Sound

Image

The Future of Television is Right Around the Corner/The Ultimate Image and Audio Experience

22.2-multichannel sound

(Regular broadcasting begins)

(Test broadcasting begins)

Recommended as the international standard by ITU-RPublic viewings of the 2012 London Olympic Games were held

A showing at the Expo 2005 Aichi Japan was heldResearch begins

The first showing at NHK Science &Technology Research Laboratories

The History of 8K Super Hi-Vision

High quality content compliments the supremacy of 8K Super Hi-Vision technology. Production teams at NHK try to produce excellent contents, covering all genres including sporting events, historic occa-sions, the beauty of nature and special filming from the air and under water, delivering the best in 8K.

8K Content Production

8K Super Hi-Vision means extremely high quality images - precise and detailed. Its application goes beyond broadcasting to the worlds of medicine, education, museums and art galleries, assistance for mechanical and industrial design, all the way to security and crime prevention... And that's just the beginning.

Application for non-broadcasting fields

elivering the best in 8K.el e g e e n K

NHK develops technologies for all phases of the 8K Super Hi-Vision experience - from production equipment such as cameras and microphones, to broadcasting systems through which programs will be delivered, and to 8K Super Hi-Vision television for home use.

R&D

Example: History of 8K camera downsizing

8K Super Hi-Vision offers ultra high-definition image at 33,000,000 pixels, 16 times that of the current broadcast in Hi-Vision (2K).

Aspect Ratio (Width:Height)

16:9Pixel Count

Horizontal 7,680 x Vertical 4,320Frame Rate (Hz)

120, 119.88, 60, 59.94Scanning

ProgressiveGradation (bit/pixel)

10, 12Color Gamut

Wide gamut system colorimetry

8K Super Hi-Vision

Hi-Vision (2K)4K

We are researching and devel-oping ways for people to enjoy the 22.2-multichannel surround sound experience in limited audio environments, such as those with fewer speakers, dis-plays with built-in speakers, and headphones.

Laparoscopic surgery with 8K images8K Super Hi-Vision's 22.2-multichannel 3D surround sound system soars far above the conventional 5.1 channel system.

Rio Carnival A walk through the Churaumi Ocean in Okinawa

8K short movie"Beauties A La Carte"

Sports (Image)

NHK/TV GLOBO

2002 80kg 2004 40kg 2010 20kg 2012 5kg 2013 2kg

C rea t i on /Fu tu r e

NHK has led the world in the development and research of 8K Super Hi-Vision, the broadcasting medium of the near future. With ultra high-definition and 3D audio, 8K Super Hi-Vision will make you feel like you are really there - at the heart of the action. We are working more and more intensively towards our goal - test broadcasting by 2016, moving to full broadcasting by 2020.

Succeeded in the first international transmis-sion experiment in co-operation with BBC, RAI, among others

Inauguration of Next Generation Television & Broadcasting Promotion Forum (NexTV-F), an all-Japan organization aimed at early realization of next-generation broadcasting

Top layer

Middle layer

Bottom layer

LFE (Low Frequency Effects)

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Technical OperationsTechnical OperationsTechnical Operations

Satellite news gathering(SNG vans)

Broadcasting from Overseas

Base Transceiver Station Circuit Center

Format Conversion

Master Control Room(Technical Operations Center)

File-Basedplay-out Facility

News Center Studio Radio Center Studio

OB van

Location Shoot

Studio Production Production Control Room

Production ofDatacasting Content

Video Editing(Video Postproduction)

Copying

CG Production Visual Effects (VFX) Sound Postproduction

Production ofWeb Content

Production of Contentfor Hybridcast

NHK on Demand Archives

Development and Maintenance of Broadcast Facilities and Systems

Technical Research and Development

Power and HVAC Control Room Maintaining and ImprovingGood Signal Reception

Open Library

Local BroadcastingStations

Local Broadcasting Stations

Viewers and Listeners

FM Radio Transmission Stations

Outside Broadcast

News Coverage

Communication Satellite

Broadcast SatelliteVideo/Sound/DataProgram/ContentBroadcast signalInternet

Uplink Center (Shibuya)

Uplink Substation (ShobuKuki)

Satellite Operation Center(B-SAT Uplink Center)

Studio Control Room

VTR and Video File Server Control Room forInternational TV Broadcasting

Control Room for InternationalRadio BroadcastingEmergency

Warning System

Live Captioning

NHK's technical operations cover a broad range of tasks extending from news and program production, play-out, radio transmission and reception, development and maintenance of broadcast facilities and systems, to R&D on broadcast technologies. Engineers at the Broad-casting Center in Tokyo, as well as at other broadcasting stations across the nation, continuously strive to continue to provide and further enhance the accuracy and reliability of NHK's public broadcast service.

