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ABSTRACT

NHK started the world’s first test satellite broadcasting of 8K/4K ultra-high- definition television (UHDTV), called Super Hi-Vision (SHV), on August 1, 2016. Coverage of the Rio Olympic Games and many fascinating 8K and 4K programs were broadcasted to 8K prototype receivers installed at all of NHK’s local stations in Japan.

This paper describes the SHV test broadcast system, especially the program play-out and transmission system and the 8K/4K receivers. In addition, it describes the progress made so far in developing a full-featured 8K system with a 120-Hz frame frequency.

INTRODUCTION

NHK has been engaged in the development and standardisation of the 8K “Super Hi- Vision” (SHV) system since 1995. Super Hi-Vision is a state-of-the-art television (TV) broadcasting system that provides ultra-realistic viewing experiences to viewers, creating the sensation that they are in the actual scene.

It consists of ultra-high definition (UHD) video that contains 16 times the number of pixels of high-definition television (HDTV) and 22.2-channel three-dimensional sound.

In September 2014, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan released a road map for ensuring the spread of 8K/4K through its “Study Group for Advancement of Broadcast Services.”1) The road map2) called for test satellite broadcasting to begin in 2016, with practical broadcast services to follow in 2018.

In parallel with these developments, NexTV-F (the Next Generation Television & Broadcasting Promotion Forum)3) was established in 2013 to prepare a framework for promoting and deploying 8K/4K broadcasting throughout Japan. NexTV-F has studied the technical specifications necessary for achieving the goals of the road map.

NHK has been following the road map as it has made preparations for 8K/4K broadcasting. Approximately two years were required to develop the play-out and transmission system so that one channel of 8K or two channels of 4K test broadcasting via satellite could start on August 1, 2016.

In this paper, we present an overview of the 8K/4K satellite broadcasting system, with an emphasis on the play-out and transmission system and the 8K/4K receiver.

In addition, because we have started to study a higher-frame-rate system, i.e., full-featured 8K, we present an 8K /120p camera and a 17.3-inch compact 8K monitor working at 120 fps.