“Essentially all” audio features of the current Blu-ray format...

"Essentially all” audio features of the current Blu-ray format “will be rolled over into the new extended UHD format,” Ron Martin, vice president of the Content Solutions Center at Panasonic Hollywood Lab, told us Friday in an email. “Although not formally included in the format, it includes the capability to accommodate any specific proprietary solutions,” just as the current Blu-ray format does, said Martin, a technical spokesman for Blu-ray Disc Association. For audio, current Blu-ray players are required to implement Dolby Digital, DTS and linear PCM, but may optionally implement Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, plus lossless formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. The BDA’s current target is to have licensing documents ready for the new format by spring or summer 2015, which would let companies introduce products commercially in time for 2015 holiday selling season, the group has said (CED Sept 17 p1).