Asia-Pacific Broadcasting (APB) May 2018 Volume 35, Issue 4

www.apb-news.com
NEWS & VIEWS
W O R L D I N B R I E F
NHK on course for
8K broadcast
TOKYO – Japanese public broad-
caster NHK expects to successfully
begin 8K transmissions on Dec 1
this year, when some 300 shows
are ready to be viewed on the
flagship 8K channel. NHK will also
be broadcasting the 2020 Tokyo
Summer Olympic Games in 8K.
Over 50 million Asians
own 4K/UHD STBs
SEOUL – The number of pay-TV
subscribers in Asia owning a 4K/
Ultra HD (UHD) set-top box (STB)
reached 53.6 million at the end
of last year, reported market re-
search firm Dataxis. Led by South
Korea and China, more than 30
pay-TV operators have launched
4K/UHD STBs in Asia.
SBS pursues VR journey
SYDNEY – Australian public
broadcaster SBS has released
its final Untold Australia VR im-
mersive experiences, Every King
Tide and A Thin Black Life, which
bring to life two diverse Torres
Strait Islander stories. The former
title can be viewed via the SBS VR
app, while the latter title can be
enjoyed using Samsung Gear VR.
5
NEWS & VIEWS
May 2018
6
CREATION
16
MANAGEMENT
18
DISTRIBUTION
| MAY 2018
20
|
VOLUME 35
|
X-PLATFORM
ISSUE 4
24
Leverage efficacy of HDR to
enhance viewing experience
In the UEFA Champions League
football game between Juventus
and Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley
Stadium earlier this March, BT Sport
conducted a live broadcast trial of
delivering the match in HD HDR direct
to mobile.
by josephine tan
LONDON – In the 20th century, the
migration from black-and-white to
colour TV was the broadcast indus-
try’s first attempt to bring viewers
— from the comfort of their living
rooms — into the “real world”.
Technology has since advanced
rapidly, bringing forth the intro-
duction of HD technology, the
resolution that is currently used
by many broadcasters worldwide.
With the transition from SD to HD
in Asia picking up momentum, TV
viewing experience continues to
evolve for millions of households
in the region.
And at the beginning of the
21st century, this “race for reality”
has continued with the emergence
of 4K/Ultra HD (UHD) — and in the
next few years 8K systems.
One exciting development to
note is high dynamic range (HDR)
technology that promises to pro-
vide “better pixels”.
HDR can expand the range of
contrast ratio. For instance, bright
and dark parts of images can be
enhanced to be brighter or darker,
hence offering more depth. Com-
bined with 4K/UHD, for example,
HDR can empower filmmakers and
content producers to bring out
more details and vibrant colours to
the human eyes, making the overall
image as close to reality as possible.
In driving demand and interest
for HDR, TV manufacturers have
begun to integrate the technol-
ogy into their new TV sets, while
video streaming service providers
such as Amazon Prime Video and
Netflix are also offering 4K/UHD
HDR content.
And at the upcoming 2018
FIFA World Cup in Russia this June,
FIFA, football’s governing body, has
confirmed that all 64 matches of
the quadrennial tournament will be
8 8
Broadcasters need knowledge to cross the IP chasm
SINGAPORE – In his 1962 book Diffusion of
Innovation, Everette Rogers popularised the
Innovation Bell Curve theory, which is used to
plot the adoption cycle of new technologies by
consumers.
In 1991, Geoffrey A Moore added The Chasm
to this curve in his book Crossing the Chasm, in
which he defines the chasm between the early
adopters and the early majority.
Citing the above examples, Fintan Mc
Kiernan, CEO of Ideal Systems, South-east Asia,
told APB: “In the broadcast IP adoption curve,
we are still pre-chasm, but only just. In 2018, we
are on the precipice — the commoditisation of
broadcast IP equipment and the maturation of
SMPTE standards will be the drivers that enable
the crossing of the chasm into the mainstream.
“However, and most importantly, broad-
T
he Ga
me Ha
s Cha
ng
ed
F
i
nd Out How Muc
h Be er T
ha
n HE
VC
casters need knowledge to successfully cross
the chasm. Without knowledge, the fear of
choosing the wrong technology or deploying
it the wrong way, will delay the adoption of IP
by broadcasters.”
This, Mc Kiernan explained, is the main driver
behind Ideal Systems’ decision to work with
APB to present an IP Master Class at the Marina
8 8
S
ee T
he Di
ffer
enc
e,
Book Y
our AV1 T
r
i
a
l
T
oda
y
www.
i
de
a
l
s
y
s
.
c
om