US 8K TV Standard & Logo Announced

The United States’ Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has officially announced its 8K TV industry definition, with commentators questioning its effect on other international bodies.

This new industry standard will assist American retailers and consumers to instantly identify products that meet its 8K industry-standard, launching a dedicated logo on 1 January 2020.

First proposed in July this year, the CTA standard for 8K TV UHD is determined by input parameters, display performance as well the media formats accepted.

However not every manufacturer has accepted the CTA’s 8K standard, with LG citing the Information Display Measurements Standard (IDMS) for pixel differentiation.

LG suggests that 8K TV’s should be defined by how well the television is able to distinguish and contrast between those pixels, known as Contrast Modulation (CM).

For any TV display to deliver its indicated pixel resolution, the minimum CM value must exceed a threshold of 25% for images, and 50% for text.

CTA has set the minimum display resolution for 8K TVs at a minimum of 50% CM using a 1×1 grill pattern.

LG claims they achieve CM “in the 90 per cent range” which they call “real 8K”.

The next step for the CTA is to develop a compliance test for transparent assessment including measuring performance levels for High Dynamic Range (HDR) and colour performance to help ensure consumers have confidence when purchasing an 8K television.

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