Forward-looking: As 4K televisions start to become the standard, the next step in the evolution of TVs looks to be 8K. While content in that resolution remains severely limited, it hasn’t stopped the 8K Association from releasing “performance specifications” for the sets.
The 8K Association is a cross-industry group focused on the growth of the 8K ecosystem. It has 16 members including Samsung Electronics, Panasonic, Hisense, TCL, and AU Optronics, and counts Tencent, Samsung Display, and Xperi among its newly added board members. The association wants to ensure consumers know exactly what they are getting when they see a television featuring the group’s planned logo by defining a baseline performance standard.
The requirements include a TV being able to display an 8K resolution, naturally, as well as over 600 nits peak luminance, HEVC Codec video compression, HDMI 2.1 ports, which can show 8K at 60fps, or 4K at 120fps, and input frame rates of 24p, 30p and 60p frames per second.
Other specifications have been made available to members; these include "8K Input Parameters (bit depth, frame rate, chroma sub-sampling), Display Performance (resolution, peak brightness, black level, color gamut, white point), and the Interface & Media formats (High Dynamic Range, codec)."
Not every 8K TV needs to meet these specifications, but those carrying the 8K Association logo will meet or exceed the group’s standards.
“Defining the key attributes for an 8K TV specification demonstrates the 8KA’s focus to quickly define a critical step in the growth in next-generation video technology,” said Chris Chinnock, the association’s executive director.
“To reach this milestone is a great testament to the cooperative spirit the members of the 8K Association enjoy along with our shared enthusiasm for the 8K ecosystem expansion.”