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Hi-Vision

TV Transmission Stations

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Outline of Broadcast Technology

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Outside BroadcastsOutside Broadcasts News ProductionNews Production

Capturing Remote Events in Progress How Breaking News Is Broadcast

News Center

International Broadcasting

Mobile Broadcasting

Shipboard Broadcasting

Underwater Broadcasting

Airborne Broadcasting

Anti-VehicleVibrationCameras

CS Auto-Tracking VanCamera-EquippedMotorcycle

Rooftops

BaseStation

Automatic HelicopterTracking System

Earth Station

NHK Broadcasting Center

CommunicationsSatellite

Optical Fiber

Outside broadcasts refer to programs produced outside of the broadcasting station; namely at sporting events or in theaters. HDTV OB vans, SNG vans and other equipment is used at an outside broadcast site to bring the latest news, events and sports coverage to viewers. We are dedicated to developing and implementing inno-vative ideas conceived on-site to become more attractive as a broadcaster.

Numerous tasks are involved in the process of broadcasting breaking news as an incident or accident occurs. These tasks include various preparations beginning with coverage and inter-views, writing a script, capturing footage, delivering content using communication satellites and circuits, editing, creating CGs, and preparing an on-air script. Various special systems are used to share information among these tasks at our News Center to produce and broadcast the news quickly, accurately, and effi-ciently.

Reports of both domestic and international incidents and events constantly arrive at the Broadcasting Center in Tokyo at all hours. The News Center uses this information to produce and broadcast news and informational programs. Approximately 10 hours per day of live broadcast news is created at the News Center for the NHK General TV including "News: Good Morning, Japan," "NHK News 7," "News Watch 9," and "Sunday Sports". Addition-ally, "Sign Language News" is created for NHK Educational TV.Lighting, camera, audio and system engineers led by the technical director work together with the news director and producer to broadcast ever-changing information in real time. Scripts of inter-

Twins-Cam, a special camera developed by NHK, was used for televising the synchro-nized swimming events at the 2012 London Olympics.Twins-Cam is a system capable of zooming and panning, which combines images taken from above the surface and underwater in real time.Twins-Cam enabled viewers around the globe to view the difficult combination of underwater movements executed by athletes as they displayed elegance and beauty on the surface. The camera received favorable acclaim.

Twins-Cam

Televising an international soccer competition Mixing inside an audio OB van

Body of Twins-Cam

Image after combining above surface and underwater images

OB vans for road race coverage

Communication satellite transmission equipment

Broadcasting from a disaster afflicted area of the Great East Japan Earthquake

OB van

News Center

Studio Studio Control Room

Network

Script(News Information System)

Content(Video Server System)

Earthquake/Weather(Emergency/Weather System)

Delivery(Delivery System)

Circuit(Circuit Information System)

Program Production and Play-Out

views and footage are edited and combined with various materials including captions, CGs, virtual images, remote-controlled camera feeds and live reports to form news bulletins. A large-scale network of systems enables workers to share information such as scripts, weather, earthquake and tsunami data, and HDTV images with others involved in the process. We also produce news with captions and news for the internet.

The BS News Center (BS-NC) provides approximately thirteen hours of live broadcasting per day on weekdays consisting mainly of news and informational programs for BS1. From ten minutes before the top of every hour, a ten minute domestic news program, "BS News" is aired. "World News" broadcasts the latest information from our overseas branches and news from multiple countries with a Japanese voice-over. "Catch! The World's Viewpoint", which starts at 7am, and "International News Report 2014", which starts at 10pm, feature invited guests and relay broadcasts from around the globe to supply the latest information in a comprehensible manner. "Tokyo Market Infor-mation" provides the closing stock prices at the Tokyo Stock Ex-change after both early and late trading sessions.

