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New Technology in "Live" Infotainment Programs NHK using XVD solutions for "@Human", a reality TV program, enabling viewers with home video cameras to participate in the live broadcast. Tokyo - December 7, 2005 - Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) recently started a new trend in reality TV with their “@Human” live Infotainment program which starting 14th January 2006 goes out each Saturday evening in the Late Night time slot. The program effectively uses a range of IT and Digital Video technologies that enables NHK viewers with home video cameras to participate in the live broadcast and make comments about events and matters of the previous week. Viewers participate by a video and audio link over the Internet and exchange views with studio guests and with connected viewers in other locations. The "@Human" program has reportedly become the highlight of the 2006 program season in Japan. @Human has an innovative opening montage, based on content provided by NHK viewers who are asked to submit photos taken by their mobile phones, digital cameras or computer captured images, which are then used in the opening sequence. The opening montage is updated every week to keep the content current. At a recent press conference, the NHK presenter Yuriko Shimazu commented on the type of program that producers are aiming for. "We do not aim to create a TV program where everything is predetermined. In contrast, we want to create a flexible program, which will act as a forum where viewers can directly participate." Commenting on the project conception, Shimazu said "@Human" is being called the merging of broadcasting and networking. And, it is creating various discussions on the future shape of public broadcasting. We believe that the new program will contribute to this discussion. She also noted that program planning is not done by the senior staff members and is largely developed on location. In closing Shimazu said "we hope that our viewers will look forward to @Human, and our staff is working on it with great enthusiasm". The technology behind the program required NHK to develop the @Human Terminal which is based on a laptop computer, Web camera and network interface. The terminal system is contained in a small brief-case unit which is connected to the Internet allowing viewers to contribute live video and audio content to NHK in real-time from a fixed location such as their home or office. NHK has also developed a mobile version of the @Human Terminal named the @Human Backpack. Celebrities and guests using the backpack terminal can report live using public networks, including wireless LANs using a consumer grade camera, an advanced technology encoder and a wireless transmitter contained in the backpack. According to NHK production executives, although essential to the program, the technology supporting @Human program is sufficiently transparent that it adapts easily into viewers homes or at remote locations, allowing the program to be serious, fun, and to present the latest information in a very touching manner. The @Human Terminal is provided to participants and guests who appear on the program from various locations and to NHK viewers in their homes. From these diverse locations participants can engage in discussions on the covered topics. Broadcasting Live Using XVD Codec Technology in SD & HD The @Human in-door terminal is based on a standard computer and the @Human Backpack uses the advanced technology XVD TX100 encoder. Using a consumer grade DV camera, SD content is encoded real-time into XVD format at 700-800kbps. The TX100 XVD encoder has an Ethernet (IP) output from which encoded data is passed to the wireless LAN transmitter. Another XVD encoder system the TX2000 shown below makes it possible to compress and transmit HD video at 3-10Mbps. The encoder is also small in size, weighing less than 4lbs and uses less than 12 watts of AC or DC power. The performance of this system is reportedly enhanced by a unique pre-processing filter technology developed jointly by XVD and NHK. Using a compact HD camera, such as the Sony HDR-HC1, XVD TX2000 encoder and COFDM or Wi-Fi wireless LAN, remote HD content can be fed into “Live” programs such as @Human with greater operational flexibility. The following websites provide more information on the most recent development in “Reality Programming” made possible by new advances in technology. NHK Website http://www.nhk.or.jp/ and http://www.nhk.or.jp/human/ AV Watch Website http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/ |
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