photo : olympic . org
Yes to Tokyo Olympics and 8K ! Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe ( fourth from left ) celebrating with the Japanese delegation after Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Olympics Games . By then , Japan expects widespread deployment of 8K technology in the country . For many other countries in Asia- Pacific , the race to 4K / Ultra HD has only just begun , as the region remains focused on the digital transition .
critical role of consultant , instead of as a mere supplier , in ensuring broadcasters ’ investments are maximised , Breckenridge stressed .
Systems integrators operating in the Asia-Pacific region also face a different set of challenges , simply because Asia is such a diversified market with varying needs , dependent on the vast disparity in technological developments within individual countries .
At IBC 2015 , Japanese public broadcaster NHK confirmed that it will commence test broadcasts of its 8K technology next year , followed by satellite transmissions in 2018 , and culminating in widespread deployment by 2020 , the year Japan will be hosting the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games .
The exception rather than the rule ?
For many countries in the region , 4K / UHD , let alone 8K , is still being greeted with cautious optimism .
The next three to five years should provide a clearer gauge of 4K / UHD ’ s standing in Asia , suggested Aale Raza , director of Whiteways Systems , who also revealed that the company is already proposing 4K workflows in its current proposals to customers .
Raza predicted that the consumer would shift to 4K in the next three to five years , with the technology movement driven , predictably , by the major TV manufacturers .
The most immediate and pressing concern , however , Raza was quick to stress , is the digital migration , which should be “ taken seriously ” by all Asia-Pacific governments . “ If sufficient funding is put in place , [ digital migration ] can be achieved , in spite of all the [ existing ] hurdles ,” he added .
The trend towards online streaming and over-the-top ( OTT ) services on multiple connected devices is accelerating
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������������������������������������� in Asia-Pacific , along with increased interest in 4K / UHD , observed Poon Ka Hing , CTO of IPA Intermedia , while agreeing that the transition to digital TV is a priority for the region today .
Poon also predicted that broadcast systems based on a baseband backbone infrastructure would eventually be redundant , as the broadcast industry transitions to IP-based systems .
As technology evolves , it is the role of systems integrators to help their customers think ahead and be well prepared for any changes , and to ensure that customers ’ needs , whether for today or into the future , are met .
Where it might have been a side issue just a few years ago , broadcast infrastructures can no longer be imagined without KVM ( keyboard , video and mouse ). The ongoing convergence of broadcast and IT technology will only ensure that KVM technology becomes an increasingly integral part of the broadcast industry , according to Roland Ollek , CEO , sales and marketing at Guntermann & Drunck ( G & D ).
With its heterogeneous environments , the deployment of KVM systems in Asia can be particularly advantageous , Ollek added . A KVM infrastructure can operate effectively in both digital and analogue systems , and for those further advanced in the implementation of 4K / UHD , KVM also provides the basis for high-performing installations , he explained .
With competition becoming more and more intense , monetisation of channels is another key priority for operators .
Looking to incorporate dynamic ad insertion capabilities into its channels , a leading cable operator in South-east Asia turned to Benchmark Broadcast Systems , who set up the ad insertion hardware and software for 47 channels at the monitoring and backup switching level .
Benchmark designed and implemented a new system that ensured that ad insertion was fully integrated to provide dynamic ad insertion without the need for manual intervention . The Benchmark solution also provides single-point monitoring and management for both SD and HD channels , including auto-processing of commercials to Dolby-D / PCM audio from other formats .
How , then , can broadcasters ensure that ads on their channels , and indeed their content , is reaching out to their intended audiences ?
Addressing a population count of over one billion , the Indian Broadcast Research Council ( BARC ) is seeking the latest watermarking technology to underpin an audience measurement platform that will be deployed directly by the Indian broadcast industry by end-2015 .
Aiding in the process , Magna Systems recently supplied , installed and configured the Kantar Media watermarking technology solution for a number of leading South-east Asian content providers running channels in India .
With the new system in place , it will be possible to study viewers ’ TV habits in precise detail , enabling broadcasters and advertisers to implement efficient strategies to reach their targeted audiences , said Partho Dasgupta , CEO of BARC .
As the ways of watching TV content continue to grow and vary in a multi-screen , multi-platform environment , precise audience measurement not only gains greater importance , but have also become more complex , related Patrick So , Magna Systems and Engineering ’ s director of Asia operations .
He elaborated : “ Because of the ever-increasing number of channels , delivery mechanisms and platforms both in real time or OTT catch-up , audience measurement services must now , more than ever , be accurate and reliable .”
And audience measurement is likely to remain an
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