Ian Nock

To go where no one has gone before

Ultra HD is named because it is not just about 4K, certainly as the Ultra HD Forum (and others) define it. The definition includes 1080P60 in the situation where it includes one or more of the other pillars of UHD (as in from HDR/WCG, NGA or HFR). This has been discussed as a very desirable profile, particular with respect to providing consumers with better pixels and not more pixels and when bandwidth is a premium. Now in the case of Netflix, bandwidth is not the key issue but it certainly is great to see a major TV platform making use of this better pixels format with the launch of Star Trek Discovery on Netflix outside of the US. Star Trek Discovery streams in 1080P HDR, the first that I have seen.

Certainly it is a very effective use of HDR/WCG, and creates a fantastic experience for the consumer that looks noticeably better without using 4K resolution… and at 5.5Mbps.

We believe we shall see more of these, particularly when it comes to linear services with high action.

Fairmile West is a Consulting company focused on working in the Consumer Device and Video arena. We work with clients on technology strategy and product delivery through key practices in Consumer Devices and Video Services. If you are interested in learning more about what we do, please do get in touch via our website – Contact us. You can also keep track with what interests us in the industry by following our Link blog at TV Tech News, and you can specifically follow news on Ultra HD via the following link – Ultra HD News.

Published by Ian Nock

Ian Nock is the Managing Director of Fairmile West Consulting, and has over 25 years experience in high technology research, development, and operations. Since entering the TV industry in the late 1990s, he has worked in the delivery of many Satellite, Cable, IPTV and OTT video platforms across Europe in diverse roles that encompass technology and operations from production to consumption. Ian moved into consulting in 2004 working with some of the most innovative vendor and operator companies in the industry. He founded Fairmile West Consulting (www.fairmilewest.com) in 2012 as a multi-national, high expertise Digital TV and Media consulting and professional services company, working with large/small operators and technology vendors on product/technology strategy, architecture, and delivery. Taking an early interest in the development of Ultra HD, Fairmile West has been a member of the Ultra HD Forum since 2015 and Ian is the Chair of the Ultra HD Forum Interop Working Group. Ian is also the Chair of the IET Multimedia Communications Technical Professional Network. Ian graduated with a First Class Bachelors Degree in Engineering Technology in 1992 from Leicester Polytechnic (now De Montfort University), undertaking research into medical automation, flexible packaging dynamics and post graduate research into artificial intelligence based control systems with a number of published papers in those areas. He quickly jumped out of academia into the nascent Internet and Networking industry before moving into TV. He is a member of the IET, IEEE, RTS and Fellow of the SCTE: The Society for Broadband Professionals. He blogs at http://fairmilewest.com, on LinkedIn and can be found on Twitter at @iannock.