Ultra-high-definition Blu-ray discs coming

The problem of getting native content to 4K televisions may have been solved. The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has confirmed that it's found a way of getting ultra-high definition (HUD) content onto existing Blu-ray discs.

The problem of getting native content to 4K televisions may have been solved. The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has confirmed that it's found a way of getting ultra-high definition (HUD) content onto existing Blu-ray discs.

The breakthrough, first reported by Pocket Lint, means that there will be no need to create a new-generation disc for the content or to build new Blu-ray players capable of handling them.

However, there is one catch: the 4K discs probably won't be on sale until September 2015.

The BDA announced back in January that it had started work on trying to get more content onto existing discs as it was convinced that an optical disc, rather than internet streaming or downloading or satellite broadcast, is currently the optimum way of delivering films and TV shows recorded in full UHD format.

At the moment, it's still very difficult to get ahold of native content for 4K televisions -- Netflix streams in 4K resolution in the US and Amazon will soon be offering similarly rich content but there are not a lot of other options available to consumers that have already taken the plunge and bought a 4K television.

Sales of the next-generation televisions crossed the 1 million mark in 2013 for the first time and over the course of this year the first sub-$1000 premium brand televisions came on to the market. This will help boost the technology's popularity but they won't go mainstream and consign HDTVs to history until getting content for them is simple.

According to satellite provider Intelsat, the majority of media executives believe the technology will be a common sight in consumers' living rooms within the next 10 years, with 63 percent expecting it to be mainstream within five to seven years. The results of its survey, published on Tuesday, show that 38 percent of respondents believe a critical mass of content will be a necessity in attracting consumers to the technology and that 4K movies and 4K sports will be the types of content that will be key to driving momentum.

Therefore there are ultra high hopes for ultra high definition Blu-ray discs.