BroadcastAsia2014: 4K To Transform Onscreen Viewing

HD (high definition) viewing will soon be a technology of the past, as a result of the proliferation of 4K coming Asia's way. 4K, also commonly known as ultra-high definition (UHD), is an evolved standard that greatly surpasses HD, bearing a minimum pixel count of 3840 x 2160 compared to the latter's standard of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Naturally, 4K brings to viewers sharper, higher clarity images and videos.

BroadcastAsia2014 offers a preview of cutting-edge 4K technology
Come June, players from Asia's TV and broadcasting industries will be able to feast their eyes on the most avant-garde 4K technology available globally, presented by some of the world's foremost companies in the TV viewing playing field.
Leading international exhibitors such as Canon, EVS, Grass Valley, Quantel, Orad, Red Digital Cinema, Village Island, Sony and many more will be showcasing their cutting edge 4K/UHD products.
Orad, a world-leading provider of real-time 3D broadcast graphic, video server and media asset management solutions, will be highlighting its new tapeless broadcast graphic and video server workflow technology – Blend 4K Channel and Morpho 4K – to help companies streamline productions and maximise productivity and broadcast workflows.

New Blend 4K Channel in a Box
Blend 4K is the first ever real time 4K channel in a box solution, offering a 4K clip server in XAVC and XAVC-S formats. The ultra HD XAVC uses level 5.2 of H.264/MPEG-4 AVC which is the highest level supported by that video standard, offering colour depths of 8-bits, 10-bits, and 12-bits. 4K, which promises to be the next standard in broadcast quality, is now offered in a single box, providing a 4K server coupled with 4K real-time 3D graphics.

Morpho 4K is Orad's new powerful yet affordable real-time 4K video wall solution. Using Orad's unique canvas concept, Morpho 4K outputs can be arranged in different aspect ratios and layouts according to the shape of the video wall. Unlike traditional video wall processors, Morpho 4K offers both real-time graphics and video capabilities from a single system. All on-screen elements remain synchronised across the whole of the video wall, with no tearing visible on any sections of the output.
"By 2016 the Asia Pacific Region is forecast to become the single largest market for 4K TV, accounting for 42 per cent of total world 4K households. The Asia Pacific Region, being a hub of consumer electronics producers mainly in Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan are pushing to market new 4K TV as replacements for old HD ones.
"Films are already being shot in 4K and sports events are now testing 4K productions with the Brazil 2014 World Cup being a big trigger. Content companies from Terrestrial, Pay TV and Streaming IP companies are also gearing up for the distribution of this 4K content and Orad is in the forefront of this technology," says Mr Joel Lamdani, President Asia Pacific, Orad Hi Tec Systems.
"Orad is already the market leader in providing leading TV stations in the Asia Pacific with its 4K technology for large video displays, providing them with true 4K and 8K video & graphics technologies for their large display walls. At the same time Orad is also positioned to provide its leading 4K virtual studio, real time graphics system and video servers all in true 4K supporting 1080p," Mr. Lamdani added.
Orad's comprehensive product line-up at BroadcastAsia2014 also includes its iFind fast turnaround production system, PlayMaker video server, VJ production server and Social Media Hub social media solution.

Quantel: Pablo Rio
Pablo Rio is Quantel's high quality colour correction and finishing system that runs on high-performance PC hardware. Offering realtime 4K 60p performance, fantastic interactivity and throughput, Pablo Rio blends quality and creativity in a package that delivers the productivity needed to succeed in high quality colour and finishing today. Pablo Rio is available as software-only or as a turnkey system in a variety of configurations to suit HD, 2K, 4K and 6K Red Dragon realtime working.

Village Island Asia: VH4000 – 4K Multi-Standard Video Decoder – Worldwide Launch
VH-4000 is the next generation of decoders supporting 4K for HEVC and legacy compression standards. Our unique system targets live 4K contribution permits 4K 50/60p (not only 25/30p) in real-time and in a single tile (no HD decompositions!) so as to achieve maximum performance and video quality for new generation 4K broadcast services and 4K live sports events.
Alongside 4K, technologies related to digital media such digital pre and post production, MAM, multi-screen/multi-platform streaming and OTT will be featured at BroadcastAsia2014. Other exhibitors who have confirmed their participation include AARIS, Akamai, Brightzone, Coship, Dalet, Dayang, DB Broadcast, Elber, Envivio, Gospell, Imagine Communications and GatesAir, Limelight, mStar, NEC, Pace, Pilat Media, Playbox, Ross Video, Screen Systems, Skyworth, Telestream, Thomson Networks, Toshiba, VIZRT, Wasp3D and Wohler.

The article is also available in RFV online.

(IT/JP)