The UHD Alliance (UHDA) and the Ultra HD Forum have begun discussing a potential merger,
Both organisations believe unification would lead to a more aligned approach to Ultra HD production and distribution, providing more consistent guidance for content creators, manufacturers and distributors. Benefits would also be felt by consumers, in the form of a more seamless experience across all platforms and devices.
Bill Baggelaar, president of the UHDA commented, “A unified organisation would bring significant advantages to both consumers and industry stakeholders by strengthening the voice of Ultra HD advocacy, streamlining industry efforts, and enhancing the overall viewing experience. By combining the UHD Alliance’s consumer-focused initiatives with the Ultra HD Forum’s technical expertise, the merged entity would serve as a more powerful advocate for the adoption and advancement of Ultra HD technologies.”
The talks come as both entities mark their 10 year anniversaries. As the volume of content designed primarily for home viewing has expanded, which the organisations said highlights the importance of consistent content delivery across devices and platforms.
Both the UHDA and Ultra HD Forum have previously considered developing specifications for mastering HDR, and said collaboration could pave the way for a more cohesive approach across the industry, further aligning:
- Technical recommendations to support evolving content pipelines
- Consumer education on how Ultra HD technologies impact viewing experience
- Best practices to ensure consistency across content production, distribution, and playback
UHD Forum president, Dr Yasser Syed, said, “As Ultra HD has matured, new challenges and opportunities have emerged, including evolving HDR mastering standards, high frame rates, advanced audio, and new content distribution models. This rapidly changing landscape calls for greater collaboration and a unified approach to ensure continued industry innovation and consumer benefits.”
