The higher-resolution revolution will be televised

In the year that 8K is set to debut as a major production format with NHK’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics, it was always a surefire bet that the CES show would bring forth a flurry of TVs supporting the new format. And so it proved, with LG, Samsung and Sony among the major names bringing multiple 8K sets to the Las Vegas Convention Center earlier this month.

NEP UP Broadcast Services client manager John Bullen is not surprised by the abundance of 8K products. From his perspective, the company has “recently observed an increase in the number of enquiries about the possibility of 8K production”, so it’s to be expected that hardware manufacturers are keen to be able to cope with consumer demand as it emerges. In terms of broadcast services, “we are in the process of thinking about how we will [deliver 8K productions], and we expect that it will involve both the upgrading of some existing trucks as well as the development of new ones.”

It would be understandable if the rise of 8K so swiftly after 4K elicited widespread groans across an industry now dealing with what appears to be an ever-accelerating rate of change. But if, as expected, this summer’s sporting events prove to be instructive as to how 8K content is likely to develop, it’s more than likely that broadcast and service providers will…