Japanese companies Memory-Tech, krypton, Q-tec and Camerata Tokyo are promoting a new "format" for high-quality audio stored in Blu-ray discs.

The companies formed the "Promotion Group of Blu-ray Disc for High Resolution Audio" to accelerate the adoption oversampled, high bit-rate audio stored in Blu-ray discs. The new Blu-ray discs for high resolution audio will store 96kHz/24bit (2 CH) or 192kHz/24bit (7.1 CH) Linear PCM audio (uncompressed.) The main benefit is that Linear PCM is simpler and maintains the quality of the master without any degradation that may occur from using a compression technique. The chief disadvantage is that it takes a lot of disc space.

The discs are compatible with BD players and BD recorders. However, the BD Video standard supports up to 96kHz and optionally 192kHz 192kHz/24bit, so both 192kHz and 96kHz versions of the audio will be included in the new Blu-ray discs.

The new group plan to offer record companies in Japan a complete environment for both disc production and disk authoring.

Camerata Tokyo will release three albums in the new high-quality audio Blu-ray disca in November. The discs are not expected to cost more than SACD releases.