BBC on Thursday announced that it will broadcast three World Cup football matches, to be held in Brazil, in ultra high-definition (UHD), marking the first time in history of live events to be streamed over the air in UHD in the UK.
The UHD technology, also popularly known as 4K, will offer videos with four times the resolution of 1080p high definition video. The three football matches to be trialled will include the quarter-final and the World Cup final.
Matthew Postgate, Controller of BBC Research and Development, said, “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”.
The live streams will be transferred via satellite from Brazil to the UK where they will be decoded and distributed via Digital Terrestrial TV (DTT) and Internet Protocol (IP) to only a limited number of UHD TV sets in selected BBC Research and Development facilities.
Although reach of the streams will be limited, the test could result in a ubiquitous use of the technology in the coming future.
Other leading TV makers including Samsung, Sony, LG and Toshiba are also trying out their hands on UHD 4K. However, they are yet to make any announcement in this regard.
