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“ With 4K / UHDTV , panaromic video and virtual reality ( VR ), there is a need for more compression ,” Bross continued . “ Any future video coding standard should also consider , from the beginning , elements such as HDR , HFR , high-level scalability , drone video and 360-degree video .”
Some are declaring it the new element and game-changer in broadcast ; others point to the fate of 3DTV as proof that VR will be but a passing fad .
VR is a complex topic and there are many questions broadcasters need to ask themselves , said Ludovic Noblet , director , IP & licensing and director , hyper media research at b <> com , a French research institute .
He elaborated : “ What does VR promise in terms of experience , which audience do you want to target it to , what kind of content and what story do you tell with VR , and what delivery platform do you use ?”
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In tandem with 27 other partners , b <> com is a founding member of the recently formed Virtual Reality Industry Forum ( VRIF ), which aims to “ further the widespread availability of highquality audio-visual VR experiences , for the benefit of consumers ”.
Noblet did , however , concede that VR is still not broadcast / multicast-friendly because of bandwidth requirements , while VR audio will need additional support , both for broadcast and broadband transmission .
Crucially perhaps , demand , or lack thereof , for VR content will be determined by its availability and quality of experience . “ You need to create a deeply immersive experience that goes beyond the initial ‘ wow ’,” he advised .
It is perhaps also timely to recognise that technologies are but enablers that allow broadcasters to adjust , and cater to evolving viewing habits . After all , there are now more mobile subscribers
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than people on earth and by 2020 , more than 50 % of viewers ’ time will be spent on consuming content via mobile screens , Khush Kundi , head of TV and media solutions , APAC , Ericsson , highlighted in his presentation . “ People are watching content throughout the day , and the mobility that they have over TV consumption is proliferating ,” he added .
Another aspect to note is how on-demand already constitutes 50 % of millenials ’ total viewing time , although mobile viewing should be viewed as being complementary to linear TV . Kundi explained : “ Even if scheduled linear TV loses some share of total viewing time , it is still roughly as big as any other TV and video type .”
If broadcasters can reach mobile in a way that makes sense to their business , there is potentially a thriving market for mobile TV in Asia , suggested Steve Beck , general manager , telecommunications R & D Group , Semiconducter and
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Electronic Solutions , Sony Europe .
The main barrier to entry , he said , is how broadcasters are holding back from launching mobile services until there are handsets widely available . Paradoxically , handset manufacturers will not product handsets unless there are broadcast services .
Before Asian broadcasters can fully derive the benefits offered by emerging technologies , their foremost priority must be to complete the full transition to digital terrestrial television ( DTT ), urged Dr Amal Punchihewa , director of technology and innovation , Asia- Pacific Broadcasting Union ( ABU ).
“ Asia is a highly divisive region , where only five countries have completed the analogue switchover ( ASO ),” he lamented . “ Governments need to show more commitment , a legislative and regulatory framework needs to be developed , closed coordination needs to be forged among stakeholders , and key drivers need to be put in place
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— such as content that appeals to audiences .”
Eliminate gatekeepers , close the information divide and assure access to information for all , concluded Dr Amal .
The next DVB World Conference will be held in Vienna , Austria , from 13-15 March 2017 .
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n MARCH
March 6 - 9 ABU DIGITAL BROADCASTING SYMPOSIUM 2017 The Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia www . abu . org . my
March 21 - 23 CABSAT 2017 Dubai World Trade Centre , UAE www . cabsat . com
March 23 - 25 CCBN 2017 China International Exhibition Centre , Beijing , China www . ccbn . tv
n APRIL
April 22 - 27 2017 NAB SHOW Las Vegas , Nevada , USA www . nabshow . com
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April 25 - 27 ASIA PACIFIC VIDEO OPERATORS SUMMIT ( APOS ) 2017 Ayana Resort , Bali , Indonesia www . visitapos . com
n MAY
May 16 - 19 KOBA 2017 COEX Exhibition Centre , Seoul , South Korea www . kobashow . com
May 23 - 25 BROADCASTASIA2017 Suntec Singapore www . broadcast-asia . com
May 23 - 25 COMMUNICASIA2017 Sands Expo and Convention Centre , Marina Bay Sands , Singapore www . communicasia . com
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n AUGUST
Date to be announced BIRTV 2017 China International Exhibition Centre , Beijing , China www . birtv . com
n SEPTEMBER
September 15 - 19 IBC 2017 RAI Amsterdam , The Netherlands www . ibc . org
n OCTOBER
October 10 - 12 APSCC 2017 Tokyo , Japan www . apscc . or . kr / sub3 . asp
See at the upcoming events
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October 12 - 14 BROADCAST INDIA 2017 Bombay Exhibition Centre Goregaon , Mumbai , India www . broadcastindiashow . com
October 26 - 29
CASBAA Convention 2017 www . casbaa . com
n NOVEMBER
November 15 - 17 INTER BEE 2017 Makuhari Messe , Tokyo , Japan www . inter-bee . com
Date and venue to be announced IABM ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CONFERENCE & AWARDS 2017 UK www . theiabm . org
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White Paper @ www . apb-news . com
v OTT success series : Will your streaming video success break your OVP ?
In the first of a six-part series , this white paper from IBM Cloud Video details how operators can anticipate and avoid common pitfalls in the OTT 2.0 environment before they launch or upgrade their next video strategy . The white paper also highlights the critical distinctions between “ me-too ” video providers and experienced experts who can bring global scale and peace of mind to operators ’ premium video business .
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