BS News Center (BS-NC)

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Digital Terrestrial TV BroadcastingDigital Terrestrial TV Broadcasting

Signal ReceptionSignal ReceptionSignal Reception

New Pockets of Poor Reception and Satellite Safety Net

Ensuring Excellent Signal Reception R&D and Survey

Handling of Devastated Areasin a Major Disaster

The frequency range (UHF band) used by digital broadcasting is higher than that of analog broadcasting, which makes digital broadcasting signals prone to blockage by mountains and build-ings. Digital broadcasting also has a signal property, where digi-tal signal reception is suddenly lost when the intensity of digital broadcast signals decreases to or below a certain level. Because of this signal property, there may be poor reception of digital broadcasts in some remote or mountainous areas, even when analog broadcasts may not have experienced that problem. To cover these "new pockets of poor reception," NHK is taking various measures to permanently improve digital reception, including the construction of new transmitting stations, and pro-viding technical support for communal reception facilities and financial aid for transition to cable TV.For those areas where the above measures could not be complet-ed by the scheduled end of analog broadcasting, provisional cov-

Channel Repacking(Reallocation of Frequency Bands)

After the digital switchover, the VHF Channels 1-12 and UHF Channels 53-62 used for analog TV broadcasting have been real-located for non-broadcast use. Digital relay stations that were using Channels 53 and above have been switched to using Chan-nels 52 and below by January 2013. This task is called "frequen-cy allocation and repacking." In another task called "improve-ment repacking," transmission channels are reassigned to pre-vent unexpected interference. NHK has completed a large-scale construction in October 2012, to reassign channels used by the Akita transmitting station and improve reception.

As a public broadcaster, NHK has a vital responsibility in main-taining and improving good signal reception. Even following the digital TV switchover from analog broadcasting, the problem of poor signal reception still remains. NHK is making efforts to provide viewers across Japan with excellent signal reception by making use of its expertise in signal reception it has acquired through the analog broadcasting era. NHK is actively respond-ing to viewers' queries on signal reception problems, investigat-ing various causes of poor reception, and providing instructions on improvements; furthermore, technological information and know-how on signal reception of digital broadcasting accumu-lated through the above activities are supplied and instructions provided, to related industries.

In order to solve the problem of pockets with poor reception, NHK is working to develop and put into practical use, the com-munal reception facilities which are installed in collaboration with the local unions. Until now, NHK has developed and imple-mented a "a headend for remodulating BS Digital Broadcast into an OFDM Signal and transmission" for continuously receiving broadcast during times of disaster, and a "23GHz radio transmis-sion device" for places such as mountainous areas and rivers where laying down cables is difficult. NHK also periodically conducts experiments and surveys on the performance of Digital TV sets and One-Seg receivers, and uses the results to improve their performance and signal reception, in conjunction with receiver manufacturers. A signal reception survey of household reception status and methods of connecting receivers is conducted annually to pro-mote the development and practical use of the new signal recep-tion infrastructure.

Monitoring Performance of Digital Receivers

Digital Broadcasting Technology WorkshopNHK hosts technical workshops for electrical appliance dealers and technicians.

When faced with large-scale natural disasters, NHK provides crucial information and secures signal reception for the disaster victims by installing TV sets at evacuation centers and answer-ing queries on signal reception.

Installing TVs at Evacuation Centers

Monitoring of Digital Signal Reception

CATV

CATV

New pocketsof poor reception

Cable

Transition to cable TVwith financial aid from NHK

Construction of digital relaystations to boost transmission

Support for communalreception facilities

Satellite safety net

Broadcasting and Signal Reception

Implemented by the national government, broadcasting organizations,and the Association for Promotion of Digital Broadcasting (Dpa).

erage by satellite broadcasting (satellite safety net) is being pro-vided until March 2015.* Programs aired on terrestrial digital broadcasting are provided through this satellite service.

NHK uses reception service cars to monitor signal recep-tion and impedance status of each area.

