The RTVE-UPM Chair takes stock of its latest experiences at the 4K-HDR Summit

After several pilots, the RTVE-UPM Chair now faces the challenge of testing the possibilities of UHD2 at 8K 50P HDR, and AC4 audio.

Jose Manuel Menendez, teacher of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and director of the RTVE-UPM Chair; y Jose Manuel Sanz, Technology and Lab Manager en Cellnex have gone to the 4K-HDR Summit 2019 to publicize the latest experiences that this initiative is carrying out.

In addition to RTVE and the UPM, an advisory committee formed by Cellnex, Dolby, Sapec y Televes; y Abacanto as associated entity

Sanz began his intervention by ensuring that in 2018, almost 80% of televisions sold already incorporated the DVB-T2 standard, and it is expected that this year this figure will rise to 90%.

He also highlighted that Cellnex maintains several channels pilot under DVB-T2 standard in Barcelona (channel 43), Madrid (32+44), Málaga (26), Santiago (33) and Seville (36) and has stressed that the new DVB standard increases the available capacity by between 50 and 85%.

These broadcasts are being carried with 4K HEVC video and AC-4 audio, T2 32K Ext. 256AM modulation, occupying about 20 Mbps. bandwidth.

"DTT is competitive, even more so with DVB-T2. In addition, we must remember that it is the platform with the largest audience for audiovisual consumption in Spain and continues to be the basic pillar of the European model."

For his part, José Manuel Menéndez has taken stock of the activities of the RTVE Chair at the Polytechnic University of Madrid since its creation in January 2015. During this time they have been working on several DVB-T2 pilots; UHD1 – Phase 2 (in relation to HDR/WCG/HFR/enhanced audio); and transport through 5G networks.

The last pilot has been the production and broadcast of content in UHD1 – Phase 2 complete. The contents acquired in 2018 during a training session for the national women's artistic gymnastics team were captured with PMW-F55 cameras from Sony.

On this occasion the images were captured with a BT2020 color space, at 100 fps, dynamic range with S-Log3 curve, and HDR generated with HLG, HDR10 and Dolby Vision as well as AC4 for encoded audio. The DVB-T2 DTT broadcast of this material has been carried out through channel 44 in Madrid from the ETSI Telecommunications headquarters of the Polytechnic.

Now they are already testing an environment UHD2 (8K) with some recordings with Sony cameras, at 8K 50P HDR, and AC4 audio. With the material, on a date yet to be determined, a series of preliminary broadcasts carried out with binary rates less than 30 Mb/sec will be carried out in an experience that will be pioneering throughout the world.

Finally, the RTVE Chair at the UPM is working on a 5G remote production and broadcast pilot, using processing at the Edge, with the ability to work with IP and/or HD-SDI signals, ability to produce audio remotely, in sync with the video...

The project aims to study the compensation of lack of synchronization in remote mixing due to latency problems in IP transport, generating a program signal from the Edge with contribution quality for live input in continuity…. and perhaps, why not, continuity in the cloud.