51 TECHFEED Live Audio
Words by David Davies
Sport has dominated the story of immersive audio to date, but thoughts are turning to its potential for live music and entertainment programming
here is an enduring adage that, in broadcasting, live sport is where new technology comes of age. With the kind of
matches on its 4K UHD channel since January 2017 – that are in the vanguard for NGA rollout. As Hooper remarks, they are two of the broadcasters “currently driving it, as they have the platforms to transmit it”. He adds: “There is a bit of a ‘horse and cart scenario’ in that broadcasters will only want coverage in NGA when they have a means to deliver it.” With Japanese state broadcaster NHK set to apply a hugely ambitious 22.2 surround sound format to coverage of the 2020 Olympic Games, sport’s centrality to NGA achieving global traction is only likely to grow. Nonetheless, the appeal of NGA is now beginning to extend to other types of live content – not least, music. EARLY ADOPTERS Rob France is senior product marketing manager at Dolby, and its Dolby Atmos technology remains a pacesetter for NGA as a whole. He remarks: “We are seeing quite an upturn in the number of live music events where there is an interest in the possibility of doing immersive.” Sky’s coverage of the 2018 Isle of Wight Festival was “a good starting point” for NGA in live music, says France. Across four days of the festival, 19 hours of live music were broadcast on Sky One and Sky
resources and viewership to justify substantial investments – hence a greater potential to absorb possible failures – it’s sport that has the time and capacity to test new technology to its limits – and frequently beyond. Recently, this has proven true of IP, 4K/UHD and HDR. In a less headline-grabbing way, the same can also be said of next-generation audio (NGA) technologies, such as immersive and object-based sound. Neville Hooper, deputy head of sound at outside broadcast provider NEP UK, confirms the vast majority of its immersive audio production revolves around sport. Although it did undertake an immersive production of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018, its primary immersive commitment has been Dolby Atmos production of Premier League matches for Sky. As of the latest season, Sky Q 2TB customers can experience 124 live Premier League games in both Dolby Atmos sound and UHD vision. In the UK, there’s no doubt it’s Sky and BT Sport – which has been offering Dolby Atmos and UHD on Premier League
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