LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) today announced completion of the Ultra HD Blu-ray™ specification and released the new logo that will delineate Ultra HD Blu-ray products. The Ultra HD Blu-ray specification, which represents the work of global leaders from the consumer electronics, IT and content creation industries, will enable delivery of Ultra HD content via Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc to the rapidly growing number of UHD TV households.

“For years, Blu-ray Disc™ has set the standard for high definition picture and audio quality in the home. Ultra HD Blu-ray will do the same for UHD home entertainment," said Victor Matsuda, chair, BDA Promotions Committee. “The technical capabilities of Blu-ray Disc, in particular its significant storage capacity and high data transfer rates, will enable the delivery of an unparalleled, consistent and repeatable UHD experience."

The completed Ultra HD Blu-ray specification addresses a range of factors, beyond simply increasing resolution, that will significantly enhance the home entertainment experience for consumers. In addition to delivering content in up-to 3840x2160 resolution, the Ultra HD Blu-ray format enables delivery of a significantly expanded color range and allows for the delivery of high dynamic range (HDR) and high frame rate content. Next-generation immersive, object-based sound formats will also be delivered via the Ultra HD Blu-ray specification. Additionally, with the optional digital bridge feature, the specification enhances the value of content ownership by embracing the notion that a content purchase can enable the consumer to view their content across the range of in-home and mobile devices.

The specification also mandates all new Ultra HD Blu-ray players be capable of playing back current Blu-ray Discs, giving consumers access to the vast library of more than 10,000 titles currently available on Blu-ray Disc.

Licensing of Ultra HD Blu-ray is scheduled to begin this Summer. The BDA is working closely with industry leaders in the authoring, testing, certification and replication industries to develop the tools and process needed to ensure interoperability between players and software and to facilitate the development of a robust ecosystem to support the hardware and title launch of Ultra HD Blu-ray.

About Blu-ray

Blu-ray Disc™ and Ultra HD Blu-ray™ are trademarks owned by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) and licensed for use on discs, players and other products that use BDA’s optical disc format for high definition and UHD audio-video and high capacity data software applications. Single layer Blu-ray Disc can hold up to 25GB of data and dual-layer discs up to 50GB of data. New ULTRA HD Blu-ray discs hold up to 66GB and 100GB of data on dual and triple layer discs respectively.

About the Blu-ray Disc Association

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) is responsible for promoting and developing business opportunities for Blu-ray Disc™ - the BDA’s optical disc format for high definition audio-video and high capacity data software applications. The BDA has approximately 100 member companies. Its Board of Directors consists of individuals affiliated with the following member companies: Dolby Laboratories Inc., DTS Inc., Hitachi, Ltd., Intel Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., LG Electronics Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Pioneer Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Sony Corporation, Technicolor, Toshiba Corporation, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Studios , The Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.