2017 is surely the year 4K takes over, having grown in popularity throughout this year, and now there’s been another step towards the Ultra HD takeover.
CyberLink’s PowerDVD has become the world’s first software media player to receive certification from the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) for Ultra HD Blu-ray playback.
That means your PC, as long as it has the right hardware, will soon be able to play those new UHD Blu-rays in full 4K.
Related: What is UHD Blu-ray?
“With more than 300 million copies sold, PowerDVD is the definitive standard for media players, providing customers with the ultimate in home entertainment for the last 15 years,” said Dr. Jau Huang, CEO of CyberLink.
“Today’s Ultra HD Blu-ray certification means we can once again bring our customers the very latest in video and audio technology, ensuring they can enjoy the ultimate 4K experience.”
The software is available now from the CyberLink Store but the new support for Ultra HD Blu-ray won’t be introduced until early 2017.
The latest generation of Blu-ray discs, as the name suggests, supports Ultra HD – aka 4K, which means you get sharper pictures as well as extras such as High Dynamic Range and new advanced audio systems like Dolby Atmos.
High Dynamic Range is shorthand for a series of upgrades to the picture that result in better colour accuracy and increased contrast ratios.
Of course, to make use of the new resolution standard, you’ll need a TV, or in this case a monitor, with a 4K resolution, as well as the right Blu-ray disc drive.
WATCH: Should you buy a 4K TV right now? head-to-head
Let us know what you make of teh UHD Blu-ray news in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
