The Resolution Will Be Televised: Introducing Ultra-High-Definition Visual Quality

Remember those bygone, medieval days of five years’ back when HD was the final word in video resolution? It may be that you won’t remember them for much longer. Companies near and far are starting to release products that go above and beyond – and then above and beyond some more for good measure – when it comes to resolution quality. Companies such as Sony, Canon, Red Epic, JVC, and Dalsa Origin have all gotten into the game of releasing 4k resolution technology that is employable both in digital television and digital cinematography.

“4k” is a sort of nickname that’s been given to the overall concept of ultra-high-definition, a reference to the approximate number of pixels contained in the horizontal resolution of the format (for accuracy’s sake the actual resolution of 4K UHD stands precisely at 3840 x 2160 pixels – a four-fold increase in graphic detail from high-definition). While most current digital television devices have no real need for such high resolution quality – let alone content that they can broadcast using this new system, one of the principal aims behind 4K is to allow for larger, movie-sized screens to have the same pictorial detail that home entertainment screens already possess. As has been discussed recently in other social media entries, the London Summer Olympics of 2012 saw the first widespread use of 4K UDTV by a major broadcaster: the BBC, the world’s largest broadcasting network, set up multiple 15m wide screens throughout the United Kingdom for the public to be able to “attend” the Games in a more convivial atmosphere than, say, a home entertainment theater.

The technology is widespread and promises longstanding market resiliency. We at Telairity would be amiss if we didn't develop the proper encoders to accommodate what promises to be the “going” visual format of the future. Being masters at SD, HD, and mobile visual formats, we are already perfecting encoders that will meet the needs of these new formats as they begin their widespread roll-out. The market has spoken. The ultra-high-definition revolution is upon us. Those companies who have the technology that’s flexible and capable enough of meeting the new resolution standards will be the ones left standing once the wave has hit. Count us among that select group.