Ultra HD TV could be available in the
home before the end of the decade Wol-sat looks ahead to the next broadcasting
milestone
Over the past decade, the proliferation of
high definition channels and the falling cost of reception equipment and TVs
has seen HD TV become part of the mainstream rather than a luxury enjoyed by
only a small number of early adapters. Now it seems we’re poised for another
‘resolution revolution’ with the arrival of the next generation of TV
broadcasts dubbed ‘Ultra HDTV’ or ‘UHDTV’.
Panasonic’s
impressive 8K 145in plasma display
Often described as like ‘looking through a
window’, Ultra HD has been developed by Japanese broadcaster NHK under the
moniker Super Hi-Vision (SHV for short).
In strict terms Super Hi-Vision applies to
the so-called ‘8K’ standard which, with a resolution of 7,680 pixels by 4,320
pixels (or 32 megapixels) delivers images which are 16 times sharper than Full
HD (1,920 x 1,080) video. This equates to 8,000 lines of horizontal definition
compared to the latter’s 1080 or the 4,000 lines offered by movies shot using
35mm film.
It currently runs at 60 frames per second
(though NHK plans to increase this to 120 fps) much faster than the 25 fps
offered by many HD broadcasts and has a 100 degree viewing angle compared to 30
for Full HD. It is accompanied by suitably immersive 22.2 channel surround
sound recorded using specially developed ‘single point recording’ microphones.
The
technology needed to deliver Ultra HD in the home is still being developed
The technology needed to deliver Ultra HD
in the home is still being developed but a number of screenings have taken
place to gauge public opinion. 8K footage of this summer’s London Olympics was
shown to the public on large screen displays at venues in Japan. The US and
parts of the UK, and included the opening and closing ceremonies and selected
events shot by NHK in conjunction with the BBC and Olympic Broadcasting
Services.
While NHK is focused on making 8K the de
facto broadcasting standard for Japan, European broadcasters will initially be
offering ‘4K’ Ultra HD TV as part of a two stage plan of introduction recently
announced by the International Telecommunications Union. 4K has a resolution of
3,840 x 2,160 pixels/8.3 megapixels – four times that of Full HD and is
increasingly being used for film production as well as being supported by the
latest home cinema equipment including projectors and high end TVs – see right.
Transmitting such high quality video (and
audio) streams for home viewing throws up a number of technical challenges
particularly when transmission bandwidth is often at a premium. With this in
mind, new video compression technology dubbed High Efficiency Video Coding
(HEVC or H.265) is being developed for both 8K and 4K transmissions. Not
expected to be finalized until 2013, this will employ half of the bitrate
(200Mbps) currently used for Super Hi-Vision streams which are encoded in the
same H.264 format used to broadcast many HD channels.
Super
Hi-Vision’s 22.2 surround sound will be downscaled for home use
Up until now, high speed fiber optic
networks have primarily been the preferred method of transmitting Super Hi-Vision
for public display, but the average domestic broadband connection is likely to
be ill-equipped for the demands of streaming Ultra HD TV signal to a suitable
screen.
NHK says it has carried out successful
terrestrial UHF transmissions of Super Hi-Vision footage in Japan. In Europe,
however, it is satellite technology, with its inherent bandwidth advantages,
that will likely do most of the work in delivering Ultra HD channels to the
home.
Astra operator SES conducted a test
transmission of 4K footage replayed via satellite at the International
Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam in September. Footage was sent vie Astra
3B using a 50 Mbps transport stream, received using a 90cm dish and piped via
fiber optic cable to a high end PC connected to a Sony 4K-compatible display.
Speaking at a press conference, SES vice
president of reception systems Thomas W. said he was confident that the
adoption of HEVC would enable a more efficient use of bandwidth in future ‘When
HEVC becomes available next year we will be able to reduce the rate to 20 Mbps,
which is similar to HD TV over MPEG2 in the year 2000 so this makes it
commercially viable for broadcasters’.
What will I need?
Just as the launch of HD-ready displays
helped to boost consumer interest in high definition TV, 4K compatible displays
are already appearing on the market – see ‘You’re going to need a bigger living
room’. Pricing is predictably at the ‘early adopter’ end of the scale but will
doubtless have ‘settled down’ by the time Ultra HD broadcasts start in Europe.
With HEVC still in development and Europe’s
broadcasters in the planning stages when it comes to launching 4K channels, it
goes without saying that Ultra HD-compatible receivers equipment remain very
much ‘on the drawing board’. Until then, high specification computers currently
provide the only means of tuning into and displaying Ultra HD as eagle eyed
feed hunters who’ve been sampling 4K H.264 test broadcasts conducted via Astra
28.20E in recent months have discovered.
Having 22.2 surround sound can perhaps be
considered an optional luxury rather than a necessity for the home user, but
plans are afoot at NHK to offer a more manageable solution for the home user.
When will see Ultra HD TV?
NHK said recently that 8K test transmission
could commence in Japan as early as 2016. However, current indications are that
we could see 4K TV channels on Europe within a few years.
Just as the release of HD-ready displays
helped boost consumer appetite for HD TV channels, SES recently speculated that
the release of compatible TVs will in turn encourage broadcasters to launch
Ultra HD channels saying: ‘Since 4K screens are not widely available today, it
is not expected that Ultra HD transmissions will be delivered to the home until
after 2014’.
As for the UK, SES president and CEO Robert
Bausch said in May this year ‘Do not be surprised if you see us partnering with
BSkyB in order to pioneer the introduction of Ultra HDTV in the next two to
three years’, and that capacity is available for Ultra HD channels on 19.2oE and
28.2oE.
Sports coverage seems likely to be an early
candidate to get Ultra HD treatment with FIFA hinting that it is considering
allowing the 2014 World Cup in Brazil to be filmed in Super Hi-Vision.
Sky recently showed its hand when it
reportedly shot footage of an Arsenal vs. Olympiakos Champions League football
match in 4K as part of a camera test.
Super
Hi-Vision/ Ultra HD has been trialed on the public using large screens
However it too seems to be mindful of the
lack of affordable compatible technology on the market choosing to remain cagey
regarding the prospect of a 4K-compatible Sky+ box, Sky Sports 4K channel or
indeed its 4K plans in general.
‘As a broadcaster that embraces innovation,
we’re constantly working with manufacturers to test new products so that we
have a good understanding of their capabilities once they become available’,
said a Sky spokesperson. ‘While it’s too early for us to talk about whether or
not 4K may form part of our future roadmap, we are keen to learn more about its
potential ahead of next-generation HD TV sets coming to market’.
For those only just having gotten round to
upgrading to HD TV, it will be reassuring to learn there’s no need to worry
your bank manager just yet. However, if the spectacular Olympics opening
ceremony filmed in 8K with full 22.2 surround sound is anything to go by then
even its 4K incarnation, when Ultra HD TV arrives, the investment will be worth
it.
