NHK of Japan, RAI of Italy and BBC of UK are to collaborate on a unique demonstration at IBC2008 (11 – 16 September) in Amsterdam. The live demonstrations will involve international links of Super Hi-Vision, the system which combines 7680 x 4320 pixel images with 22.2 channel immersive audio. The demonstration is being actively supported by Siemens, the BBC’s technology partner, Cable&Wireless which will provide fibre connectivity from London to Amsterdam, and Eutelsat which will provide a satellite link from Torino to Amsterdam.

In the series of demonstrations, content shot in Japan will be mixed with live pictures from a camera located in central London, operated by SIS Outside Broadcasts (previously BBC Outside Broadcasts). The live feed from London will be compressed using MPEG-2 and delivered over an ultra-broadband fibre, provided by Cable&Wireless. Content will also be played into the demonstration from a server in Torino, Italy, delivered over two full satellite transponders provided by Eutelsat. The demonstration will run throughout the IBC2008 convention.

As well as being shown in the NHK theatre using an 8k x 4k projector, some of the content will also be shown on the EBU Village stand in the exhibition. The EBU Village will house the satellite downlink, and will show the content down-converted for a 3840 x 2160 pixel LCD display, alongside a similar display with a second demonstration showing Super Hi-Vision content coded using the Dirac algorithm. Super Hi-Vision can also be viewed on the Eutelsat stand (1.D59).

“We have undertaken a huge challenge with our plans for IBC,” said Dr Kenkichi Tanioka, director general of the Science & Technical Research Laboratories of NHK. “It is a tribute to the alliance of forward-looking companies working on this project that we are confident all will be well. In particular, I know that my colleagues at the BBC and RAI would like to thank our industry partners who are investing heavily in broadband and satellite capacity over an extended period to make this work.”

Footnote: Super Hi-Vision was developed initially by NHK. It is now one of the activities of the Broadcast Technology Futures group (BTF), an alliance of leading broadcast research and development facilities and bodies including the European Broadcast Union.