Hybrid systems compete for attention

IBC 2010 – AMSTERDAM. The BBC, EBU and NHK all have their own hybrid technologies, but the Japanese public broadcaster also has its Super Hi Vision HD format. As part of the opening session of IBC 2010 on the future of public broadcasting Yoshinori Imai, VP, NHK introduced delegates to Hybridcast, which he said would provide a seamless link with broadband as well as integrating with popular social networking sites. “What is at stake now is not the choice between broadcast and broadband, but an effective hybrid of the two”.

However, it was Mr Imai’s mention of Super Hi Vision with its 33 megapixel (7680 x 4320) resolution that really got the audience excited. First seen at IBC five years ago, NHK has now signed a new joint venture with the BBC and the Italian public broadcaster RAI: “It might take some more time for the displays to appear in your home, but is expected to deployed earlier in education, public displays and digital signage.” NHK is also active in the production of 3D content and is making this available to other broadcasters.

Referring to HBB, the general name for hybrid broadcast broadband rather than its commercial implementation as HbbTV, EBU director-general Ingrid Deltenre said the technology would be a success because it responded to an audience need. “Still a way to go, there are HBB services out there but they are very differentiated, network operators have their system, manufacturers have their system, Google has its system”. She reiterated the EBU’s plans to foster a coming together of the different technologies, which see said would lead to a “strong success” in Europe.

Deltenre said deployment of HBB would help take catch-up TV services from the PC to the TV screen, where the audience wanted them.