ii TVBEurope 4K Supplement
www.tvbeurope.com September 2014 in association with
4K UHDTV The immersive TV experience of the future?
By Dr Giles Wilson, head of TV compression, Ericsson
T
he drive and effort to enable high-quality content and the optimum television experience is a challenge that the television industry faces on an ongoing basis, dictated by continued consumer demand. Today, the growth of high definition (HD) services has reached a certain level of maturity in developed markets that is unlikely to drive further growth of the standard in the future. The market is primed to launch an exciting new dimension that will help spark the next generation of TV services, and 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) TV could become that technology. Over the past 18 months, 4K UHDTV has become one of the most important and widely debated topics in the television industry. It is patently clear why this technology has risen to prominence: it is a superior, higher quality consumer experience, which provides four times the resolution of HD. 4K UHDTV will transform workflows and the way the broadcast industry delivers events coverage, starting with cameras, all the way through to the way we experience content. Broadcasters and TV service providers will face an increasing challenge of building momentum with consumers and enabling further landmarks ahead of the first commercial services, which are touted for 2015.
The technical requirements for ‘true’ 4K UHDTV
4K UHDTV offers a superior viewing experience for the consumer. It allows the use of larger screen sizes, which in turn provide a more natural, immersive and compelling viewing experience. So what are the technical requirements needed to usher in this exciting new era of entertainment? It is important to begin with the requirements of the viewers themselves. The human visual system has the ability to see around 180 degrees, including their peripheral
vision. Objects in the central field of vision, which is around 90 to 100 degrees, are generally recognised and remembered.
When a viewer sits at the optimal distance from an HDTV, the screen covers around 30 degrees, so that it is seen as an object in its physical surroundings. With a UHDTV at the optimal viewing distance, the screen occupies around 60 degrees, making it a far more immersive and natural experience. Sitting too close to the screen makes the individual pixels visible. Sitting too far away reduces the benefit
Dr Giles Wilson
of the increased resolution and also reduces the immersive experience.
Viewing content on a large screen also impacts the way it is filmed and produced, with typically wider camera angles and more static camera work. This all contributes to the natural and immersive experience. At NAB Show 2014, Ericsson demonstrated the first transatlantic coverage of a live ultra-high definition event in ‘true’ 4K UHDTV. If ‘true’ 4K UHDTV can be transformed into an immersive cinematic television experience for the living
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