BBC iPlayer To Stream UHD Footage

It has been announced that BBC iPlayer is to stream footage of Planet Earth II in Ultra HD and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG).

The experimental footage, which lasts for four minutes, will be available in the formats on compatible connected TVs from today, 8 December, until early 2017.

Included in the footage is a jaguar emerging from the shadows to stalk its prey, as well as rain falling on animals and their habitats, including a range of greens and a frog in a shade of red never seen before on television.

Key to the trial is the inclusion of HLG, which the BBC has said it sees as central to future Ultra HD (UHD) programming. UHD improves image quality by increasing the number of pixels in a television set, but HLG goes further by providing better quality pixels. As a form of High Dynamic Range (HDR), HLG works by enabling images to be shown in extremely high contrast. As a result, this gives greater sharpness, extended detail in the shadows and dark areas of the picture, a wider range of colours, and more natural and brighter highlights and mirror-like reflections.

Dan Taylor-Watt, Head of BBC iPlayer, explained: "The extra quality HLG brings to Ultra HD needs to be seen to be believed. It's still early days for the technology but this experiment puts us in the best possible position once audience demand is there. This year we've brought live events like the Euros and Olympics to iPlayer, introduced new personalised features and now we're giving people a glimpse of what the future may hold."

Phil Layton, Head of Broadcast & Connected Systems, BBC Research & Development, added: "Increasing the dynamic range of TV images makes a huge difference to how real the images appear to viewers – it's closer to looking through a window than watching a standard TV set. Crucially, HLG works with existing TV technology and workflows making it ideal for broadcasters, and audiences, all over the world."

HLG was developed by BBC R&D and Japanese broadcaster NHK, and is based on open standards to ensure audiences can enjoy the best possible UHD experience.

Image: BBC Media Centre

www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre

(JP/MH)