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May-June 2017
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NEWS & VIEWS
W O R L D I N B R I E F
Nepal nearing full
digital TV switchover
KATHMANDU – Nepal has
switched off analogue TV ser-
vices in the cities of Kathmandu,
Lalitpur, Birgunj, Biratnagar and
Pokhar. According to Nepal’s
Ministry of Communications,
analogue services have become
“outdated and the quality of
the service is deteriorating over
time”. All analogue TV services
are expected to cease in Nepal
by April next year.
Myanmar welcomes
new digital TV channels
NAYPYIDAW – Myanmarese
media company Mizzima Media
has been chosen as one of five
new free-to-air (FTA) digital TV
channels to operate in Myanmar.
The new channels will be offering
a mix of news, entertainment and
infotainment content.
Native vs
Downloadable DRM:
The Long-Term
Implications of
Short-Term Choices
Find out more
on page 38
6
CREATION
30
MANAGEMENT
36
Broadcasting
industry at IP
crossroads
BY SHAWN LIEW
SINGAPORE – Transitioning to
IP can be a journey with hidden
challenges … and it appears that
the broadcast industry is now at the
crossroads.
As Dr Amal Punchihewa, direc-
tor, technology and innovation,
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union
(ABU), pointed out to APB, many
broadcasters globally are “already
in various stages of the IP trans-
formation”.
Conversely, one can say
that many are simply unde-
cided on whether broadcast IP is
the correct long-term approach. APB, in
The general attitude among collaboration
broadcasters in Asia appears to with systems
be one of caution, conceded integrator Ideal
Systems and show organiser UBM SES,
Dr Amal.
is setting up Broadcast IP Inter-Op Lab
However, he believes that at Broadcast-Asia2017 at booth 6A3-01.
the long-term prognosis remains
optimistic. “The broadcast TV industry’s call for interoperability across the
next-generation production supply chain has been answered by vendors
worldwide. Because of this, broadcasters can confidently pursue their
transitions to IP with minimal disruption.”
And by the end of this year, nearly 75% of members of the Alliance
for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) are likely to begin offering products that
are compliant with the SMPTE ST 2110 standard, noted Dr Amal, citing
a recent AIMS survey.
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DISTRIBUTION
|
MAY - JUNE 2017 |
42
VOLUME 34 | ISSUE 4
X-PLATFORM
48
Now TV, PCCW Global and Ideal Systems delivered a live 360° VR 4K/UHD
broadcast of the 2017 Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens in April this year.
VR heightens immersive
experience of live sports
HONG KONG – Since 1976, the
Hong Kong Sevens has captivated
rugby fans around the world.
This year’s tournament, however,
surpassed what viewers have trad-
itionally been used to.
Working with systems integra-
tor Ideal Systems and Now TV, the
official broadcaster of the event,
PCCW Global delivered a live
360° virtual reality (VR), 4K/Ultra
HD (UHD) broadcast of the 2017
Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong
Sevens.
The collaboration involved
Ideal Systems delivering the con-
tent acquisition using a number of
pitch-side Nokia OZO 360° cam-
eras. These cameras provided a 4K/
UHD IP signal, which was delivered
over HKT fibre to Nokia servers in
the control room, to facilitate live
stitching from each of the cameras’
eight 2K lenses to create multiple
stitched 3D 4K/UHD streams.
These 360° audio and video
streams were switched and passed
through to the Harmonic Electra VS
encoders for delivery to the PCCW
8 8
Why broadcasters
need to think
content-centric?
Discover more on page 50