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NHK WORLDNHK WORLDNHK WORLD

NHK WORLD TV is an international TV service broadcast in English.It broadcasts news and information around the world 24 hours a day, using satellites, CATV, and IPTV to meet the demands of the broadcast situations of each country and region. Starting in December 2009, it began HDTV broadcasting ahead of any other international TV broadcast service, delivering clear and compelling TV programs to viewers around the world. As of Oc-tober 2013, it can be viewed in nearly 180 million households in about 140 countries and regions. We continue to strive to put to use the most up-to-date broadcast technologies available in order to enable our programs to be viewed by as many people as possi-ble worldwide.Along with delivering the newest trends of Japan, Asia, and the rest of the world, it also has programs that deliver interesting and appealing aspects of Japan, such as its cutting-edge technology, cuisine, travel, J-pop music, and fashion.

NHK WORLD PREMIUM is a 24 hour TV service that broad-casts programs in Japanese and is mainly targeted at Japanese audiences living overseas.It incorporates news, information, entertainment, childrens, sports, culture and fine arts TV programs which have been care-fully selected from NHK's domestic broadcasts in Japan.The signals are scrambled, so viewers need to sign up with local cable TV or satellite providers to enjoy this service.Since a number of hotels also subscribe, you may be able to watch NHK programs while traveling abroad for business or pleasure. In North America, the service is broadcast as TV Japan. In Europe, it is broadcast as JSTV.In both cases, the broadcast services are provided through local companies.

The internet, which is a new medium, is a technology that is extremely effective in disseminating information throughout the world, and interna-tional broadcasters around the globe are competing for ways to utilize it. In 2011, NHK WORLD won an international award for Internet TV - the Connected TV Award.NHK WORLD TV has been carrying out live streaming via the internet since February 2009. With the release of apps for smart phones and tablets, NHK WORLD TV is striving to become a service that one can watch any-time, anywhere in the world, including Japan, wherever an internet con-nection is available.NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN has websites dedicated to each of the lan-guages it covers, and provides detailed information such as video news, audio news, text-based news, news services for mobile devices, and Japa-nese language lessons. One app that works on certain smart phones is extremely popular, enabling easy access to broadcasts in different lan-guages.

In collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), NHK has been assisting broadcasters in developing countries by dispatching experts, accepting trainees, and providing technologies to digitize their broadcasting systems. Other initiatives for working with overseas broadcasters include program exchanges and cooperation in setting up interviews and video shoots.

NHK World Master Control Room"NEWSLINE"

"ASIA BIZ FORECAST"

Delivery for Mobile Devices

NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN is an audio broadcast-ing service available in 18 different languages includ-ing Japanese and English.Along with short wave transmissions from KDDI Yamata Transmission Station in Ibaraki Prefecture, it is also broadcast from 21 relay stations around the world. In one day, an aggregate of 58 hours and 10 minutes of content is broadcast. (As of October 2013.)To support multilingual broadcasting, the NHK Sci-ence & Technology Research Laboratories has devel-oped a "translation example browser" that allows prompt retrieval and presentation of archived sentences in response to keyword or expression queries. The system efficiently handles translations of 15 languages.

Relay stations of NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN IndonesiaJordan River, West BankAfghanistanBangladeshTanzaniaBrazil

Principal areas where the NHK WORLD TV service is available via cable TV, etc.

SingaporeDhabbaya (UAE)FranceGermanyAscension IslandSouth AfricaUnited Kingdom

UzbekistanLithuaniaMadagascarPalauU.S.A.

Shortwave MoscowLithuaniaTajikistanBrazil

AM FM

Yamata Transmission Station transmits shortwave around the globe.

