As the bar continuously shifts for ultra-high-definition entertainment, 8K displays are dividing professional and consumer opinion. But is there more to the technology than meets the eye?
“Of all the new business opportunities available to custom integrators, 8K is the biggest,” says Juan Reyes, executive director of the 8KA. “The average viewing screen size is much larger than it used to be, and the consumers aren't moving their seats further back. They're experiencing the outcome of a long-term trend towards video and audio immersion.”
With four times the pixels as 4K, 8K should reign supreme as the display technology of today. However, initially high production and retail costs have combined to hinder adoption, with scepticism of its visual benefits added to the mix. The 8KA, a not-for-profit formed in 2018, is working tirelessly to correct these factors and make 8K entertainment experiences a reality.
“It’s a complicated process,” begins Reyes. “Sometimes it can take more than a year for us to meet and develop guidelines and specifications. We collaborate regularly through a combination of video conference calls and in-person meetings across the world. For example, we recently held a meeting in San Jose, California, hosted by our member company, Mediatek and one in Tokyo hosted by Panasonic, one of our member companies based in Japan.”
Over the course of his 23-year career, Reyes has been at the centre of evolving content – specifically how it’s ‘created, processed, delivered and consumed’. He blends insight across these industries with the goal to achieve interoperability, embodying the very essence of the 8KA in the process.
Juan Reyes
“We’re seeing various manufacturers express interest in the development of 8K set-top boxes (STBs),” says Reyes. “Kaleidescape joined us at a significant time, bringing its media server expertise into our technical working group to assist with the development of an 8K STB technical specification. Who better to be part of that than an industry leader?”
The organisation unites over two dozen members working towards an end-to-end ecosystem for 8K, spanning content creation, camera recording, postproduction, processing, encoding, decoding and distribution. Multimedia company Kaleidescape made headlines earlier this year when it joined the 8KA.
“We offer an industry-approved certification programme to ensure projectors and TVs are capable of delivering outstanding 8K content,” continues Reyes. “Now, we’re focusing on content to help meet the growing demand for highly immersive entertainment. The emergence of 8K makes TV feel more like a window to the world than a digital display.”
With codecs like VVC adopted by leading digital technology companies to support Internet networks, data processing and streaming services are maturing around 8K. And if that wasn’t enough to make the 8K format a compelling proposition, the popularity of big screens could seal the deal.
According to a market report from Display Supply Chain Consultants in 2024, large TVs above 70 inches showed the highest growth rate of 28% globally. Their expansive field of view (FOV) makes the benefits of 8K more apparent, with reduced video artifacts on native material and high pixel-density.
“Integrators are the focus of our work,” says Reyes. “We’re bringing together different 8K segments to give these professionals the future-ready solutions they need for immersive spaces like home theatres and gaming rooms.”
"Integrators are the focus of our work."
The 8KA’s white paper, Seeing the Bigger Picture, delves further into the science behind the format. It cites how, in lab tests, “viewing becomes less like watching television and more like seeing an object in real life” – the product of reduced cognitive load and extremely smooth rendering suited to acute details.
While 4K satisfies the general reference for human visual acuity (60 pixels per degree), 8K doubles the FOV to enable closer viewing without any lapse in pixel density. The paper shows how this is part of a notable increase in TV resolution from the days of 480i SDTV right through to 1080p and 4K.
“I think 8K is a natural progression for high-quality viewing at closer distances,” says Reyes. “The industry was sceptical when 4K UHD first came out, because there wasn’t enough native content for it. We’re going through the same pattern now. Once native 8K material catches up, the need for 8K TVs and projectors will become apparent. It’s not too far away with the compression and content creation advancements we’re seeing.”
Integrators are crucial to advancing 8K from one market to another, especially as the all-critical native content takes shape with next-generation delivery speeds and encoding capabilities. “Many camera manufacturers are also supporting 8K and higher resolutions,” Reyes adds. “Video production manufacturer Astro Design demonstrated an 8K 120Hz camera at the most recent CEDIA Expo, while cinematic companies like Sony and RED are shooting at up to 17K to capture more data at the source.”
“I think 8K is a natural progression for high-quality viewing at closer distances."
At the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in April, Reyes led a panel on 8K content development featuring producers from IMAX and Warner Bros. He also moderated a series of 8K panel discussions at CEDIA Expo between various sectors involved in the format’s end-to-end ecosystem. “It was a very exciting demonstration of 8K,” he smiles. “Additionally, we're working with the studios to bring 8K content to the market. And one of our member companies, 4BY4, also demonstrated how 8K can elevate the quality of older catalogue titles.”
Upscaling is also playing an active role in 8K distribution, integration and output to displays and projectors. The 8KA’s 8K Pavilion at CEDIA showcased how this ‘high value’ content can improve the viewing experience for a variety of content, including movies, TV and streaming programmes and gaming.
“AI upscaling capabilities have prospered to produce an extremely crisp image from 4K or even HD sources,” explains Reyes. “Another area showing promise is scanning and mastering film-based titles. This is where a content owner scans their own films at 8K resolution without the added costs associated with visual effects and editing. At NAB, Warner Bros announced it has scanned over 20 titles in 8K to pave the way for distribution once the ecosystem advances.”
“Another area showing promise is scanning and mastering film-based titles."
Integrators know that each technological advancement brings with it higher expectations, especially among discerning clients in the residential market. Scientifically ‘the best of the best’, 8K represents a cornerstone for more immersive home entertainment. And while 8K’s uptake has been slow, greater content availability and industry support are making a path for growth that might just become something spectacular.
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