The BBC is to capture part of the Olympic Games in the Japanese developed Super Hi-Vision format, the executive in charge of the corporation’s London 2012 coverage has confirmed.
Roger Mosey told reporters during the Edinburgh International Television Festival that the BBC was planning a series of public screenings in Super Hi Vision around the country using three 15-metre high screens. These would be erected at Pacific Quay, Glasgow, where BBC Scotland is based; Broadcasting House in London and the National Media Museum in Bradford.
The Olympic opening ceremony is among the events likely to be shot in Super Hi Vision. At the same time the BBC will also be using the 3D format, though its distribution route has yet to be decided.
The BBC has been experimenting with the Super Hi-Vision format for some time. Its Japanese partner will this year return to IBC and recently announced plans to develop a TV display with the manufacturer Sharp.
NHK began R&D into Super Hi-Vision, which has a resolution 16 times greater than HDTV, in 1995 and aims to begin trial broadcasts in 2020. With approximately 33 megapixels (7,680 [H] x 4,320 [V] pixels), or 16 times the resolution of HDTV, Super Hi-Vision will offer powerful, life-like image reproduction.
