14 TECHFEED 8K
Words by David Davies 8K: THE FINAL No sooner had 4K/UHD services started to roll out than talk began about 8K television. With Japan’s public broadcaster NHK gearing up for an 8K 2020 Olympics, will the format become a global phenomenon?
n software and systems design circles, there is a concept referred to as ‘good enough’, indicating consumers will use products that
the most of UHD formats, a larger screen size is required. While 55-inch screens are currently proving the most popular among those upgrading to 4K/UHD, the minimum recommended display for an optimal 8K viewing experience is 65in. Quite apart from the cost implications of such a massive display – at least during the early period of availability – the continuing adoption of larger screens runs contrary to the trend for smaller living spaces. For instance, in the UK, a 2018 study by LABC Warranty discovered the average lounge in new-build homes is 32% smaller than in equivalent homes constructed in the 1970s. So, some serious practical issues to deal with there for consumers, and although current transition from SDI to IP-based infrastructures will likely make the move from 4K to 8K production less problematic than that from HD to 4K, there are challenges for compression, distribution and reception of the huge (48Gbps) signal. However, the starting point for any evaluation of 8K’s long-term prospects has to take into account the groundbreaking work undertaken by NHK in Japan. THE FINAL FRONTIER? After years of development, NHK began broadcasting in 8K on a permanent basis in December 2018, introducing a bespoke satellite channel, NHK BS8K, that is on air 12 hours a day. Sports and live performance
are sufficient for their needs, despite the existence of more advanced technology. If the average viewer was inclined to think HD was ‘good enough’, it certainly hasn’t prevented manufacturers from encouraging them to upgrade to a 4K/UHD-enabled TV. Now another cycle of renewal appears to be on the cards, with the rise to prominence of ultra-high resolution 8K UHD, which offers a total image dimension of 7680 (horizontal) x 4320 (vertical) pixels. The format has twice as many horizontal and twice as many vertical pixels as 4K UHD, as well as four times the linear resolution of 1080p (Full HD). Although 8K is now becoming a broadcast industry talking point, it has actually been in development for many years. Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, is undoubtedly 8K’s greatest advocate, commencing R&D on the format as far back as the ’90s. Standardisation followed later, with the format and interface standardised by SMPTE in 2007 and 2010 respectively, and it became part of an ITU recommendation for UHD TV, along with 4K, in 2012. While the core groundwork is falling into place, some issues at the consumer end may prove more intractable. To make
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