As Australians flock to retail stores to see the latest 4K Ultra high definition TV,s, Japanese TV makers Sony and Panasonic are now working on delivering 8K TV in time for the next Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.
The two companies who believe that they have an advantage over market leaders Samsung and LG are working with Japanese TV broadcaster NHK, to develop technology for TV’s capable to handle 8K video transmissions.
The Japanese consortium is looking to regain the technological initiative somewhat lost to its South Korean arch-rivals.
There could also be spin-off benefits for Sony and Panasonic in their camera divisions (both video and ‘still’ cameras). Sony’s F65 Cine Alta high-end professional video camera – and appreciated by many film directors – is capable of capturing 8K.
Japan is already testing 8K transmissions, and beamed about 100 hours of 8K coverage of the Rio Olympics, although the broadcasts went only to designated ‘public viewing’ screens. NHK, and other Japanese broadcasters, say they will start regular 8K transmissions in 2018.
The trio will be overseen by NHK and it is expected that chip-set developer Socionext (itself formed by a merger between Fujitsu and Panasonic’s chip divisions) will be involved in developing a ‘next generation’ chip-set for use in 8K.
Sony has already said it will have 8K sets on the market in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