NHK WORLD TV

NHK WORLD PREMIUM

NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN NHK WORLD ONLINE

International Cooperation

NHK WORLD Coverage Area (Conceptualization image) (As of October 2013)

International Broadcasting

NHK WORLD TV

NHK WORLD TV

NHK WORLD TVNHK WORLD TV

TV JAPAN

NHK WORLD TVNHK WORLD PREMIUM

NHK WORLD TVNHK WORLD PREMIUM

NHK WORLD TVNHK WORLD PREMIUM

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Towards Eco-ManagementTowards Eco-ManagementTowards Eco-Management IT Systems at NHKIT Systems at NHKIT Systems at NHK

IT Systems Designed for Operational EfficiencyVisualizing Energy Consumption

Energy-Saving Broadcasting Equipment

NHK has an extensive set of IT systems that support every aspect of its operations, including planning and production of programs, revenue-related activities, audience relations, general administration and accounting. The IT system for broadcast operations supports everything from news gathering and editing to production, distribution, and archiving of programs. Also included is an election information system that tallies and analyzes election-related data from across Japan and reports the results to the audience quickly and accu-rately.The IT system for customer relations and revenue services facili-tates fee-collection activities, ensuring that all viewers and listeners fairly share the costs of NHK's broadcasting services.

NHK has introduced an energy-efficiency management system that can be browsed on the Internet to measure the power consumption of NHK's broadcasting stations through-out Japan. The system measures cumulative power consump-tion at each station, as well as electricity consumption by cate-gory of facilities (broadcasting, air conditioning, lighting, etc.).

Various efforts to develop and install energy-saving and eco-friendly facilities are being made. NHK has developed an LED lighting equipment with the same brightness as the halogen lights previously used in the TV studios, but with 7-10 times the life span. The new equipment is currently being installed at the studios in the broadcasting stations across Japan. For the renewal of the lighting equipment at Tokyo News Center where daily news programs are produced, 360 sets of the newly developed LED lights have been installed, cutting back electricity con-sumption by about 70%.In conjunction with the cutback in electricity used for lighting, the amount of heat produced has gone down as well, leading to a cutback in the overall electricity consumption, including elec-tricity for air conditioning. While continuing to produce high-quality programs, NHK is making large contributions to decrease the impact on the environment.

Energy-Efficiency Management System

The LED Lighting Equipment at the News Center Floor

From Program Productionto Play-Out and Archiving

Integrated Content Information System(ICIS)

Archives Information System

Election Information SystemNews GatheringNews Information System

Portal Site Network

International Broadcasting Information System

News Texts

Fee Revenue Customer Relations

A Revenue Management System(EGGS)

A Mobile PaymentTerminal(NAVITAN)

An Electronic PaymentTerminal (Q-bit )

Audience

Audience-Response System

A Call Center System (VOIS)

Netclub System

Coordination

A ConditionalAccess System(CAS)

An Administrative System (SMaRT)

BANK

HR & PayrollAccounting

BANKAdministrative System

BroadcastingRevenue Services and Customer ServicesAdministration

MailSystem

NHK Intranet System

ForBroadcasting

For Revenue Services and Customer Relations

ForAdministration

Public Web Server InternetInternet

Departmental LAN

Information Sharing System Basis(NPORT)

The system also serves to strengthen the ties between the audi-ence and NHK.NHK's administrative IT system manages a portal site which acts as the foundation for information sharing within NHK. It comprehensively processes and streamlines NHK's key business operations including human resources and payroll management, as well as accounting operations, including budgeting, pay-ments, and asset management.Lastly, NHK's network system interconnects its diverse IT sys-tems located at broadcasting stations throughout Japan, main-tainins a high level of system security and contributing to opera-tional efficiency.

Installation of Solar Panels A 2 megawatt (2,000 kW) solar power system was installed at the Shobu-Kuki Radio Transmission Station, which boasts one of the highest transmission output levels in Japan. There are 8,120 solar panels, covering an area of roughly 30,000.During maximum power generation in the day, the solar power system can provide electricity for the whole transmis-sion station. The annual yield of energy is roughly 2 million kWh, which is equal to the amount of electricity used by 500 households. This power generation cuts up to 1,110 tons of CO2 emission annually.

Furthermore, installation of solar power generation systems at local broadcasting stations began in 2008, leading to 40 broad-casting stations around the country currently making use of the system. A total of about 620,000 kWh of electricity are generated annually at the broadcasting stations, reducing CO2 emission by about 340 tons a year.

