The 8K Association (8KA), a not-for-profit trade organization composed of key technology companies in the consumer and professional 8K ecosystem, has announced the completion of performance specifications and the launch of a certification program for 8K projectors. This latest performance standard is another milestone for the Association, who this year brought the 8K message to a number of global trade events following the release of a highly regarded technical White Paper.
The work conducted by the 8KA’s technical and certification committees – whose members include representatives from AUO, Google, Hisense, Intel, MediaTek, Novatek, Panasonic, Samsung, TCL, TPVision and Xperi focused on several factors, including critical performance areas that help define the overall 8K visual and aural experience. These new specifications will help to deliver a premium end-user experience by creating consistencies in the following parameters:
Full 8K resolution, which reproduces faithfully all of the details found in the original image and 8K Upscaling that leverages advanced algorithms to convert lower resolution content to near 8K quality.
Brightness and Contrast, which ensures that details remain vivid, even in the brightest highlights and deepest shadows.
Wide Color Gamut, that defines the range, accuracy and consistency of the colors a projector can reproduce.
High-Dynamic Range (HDR), which complements these attributes by enhancing the projector’s brightness and contrast even further.
Immersive Audio, that utilizes the latest multi-channel & Next Generation Audio (NGA) formats to create sound fields that complement 8K video.
To further underscore the importance of this, the 8KA will also be administering a performance certification and logo program which will help promote the key benefits that 8K projectors can provide, to both manufacturers and consumers alike.
According to 8K Association president Bill Mandel, “Over the past year, experts from some of the industry’s leading companies worked tirelessly to develop these 8K projector specifications and certification programs. Their work will help to ensure that future 8K display devices deliver an unparalleled level of super realism and immersion”.
The 8K Association also expanded its efforts this past year in bringing the 8K message to thousands of attendees of such major global trade shows as CES, NAB, CEDIA Expo, IFA and IBC. During these events, a number of 8KA member companies, participated in a variety of activities including product exhibits, content demonstrations and trade ads, as well as panel discussions and interviews. Additionally, the 8KA worked closely with CTA (the Consumer Technology Association) on the development of a new UHD glossary which has been specifically designed for use by retailers.
This extensive 8KA education and promotion campaign culminated last September with the release of a new 18-page White Paper titled Seeing the Bigger Picture. It takes a detailed look at the technology, science, content, and business strategies behind the 8K ecosystem and viewing experience.
These and many other 8K Association initiatives have been led over the past two years by Mike Fidler, the organization’s Executive Director, who has announced his retirement effective at the end of this year. Fidler has been closely involved in nearly every aspect of the entertainment ecosystem, from content and services to hardware and retail. He also held senior executive positions at Sony and Pioneer where he helped drive the adoption of such important technologies as DVD, Blu-ray Disc, HDTV and 4K.
Fidler will be succeeded as 8KA Executive Director by Juan Reyes, who currently serves as the organization’s Director of Operations and Certification Program Manager. Reyes has worked on the development and implementation of emerging technologies and is skilled in building new relationships with stakeholders from across the industry. He has also been an active participant in a number of certification and compliance programs.
“Mike Fidler has been an incredible resource for the 8K Association and is largely responsible for elevating our outreach efforts to a whole new level. We wish him an enjoyable retirement” stated Bill Mandel, 8K Association president. “We’re confident that the tradition of leadership that Mike established will continue under Juan Reyes’s direction and will help to make the 8K Association even stronger in the future”.
The 8K Association has been organized to educate, certify, promote and evangelize the many aspects of the 8K ecosystem from content creation and production to distribution and consumer consumption. The 8KA mission is to accelerate industry-wide adoption of 8K content, products and services.