Mbit/s) 		HEVC 3840 × 2160p MPEG-4 AAC 212.5 MHz
(Ch 10)
Kings Cross 650 W 536.5 MHz
(Ch 29)
North Head 1 kW 536.5 MHz
(Ch 29)
4K-UHD Brazil Mt. Sumaré Parts of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area 660 W (H)
660 W (V) 		ISDB-T 8 MHz 32k extended mode
GI=1/128, 64QAM
FEC5/6, PP7 		36.72 Mbit/s 35.0 Mbit/s HEVC 3840 × 2160p
50 frame/s
8 bit/px 		E-AC-3 5.1 754 MHz
(Ch 56 in Region 1)
4K-UHD South Korea Gwanaksan South Metropolitan area of Seoul 36.7 kW DVB-T2 6 MHz 32k extended mode
GI=1/16, PP4, 256 QAM
FEC 3/4, 4/5, 5/6 		< 35.0 Mbit/s Variable
(some trials at 25~34 Mbit/s) 		HEVC Main10
Level 5.1
Max 28 Mbit/s 		3840 × 2160p
60 frame/s
8 or 10 bit/px

MPEG-H 3D Audio[225]

761 MHz
(Ch 62)
12.9 kW 701 MHz
(Ch 52)
40.0 kW 707 MHz
(Ch 53)
Namsan Central area of Seoul 2.2 kW 761 MHz
(Ch 62)
Yongmunsan West Metropolitan area of Seoul 8.3 kW 707 MHz
(Ch 53)
4K-UHD France Eiffel Tower City of Paris 1 kW DVB-T2 8 MHz 32k extended mode
GI=1/128, 256QAM
FEC2/3, PP7 		40.2 Mbit/s Two programmes carried:
one at 22.5 Mbit/s,
one at 17.5 Mbit/s 		HEVC 3840 × 2160p
50 frame/s
8 bit/px 		HE-AAC 192 kbit/s 514 MHz
(Ch 26 in Region 1)
4K-UHD Spain ETSI Tele-comunicación Ciudad Universitaria Madrid 125 W DVB-T2 8 MHz 32k extended mode
GI=1/128, 64QAM
FEC5/6, PP7 		36.72 Mbit/s 35 Mbit/s
(other bit rates also tested) 		HEVC 3840 × 2160p
50 frame/s
8 bit/px 		E-AC-3 5.1 754 MHz
(Ch 56 in Region 1)
4K-UHD Sweden Stockholm Nacka City of Stockholm 35 kW DVB-T2 8 MHz 32k extended mode
GI=19/256, 256QAM
FEC3/5, PP4 		31.7 Mbit/s 24 Mbit/s HEVC 3840 × 2160p
29.97 frame/s
8 bit/px 		618 MHz
(Ch 39 in Region 1)
4K-UHD United Kingdom[226] Crystal Palace Greater London
(serving over 4.5 million households) 		39.8 kW DVB-T2 8 MHz 32k extended mode
GI=1/128, 256QAM
FEC 2/3, PP7 		40.2 Mbit/s Variable
(some trials at 35 Mbit/s) 		HEVC 3840 × 2160p
50 or 59.94 frame/s
8 bit/px (most) or 10 bit/px 		586 MHz
(Ch 35 in Region 1)
Winter Hill North-west England, including Manchester and Liverpool
(serving 2.7 million households) 		22.5 kW 602 MHz
(Ch 37 in Region 1)
Black Hill Central Scotland, including Glasgow and Edinburgh
(serving 1 million households) 		39 kW 586 MHz
(Ch 35 in Region 1)
4K-UHD Czech Republic[227] Žižkov Television Tower Prague – DVB-T2 8 MHz – – HEVC 3840 × 2160p – 706 MHz
(Ch 50 in Region 1)
4K-UHD Slovakia Kamzík Bratislava 5 kW DVB-T2 32k
256QAM, FEC 3/4 		36 Mbit/s HEVC 3840 × 2160p 184.5 MHz
(Ch 6)
4K-UHD China[228] Jiaxing TV Tower Jiaxing, Zhejiang 1 kW
Signal radius: 39 km 		DTMB-A 8 MHz 32k
2PN1024, 256APSK
FEC 2/3 		Unknown Unknown HEVC 3840 × 2160p
50 frame/s 		MPEG-4 AAC 562 MHz
(Ch 24)
4K-UHD Taishan Parts of Luzhong area
Signal radius: 130 km 		Unknown
(TPO: 1kW) 		DTMB-A 8 MHz Unknown Unknown Unknown
(some trials at 33.53 Mbit/s for one program) 		AVS2 3840 × 2160p
50 frame/s 		Unknown 778 MHz
(Ch 46)
4K-UHD Hong Kong[229] Temple Hill Kowloon and northern part of Hong Kong Island 1 kW DVB-T2 8 MHz 32k
GI=1/32, PP4, 256QAM
FEC 2/3 		Unknown 25.8 Mbit/s HEVC 3840 × 2160p
50 frame/s 		Unknown 602 MHz
(Ch 37)
Kowloon Peak 320 W
Golden Hill Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung 320 W
4K-UHD Temple Hill Kowloon and northern part of Hong Kong Island 1 kW DTMB-A 8 MHz 32k
2PN1024, 256APSK
FEC 2/3 		37.89 Mbit/s 25.5 Mbit/s HEVC 3840 × 2160p
50 frame/s 		Unknown 602 MHz
(Ch 37)
Kowloon Peak 320 W
Golden Hill Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung 320 W

Status of standardization of UHDTV

[edit]

Standards that deal with UHDTV include:

Standardization in ITU-R

[edit]

Standards approved in ITU-R:

  • Rec. ITU-R BT.1201-1 (2004)[230]
  • Rec. ITU-R BT.1769 (2006)[231]
  • Rec. ITU-R BT.2020 (2012, revised 2014)[26][232]
  • Rec. ITU-R BT.2035-0 (07/13) A reference viewing environment for evaluation of HDTV program material or completed programmes
  • Rec. ITU-R BS.2051-0 (02/14) Advanced sound system for programme production
  • Rec. ITU-R BT.2100 (2016)

Other documents prepared or being prepared by ITU-R:

  • Report ITU-R BT.2246-3 (2014) The present state of ultra-high definition television
  • Draft New Report ITU-R BT.[UHDTV-DTT TRIALS] (Sub-Working Group 6A-1) Collection of field trials of UHDTV over DTT networks[222]

Standardization in ITU-T and MPEG

[edit]

Standards developed in ITU-T's VCEG and ISO/IEC JTC 1's MPEG that support Ultra-HD include:

Standardization in SMPTE

[edit]

Standardization for Europe

[edit]

DVB approved the Standard TS 101 154 V2.1.1, published (07/2014) in the DVB Blue Book A157 Specification for the use of Video and Audio Coding in Broadcasting Applications based on the MPEG-2 Transport Stream, which was published by ETSI in the following months.

