Japan’s national TV station NHK is not just a broadcaster but also quite active in technology development. For example, the organization is driving forward the Ultra-HDTV format (7680 x 4320 pixels, also known as Super Vision), which is to be deployed in Japan 2015.
On the web, NHK first expanded to Youtube and starting today, the organization now also offers NHK Street, a mobile web video site. The service is only available to subscribers (315 Yen/2.90 USD/2.00 Euros per month) and can’t be accessed outside Japan.
The crucial point: Users will be able to view video in high quality on their handsets, similar to TV broadcasts. Images will be transmitted at a maximum of 30fps, supposedly the highest in the mobile industry.
Based on the new technology (dubbed “Media Cast Movie”), NHK is now also able to offer full-length broadcasts instead of short clips. The technology was jointly developed by Tokyo-based start-up Aquacast and powerhouse Hitachi.
Serkan Toto