Grab the popcorn, the first Ultra HD (4K) Blu-ray discs are expected to hit shelves in time for the holiday season.

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) will begin licensing the new Ultra HD Blu-ray format starting Aug. 24, so DVD players that support it should be ready by year's end.

"Ultra HD is expected to ramp up quickly over the next few years as it grows in popularity, availability, and affordability within the market for TV sets," Paul Erickson, senior analyst at IHS Technology, said in a statement.

This move comes less than three months after the BDA revealed the new UHD Blu-ray specification, which delivers super high-definition content via super high-definition discs—up to 3,840-by-2,160 resolution.

Add to that more storage capacity and higher data transfer rates, and you've got a very sophisticated movie night.

For comparison, a single-layer Blu-ray disc can hold up to 25GB of data, while a dual-layer disc carries up to 50GB. New Ultra HD Blu-ray discs, meanwhile, manage up to 66GB and 100GB on dual- and triple-layer discs, respectively.

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"The ability to consume Ultra HD content during this time … is a question mark due to variables such as Ultra HD broadcast offerings and household bandwidth for Ultra HD streaming," Erickson said. "Ultra HD Blu-ray aids consumer adoption of Ultra HD by providing an immediate, tangible way to watch Ultra HD content that completely bypasses service provider and bandwidth-based variables."

Translation: you'll actually have something to watch on your pricey 4K TV.

UHD Blu-ray also promises a significantly expanded color range, high dynamic range (HDR), and high-frame-rate content (up to 60fps), as well as next-gen immersive, object-based sound formats.

You'll also be able to access a digital copy for viewing on mobile devices.

Video services like Netflix and Amazon have been testing out 4K streaming. The concern, however, is how much bandwidth that eats up. According to Netflix, those who opt for 4K streaming should have a "steady Internet connection speed of 25 megabits per second or higher." So if you have a slower connection but a 4K TV in the living room, a 4K Blu-ray player might do the trick.