42 TVBEurope NAB Wrap-Up
Resolution conflict: conflict resolution?
If you are old enough to remember the videotape format wars that enlivened NAB Conventions from the mid 1970s up to the era of file-based content capture, stand by to enjoy another such battle. David Kirk climbs into the ring
A DEFINING feature of NAB 2012 was the commencement of the broadcast resolution war, which looks set to run for many years. Currently identifiable protagonists are 525/625-line standard definition, 2K high definition, 4K and 8K. Add in such options as 3D plus ultra-widescreen and you
LVCC: Those old enough to remember videotape format wars at NAB Spring Conventions gone by will recognise the rise of a new format battle
Other 4K camera exhibitors included Arri, Astro Design, Hitachi, Ikegami, JVC, Panasonic, Red and Sony. Competition in the 2K
camera market has become very hot in recent years. At the smallest and lowest-cost end, devices such as the near- disposable GoPro HD HERO2 camcorder are now standard tools for extreme outside broadcast production. Blackmagic’s entry into the
fray created a buzz of excitement in the South Lower hall. Its awkwardly named but attractively designed ‘Cinema Camera’
have all the ingredients for an interesting battle. Two factors are fuelling the
resolution conflict: l Firstly and most obviously, the desire by display manufacturers to offer bigger and better screens when sales of 2K panels start to plateau.
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l Second, the emergence of ‘retina-quality’ displays for mobile telephones, tablet computers and (imminently) computer monitors. Apple’s iPhone and third-generation iPad were among the first retina- quality displays on the market; their quality is nothing short of breathtaking. One of the first victims of
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the resolution war is likely to be the shuttered 3D television screen. Sony and Dolby both attracted a high level of interest at NAB 2012 in their respective direct-view 3D displays. These demonstrations showed that the directionality of traditional lenticular filters can be reduced by using a 4K source panel to deliver the two 2K image channels and/or using diagonal (instead of vertical) filters slanted at about 60° from horizontal. Neither demonstration was perfect but both were a considerable improvement on any previous autostereoscopic screen I have seen. Both exhibits also included side demonstrations of direct-view 3D on smaller screens but these were spoilt by low horizontal resolution. The Japanese research
organisation NICT demonstrated a different approach to generating direct- view 3D, in this case on a 200-inch screen in a darkened NAB-floor tent. Quite impressive imagery but achieved
www.tvbeurope.com June 2012
Japanese NICT demonstrated a different approach to generating direct-view 3D, in this case on a 200-inch screen in a darkened NAB-floor tent
using a grid array of nearly 200 2K video projectors sourcing still images from multiple PCs. The technology itself does not sound very practical. Panasonic meanwhile ran a
continuous demonstration of very wide screen video projection above its exhibition booth, perhaps as a subliminal way to remind visitors that 21:9 or wider has plenty of development potential. More advanced screens
naturally demand more advanced cameras. Canon led the field at NAB 2012 by announcing a new CMOS sensor that can capture 13,280 x 9,184 pixel frames. Apart from the imager’s relatively low sensitivity, allowing shooting at up to 9.5fps, this 13K resolution is substantially ahead of NHK’s 8K proposal. Canon’s new C500 was one of
several 4K cameras on display, scheduled to become available in December at around $30,000.
captures 2.5K uncompressed 12-bit CinemaDNG RAW or compressed Apple Pro-Res and Avid DNxHD files to a removable solid-state-drive. Compatible with EF and ZE lenses, it has an uncluttered design, easy-access controls and a large touchscreen viewfinder. The design will no doubt influence longer-established camera manufacturers. Price is $2,995.
Show in quotes Looking beyond 2K, are 4K and 8K resolutions serious options for broadcasters? European Broadcasting Union Deputy Director David Wood evidently thought so, presenting a conference paper on the strategic impact of 4K ‘UHDTV1’ and 8K (‘UHDTV2’) and how to deliver the signals: “In Korea and Japan there are
plans for broadcast trials for the 8K UHDTV system between 2017 and 2020. Production and display equipment for the 4K
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