Standardization for Japan and South Korea

[edit]

Standards for UHDTV in South Korea have been developed by its Telecommunications Technology Association.

On August 30, 2013, the scenarios for 4K-UHDTV service were described in the Report "TTAR 07.0011: A Study on the UHDTV Service Scenarios and its Considerations".

On May 22, 2014, the technical report "TTAR-07.0013: Terrestrial 4K UHDTV Broadcasting Service" was published.

On October 13, 2014, an interim standard – "TTAI.KO-07.0123: Transmission and Reception for Terrestrial UHDTV Broadcasting Service" – was published based on HEVC encoding, with MPEG 2 TS, and DVB-T2 serving as the standards.

On June 24, 2016, a standard – "TTAK.KO-07.0127: Transmission and Reception for Terrestrial UHDTV Broadcasting Service" – was published based on HEVC encoding, with MMTP/ROUTE IP, and ATSC 3.0 serving as the standards.

See also

[edit]
  • Rec. 2020 – ITU-R Recommendation for UHDTV
  • 4K resolution – Resolutions of common 4K formats and list of 4K-monitors, TVs, projectors
  • 8K resolution – Specifications for ~8x4K UHD and 8Kx8K fulldome
  • Ultra HD Blu-ray – 2160p / 4K (3840 × 2160 resolution) format Blu-ray Disc as specified by Blu-ray Disc Association
  • IMAX – A film theater format that historically has been innovative in creating a more realistic viewing experience
  • High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC)
  • VP9 / WebM
  • 22.2 surround sound – The audio component of Super Hi-Vision

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Ultra-high-definition television

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) is a format that delivers video content with substantially higher resolution, wider color gamut, higher frame rates, and enhanced dynamic range compared to (HDTV). Defined by the (ITU) in Recommendation BT.2020, it encompasses two primary image formats: UHD-1 at 3840 × 2160 pixels (commonly referred to as 4K UHD) and UHD-2 at 7680 × 4320 pixels (8K UHD), both using progressive scanning with frame rates of 24, 25, 30, 50, 60, 100, or 120 Hz and a minimum 10-bit per sample for improved color accuracy and reduced banding. This standard also specifies a wide color gamut based on the color primaries and (D65 in CIE 1931 space), enabling more vivid and lifelike imagery suitable for production, international program exchange, and consumer display. The origins of UHDTV trace back to research and development efforts by Japan's public broadcaster NHK in the early 2000s, which aimed to create a next-generation system beyond HDTV to provide a greater sense of immersion through increased resolution and viewing angle. NHK's Super Hi-Vision (SHV) project focused on 8K resolution (7680 × 4320 pixels) with 22.2-channel immersive audio, with early demonstrations including public viewings of live content from the 2012 London Olympics transmitted at approximately 300 Mb/s bitrate. In the mid-2000s, NHK engaged the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) to establish standardized parameters for UHDTV, including serial digital interfaces at 6 Gb/s and 12 Gb/s for signal transport, as well as electro-optical transfer functions for high dynamic range (HDR) content. These efforts culminated in the ITU-R's approval of BT.2020 in August 2012, providing a foundational framework for UHDTV systems that built on prior HDTV standards like BT.709. Further advancements refined UHDTV for broader application, with ITU-R Recommendation BT.2100 (approved in 2016) adding specifications for HDR using perceptual quantization (PQ) and hybrid log-gamma (HLG) transfer functions, alongside support for wide color gamut and higher bit depths up to 12 bits. led global adoption, initiating 4K satellite via (CS) in March 2015 and both 4K and 8K test broadcasts via (BS) in August 2016, followed by regular 8K services starting December 2018 with one dedicated BS channel and plans for expansion. By 2020, operated nine 4K BS channels, eight 4K CS channels, and ongoing developments in 8K at 120 Hz frame rates using high-efficiency video coding (HEVC). Worldwide, UHDTV has integrated into consumer devices, professional production workflows, and streaming platforms, supported by compression standards like HEVC to manage the increased data requirements while enabling higher-quality visuals on compatible displays.

Terminology and Definitions

Alternative Terms

Ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) is referred to by several alternative terms that reflect its technical specifications, marketing strategies, and historical development in both cinema and . These terms often overlap but carry distinct origins and implications, with "4K" originating in professional standards while "UHD" or "Ultra HD" emerged for consumer television formats. The term "4K" derives from the (DCI), a consortium of major Hollywood studios formed in 2002, which published its System Specification in 2005 defining a horizontal resolution of approximately 4,000 pixels, specifically 4096 × 2160 for cinema projection. This cinema-oriented standard, known as DCI 4K, uses a 1.9:1 suited to theatrical screens and emphasizes secure . In contrast, "UHD" or "Ultra HD" was standardized by the (ITU) in 2012 under Recommendation BT.2020, specifying a consumer-friendly resolution of 3840 × 2160 pixels with a 16:9 , four times that of full HD (1920 × 1080). This distinction highlights a versus technical divide: while manufacturers frequently use "4K" interchangeably for consumer TVs to evoke cinema quality, true DCI 4K differs slightly in pixel count and aspect ratio from UHD, leading to consumer products labeled as "4K UHD" to bridge the gap. Another common descriptor is "2160p," which indicates progressive scanning at 2160 vertical lines of resolution, aligning directly with the UHD format's pixel height and used in and display specifications to denote non-interlaced 4K content. Extending beyond 4K, "8K" refers to resolutions of 7680 × 4320 pixels, doubling the horizontal and vertical dimensions of UHD for even greater detail, and is positioned as the next evolution in UHDTV standards. The terminology's historical evolution traces back to early research by Japan's (Nippon Hoso Kyokai), which coined "Super Hi-Vision" in the early 2000s for its ultra-high-definition system, initially focusing on (7680 × 4320) with demonstrations starting in 2002 to surpass HDTV's limitations. This term persisted in for 8K UHDTV, reflecting national branding from the "Hi-Vision" era of HDTV, while global adoption shifted toward ITU's "UHDTV" umbrella by 2012, incorporating both 4K (UHDTV-1) and 8K (UHDTV-2) as standardized formats. Over time, industry bodies like the (CTA) and UHD Alliance have promoted unified terms such as "4K Ultra HD" to streamline consumer understanding and .

