Experimental UHDTV will offer new sound options
Today, the HDTV can offer up to 1,080 lines of vertical resolution in either progressive scan (1080p) or interlaced (1080i) standards. This offers a native resolution of 1920×1080 pixels, or 2,073,600 pixels total. However, new formats are being developed that will blow HDTV out of the waterand impressive new audio formats will be released along with them.Wide Quad High Definition (WQHD) is a display standard with a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels in 16:9 aspect ratio. The name stems from the fact that this is four times the 720p display standard. Only a few displays, like the Dell UltraSharp U2711 and the 27″ iMac monitors, currently offer this standard.Above that is the Quad Full High Definition (QFHD) resolution of 3840×2160 pixels in a 16:9 aspect ratio. This a non-standard resolution, four times that of the 1080p display standard. Toshiba’s P56QHD4 56″ LCD starts 10,00 online, but reaches 50,000 at some sellers.However, the real format to watch is Ultra High Definition Television (UHDTV), which has been proposed by Japan’s NHK, Britain’s BBC, and Italy’s RAI. UHDTV offers a resolution of 7680×4320 pixelsapproximately 33.2 megapixels, with a bit depth of 10 bits per channel and a progressive frame rate of 60 frames per second. This system was first demonstrated in 2003, when NHK used an array of 16 HDTV recorders to capture 30 minutes of test footage. In 2006, NHK showcased a live relay of the Kohaku Uta Gassen New Year’s Eve Christmas show, which in its uncompressed format required roughly 4TB of storage (for 20 minutes).Obviously, UHDTV is a ways off from being available to consumers. Current estimates put the actual date somewhere between 2016 and 2020. However, it’s the proposed audio standard that should have audiophiles’ ears buzzing. Known as Hamasaki 22.2 (after NHK senior research engineer Kimio Hamasaki), this audio component uses 24 speakers arranged in three layers to deliver an unimaginable surround sound experience. 9 layers are situated above ear level, 10 at ear level, and 5 below ear level. Six years (at the earliest) seems like a small price to pay for this quality of audio, although we’re already saving our pennies to be able to afford the compatible speakers when they’re first released.
