IBC2008 to offer a glimpse beyond HD

Japanese broadcast network NHK, RAI of Italy and the BBC will collaborate on live demonstrations with international links of Super Hi-Vision (SHV) at IBC2008 in Amsterdam, Sept. 12-16.

An ultrahigh-definition widescreen system with 4000 scanning lines, SHV combines 7680 x 4320-pixel images with 22.2-channel immersive audio. Siemens, the BBC’s technology partner; Cable & Wireless, which will provide fiber connectivity from London to Amsterdam; and Eutelsat, which will provide a satellite link from Torino to Amsterdam; will actively support the demonstrations.

For the demonstrations, content shot in Japan will be mixed with live pictures from a camera located in central London, operated by SIS Outside Broadcasts. The live feed from London will be compressed using MPEG-2 and delivered over ultrabroadband fiber, provided by Cable & Wireless. Content also will be played into the demonstration from a server in Torino, Italy, delivered over two full satellite transponders provided by Eutelsat.

As well as being shown in the NHK theater using an 8K x 4K projector, some of the content will also be shown at the EBU Village stand (10.D21) in the exhibition. The EBU Village will house the satellite downlink and will show the content downconverted for a 3840 x 2160-pixel LCD display, alongside a similar display with a second demonstration showing SHV content coded using the Dirac algorithm. SHV also can be viewed at the Eutelsat stand (1.D59).

The NHK initially developed SHV, which now is one of the activities of the Broadcast Technology Futures group, an alliance of broadcast research and development facilities and bodies including the European Broadcast Union.

For more information, visit www.ibc.org.