Core Definitions

Ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) is formally defined by the International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) in Recommendation BT.2020 as a television system with image resolutions of 3840 × 2160 pixels (known as 4K UHD) or 7680 × 4320 pixels (8K UHD), utilizing progressive scanning and supporting frame frequencies including 24, 25, 30, 50, 60, 100, and 120 Hz to enable enhanced visual experiences on appropriately sized displays, such as those with a diagonal measurement of at least 1.5 meters for home viewing. This standard also specifies advanced colorimetry parameters, including a wide color gamut defined by specific CIE 1931 chromaticity coordinates for red (x=0.708, y=0.292), green (x=0.170, y=0.797), and blue (x=0.131, y=0.046) primaries, with D65 white reference, to achieve greater color fidelity beyond traditional formats. UHDTV is distinguished from (HDTV), which is standardized under Recommendation BT.709 with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels and narrower color parameters, by its approximately fourfold increase in pixel count for sharper imagery and higher data demands. Similarly, Full HD—often used interchangeably with HDTV—refers to the same 1920 × 1080 resolution but lacks UHDTV's extended frame rates and color capabilities, resulting in lower bandwidth needs; for instance, HDTV streams typically require 5-10 Mbps using H.264 compression, whereas 4K UHDTV demands 25-35 Mbps with H.265/HEVC encoding to maintain quality. The of 7680 × 4320 pixels extends the UHDTV framework as the higher tier within the same BT.2020 parameters, qualifying as "ultra-high" based on thresholds exceeding 4000 horizontal pixels and supporting the full suite of rates and wide color gamut to future-proof broadcasting and production workflows. Terms like "4K" serve as common alternatives for the 3840 × 2160 variant but align with these formal UHDTV criteria when meeting the associated frame and color specifications.

Technical Specifications

Resolution Standards

Ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) encompasses standardized pixel resolutions that provide substantially greater spatial detail than (HDTV). The core formats are 4K UHDTV, specified at 3840 × 2160 pixels, and 8K UHDTV, at 7680 × 4320 pixels, both adhering to a 16:9 with square pixels (1:1 ). These specifications, defined in Recommendation BT.2020, enable progressive scanning and support frame rates up to 120 Hz for enhanced motion portrayal. In contrast to consumer UHDTV, the (DCI) standard for theatrical 4K employs 4096 × 2160 pixels, resulting in a slightly wider of approximately 1.90:1 to accommodate cinema formats like 1.85:1 or 2.39:1. This difference arises because DCI prioritizes projection needs, while UHDTV is optimized for home and broadcast displays. Although current ITU standards focus on 4K and 8K, the framework allows scalability to higher levels, including potential 16K UHDTV at 15360 × 8640 pixels, which would quadruple the of 8K for ultra-large screens exceeding 100 inches. The practical benefits of these resolutions—such as sharper textures and reduced —become perceptible based on viewing distance and screen size, where the can resolve details finer than 1 arcminute (the typical limit of ). For instance, on a given screen, higher resolutions like 8K allow closer viewing without visible compared to 4K. ITU-R Report BT.2246 recommends optimal distances of 1.5 times the screen height (H) for 4K and 0.75H for 8K to maximize immersion while avoiding pixel visibility. This can be calculated using the formula: θ=arctan⁡(pixel sizeviewing distance)\theta = \arctan\left( \frac{\text{pixel size}}{\text{viewing distance}} \right) where θ is in radians, pixel size is the physical width or height of a screen pixel (e.g., screen width divided by 3840 for 4K), and benefits are evident when θ ≤ 1/3438 radians (1 arcminute). For a 65-inch 4K display, this equates to noticeable improvements below approximately 5–6 feet, scaling with size.
ResolutionPixel DimensionsTotal PixelsAspect RatioOptimal Viewing Distance (relative to screen height H)
4K UHDTV3840 × 21608.3 million16:91.5H
8K UHDTV7680 × 432033.2 million16:90.75H
DCI 4K4096 × 21608.8 million~1.90:1N/A (theatrical, ~1–2H typical)
These standards ensure UHDTV delivers a heightened sense of realism on appropriately sized displays, though actual perception varies with individual eyesight and content quality.

Color, , and Frame Rates

Ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) enhances visual fidelity beyond resolution by incorporating advanced color representation, , and motion handling. The for UHDTV is defined by Recommendation BT.2020, which specifies a wide using primaries that cover approximately 75.8% of the , compared to 35.9% for the HDTV standard Rec.709, enabling the representation of a significantly broader range of colors. This expanded allows UHDTV to depict more vibrant and natural hues, such as deeper reds and richer greens, which are common in natural scenes but limited in Rec.709. To support this wider without banding artifacts, UHDTV employs a 10-bit per channel, providing over 1 billion possible colors (2^30 combinations for RGB), a substantial increase from the 16.7 million colors (2^24) available in 8-bit Rec.709 systems. Dynamic range in UHDTV is elevated through high dynamic range (HDR) standards, which extend the luminance range from traditional SDR's approximately 100:1 contrast to thousands-to-one, allowing brighter highlights and deeper blacks simultaneously. Key standards include , an open format based on SMPTE ST 2084's (PQ) transfer function, which supports 10-bit color and peak brightness up to 10,000 nits with static metadata for scene-wide tone mapping. , a HDR technology, builds on PQ with dynamic metadata for frame-by-frame optimization, 12-bit , and support for up to 10,000 nits peak brightness, enabling more precise adaptation to display capabilities and content intent. Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), standardized in BT.2100, offers with SDR displays without metadata, using a logarithmic curve for scenes up to 1,000 nits or more, and is particularly suited for live broadcasting. These HDR approaches, often paired with Rec.2020, achieve contrast ratios exceeding 1,000,000:1 in capable displays by preserving detail in both specular highlights and shadow areas, fundamentally improving perceived realism. Frame rates in UHDTV prioritize smooth motion reproduction, with ITU-R BT.2020 recommending progressive scan rates of 24, 25, 30, 50, 60, 100, and 120 frames per second (fps) to accommodate cinematic content, broadcast standards, and high-motion scenarios like sports. The standard 60 fps provides fluid playback for most applications, reducing judder compared to lower rates, while 120 fps support enables enhanced for immersive experiences, such as or fast-action viewing, without introducing excessive bandwidth demands in compressed formats. These higher rates build on UHDTV's resolution foundation, where increased pixels amplify motion artifacts if frame rates remain low. The uncompressed bitrate required for UHDTV signals can be estimated using the formula: Bitrate (bps)=resolution (pixels)×effective bit depth (bits per pixel)×frame rate (fps)\text{Bitrate (bps)} = \text{resolution (pixels)} \times \text{effective bit depth (bits per pixel)} \times \text{frame rate (fps)} For example, in 4K UHDTV (3840 × 2160 = 8,294,400 pixels) with 10-bit YCbCr 4:2:0 subsampling (effective 15 bits per pixel), at 60 fps, the bitrate is approximately 7.5 Gbps, highlighting the need for compression technologies like HEVC to enable practical transmission. At 120 fps, this doubles to about 15 Gbps uncompressed, underscoring frame rate's impact on data throughput in production and delivery workflows.