The Mega Solar at Shobu-Kuki Radio Transmission Station

Solar Panels at Shibuya Broadcasting Center

Intranet

Facilities and Systems That Enable Broadcasting

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At NHK, the Science & Technology Research Laboratories (STRL) is at the center of research and development of broad-casting and TV technologies. It is Japan's only comprehensive broadcast technology research organization covering everything from program production and play-out to signal transmission and reception. The STRL has implemented various broadcast services such as satellite broadcasting, HDTV systems, and digi-tal broadcasting. The results of their research are being applied not only to broadcasting, but also to areas such as natural scienc-es, healthcare, and the arts.

HybridcastVarious types of technology developed by the STRL can be seen in "NHK Hybridcast", a service to combine broadcasts and com-munications which started in September, 2013. This platform will synchronize broadband content with broadcast programs to materialize various new customized services for viewers. A wide range of services including synchronizing broadcast and com-munication contents, and access of Hybridcast services through a tablet device are being studied to meet various needs of view-ers.

Research into Broadcast TechnologyResearch into Broadcast TechnologyResearch into Broadcast Technology

Science & Technology Research Laboratories

Main Themes of Research

8K Super Hi-Vision (SHV/UHDTV)Research is currently under way for 8K Super Hi-Vision (SHV), the next-generation television which features a high sense of presence as if one were actually there in person.The SHV format features ultra high-definition images consisting of approximately 33 million pixels (7,680 horizontal x 4,320 vertical pixels) and a 3-dimensional, 22.2 multichannel sound system.NHK leads the way in research and development for SHV, work-ing on cameras, production equipment, recorders, and displays that support this format. Audiovisual codec systems and meth-ods for error correction and modulation are also being developed to deliver SHV on satellite and terrestrial broadcasting.NHK has held many public viewings (PV) with the developed SHV equipment, including the London Olympic Games (Sum-mer, 2012), "Red-and-White Year-End Song Festival" (Dec. 2013), Teatro alla Scala in Milan (Sep. 2013), and the Grand Prix of Figure Skating, NHK Trophy (Nov. 2013). The diffusion and promotion of SHV is under way in order for people around the globe to experience the powerful live SHV audio and visual of remote locations.Aiming for test broadcasting of SHV in 2016, R&D for SHV broadcasting technology is rapidly progressing. Some of the technology that is currently under development include ultra-compact SHV cameras, supersensitive and quiet theater cameras, high-quality and efficient compression encoding tech-nology for large amounts of data, and a sound system for home use where speakers embedded in the outer frame of a television reproduce 3D surround sound.

User-friendly Broadcasting ServicesFully committed to making broadcast services accessible to everyone through various means, including the elderly, children, foreign viewers who are unfamiliar with Japanese and people with hearing and visual disabilities, the STRL is further continu-ing its research. A good example is the research on automatic conversion of spoken Japanese into sign language using comput-er graphics (CG). This technology uses a scripting language TVML as a base, and creates a 3D movement data using a trans-lation dictionary and an example database, which enables sign language in CG. The sign language CG translation dictionary is presented on the website so that sign language users may provide feedback.

Integral 3DTV(Spatial Imaging Type 3 Dimensional TV)Up until about 2003, the STRL was conducting research on ste-reoscopic 3DTV. However, that method tended to cause eye fatigue. So in order to overcome this problem, the STRL is now researching a less strain-inducing Integral 3DTV, which can faithfully reproduce three-dimensional images, giving a real sense of presence. One of the characteristics of the Integral 3DTV is its miniature lens array, which captures and displays from various points of view. The images can be captured in real time, natural-ly providing both horizontal and vertical parallax without the need for viewing glasses.

High-capacity Transmission TechnologyIn order to implement TV broadcasting that transmits an enor-mous amount of data like SHV, research is being conducted to enlarge transmission capacity using technology called Dual-po-larized MIMO and Ultra-multilevel OFDM. In addition to this, using methods such as a new compensation technology and error correction technology, the STRL is aspiring to implement a transmission method that can be used for next-generation broad-casting.

Flexible DisplayIn order to realize a sheet-type television for the future, research is being carried out for a thin, light-weight, and flexible organic light-emitting dis-play. NHK is also working to extend the lifespan, improve power efficiency, and develop a large-screen structure for early implementation.

