8K television broadcasts are slowly creeping towards becoming a reality
Back in May of 2012
Watching Ultra HD 4K content—with 2,160 lines of vertical definition—on a Ultra HD 4K TV set is impressive. But 8K—four times the total pixels—is so incredibly realistic that it feels like you’re looking through a window into real life, as demonstrated by this film screened by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK).
Scream overkill all you want. The fact of the matter is that, whether you like it or not, hyper-realistic, ultra definition, get-as-close-to-being-in-the-action-as-you-possibly-can 4K TV
The Wizard of Oz celebrates 75th Anniversary this fall with IMAX, Blu-ray 3D releases
Posted in: Today's ChiliWhile many remember the moment Dorothy stepped out into the Technicolor land of Oz, Warner is aiming to make that moment even grander with a 75th anniversary Wizard of Oz re-release this fall. The plans call for a week-long IMAX 3D run (similar to recent releases like Jurassic Park and the Oz HD screening back in ’09) beginning September 20th, and a Blu-ray releases hitting shelves October 1st. Digitally remastered and scanned in 8K before being rotoscoped and converted for 3D from the original Technicolor negative, Warner called it a long and complex project which it would not release until “perfect.” The Blu-ray set will come in several versions, with the five disc 75th Anniversary set including Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD and Ultraviolet versions plus a making of documentary and other special features. That one is currently priced at $73.99 on Amazon, and a 2-disc Blu-ray 3D combo pack goes for $26.99, with Blu-ray and DVD versions also planned. Check after the break for a press release with all the details, plus a video clip of that colorized first step and a documentary from the last time it was remastered, scanned in merely 4K resolution.
Filed under: HD
Source: Amazon
While you’re still settling in to HDTV, NHK is already looking past 4K toward 8K broadcast trials — and it has the hardware to do it. The Japanese broadcaster just showed off a compact 8K broadcast camera that uses the H.265 encoder we saw earlier, and packs a 33-megapixel sensor and drive circuits into a mere four square inch package. Unlike NHK’s 8K, 120Hz Super Hi-Vision cam, this more compact model runs at 60fps. Broadcast trials are scheduled to begin in 2016 in Japan, regardless of whether you can see the pixels or not.
Update: This post originally stated that the camera runs at 120Hz. It is actually 60fps.
Via: DiginfoTV
Source: NHK (translated)
No matter how many 4K TVs hit shelves, without native content their appeal will likely remain limited. Samsung and LG are working to change that, at least in their home country, by announcing a memorandum of understanding with five Korean cable operators (Hyundai HCN, CJ HelloVision, C&M, CMB and T-Broad) to boost 4K TV broadcasts. We could see both live and on-demand 4K programming by the end of this year or early next year, made available via apps on smart TVs and streamed through South Korea’s abundant high speed internet connections. Still not enough resolution for you? Just last week, Japan’s NHK showed off the first 8K Super Hi-Vision narrative film at the Cannes Film Festival. We’ll let you know when all of these developments add up to Ultra HDTV content viewable in your neck of the woods, but for now early adopters will have to make do with mostly upscaled content like Sony’s Mastered in 4K 1080p Blu-ray discs.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung, LG
Source: Samsung Korea, Korea Newswire
NHK’s 8K Super Hi-Vision is an extremely bandwidth-heavy format — so much so that earlier tests used gigabit-class internet links rather than traditional TV broadcasting methods. Thankfully, both the broadcaster and Mitsubishi have developed an encoder that could keep data rates down to Earth. The unassuming metal box (above) is the first to squeeze 8K video into the extra-dense H.265 (HEVC) format, cutting the bandwidth usage in half versus H.264. Its parallel processing is quick enough to encode video in real time, too, which should please NHK and other networks producing live TV. We’ll still need faster-than-usual connections (and gigantic TVs) to make 8K an everyday reality, but that goal should now be more realistic.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: NHK (translated)
Given 4K TVs and cameras are only just starting to hit the market, there’s not a lot of 8K components to be had just yet. But that isn’t stopping JVC from rolling out one of the first 8K projectors, that’s actually built on 4K technology. More »
JVC will launch its first (sort of) 8K projector later this month in Japan, for $261,000
Posted in: Today's ChiliJVC showed off a prototype 8K Super Hi-Vision projector in 2008 at CEATEC, and now it’s ready to ship a real product later this month, dubbed the DLA-VS4800. JVC’s e-Shift pixel technology is at play here, which we first saw in consumer products with the ‘4K’ projectors it shipped in 2011, and updated in last year’s models. Basically the D-ILA display panel inside the device is half the resolution (in this one, 4,096 x 2,400) but projects two images alternated at 120Hz, one shifted slightly diagonally. This creates the impression of a higher res display, without actually upping the pixel count.
Based on our demos of the tech at CEDIA for the last two years, the effect is very convincing, however with AV Watch’s presumed price tag of 25 million yen ($261k US — and that’s without the 4 available lenses, which have no price), we might want a few more real pixels, if such a product were available for purchase. Still, if you want the first 8K display device on the block, this is your only choice, unless you can convince Sharp to part with one of its sweet 8K Super Hi-Vision LCD prototypes (we’ve asked, we’ve begged, we’ve planned Ocean’s 11-style heists — it’s not possible.) The other issue is that you’ll still need some content to view, and with the roadmap currently putting test broadcasts in 2016, leaving this one to the museums and planetariums it’s intended for may be the best course of action.
Via: AV Watch
Source: JVC Kenwood Japan