Ultra HD Blu-ray Format Video Characteristics

The Blu-ray Disc Association recently finished a new format extension called Ultra HD Blu-ray. The new format supports next-generation video technologies and several optional enhancements. This paper provides an in-depth description of the video technologies offered by Ultra HD Blu-ray and an overview of new optional features. The Ultra HD Blu-ray format allows improvement to the video representation by increasing the pixel code value quantization to 10 bits, enabling representation of high dynamic range imagery using SMPTE ST 2084 electrooptical transfer function, enabling representation of wide color gamut imagery using International Telecommunications Union Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) BT.2020 color primaries, increasing spatial resolution to 3840 $\times$ 2160, and allowing increased frame rates up to 60p. Carriage of mastering display color volume metadata described by SMPTE ST 2086 and new content metadata parameters called maximum content light level (MaxCLL) and maximum frame average light level (MaxFALL) are also enabled by the new format. Additionally, the Ultra HD Blu-ray format improves compression efficiency by using the new HEVC/H.265 video compression standard.

Print ISSN

1545-0279

Electronic ISSN

2160-2492

Published

2016-07

Content type

Original Research

Keywords

Distribution technology, HDR, HDR10, UHD, ultra HD Blu-ray disc

DOI

10.5594/JMI.2016.2563078