The progress from frame compatible 3D to service compatible 3D, and then on to a service compatible system boosted by Multi-View Coding (MVC) was witnessed in a special DVB demonstration at IBC. “MVC is the same technology as used in the Blu-ray disc, so we now have some degree of commonality,” said David Wood, technology and innovation consultant. “It is not exactly the same – because Blu-ray discs are 24 pictures per second – but that’s the second phase we are in. “We anticipate that next year, another system will be developed which will improve the resolution available with the frame compatible system,” he added. “This will be a top-up signal, which is broadcast on top of the frame compatible signal for those viewers that want it. But this depends on the compression technology being available from the MPEG Group.” The likelihood is that this top-up will not happen until 2014, but Wood is confident: “This will give broadcasters the tools they need for broadcasting 3D,” he said. “There is also strong discussion about 4K and 8K. Some broadcasters, but principally NHK, believe that 4K is a short-term option and that a lot of money will be spent that will have to be superseded relatively quickly. “NHK hopes to have 8K broadcasting before 2020, but there are others like KBS for example, which hopes to broadcast 4K from 2013,” Wood added. “Those two – Japan and South Korea – will prompt the rest of the broadcasting world to think seriously about delivering these formats.”www.dvb.ch
