News Stories

European Broadcast Union argues case for future 4K HDTV

6.15.2011

4K could usurp 3-D as the next big thing

[By Philip Hunter, Broadcast Engineering]

The EBU Technical Assembly met in arctic Norway recently to plot the future of video production and distribution with a strong focus on HD. One of the main talking points was whether the emerging 4K standard gaining ground for movies and computer graphics will be adopted for broadcast TV, with differing views among EBU members.

4K is a standard for video display, so called because it specifies around 4000 pixels in the horizontal direction. The adoption of 4K by the EBU and other bodies would represent a standards convergence between film and TV, since standards for the latter including 720p and 1080p specify the number of pixels in the vertical direction rather than the horizontal. The film industry decided to specify in the horizontal because this made it easier to handle the many different aspect ratios, which could then be addressed by varying the vertical resolution.

Current HD services around the world are either 720p or 1080i, while the gold standard that many believe will be deployed over the next few years is 1080p with double the resolution. But the question is whether the industry will regard 1080p as representing too small an improvement to be worth the effort and instead jump to 4K. The version that could be deployed is in fact called Quad HD/4K, providing more than four times the resolution of 1080p HD, and at 3840 x 2160 pixels, is just slightly less than the current 4K digital cinema specification.

In favor of Quad HD/4k is the fact that it will not be too difficult to incorporate in new TV sets, and it should be transmissible over existing HDMI cables. Furthermore, if the quality really is mind blowing, it could usurp 3-D as the next big thing, avoiding the need for viewing goggles. On the other hand, as some at EBU argue, 4K of any kind may be overkill for most domestic TVs, only providing a noticeable improvement over even 720p and 1080i, never mind 1080p, on the largest TV monitors. By this reckoning, 1080p may be the way forward after all, slipping in almost unnoticed by the public without any significant hike in prices. But the TV manufacturers may not agree, preferring a radical step change in technology to justify a new generation of premium products at high prices.

See the original post here: http://broadcastengineering.com/news/ebu_argues_case_for_4k_hdtv_06132011/index.html

Second broadcaster to use Sisvel’s 3D system

6.8.2011

[Philip Lelyveld comment: See how the 3D Tile Format works here.]

[by Robert Briel, Broadband TV News]

Sisechnology has announced that independent regional broadcaster Città Digitali will adopt Sisvel Technology’s 3D Tile Format for its HD 3D service this month, making it one of the earliest adopters of the innovative 3D transmission format.

Programming for the 24-hour service will include art, culture, leisure, environment, and regional food and wine specialties.

“Città Digitali has always been at the forefront of the provision of content for digital terrestrial broadcasting, and with this extremely efficient new technology, we will be the first in the region to offer viewers news, news segments, current affairs, entertainment, sport, and culture in 3D,” said Lodovico Poschi Meuron, CEO of Città Digitali, in a statement.

Paolo D’Amato, CEO of Sisvel Technology, said, “The 3D Tile Format can bring great benefits to the whole market, from operators to TV producers, and most importantly to consumers. Our fruitful partnership with Città Digitali allows us to introduce this solution in the Tuscan region of Italy, and we expect to see other regions adopting the format this year.”

At the European Forum on Digital TV that will be held on June 10, 2011 in Lucca, Italy, Roberto Dini, Sisvel founder, will introduce Città Digitali as one the partners of the so-called 3D Village. This is an initiative that creates a common space for broadcasters, content providers, researchers, and manufacturers experimenting with 3D technology.

Test transmissions of the Sisvel 3D channel are available on the Astra position at 19.2 degrees East.

See the original post here: http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2011/06/08/second-broadcaster-to-use-sisvels-3d-system/

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Specification for Naming VFX Image Sequences Released

ETC’s VFX Working Group has published a specification for best practices naming image sequences such as plates and comps. File naming is an essential tool for organizing the multitude of frames that are inputs and outputs from the VFX process. Prior to the publication of this specification, each organization had its own naming scheme, requiring custom processes for each partner, which often resulted in confusion and miscommunication.

The new ETC@USC specification focuses primarily on sequences of individual images. The initial use case was VFX plates, typically delivered as OpenEXR or DPX files. However, the team soon realized that the same naming conventions can apply to virtually any image sequence. Consequently, the specification was written to handle a wide array of assets and use cases.

To ensure all requirements are represented, the working group included over 2 dozen participants representing studios, VFX houses, tool creators, creatives and others.  The ETC@USC also worked closely with MovieLabs to ensure that the specification could be integrated as part of their 2030 Vision.

A key design criteria for this specification is compatibility with existing practices.  Chair of the VFX working group, Horst Sarubin of Universal Pictures, said: “Our studio is committed to being at the forefront of designing best industry practices to modernize and simplify workflows, and we believe this white paper succeeded in building a new foundation for tools to transfer files in the most efficient manner.”

This specification is compatible with other initiatives such as the Visual Effects Society (VES) Transfer Specifications. “We wanted to make it as seamless as possible for everyone to adopt this specification,” said working group co-chair and ETC@USC’s Erik Weaver. “To ensure all perspectives were represented we created a team of industry experts familiar with the handling of these materials and collaborated with a number of industry groups.”

“Collaboration between MovieLabs and important industry groups like the ETC is critical to implementing the 2030 Vision,” said Craig Seidel, SVP of MovieLabs. “This specification is a key step in defining the foundations for better software-defined workflows. We look forward to continued partnership with the ETC on implementing other critical elements of the 2030 Vision.”

The specification is available online for anyone to use.

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