Graphics and Signal Processing

In ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV), and moiré patterns arise as visual artifacts when high-resolution content exceeds the sampling capabilities of imaging systems or displays, particularly in 4K and 8K formats where fine details like textures or grids produce interference patterns. These distortions occur due to of high-frequency signals, manifesting as wavy or rainbow-like overlays in static or moving images. To mitigate them, filters are employed in the pipeline, smoothing jagged edges by averaging pixel values and reducing high-frequency components that cause , often integrated into camera sensors or display processors for UHDTV production. Compression plays a critical role in UHDTV graphics processing to handle the massive data volumes of 4K and 8K signals while preserving quality. High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC, or H.265) is the primary standard for 4K UHDTV, offering approximately 50% bitrate reduction compared to its predecessor H.264 (AVC) at equivalent video quality, enabling efficient transmission and storage without significant loss in detail. For 8K UHDTV, Versatile Video Coding (VVC, or H.266) provides further advancements, achieving around 50% bitrate savings over HEVC for the same perceptual quality, particularly beneficial for high-resolution sequences where it excels in compressing complex spatial details. These efficiency gains stem from enhanced block partitioning, improved , and advanced intra-prediction tools in VVC, making it suitable for bandwidth-constrained environments like . The UHDTV signal chain incorporates high-bandwidth interfaces and upscaling techniques to ensure seamless delivery and compatibility. 2.0 supports 4K UHDTV with a bandwidth of 18 Gbps, sufficient for uncompressed 4K at 60 Hz with chroma subsampling. 2.1 extends this to 48 Gbps, accommodating 8K at 60 Hz or 4K at 120 Hz, facilitating the transport of high-frame-rate UHDTV signals with HDR metadata. Upscaling from lower resolutions, such as HD to 4K or 8K, involves signal analysis to detect content type, followed by algorithms that enhance edges and reduce noise, ensuring while minimizing artifacts like blurring.

Development History

Early Research (2001–2010)

The early research phase for ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) in the 2000s focused on overcoming technical challenges in resolution, capture, and transmission to achieve immersive viewing experiences beyond (HDTV). Japan's Science & Technology Research Laboratories (STRL) led pioneering efforts with its Super Hi-Vision project, initiating development of an system (7680 × 4320 pixels) to provide four times the horizontal and vertical resolution of HDTV, aiming for greater realism and presence. This work built on NHK's prior HDTV advancements, emphasizing progressive-scan formats, higher frame rates up to 60 fps, and wider color gamuts to simulate natural vision. In 2002, unveiled its first Super Hi-Vision prototype, consisting of a camera, projection display, and frame grabber, marking the initial public demonstration of the system's core components. By 2005, an advanced prototype featuring a 120 Hz 8K and dedicated optical systems was showcased at in Aichi, , where it ran for six months in a dedicated theater with a 600-inch screen, attracting 1.56 million visitors who viewed specially produced content transmitted via from 's studios. This exhibition highlighted the prototype's capability for high-frame-rate playback and demonstrated the perceptual benefits of ultra-high resolution in large-scale viewing environments. Advancements continued through 2006–2008, with NHK conducting international demonstrations at events like NAB 2006 and 2007 in the United States and IBC 2006 in Europe to gather feedback on system viability. In May 2007, NHK achieved a milestone with the development of a full-resolution 33-megapixel CMOS image sensor (7680 × 4320 at 60 fps) for Super Hi-Vision capture, enabling the first indoor demonstration of a compressed UHDTV signal at its Open House event, where the footage was encoded to 250 Mbit/s using MPEG-2 for simulated transmission. This experiment validated the feasibility of UHDTV for broadcast workflows, including bit-rate reduction techniques essential for practical deployment. Parallel standardization efforts advanced the field globally. In 2007, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) published ST 2036, the first standard defining UHDTV image characteristics, including resolutions of 3840 × 2160 (UHDTV1) and 7680 × 4320 (UHDTV2), progressive scanning, and 16:9 aspect ratios, providing a foundational framework for . Concurrently, initiated feasibility studies on UHDTV under Working Party 6C starting in 2002, with Question ITU-R 40/6 revised at the 2003 Radiocommunication Assembly to incorporate extremely high-resolution imagery systems, evaluating parameters like frame rates up to 120 Hz and transmission efficiencies through contributions from member states like and Korea up to 2010. These studies confirmed the technical practicality of UHDTV while identifying needs for enhanced compression and spectrum use.

