You already know the 720p (“HD Ready”) and 1080p (Full HD) standards but the TV industry is preparing the move to 4K and 8K resolution. ITU has proposed new standards for the two extremely high-resolution TV broadcast formats.

4K and 8K standards defined
At the CES 2012 show back in January, most manufacturers had brought display panels with 4K resolution. And now ITU has proposed standards for the new TV broadcast formats.


Sharp has exhibited 4K and 8K TVs at more than one occasion

A range of different resolutions proposals have been discussed but ITU hopes to make 4K and 8K exact multiples of today’s Full HD standard to avoid unnecessary scaling.

The proposed standards for the new 4K and 8K formats include support for a larger color gamut as well as support for 120 frames per second broadcast – far higher than today’s TV standards.

ITU has played the ball and now it is up to the TV manufacturers to make a move. The proposed standards have not been finalized but this is an important first step and we will keep you updated. 4K and 8K is also often referred to as UHDTV (Ultra High Definition Television). See ITU’s demonstration video below.



- Source: EBU