2016 Summer Olympics to be shot and broadcast in 8K and VR

[Shawn Knight]

Television manufacturers have been pushing ultra-high definition sets for years yet even still, 4K content remains quite scarce. Nevertheless, the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) will be filming and broadcasting a portion of the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics in 8K super hi-vision resolution according to a recent report from Advanced Television.

Aside from the fact that you can count the number of consumer 8K-capable sets available for purchase today on one hand (there's just one – the Sharp LV-85001, an 85-inch monster priced north of $130,000), there's virtually zero 8K content to speak of.

That said, why is the OBS even bothering to record the Rio games in 8K content? One word: Japan.

The OBS plans to shoot around 130 hours of 8K footage including the opening and closing ceremonies as well as coverage of events like swimming, judo, basketball and football from an estimated 7,000 hours of total TV coverage.

The 8K footage will be aired in Japan only (that's the only place you can buy the aforementioned Sharp TV) as a trial run ahead of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo which the country wants to broadcast in 8K. By that time, super hi-vision sets will no doubt populate more living rooms than they do today.

Don't have an 8K set and don't live in Japan? Fret not as the OBS will also be broadcasting select events across virtual reality platforms which will also be made available online on-demand.

Lead image courtesy Getty Images, 8K image via Seattle Times

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/64032-2016-summer-olympics-shot-broadcast-8k-vr.html

 

[Adhmuz]

And in North America they still only broadcast 720p, and there isn't even talk about moving that to 1080p, let alone 4K, 8K by 2050 would be my best guess at this rate. I can only dream of what an 8K TV would look like, or move to Japan.

 

[Rieksfier]

The I's in the word Television in the picture should be dotted seeing as the rest of the letters are lowercase.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

That's all fine and dandy but I'm not interested in 8K and VR, FHD will still do for me.

 

[amstech]

And in North America they still only broadcast 720p, and there isn't even talk about moving that to 1080p, let alone 4K, 8K by 2050 would be my best guess at this rate. I can only dream of what an 8K TV would look like, or move to Japan.

God bless you Adhmuz, and everything you do.

 

[SikSlayer]

And in North America they still only broadcast 720p, and there isn't even talk about moving that to 1080p, let alone 4K, 8K by 2050 would be my best guess at this rate. I can only dream of what an 8K TV would look like, or move to Japan.

The US broadcasts in both 720p and 1080i. No need to exaggerate to make your already false point.
Just look up ATSC 3.0 and you'll see 4K HDR broadcasts should be here before 2020. Many channels by then? Probably not, but then I don't have to exaggerate to make a point.

 

[BSim500]

"2016 Summer Olympics to be shot and broadcast in 8K and VR"

Total junk. Everyone knows that 4096k and 9th dimensional VR are the future. It's true. A salesman who wants me to buy $1,000 of stuff every 18 months just to watch TV said so...

 

[wiyosaya]

Just look up ATSC 3.0 and you'll see 4K HDR broadcasts should be here before 2020. Many channels by then? Probably not, but then I don't have to exaggerate to make a point.

At one point, there was talk about ATSC 3.0 being rolled out starting in 2017. I personally would like to see it because it gets rid of all the multipath reception problems that ATSC 1.0 has - and I experience on a regular basis. The one annoying thing about it is that it is not backward compatible with ATSC 1.0 meaning either converter boxes or new TVs for many people - yet again. Another good thing about it is that it is, this time, designed to be compatible with future resolutions - and that means 8K when it comes to the market.

I have no idea what it is going to take for broadcast stations to upgrade, but hopefully for them, at least, the upgrade costs won't be astronomical.

 

[Gopal Bhat]

I couldn't care less about broadcast resolution.
Just let me stream it in up to 8K resolution and I'll be happy. Problem sorted.