Commercial Launch (2011–2015)

The commercial launch of ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) began in earnest in 2012, marking the shift from experimental research to consumer-available products focused primarily on . pioneered the market with the release of its XBR-84X900, an 84-inch 4K LCD television, announced in August 2012 and available by the end of that year in select markets including and . Priced at approximately $25,000, this model featured a resolution of 3840 × 2160 pixels and was positioned as delivering a cinema-like experience through enhanced detail and separate stereo speakers. Early content availability lagged behind hardware, but streaming services soon bridged the gap. launched its 4K UHD streaming service in April 2014, initially offering select titles such as the second season of House of Cards and nature documentaries to compatible devices, requiring a minimum internet speed of 25 Mbps for playback. This move provided the first widespread consumer access to native 4K content, though limited by bandwidth constraints and device support at the time. Broadcast trials during major events accelerated industry interest and demonstrated UHDTV's potential. The 2012 London Olympics featured initial 4K trials by NHK and the BBC, with Super Hi-Vision (4K UHD) cameras deployed for public viewings in London and demonstrations worldwide, showcasing enhanced immersion for sports coverage. Building on this, the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics became the first major sporting event produced in 4K, with NBC capturing select events like figure skating and hockey in the format for demo purposes, though not for public broadcast due to infrastructure limitations. Market momentum grew through key announcements and technical advancements. At CES 2013, manufacturers including Sony, Panasonic, and LG unveiled multiple 4K TV models, with Sony demonstrating a 56-inch 4K OLED prototype and committing to broader lineup expansions. Complementing this, the HDMI Forum released the HDMI 2.0 specification in September 2013, enabling 4K at 60 Hz with up to 18 Gbps bandwidth to support uncompressed UHDTV signals between devices. Toward the period's end, Sharp introduced initial 8K prototypes at CES 2015, including an 85-inch display, signaling early steps beyond 4K while production remained limited to professional applications.

Global Expansion (2016–2025)

The in Rio de Janeiro marked a significant milestone in the global adoption of 4K UHD television, with Olympics providing extensive coverage in 4K HDR, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, , , , and , distributed through partners like , , and on a one-day delay basis. This event highlighted the maturing infrastructure for UHDTV, enabling millions of viewers to experience enhanced resolution and on compatible displays. The push for higher resolutions was further advanced by advancements in , which facilitated broader compatibility and transmission standards. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, showcased early 8K demonstrations, with NHK broadcasting approximately 200 hours of 8K content, including live coverage of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and select events like athletics and swimming, transmitted via satellite to viewers in Japan equipped with 8K receivers. Intel also demonstrated 8K HDR streaming from Tokyo to international locations, underscoring the technology's potential for global events despite limited consumer access. Streaming services accelerated UHDTV content growth during this period; Disney+ launched on November 12, 2019, offering a substantial library of 4K UHD titles with HDR10 and Dolby Vision support, including the first seven Star Wars films. Similarly, Apple TV+ debuted on November 1, 2019, delivering original series in 4K UHD with Dolby Vision and Atmos audio from day one. YouTube expanded 8K support in 2020 through AV1 codec integration, enabling playback of native 8K videos on compatible 2020 models from Samsung and LG, though content remained niche, focusing on demonstrations and user-uploaded material. By 2025, the global Ultra HD TV market was projected to grow at a of 12.2% from 2025 to 2032, driven by increasing shipments of 4K and emerging 8K displays. AI-enhanced upscaling became a standard feature in premium televisions, with processors like Samsung's Vision AI and LG's Alpha 7 Gen8 intelligently converting lower-resolution content to near-4K or 8K quality by analyzing patterns and adding details in real-time. In , limited 8K broadcasting continued through NHK's dedicated satellite channel, offering select programming such as nature documentaries and cultural events to a growing but still modest audience of 8K-equipped households.

Broadcasting and Content

4K UHD Channels

4K UHD channels represent a significant portion of ultra-high-definition broadcasting, delivering content at 3840×2160 resolution, often with (HDR) and wide color gamut for enhanced visual fidelity. These channels have proliferated since the mid-2010s, primarily through , cable, and IP distribution, enabling viewers with compatible equipment to access native 4K programming. As of 2025, there are approximately 340 UHD services globally, the majority operating in 4K format, driven by advancements in compression standards like HEVC and growing content production. Of these, 72% are linear services, 46% use HDR, and 26% feature immersive audio. Pioneering examples include BS4K in , which launched as a dedicated 4K channel on December 1, 2018, offering a mix of news, documentaries, and cultural programs in ultra-high definition. In the , BT Sport Ultra HD debuted on August 2, 2015, marking Europe's first 4K sports channel with live football broadcasts, later evolving into TNT Sports with continued UHD support. These early adopters set precedents for format specifications, typically using 50 or 60 frames per second for smooth motion in sports and entertainment. Regionally, the feature prominent sports-oriented 4K channels. In the United States, began producing select events in native 4K in 2017, including races and , with milestones like the 2020 broadcast in 4K HDR via streaming platforms. followed suit, delivering its first live native 4K event in 2019—a game between LSU and —and by 2025, offers dozens of annual 4K telecasts, such as NCAA games, accessible through services like Fubo and . In , Sky UHD channels provide extensive 4K coverage across the continent, focusing on soccer, Formula 1, and , with 24/7 availability on and IP platforms since their 2016 rollout. Asia showcases channels like Star Sports 4K in , initially launched in 2015 for the ICC Cricket World Cup and relaunched in 2024 for events including the and soccer, broadcast in native 4K with audio. Content on 4K UHD channels emphasizes live sports for its high-motion demands, alongside movies and on-demand libraries remastered in ultra-high definition. Sports events, such as major league games and international tournaments, dominate due to their appeal for immersive viewing, while cinematic content from studios like Disney and Warner Bros. fills non-live slots, often in HDR10 or Dolby Vision formats. By 2025, over 300 dedicated 4K channels operate worldwide, with satellite platforms accounting for the largest share, though availability varies by provider and requires 4K-capable receivers.
RegionExample ChannelsPrimary Content TypesLaunch Year (Key Milestone)
JapanNHK BS4KNews, documentaries, culture2018
UK/EuropeBT Sport Ultra HD / Sky Sports UHDSoccer, motorsports, golf2015 / 2016
US/AmericasFox Sports 4K, ESPN 4KFootball, baseball, racing2017 / 2019
India/AsiaStar Sports 4KCricket, soccer2015 (relaunched 2024)

8K UHD Channels

The development of 8K UHD television channels remains in its early stages as of 2025, with deployments largely confined to experimental and regional initiatives in . Japan's public broadcaster pioneered regular 8K broadcasting with the launch of the NHK BS satellite channel on December 1, 2018, marking the world's first dedicated 8K service. This channel transmits via direct-to-home satellite, offering approximately 12 hours of daily programming that emphasizes high-resolution cultural, artistic, natural, and sports content to showcase the format's capabilities. In , the (KBS) conducted notable 8K trials in collaboration with the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) starting in 2020, focusing on over-the-air transmission using standards. These tests, held in September and October 2020, successfully demonstrated 8K content delivery via multiple-input multiple-output () technology, paving the way for potential future terrestrial broadcasts but not yet resulting in a permanent channel. Globally, 8K UHD channels are scarce, with NHK's BS8K remaining the only operational dedicated 8K service as of 2025 and no dedicated 8K channels available in the United States or . High-profile events have provided limited 8K feeds, such as NHK's production of over 200 hours of 8K coverage for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021), including live transmissions of the opening and closing ceremonies as well as select competitions like and . Overall, the ecosystem consists of demonstration content in sports and cultural programming to highlight ultra-high-definition visuals.

