The BBC will be testing Ultra-HD broadcasts in 4K resolution this summer during the upcoming World Cup in Brazil.
The 4K pictures will be recorded by Sony in Brazil and sent back to the UK via satellite, but will only be used for internal testing and not available for viewing by the British public.
The BBC will be testing the use of High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) for broadcast distribution over Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) and online. They will also be looking into the effectiveness of the MPEG-DASH adaptive bitrate technology for internet broadcasts, which adjusts the quality of the picture based on the bandwidth of the end user.
Matthew Postgate, Controller, BBC R&D, said:
“BBC R&D has an outstanding track record as a catalyst for bringing the industry together and delivering the future of television to audiences. These trials are an excellent example of that tradition as a major technical achievement, such as distributing UHD TV over DTT and IP simultaneously from Rio, can only be made possible by close collaboration with a range of organisations. The trials will prove hugely valuable in furthering our understanding of UHD technology, and potential distribution models for the future, as well providing real benefits for licence fee payers in the near-term.”
