Sony Corp prototyped a system that enables to transmit 4k (3,840 x 2,160-pixel) video in real time via a satellite connection.

The company demonstrated the transmission of 4k video at IBC 2012, which runs from Sept 6 to 11, 2012, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This is the first time that such a transmission has been demonstrated in public.

Sony realized the system in collaboration with SES S.A., a Luxembourg-based major satellite distribution firm. From a base of SES in Luxembourg, an edited 4k video content was transmitted in the "DVB-S2" format via a satellite. With the H.264 technology, the 4k video was compressed to 50Mbps.

"We managed to realize a system that can drastically compress original 4k signals without lowering the quality of 4k video," Sony said.

Sony decoded the signals with a receiver set up at the IBC and displayed the video on the company's 84-inch 4k LCD TV. The TV was installed near the reception desk of the company's booth, drawing visitors' attention.

At the IBC, Sony highlighted its ability to offer an environment that enables to make 4k video. It showed how video can be created with its "F65" professional camcorder. And it announced that the format used for the F65, "SRMASTER (F65 RAW)," was employed for Autodesk Inc's products, which are widely used for movie making in Hollywood, etc.

"The F65, which can shoot 4k video, has been employed worldwide and used for making 30 or more major movies," Sony said, emphasizing that it will create environments to deliver 4k contents to households with the 4k TV announced at IFA 2012. "At movie theaters, Sony's systems are often used for showing movies. We also have 4k TVs. The rest is how to bring them to houses."

The real-time 4k video transmission system announced this time has a transmission rate of 50Mbps with the H.264 technology. But Sony aims to increase the compression rate to realize a transmission rate of 10M to 20Mbps. Also, for satellite connection, it plans to enable a two-channel transmission with one transponder.

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danhese007 said:

Sony recently demoed a 4K broadcast receiver capable of decoding a 4K signal into the already standard 50Mbps stream via satellite at IBC 12 using H.264 compression technology without reducing the picture quality. A new decoder will be revealed that further reduces the bandwidth to 20Mbps. It was a live transmission from a TV service provider in Amsterdam.

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20120911/239254/

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shagg_187 said:

I love technology.

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entrement said:

R/D Sony is the best Sony. Pretty cool.

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Xcellere said:

I cannot wait until 4K becomes the defacto standard. 1080 needs to GTFO.

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XiaNaphryz said:

Note that when they say 4k its 3840 x 2160 (16:9), which is a UHDTV 4k standard.

Movie wise, 4k has a couple different resolution standards:

Digital cinema 4K - 4096 × 1714 (2.39:1) or 3996 × 2160 (1.85:1)
Academy 4K - 3656 × 2664 (1.37:1)
Full Aperture 4K - 4096 × 3112 (1.32:1)

Hooray for overloaded terminology!

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Psychotext said:

What am I missing here? Isn't this just the (Admittedly very cool) new codecs doing their job for top notch compression rates when paired with with high power processors? Or is there something else being played out?

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LosDaddie said:

I got to see the 84" 4K display last week at CEDIA, along with their 4k projector. It was gorgeous.

Problem is that there's no 4k media for it. Sony was running a promo video, a native 4k trailer for the new 007, and some pretty pictures. That was all.

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nVidiot_Whore said:

Yeah I don't get it..

So they have some new crazy compression tech that they claim doesn't lower quality?

Why does this only matter for 4k again? Wouldn't that apply to any video at any resolution?

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Quackula said:

I'm not looking forward to upgrading my movie collection again.

I'm honestly more annoyed than anything.

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