Regional Broadcasting Differences

Ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) broadcasting exhibits significant regional variations, shaped by infrastructure capabilities, regulatory priorities, and content demands. In , particularly and , adoption has been aggressive, driven by government initiatives to lead in next-generation technologies. Japan's public broadcaster launched the world's first 8K satellite channel, BS8K, in December 2018, utilizing the ISDB-S satellite standard for nationwide delivery, with ongoing transmissions as of 2025 supported by government funding for research and development. This government-backed effort emphasizes 8K for cultural and educational content, leveraging satellite infrastructure to bypass terrestrial bandwidth limitations. Similarly, has pursued advanced 8K trials through public entities like KBS and ETRI, achieving over-the-air 8K transmission demonstrations using technology in 2020, with continued government resolve enabling the world's first terrestrial UHDTV trial via DTTB platforms by 2023, focusing on integration with existing networks. In , broadcasting prioritizes 4K UHD via the terrestrial standard, with a strong emphasis on (HDR) enhancements for live sports events to capitalize on viewer engagement in major markets like , , and the . Countries such as have approved new DTT regulations in 2025 to expand for UHD, facilitating growth in receiver adoption and enabling HDR delivery for sports like the Olympics, where free-to-air coverage included enhanced visuals. This approach reflects a coordinated push by the to optimize spectrum efficiency for 4K while preparing for hybrid broadcast-broadband services, though 8K remains experimental due to costs. Across the , particularly the and , efforts center on trials for 4K over-the-air (OTA) delivery, aiming to revitalize free local television with advanced features like HDR and immersive audio. As of 2025, the FCC has proposed voluntary transitions to , eliminating strict requirements to accelerate deployment, with broadcasters targeting over 80% population coverage through ongoing trials showcased at events like the . These initiatives, supported by the ATSC standards body, prioritize OTA enhancements for news and emergency alerts alongside 4K sports, contrasting with Europe's more uniform adoption. Oceania and lag in UHDTV rollout, relying predominantly on cable and platforms due to terrestrial challenges and bandwidth constraints that hinder 8K viability. In and , 4K content is largely confined to pay-TV services like , with terrestrial DVB-T networks still focused on HD, and limited upgrades to DVB-T2 for UHD as of 2025 amid slow consumer device penetration. faces even greater hurdles, where direct-to-home (DTH) dominates TV distribution, but high-bandwidth 4K remains sparse due to connectivity gaps and spectrum limitations, with broadcasters favoring SD/HD to reach rural audiences over experimental UHD. These regions emphasize accessible content delivery over resolution upgrades, often integrating streaming hybrids to supplement limited broadcast capacity.

Standardization Processes

ITU-R Guidelines

The Radiocommunication Sector () plays a pivotal role in establishing global technical guidelines for ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV), focusing on parameters for production, international exchange, and broadcasting to ensure compatibility and quality across systems. These recommendations provide the foundational framework for UHDTV, emphasizing image formats, color representation, and enhancements that support both 4K and 8K resolutions. Recommendation ITU-R BT.2020, initially approved in August 2012 and revised as BT.2020-2 in October 2015, defines core parameter values for UHDTV systems. It specifies two resolution levels: UHDTV-1 at 3840 × 2160 pixels (commonly known as 4K) and UHDTV-2 at 7680 × 4320 pixels (8K), with progressive scanning and supported frame rates including 24, 25, 30, 50, 60, 100, and 120 Hz (or divided by 1.001 for compatibility with existing infrastructures). BT.2020 also introduces the Rec. 2020 colorimetry standard, featuring wider color primaries and the D65 white point, enabling a significantly expanded color gamut over prior standards like Rec. 709, which is essential for vivid UHDTV imagery in production and exchange. While primarily geared toward standard dynamic range (SDR), it lays the groundwork for high dynamic range (HDR) extensions by defining bit depths up to 12 bits per channel. Complementing BT.2020, Recommendation BT.2100, first adopted in July 2016 and updated to BT.2100-3 in February 2025, standardizes HDR parameters for UHDTV to achieve greater contrast, brightness, and realism. It recommends two transfer functions for wide color gamut content: the (PQ), an absolute electro-optical supporting peak up to 10,000 cd/m², and the Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), a relative function compatible with both HDR displays and legacy SDR systems without metadata. Both utilize the from BT.2020, with 10-bit or higher coding for production and international programme exchange, facilitating and enhanced viewing experiences. Through 2025, has continued refining UHDTV guidelines to accommodate 8K advancements, including recommendations for higher frame rates to mitigate motion artifacts in fast-paced content. Report ITU-R BT.2246, with its eighth edition in March 2023, endorses frame rates of at least 120 Hz for 8K UHDTV to optimize moving picture quality, based on perceptual studies showing improved smoothness over 60 Hz. Additionally, ongoing work addresses spectrum allocation for UHDTV broadcasting, ensuring efficient global deployment without excessive interference.

