CTA Announces 8K UHD TV Definition, Logo

ARLINGTON, Va.—The Consumer Technology Association and its member companies have announced the display definition and logo for 8K Ultra High Definition (UHD) TVs.

The logo and definition aim to help retailers and TV buyers identify products that meet the industry’s 8K UHD requirements, including attributes such as resolution, digital inputs, bit depth, frame rates and up-conversion capability.

“This 8K Ultra HD definition is the product of our Video Division Board’s dedication and hard work,” said CTA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. “As a result, retailers and consumers will know products that carry the accompanying logo deliver 8K UHD quality and performance.”

According to CTA’s latest biannual “Sales & Forecasts” report, 175,000 8K UHD TVs accounting for $734 million in revenue are expected to be sold by year’s end.

The 8K Ultra HD logo license and certification agreement will become available in the next few weeks. Companies may begin using the logo Jan. 1, 2020. The 8K Ultra HD logo program is an extension of the 4K Ultra HD logo announced in 2014 by CTA.

As it did in that instance, CTA convened major video sector companies to draft, discuss and approve the official 8K Ultra HD designation, it said.

Among the industry’s 8K Ultra HD defining characteristics are:

  • A minimum of 33 million active pixels—with at least 7,680 horizontal by 4,320 vertical pixel resolution in a 16:9 viewable window;
  • One or more HDMI inputs supporting resolution of 7,680x4,320 pixels; bit depth of 10 bits; frame rates of 24, 30 and 60 frames per second; HDR transfer functions and colorimetry specified by ITU-R BT.2100; and HDCP v2.2 or equivalent content protection;
  • The ability to upscale SD, HD and 4K video and display it on an 8K UHD display; and
  • The capability to receive 10-bit 8K images and render an image showing responsiveness to changes to any of the 10 bits.

The complete 8K UHD Display Characteristics definition is available on the CTA website.

Phil Kurz

Phil Kurz is a contributing editor to TV Tech. He has written about TV and video technology for more than 30 years and served as editor of three leading industry magazines. He earned a Bachelor of Journalism and a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.