At CES 2016, the UHD Alliance announced its “UHD Premium” certification program and logo for TVs. Only TVs that meet certain criteria can use the logo. The program is now being expanded to cover UHD Blu-ray players.
”UHD Premium” BD players
The UHD Alliance has a set of specific criteria that a TV must meet in order to be able to advertise the “UHD Premium” logo.
However, it is not clear what criteria a UHD Blu-ray player must meet, and since the UHD Blu-ray standard already covers those things (4K, HDR, 10-bit, wide color gamut) it sounds like the logo for UHD BD players is mostly a marketing initiative. Sure, it will separate UHD Blu-ray players from HD Blu-ray players (and DVD players) but the “UHD” moniker in UHD Blu-ray serves the same purpose.
Nevertheless, the UHD Alliance has today extended the program to cover UHD Blu-ray players.
- “As the Ultra HD ecosystem continues to grow, the UHDA will continue to expand the breadth of ULTRA HD PREMIUM certified products and services to provide consumers with a single, identifying mark to seek out so they can purchase with confidence,” said UHD Alliance President Hanno Basse. “The certification of Ultra HD Blu-ray players is a natural first expansion, because the Ultra HD Blu-ray format was built with premium performance in mind and a growing number of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc titles released by Hollywood also bear the ULTRA HD PREMIUM logo.”
Next in line is live broadcast of UHD content, the alliance says. It adds that it has already certified over 30 TVs from different manufacturers.
The UHD Alliance consists of consumer electronics companies, Hollywood studios, distributors, and technology companies.
- Source: UHD Alliance