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Ultra HD Blu-ray
Ultra HD Blu-ray (4K Ultra HD, UHD-BD, or 4K Blu-ray) is a digital optical disc data storage format that is an enhanced variant of Blu-ray. Ultra HD Blu-ray supports 4K UHD (3840 × 2160 pixel resolution) high dynamic range (HDR) video at frame rates up to 60 progressive frames per second, encoded using High Efficiency Video Coding. These discs are incompatible with existing standard Blu-ray players.
The first Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs were officially released in the United States on February 14, 2016. To differentiate retail Ultra HD Blu-ray releases, the format usually uses a black opaque or largely transparent keep case packaging format (as opposed to blue), but with the same case size as standard Blu-ray. The format is supported on Microsoft's Xbox One X, One S (except All-Digital Edition), Series X, and Sony's PlayStation 5 (except Digital Edition). Software made for the PlayStation 5 can use 100 GB UHD Blu-ray discs. Official support on PC was limited to certain Intel processors and only on Microsoft Windows; Intel began phasing out the necessary features on CPUs from Alder Lake onwards due to multiple security vulnerabilities like Spectre, and removed the features entirely in April 2025.
On May 12, 2015, the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) revealed completed specifications and the official Ultra HD Blu-ray logo. Ultra HD Blu-ray technology was licensed in mid-2015, and players had an expected release date of Christmas 2015. On February 14, 2016, the BDA released Ultra HD Blu-ray with mandatory support for HDR10 Media Profile video and optional support for Dolby Vision.
In December 2017, the BDA completed the specification for an 8K Blu-ray format for use in Japan. However a spokesperson from the 8K association said that the release of such a format would be unlikely. This may be partly driven due to lower than expected sales of 8K resolution televisions.
On January 23, 2018, the BDA spec v3.2 gained optional support for HDR10+ and for SL-HDR2 (developed by Philips and Technicolor) also known as Advanced HDR by Technicolor. However, no Ultra HD Blu-ray player has ever supported SL-HDR2, and no discs encoded in SL-HDR2 have been released.[citation needed]
Ultra HD Blu-ray discs support both high dynamic range by increasing the color depth to 10-bit per color and a greater color gamut than supported by conventional Blu-ray video by using the Rec. 2020 color space. Ultra HD Blu-Ray discs also support a 12-bit per color container via Dolby Vision. Moreover, Dolby Vision makes use of dynamic metadata, which adjusts the brightness and tone mapping per scene. In contrast, standard HDR10 only makes use of static metadata, which sets the same brightness and tone mapping for the entirety of the content.
The specification for 4K Blu-ray allows for three disc capacities, each with its own data rate: 50 GB at 72 or 92 Mbit/s, and 66 GB and 100 GB at 92, 123, or 144 Mbit/s. On 66 GB and 100 GB discs, the pits and lands are not narrower than those of a standard Blu-ray Disc, but shorter, which increases the capacity of each layer from 25 GB to 33 1/3 GB (this structure is similar to the one used by BDXL discs). This also means that each revolution of such a disc transfers more data than that of a standard Blu-ray Disc, which means the transfer rate is higher with the same linear velocity. In addition, the disc can be encoded to have the drive hold the full 5,000 rpm until it reaches a point largely away from the innermost part of the disc if an even higher transfer rate is needed. 50 and 66 GB use two layers, and 100 GB uses three layers.
Unlike conventional DVDs and Blu-rays, the 4K format does not officially have region coding, although some releases have been reported to conditionally prevent playback based on player region. Ultra HD Blu-ray uses a new revision of AACS DRM: AACS 2. AACS 2.1 is used on certain releases such as Stand by Me, Fury, The Patriot, and Zombieland.
Ultra HD Blu-ray
Ultra HD Blu-ray (4K Ultra HD, UHD-BD, or 4K Blu-ray) is a digital optical disc data storage format that is an enhanced variant of Blu-ray. Ultra HD Blu-ray supports 4K UHD (3840 × 2160 pixel resolution) high dynamic range (HDR) video at frame rates up to 60 progressive frames per second, encoded using High Efficiency Video Coding. These discs are incompatible with existing standard Blu-ray players.
The first Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs were officially released in the United States on February 14, 2016. To differentiate retail Ultra HD Blu-ray releases, the format usually uses a black opaque or largely transparent keep case packaging format (as opposed to blue), but with the same case size as standard Blu-ray. The format is supported on Microsoft's Xbox One X, One S (except All-Digital Edition), Series X, and Sony's PlayStation 5 (except Digital Edition). Software made for the PlayStation 5 can use 100 GB UHD Blu-ray discs. Official support on PC was limited to certain Intel processors and only on Microsoft Windows; Intel began phasing out the necessary features on CPUs from Alder Lake onwards due to multiple security vulnerabilities like Spectre, and removed the features entirely in April 2025.
On May 12, 2015, the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) revealed completed specifications and the official Ultra HD Blu-ray logo. Ultra HD Blu-ray technology was licensed in mid-2015, and players had an expected release date of Christmas 2015. On February 14, 2016, the BDA released Ultra HD Blu-ray with mandatory support for HDR10 Media Profile video and optional support for Dolby Vision.
In December 2017, the BDA completed the specification for an 8K Blu-ray format for use in Japan. However a spokesperson from the 8K association said that the release of such a format would be unlikely. This may be partly driven due to lower than expected sales of 8K resolution televisions.
On January 23, 2018, the BDA spec v3.2 gained optional support for HDR10+ and for SL-HDR2 (developed by Philips and Technicolor) also known as Advanced HDR by Technicolor. However, no Ultra HD Blu-ray player has ever supported SL-HDR2, and no discs encoded in SL-HDR2 have been released.[citation needed]
Ultra HD Blu-ray discs support both high dynamic range by increasing the color depth to 10-bit per color and a greater color gamut than supported by conventional Blu-ray video by using the Rec. 2020 color space. Ultra HD Blu-Ray discs also support a 12-bit per color container via Dolby Vision. Moreover, Dolby Vision makes use of dynamic metadata, which adjusts the brightness and tone mapping per scene. In contrast, standard HDR10 only makes use of static metadata, which sets the same brightness and tone mapping for the entirety of the content.
The specification for 4K Blu-ray allows for three disc capacities, each with its own data rate: 50 GB at 72 or 92 Mbit/s, and 66 GB and 100 GB at 92, 123, or 144 Mbit/s. On 66 GB and 100 GB discs, the pits and lands are not narrower than those of a standard Blu-ray Disc, but shorter, which increases the capacity of each layer from 25 GB to 33 1/3 GB (this structure is similar to the one used by BDXL discs). This also means that each revolution of such a disc transfers more data than that of a standard Blu-ray Disc, which means the transfer rate is higher with the same linear velocity. In addition, the disc can be encoded to have the drive hold the full 5,000 rpm until it reaches a point largely away from the innermost part of the disc if an even higher transfer rate is needed. 50 and 66 GB use two layers, and 100 GB uses three layers.
Unlike conventional DVDs and Blu-rays, the 4K format does not officially have region coding, although some releases have been reported to conditionally prevent playback based on player region. Ultra HD Blu-ray uses a new revision of AACS DRM: AACS 2. AACS 2.1 is used on certain releases such as Stand by Me, Fury, The Patriot, and Zombieland.
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