IBC2008: Samsung Plans Debut of Live Super Hi-Vision

This could go down as perhaps the earliest preview announcement on record by an IBC exhibitor, but Samsung is telling everyone that it plans to demo its ultra-HD system (dubbed Super Hi-Vision) at this years IBC confab in Amsterdam.

That, in itself, is not unusual; it has shown the technology in past industry shows. But this time around, the Super Hi-Vision demo will consist of live video images via satellite, mixed with recorded footage. Considering that IBC doesn’t take place until Sept. 11–16, Samsung acknowledges it’s taking a chance on publicly committing to an ambitious project this far out.

Super Hi-Vision features 7680×4320 and 22.2 audio channels (compared to good old-fashioned “full HD” of 1080p at a mere 1920×1080 and 5.1-channel audio).

Broadcasters committed to featuring the live images at IBC include Super Hi-Vision developer NHK of Japan, RAI of Italy, and the BBC of Great Britain. Samsung announced in Seoul that Hi-Vision content shot earlier in Japan will be mixed with live images from a fixed camera in downtown London operated by SIS Outside Broadcasts. The live London feed will be compressed using MPEG-2 and delivered over an “ultra-broadband fiber” provided by Cable & Wireless.

The live images will be dependent on a satellite server located in Turin, Italy, and relayed to IBC in Amsterdam via two Eutelsat satellite transponders.