ITU-T, MPEG, and SMPTE Developments

The Telecommunication Standardization Sector () played a pivotal role in developing video coding standards essential for ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV). In 2013, , in collaboration with the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), finalized Recommendation H.265, also known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), which provides significantly improved compression efficiency over its predecessor H.264/AVC, enabling the practical transmission and storage of 4K UHDTV content at bitrates suitable for broadcast and streaming applications. This standard supports resolutions up to 8K while incorporating tools for (HDR) and wide color gamut (WCG), making it foundational for UHDTV adoption. Building on this, released Recommendation H.266, or (VVC), in 2020, which achieves approximately 30-50% better compression efficiency than HEVC, particularly beneficial for 8K UHDTV and immersive formats, allowing higher quality delivery over constrained networks. MPEG contributed to UHDTV standardization through extensions to its coding frameworks, focusing on enhanced visual quality and delivery mechanisms. The UHD-1 Phase 2 specifications, developed in collaboration with the Project and approved in November 2016, incorporated MPEG's HEVC extensions to support HDR and higher s (HFR) for 4K content, enabling richer color reproduction and contrast via standardized supplemental enhancement information (SEI) messages. Additionally, MPEG's , standardized as ISO/IEC 23009-1 in 2012 and updated thereafter, facilitates for UHDTV, allowing seamless adjustment of resolution, , and quality based on network conditions to optimize playback of 4K and 8K content. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) advanced UHDTV production workflows by standardizing HDR metadata and transfer functions. SMPTE ST 2084, published in 2014, defines the (PQ) electro-optical transfer function (EOTF), a non-linear curve designed for absolute perceptual uniformity across a range up to 10,000 cd/m², which serves as the basis for HDR mastering in UHDTV systems. Complementing this, SMPTE ST 2086, also released in 2014, specifies static metadata for mastering display color volume, including parameters for maximum and minimum and color primaries, which supports dynamic in formats like to ensure consistent HDR rendering across diverse display capabilities. These SMPTE standards integrate with codecs to enable end-to-end HDR production and distribution in UHDTV.

Regional Standards

In , the Digital Video Broadcasting - Second Generation Terrestrial (DVB-T2) standard, developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), supports 4K Ultra-High Definition (UHD) transmission using (). This framework enables efficient delivery of 4K content over existing broadcast infrastructure, with specifications outlined in ETSI TS 101 154 for HEVC-based UHD integrated receiver decoders (IRDs). Additionally, the () provides recommendations for incorporating () in , emphasizing compatibility with BT.2020 to enhance visual quality while maintaining across member states. In , the - Terrestrial (ISDB-T) standard facilitates 8K UHD trials, building on its layered transmission capabilities to support higher resolutions alongside legacy services. The Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB) in has integrated BT.2020 parameters into its standards, such as ARIB STD-B56, to define UHDTV system parameters including , wide color gamut, and HDR for production and transmission. , using for terrestrial broadcasting, aligns with enhancements for 8K experimentation, focusing on advanced modulation like 4096-QAM to enable UHDTV services within 6-8 MHz channels. Regional differences highlight Europe's emphasis on interoperability through , prioritizing and phased 4K adoption across diverse national networks, in contrast to Asia's aggressive 8K advancement by , driven by Japan's NHK-led Super Hi-Vision initiatives and South Korea's ATSC 3.0-based trials for future-proof broadcasting. These adaptations build on core guidelines like BT.2020 for color and resolution but tailor transmission protocols to local and infrastructure needs.

Implementation and Trials

DTT Network Trials

In the mid-2010s, experimental deployments of ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) over (DTT) networks began to test the feasibility of delivering 4K and 8K content within constrained spectrum bandwidths. These trials focused on advanced modulation, coding, and compression techniques to overcome limitations in existing DTT standards like , ISDB-T, and , enabling higher data rates while maintaining compatibility with legacy services. The conducted early 4K UHD trials using the standard in 2016, led by the and . These experiments utilized high-power transmitters at sites such as (40 kW), Winter Hill (22.5 kW), and Black Hill (39 kW), operating in an 8 MHz channel with 32k extended FFT mode, 256-QAM modulation, a 2/3 code rate, and PP7 pilot pattern, achieving a multiplex capacity of 40.2 Mbit/s. The trials delivered HEVC-encoded 4K video at 3840×2160 resolution, 50 or 59.94 frames per second, and 8 or 10 bits per , with bit rates up to 35 Mbit/s, successfully content for events like the and to millions of households in the coverage areas. Reception tests confirmed robust performance, demonstrating DVB-T2's potential for UHDTV without disrupting standard-definition services. Japan advanced to 8K UHD testing with the ISDB-T standard from 2019 to 2022, conducting large-scale field trials in major cities including , , , and Fukuoka. NHK's experiments employed the next-generation ISDB-T3 system in a 6 MHz channel, featuring 16k-FFT, non-uniform constellations (), LDPC coding at 9/16 rate, dual-polarized , and channel bonding across multiple segments, yielding up to 94.8 Mbit/s multiplex capacity and 80 Mbit/s for 8K signals. Video was encoded in HEVC or VVC at 7680×4320 resolution, 59.94 frames per second, and 10 bits per pixel, with frequencies from 509 to 701 MHz. These tests verified end-to-end transmission viability, achieving reliable coverage and paving the way for 8K integration into Japan's DTT infrastructure. In the United States, pilots for 4K HDR ran from 2018 to 2023, with key field tests in Cleveland, Ohio, serving as a "living laboratory" for broadcasters and manufacturers. Starting in 2017 and intensifying in 2018–2019 under NAB oversight, these trials used a 6 MHz channel with 16k-FFT, layered division multiplexing (LDM) or (TDM), and up to 256-NU-QAM, delivering HEVC-encoded 4K HDR video at 3840×2160 resolution, 60 frames per second, and 10 bits per pixel. The enhanced layer achieved approximately 20 Mbit/s throughput (e.g., 19.6 Mbit/s in LDM configurations), enabling high-quality HDR delivery alongside HD services, as demonstrated in NAB-supervised tests from May 2019 that confirmed signal robustness and viewer compatibility. These trials highlighted bandwidth limitations in DTT spectrum, typically 6–8 MHz per channel, which restricted UHDTV bit rates; however, solutions like LDM in ATSC 3.0 provided a 5.78 dB gain over traditional multiplexing by layering robust base signals with higher-rate enhancement layers, allowing simultaneous HD and 4K/8K delivery. Compression advancements, such as HEVC and layered coding from and MPEG standards, further aided efficiency. In 2023, Spain's and conducted pilots using DVB-T2 for 32 Mbit/s HEVC-encoded 8K at 50 frames per second, showcasing progress in resolving these constraints for viable over-the-air UHDTV. As of 2025, these efforts have informed ongoing deployments, such as expanded in the US, with no major new UHDTV DTT field tests reported in .

