13 YOUR TAKE 4K
THE POWER OF IP In the constant drive to create and deliver more immersive, higher quality content, broadcasters are actively exploring how new technologies can be used to bring their viewers closer to the action. In particular, delivering them in ways that make content more appealing and accessible to younger audiences who tend not to consume linear broadcast content as much as their older counterparts. Adoption of IP for broadcast is key to agility and scalability. It’s no longer a question of why to transition from SDI to IP-based platforms but, rather, when and how. This rapid adoption is happening despite the fact that the full extent and benefits of IP’s agility have yet to be realised. The embracing of IP-based infrastructure is gaining momentum, largely due to the publication of SMPTE’s ST 2110 specifications, and work done by industry bodies such as Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) and Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) to drive vendor interoperability. Confidence among broadcasters, outside broadcast companies and media organisations is growing with the likes of Canal+, RTL, Timeline and Arena among others investing in IP-based infrastructure. IP and 4K go hand in hand. To support 4K UHD uncompressed live production and deliver operational eiciencies for multi-camera productions, IP is widely accepted as the most eective way to do this. K APPLICATIONS Sports broadcasters are leading the way with 4K UHD deployments for premium sports as they did with HD adoption. In a bid to deliver a richer, more immersive experience to fans, with more detailed replays of race incidents so they can get a better feel for the live action, Formula 1 made the transition to 4K infrastructures and workflows for the 2017 racing season, and is currently broadcasting the 2018 season in 4K UHD. Other sports providers, such as Sky Sports and BT Sport in the UK and DirecTV and DISH in the US, have been making early forays
into 4K UHD with some coverage of premium sports. The number of 4K UHD live sports productions will grow in 2018. For those consumers who prefer digital access, live streaming of sports content is also going 4K UHD; the BBC has been trialling its 4K HDR iPlayer to download live 4K UHD and HDR streams of both the World Cup and Wimbledon. It’s not just sports fans that want to get up close and personal with the live action on screen. Music festivals give broadcasters another opportunity to deliver more immersive content, enabling fans to feel as if they are there in person. Again, 4K UHD provides ‘almost as good as being there’ experiences with richer, more detailed images that allows broadcasters to tell the story of what’s happening on stage in a more compelling way. Delivered by Sky, the Isle of Wight Festival 2017 was the first music festival to be broadcast in 4K UHD and the broadcaster streamed high quality coverage again for this year’s show, adding Dolby Atmos immersive sound to some of the performances for a fully engaging eect. For broadcasters who are not yet planning to distribute 4K content to consumers, it provides a best-in-class archiving format to preserve quality for future uses of that content. As storage is becoming less expensive, some broadcasters will decide to produce in 4K and then downconvert to HD for the current distribution channels. LOOKING AHEAD Consumers have long judged video content by the visible quality of images on a screen and are always on the lookout for the next breakthrough that can improve this further. Over the years, we’ve witnessed the shift from black-and-white to colour, from SD to HD and now to 4K UHD. It only took a few years for 4K UHD to go from a faraway technology to being solidified as an evolving standard – an achievement that is testament to significant advancements in the realm of content delivery. Just as this integration continues to unfold, attention is already shifting to 8K in the wake of announcements about 8K television sets at this year’s CES conference. This type of forward momentum is exciting and challenges the media industry to constantly innovate. But for now, 4K UHD is here to stay, and broadcasters will need agility, flexibility and scalability at the heart of their operations to adapt to this higher resolution and reap its benefits.
MARK HILTON: It’s no longer a question of why to transition to IP-based platforms but, rather, when and how
etter quality pictures matter to consumers. When they watch sports or other live entertainment, they want to
feel as close to the action as possible, regardless of where they are tuned in. As a result, more consumers are investing in 4K TVs to get the higher quality viewing experiences they desire. The global 4K TV market is expected to reach 380.9 million USD by 2025, according to Global View Research, with Asia Pacific and North America leading in market share. This means that broadcasters are under pressure to make high-quality content available to consumers. With an increasing amount of 4K content being distributed by streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, this makes it all the more important for content owners and providers to turn to 4K. K UHD TODAY HD has become the norm in developed markets, with most mainstream broadcasters oering an HD service. Until recently, 4K UHD was used for special broadcasts of big events like the Olympics, but this is now changing. This year will see 4K UHD being deployed by the likes of Sky, BT Sport and the BBC for regular sports coverage, making it increasingly accessible to the consumers who want more immersive content. However, until 4K UHD becomes the industry standard, delivering simultaneous HD and 4K UHD feeds of live sports and entertainment content present a challenge for broadcasters, regardless of the production scale. Broadcasters and production companies need easily scalable solutions that can support both HD and 4K UHD productions seamlessly with minimal disruption to existing workflows. The ability to transition to fully-integrated 4K UHD in a live production environment that delivers the same functionality and speed as existing HD workflows is a key consideration with any new investment.
THE GLOBAL K TV MARKET I S EXPECTED TO REACH . MILLION USD BY
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