APB PANELLISTS
2 EDITORIAL
Ultra HD will not be mainstream for years to come
If 2014 was a year where a series of technology trials at high-profile events have proved the efficacy of 4K Ultra HD ( UHD ) to elevate the viewing experience to a new level , would 2015 herald the commercialisation and delivery of 4K UHD content to the home ?
Are viewers in regions such as the Asia-Pacific , who have barely been introduced to digital television , truly ready to embrace 4K UHD ?
Content producers seem to think so , as last November saw Singapore ’ s Infinite Studios , an integrated media entertainment and creative services company , which produces film , TV and digital media content , officially launching a full HD virtual studio , which is also fully 4K-capable , at the Mediapolis digital hub in Singapore .
4K UHD will move at a much faster rate towards adoption than its predecessor , HD , declared Lawrence Ang , head of operations at Infinite Studios , who also revealed that the company has already registered interest from production companies , gaming companies and regional broadcasters to use its 4K virtual studio for their productions .
It is interesting to note that Korean broadcasters SBS , KBS and MBC collaborated for 4K production and UHD public test broadcasts of last year ’ s Asian Games , held in Incheon , South Korea .
The question is : Are these developments an exception , rather than the rule ? It is inevitable that some early adopters of 4K UHD will emerge from the Asia-Pacific region , said Philip Laven , chairman of the DVB Project . However , it will be
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some years before 4K UHD gains any degree of relevancy in Asia-Pacific , the chief reason being the region ’ s lag in completing the transition to digital TV , Laven pointed out .
This is not to suggest that 4K UHD will not succeed in Asia-Pacific ; on the contrary , all signs point to an eventuality that it will . Rather , what is required , perhaps , is a sense of perspective that 4K UHD , particularly in Asia-Pacific , is not going to become mainstream overnight .
The priority for many broadcasters in the region , remains ensuring a successful switch to digital TV . Until that process is completed , broadcasters simply do not have the means , nor the financial resources , to contemplate 4K UHD at the same time .
Perhaps , the first 4K content to reach viewers in Asia-Pacific will be delivered over the Internet but with the erratic availability of Internet connection across the region , even that is hardly a given .
Be that as it may , 4K Ultra HD is likely to continue to be the dominating buzz word for the broadcast industry in 2015 , and you can be sure that we will continue to bring you the latest developments as they unfold .
Stay tuned …
Dr Javad Amal Mottaghi Punchihewa
Secretary-General Director Asia-Pacific , Technology
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Broadcasting Union
SHAWN LIEW DEPUTY EDITOR
APB PANELLISTS
Yeo Angeline Chun Cheng Poh CIO Assistant & Director Chief - Broadcast Executive &( Music Industry )
Media Development Authority of Singapore
Philip Philip Laven Laven
Chairman Chairman The The DVB DVB Project Project
January 2015 ( volume 32 issue 1 )
EDITORIAL
deputy editor Shawn Liew , shawn @ editecintl . com
contributing editor Millette Manalo-Burgos , millette @ editecintl . com
contributing editor ( technology ) Karl K Rossiter , karl @ editecintl . com
reporter Kamarul Arifin Abdul Hafiz , kamarul @ editecintl . com
CORRESPONDENTS
■ Singapore Richard Seah , richard _ seah @ singnet . com . sg
■ China Vicky Liao , liaoxk16 @ vip . sina . com
■ India Shirish Nadkarni , shinads @ yahoo . co . uk
■ Indonesia Yaziz Hasan , yazizdela @ hotmail . com
■ USA Mike Feazel , mfeazel @ gmail . com
PRODUCTION production editor Zuraini Ridzwan , zuraini @ editecintl . com
sub-editor Samantha Ann Francis , samantha @ editecintl . com
multimedia designer Raymund Jaudian , raymund @ editecintl . com
ad / office administrator Irene Lok , irene @ editecintl . com
accounts executive Tan Hui Min , huimin @ editecintl . com
MARKETING manager - sales & marketing Lynn Chee , lynn @ editecintl . com manager - sales & marketing Sean Chen , sean @ editecintl . com
CIRCULATION manager Ho Siew Mun , siewmun @ editecintl . com
PUBLISHING associate publisher Kristy Tan , kristy @ editecintl . com
publisher / editorial director Andrew Yeo , andrew @ editecintl . com
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