Deployment Challenges

One of the primary technical hurdles in deploying ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) involves the elevated bandwidth requirements, which strain existing distribution networks optimized for standard or high-definition content. For 4K UHD, compressed streams typically demand 15-25 Mbps to maintain quality without noticeable buffering or degradation, while 8K UHD can require up to 100 Mbps over IP or broadcast channels, even with advanced codecs like HEVC or AV1. Legacy networks, such as coaxial cable systems or terrestrial digital TV infrastructures, often operate at lower capacities (e.g., 6-10 MHz channels for HD), necessitating compression that introduces artifacts or limits simultaneous channel carriage, thereby complicating widespread rollout. Compatibility challenges exacerbate these issues, as many consumer devices and interfaces fall short of UHDTV standards. HDMI 2.0, common in pre-2020 equipment, supports 4K at 60 Hz but lacks the 18 Gbps bandwidth for HDR or higher refresh rates, and it cannot handle 8K at all, requiring the 48 Gbps throughput of 2.1 for full compatibility. Similarly, upconversion of HD content to UHD frequently produces visual artifacts, including edge ringing, excessive sharpness halos, or amplified compression noise, which become more apparent on larger UHD screens and undermine the format's intended clarity. Economic barriers further impede UHDTV deployment, with infrastructure upgrades posing substantial financial demands on broadcasters and providers. As of 2025, transitioning to UHDTV-capable systems—often aligned with standards like —involves replacing encoders, transmitters, and multiplexers, with costs for small stations exceeding $100,000 per facility due to enhanced and spectrum efficiency needs. Content production expenses compound this, as native 4K and 8K creation requires specialized cameras, lighting, and workflows that significantly increase budgets compared to HD equivalents, driven by higher data volumes and demands.

Current Adoption and Outlook

Market Status in 2025

As of November 2025, the global ultra-high-definition television (UHDTV) market continues to demonstrate strong commercial penetration, with 4K UHD TVs comprising the dominant segment. The market for 4K UHD TVs is valued at approximately USD 106.56 billion, reflecting robust demand driven by advancements in display technology and consumer preferences for higher resolution viewing. Shipments of UHD TVs exceed 150 million units annually worldwide, accounting for over 90% of all new television sales, as nearly all modern models incorporate as standard. Adoption rates for 4K TVs have reached significant levels in key regions, with approximately 72% of U.S. households owning at least one 4K-capable television, fueled by affordable pricing and widespread availability from major manufacturers. In contrast, 8K UHD adoption remains limited globally, representing less than 5% of TV-owning households, or around 15 million units cumulatively, primarily propelled by flagship models from and . Shipments of 8K TVs are projected at just 3.3 million units in 2025, highlighting the technology's niche status amid limited content availability. The content ecosystem for UHDTV has matured, with major streaming services offering substantial 4K libraries to support viewer engagement. Platforms such as and provide extensive 4K content, including original series and movies, accessible via premium tiers that enable high-resolution streaming. Approximately 80% of popular streaming services now support 4K playback, though regional disparities persist, with leading in adoption due to higher disposable incomes and aggressive market expansion in countries like and . This growth underscores UHDTV's integration into everyday entertainment, particularly in urban Asian markets where over 120 million households have upgraded to UHD systems in recent years. A significant in UHDTV revolves around the perceptual benefits of higher resolutions like 4K and 8K, particularly at typical viewing distances in home settings. Established research on human indicates limits of approximately 60 cycles per degree (equivalent to about 120 pixels per degree under Nyquist sampling), implying that ultra-high resolutions may not provide noticeable improvements for average viewers beyond certain distances. For instance, on a 55-inch display at distances greater than 2 meters—common in living rooms—4K or 8K offers no distinguishable benefit over or resolutions, as the eye cannot resolve the additional pixels under normal conditions. In contrast, PC gaming configurations using 4K televisions as displays often involve much shorter viewing distances (typically 0.5–1 meter), making the advantages of native higher resolutions more perceptible. When a PC outputs a native 1080p signal to a 4K television, the upscaled image appears softer, less sharp, and with faded edges due to the television's processing, which doubles pixels and applies interpolation to generate the additional detail. Higher-end televisions with advanced upscaling algorithms achieve better results, yet native 4K resolution consistently provides superior clarity. For sharper imagery in PC gaming, it is recommended to output 4K resolution from the PC and utilize in-game resolution scaling (such as DLSS or FSR) or custom resolutions rather than native 1080p output. Looking ahead, projections indicate that 8K UHDTV could achieve broader adoption by 2030, driven by expanding content ecosystems and manufacturing scale. Market analyses forecast the global 8K technology sector growing from USD 3.2 billion in 2025 to USD 11.5 billion by 2030, at a (CAGR) of 29%, with up to 10-15% of new premium TV sales incorporating 8K capabilities. Integration of for upscaling is expected to bridge content gaps, as AI algorithms analyze and enhance lower-resolution sources to near-native 8K quality; for example, processors in 2025 models from manufacturers like and use to predict and fill pixel details, improving clarity without native 8K broadcasts. Research into 16K resolutions is advancing, with demonstrations including BOE's 110-inch 16K LCD prototype at Display Week 2025 and Sony's Crystal LED 16K modular displays for professional applications, supported by the 2.1 specification with Ultra High Bit Rate (UHBR) modes enabling up to 10K at 60 Hz and custom interfaces for higher resolutions like 16K. However, these evolutions face challenges, notably higher power consumption in 8K systems, which can be 2-3 times that of 4K equivalents due to increased pixel processing and backlighting demands, prompting innovations in energy-efficient panels to comply with regulations like the EU's energy limits. Emerging trends in UHDTV emphasize larger displays exceeding 100 inches, enhanced backlighting technologies, and extensions into immersive environments. In 2025, models from and introduced 100-inch UHDTV options using Mini-LED backlights, which provide superior contrast and brightness through thousands of dimming zones compared to traditional LEDs, enabling HDR performance on massive screens without excessive power draw. These developments align with a shift toward VR and AR integrations, where UHDTV resolutions enhance mixed-reality experiences; for instance, devices like the leverage high-resolution displays exceeding 2K per eye (2064 × 2208 pixels) for seamless blending of virtual content with real-world views, positioning UHDTV as a foundational for future immersive ecosystems.

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