Five Cool Things at CES 2016 (And Why They Matter to ATSC)

Posted on February 1, 2016 in ATSC News

1. HDR Everywhere

Virtually every major TV set manufacturer at CES jumped on the HDR (High Dynamic Range) bandwagon, although the multiple flavors of HDR perhaps implies there are multiple bandwagons. New Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc players shown at CES (at least one is now available on pre-order) will support HDR, joining OTT service providers such as Amazon, Netflix and Vudu in delivering HDR content to the home. And during his CES keynote, YouTube Chief Business Officer Robert Kyncl announced that YouTube will be supporting HDR in the near future. Meanwhile, the UHD Alliance announced specifications for their “Ultra HD Premium” certification, including HDR criteria. For displays, there are two HDR options, either more than 1000 nits peak brightness for LED-backlit LCD TVs and less than 0.05 nits black level, or more than 540 nits peak brightness and less than 0.0005 nits black level for OLED TVs.

Why does this matter to ATSC?

HDR is a compelling enhancement to 4K and even 2K TV.  It’s already out of the starting gate, and multiple standards may be potentially confusing for consumers. With multiple proposals in the ATSC 3.0 process, ATSC will be well advised to expeditiously make decisions in this area.

2. Ks greater than 4

4K Ultra HDTV displays were literally everywhere at CES.  But 8K screens were also in the exhibit hall, and from more than one manufacturer. 7680 by 4320 pixel displays were featured from companies such as LG Electronics, Samsung, Hisense, Changhong and Skyworth. At least one of these sets is expected to actually be available on the consumer market in the U.S. this year.

Why does this matter to ATSC?

In addition to helping validate the relatively near-term commercialization plans for 8K Super Hi-Vision in Japan, these displays remind us that display technology continues to move forward. We may be just getting comfortable with 4K, but on very large screens 8K will challenge and beckon the television industry and ATSC to take the next step…eventually!

3. Crash-proof Drones

In his CES keynote, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich demonstrated a “smart drone” with Intel’s RealSense technology. In conjunction with onboard 1080p HD and infra-red cameras and an Intel Atom processor, the smart drone, manufactured by Yuneec, can successfully avoid collisions in any environment while still able to follow its subject and capture action with a 4K camera and 360-degree gimbal. In the live demo, the drone was able to follow a cyclist through an artificial forest built on the stage, avoiding the trees and quickly dodging one when it suddenly fell in its path.  And if you’re in the middle of a TV binge session, it may be a drone that drops off more microwave popcorn at your front door.

Why does this matter to ATSC?

Content is still king, and even ATSC 3.0 needs compelling programs to make a big impression on consumers. Self-aware drones with crash-avoidance technology open up exciting possibilities for sports, news, documentaries and drama offering action shots that just haven’t been possible previously.

4. Connecting to the Future

Core technologies continue to advance.  Multi-Gigabit WiFi routers are now available using 802.11ad technology and multiple frequency bands, supporting many simultaneous streams of Ultra HD content.  New flash memory storage systems seen at CES rival hard disk capacities and have up to four times the read/write speed.  New laser projectors offer new form factors for large displays and new portability for small displays.  And of course, new tablets and phones continue their relentless advances in both display and processor performance. 

Home networking is continuing to expand its use with the idea of a “centralized intelligence” beginning to take off.  There are still hurdles because of a dearth of Internet of Things standards, but Amazon made news by striking a deal to have its Echo operating system respond to commands from future Ford vehicles. Some manufacturers are introducing new over-the-air TV antenna receiving options, mimicking the look of Wi-Fi routers and offering a full range of indoor and rooftop ATSC receiving options.  So much for tinfoil on rabbit ears in the future!

Why does this matter to ATSC?

Thinking about putting all of these advances together, there are some exciting new possibilities for new home gateway products that receive content and services from ATSC 3.0 broadcasts and other IP sources and enable their simple distribution on consumer WiFi networks, for consumption of a device of their choice.  Maybe we’ll see some of those at CES next year?

Pearl TV produced this video showing how the ATSC 3.0 Physical Layer Candidate Standard was demonstrated at CES 2016

5. Live ATSC 3.0 Broadcasts

Real-time ATSC 3.0 broadcasts of 4K HDR images from transmitters 15 miles away on Black Mountain to TV sets in the Samsung and LG booths were great news for ATSC-ers.  Using the ATSC 3.0 Candidate Standard for the first time, LG’s demo received signals from KHMP Channel 18, while a local Sinclair UHF channel broadcast for Samsung’s demo. These experimental broadcasts underscore the rapid progress on next-gen broadcasting and foretell excellent momentum going into the NAB Show where ATSC 3.0 will not doubt have a prominent role.

Why does this matter to ATSC?

Are you kidding???

THE STANDARD thanks ATSC Board members Lynn Claudy of the NAB, Anne Schelle of Pearl TV, and Glenn Reitmeier of NBC Universal for this insightful compilation.

Posted in ATSC News