[Digital Times, Kim Ji-young] Although the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games are being broadcasted in ultra-high definition (UHD), it is pointed out that the problem of retransmission of UHD obligations is not solved yet. The reason for the UHD Olympics is fading.

According to industry sources on February 18, KBS and other terrestrial broadcasters are producing UHDs in eight categories, including curling, short track and ice hockey, as well as opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics. KBS will produce and transmit a total of 112 hours of 41 rounding events among UHD productions. Broadcasters have reached the reach of UHD TVs in the Olympic venues Pyeongchang, Gangneung, the metropolitan area, and the five metropolitan areas (Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon and Ulsan).

Terrestrial broadcasters are promoting that they can enjoy more vivid and lively images. However, it is difficult for ordinary viewers to feel it. It is not easy for UHD to watch the PyeongChang Olympic Games with UHD even if the terrestrial broadcasting UHD TV is equipped with expensive UHD TV among the over 30 million paying subscribers because it does not retransmit UHD broadcasting to pay TV such as cable TV, IPTV, and satellite broadcasting. To view this, it is necessary to add a receiver antenna of KRW 10,000 ~ 20,000. Even if you live in the UHD service area, you can watch the Pyeongchang Olympic Games in UHD in a somewhat complicated way.

Last year, discussions on UHD`s mandatory retransmission continued, but terrestrial insistence on direct reception did not end the problem until the start of the PyeongChang Olympic Games. As a result, it is possible to watch UHD broadcasting only in direct receiving households. According to the Korea Communications Commission, the proportion of direct terrestrial TV receivables among domestic TV households is about 5.3%.

The problem is also pointed out that UHD is slow to spread. Lee Hyo-sung, the chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, said, "I have a cable network, IPTV, and satellite network, but when I send it out only by terrestrial direct reception, it is doubtful that it will spread quickly. It`s a way.”

As the UHD supply slows down, there is a diagnosis that the current 4K UHD service will be short-lived. It is an analysis that Japan will be pushed to 8K, which started trial broadcasting during the Pyeongchang Olympic Games. 8K is a next-generation super high definition broadcast that is four times clearer than the 4K (3480 × 2160) UHD.

"An 8K UHD broadcast is expected to arrive four to five years after the transition from analog to HD broadcasting," said an industry observer. "In particular, terrestrial 8K UHD broadcasts are broadcast from 4K UHD and antennas And 4K UHDs can be difficult to see because there is a new structure."

By Kim Ji Young kjy@


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