philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

TV Execs bullish on 4K and 8K, less so on 3D

A panel of programming executives at the Satellite 2012 conference and exhibition in Washington, D.C. said this week that said ultra-high definition (UHD) TV held promise, if not in the near term, but that 3D TV was problematic now. ...

“On super high-def, we’re absolutely bullish,” said Vince Roberts, EVP Global Operations and CTO, Disney ABC Television Group. He also said he suspects his colleagues at Disney subsidiary ESPN would agree. (Last summer ESPN EVP and CTO Chuck Pagano was quoted on Engadget as having told his staff to “get used to hearing the term 4k TV.”) ...

The situation with 3D is different. While consumers understand it, content providers are hesitating. David Couret, Technical Solutions Director, Audiovisuel

Exterieur de la France (France 24) noted that satellite transmission was best way to distribute 3D but said that his “main concern … is the glasses you have to get.”

“We agree with David,” said Jaffe. “Until 3D is glass-less in the home, we don’t see mass adoption.” Disney’s Roberts said that interest in 3D has flattened out. “I’ve got broadcasters that can’t re-broadcast it,” he said. Then there are nagging questions about the health effects of 3D. Roberts mentioned the potential impact on epileptic children, in particular.

Keeping next-gen technologies such as 4k and 3D in perspective, France 24’s Couret admitted that his company continues to transition into HD. “We launched five years ago,” he said. “The challenge is to address Europe and Africa. We need to be available to a maximum number of people.”

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