High-Capacity, High-Speed Recording DeviceProducing broadcast content in SHV requires a mass storage system with a very fast data transfer rate. Holography is a high-density recording technique that stores digital data three-di-mensionally within a medium. In the hope of making holograph-ic recording possible, the STRL is studying multiplex high-den-sity recording technology as well as wave-front correction tech-nology to compensate for media surface distortion.

SHV Sound System with Frame Speakers for Home Use

Frame Speakers

Drawing App

Screenshot of the "Blast from the Past" Service

A CG sign language service

Ultra-Compact SHV CUBE Camera (About 2kg)

Displays from various points of view using the lens array

CG Sign Language Feedback Websitehttp://www.nhk.or.jp/signlanguage/

Flexible Organic Light-Emitting Display

Experimental device for holographic recording

Dual-polarized YAGI antenna

Research and Development

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MilestonesMilestonesMilestonesNHK Japan Abroad NHK Japan Abroad

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National radio broadcasting network completed

NHK Science and Technology Research Laboratories (STRL) open

Radio 2 service starts (in Tokyo)

First broadcasting from recordings (on film)

Overseas broadcasting service begins

Experimental TV broadcasting begins (441 scanning lines, 25 frames/sec., 45 MHz)

High-power radio broadcasting begins (150 kW, in Tokyo)

Research on TV, interrupted by WW, resumes

First open house at the STRL

Experimental TV broadcasting starts (30 W)

First use of image orthicon camera

Regular TV broadcasting service begins (in Tokyo)

Experimental color TV broadcasting starts (UHF, 80 W)

Experimental FM broadcasting starts (in Tokyo)

First use of video tape recorder for broadcasting in Japan

Broadcasting of Educational TV channel begins (in Tokyo)

Regular color TV broadcasting begins

First UHF TV station opens (Hitachi experimental station)

First use of slow-motion video tape recorder in broadcasting

Nationwide experimental FM relay network completed

Satellite relay for the Tokyo Olympics

NHK Broadcasting Center opens

Color flying spot scanner developed

Regular FM broadcasting begins/Solid state relay broadcast transmitter introduced

Color TV format converter completed

Experimental TV audio multiplexing service begins (Tokyo, Osaka)

R & D of HDTV begins

All General TV programs broadcast in color

The 11th Winter Olympics broadcast from Sapporo

Construction of NHK Broadcasting Centers main complex and NHK Hall completed

NHK hall opens

NHK completes the move from Tokyo Hoso Kaikan to NHK Broadcasting Center in Shibuya

Experimental reception of direct satellite broadcasting succeeds

Test broadcasting of TV audio multiplex service begins

Live TV broadcasting from the Antarctic

Nationwide FM stereo trunk network completed

Demonstration of HDTV in the U.S.

Regular TV audio multiplexing service starts

Beginning of weather forecast using "Amedas"

MUSE system developed as a new transmission system for HDTV broadcasts

Test broadcasting via BS-2a satellite begins

NHK adopts Hi-Vision as the name for its HDTV standards

Hi-Vision terrestrial test station opened (at Tsukuba Expo site)

Emergency alert broadcasting begins

Text multiplexing service (based on the hybrid transmission approach) begins

TV audio multiplexing service covers the entire nation

Text multiplexing service covers the entire nation

Experimental stations on BS-2 satellite broadcasting and FM multiplexing service inaugurated

Test broadcasting with two BS-2 satellite channels begins

24/7 satellite broadcasting begins

Renovation of the News Center completed

HDTV broadcasting of the Seoul Olympics

Hamamatsu Technical College experiments with 40-scanning-line TV

Waseda University experiments with 60-scanning-line TV

AM transmission band changed to 535-1605 kHz

Broadcast Law and Radio Law enacted

Standards for black and white TV adopted

Japans first commercial TV broadcast station opens

Japans first color TV set introduced

Tokyo Tower completed

Cable Television Broadcast Law takes effect

Experimental mid-sized broadcasting satellite Yuri launched (Apr.)

SHF TV station opens in Tokyo to address urban signal interference

BS-2a broadcasting satellite (Yuri 2a) launched (Jan.)

Japan Satellite Broadcasting, Inc. established (Dec.)

BS-2b broadcasting satellite (Yuri 2b) launched (Feb.)

Worlds first radio station KDKA begins broadcasting (U.S.)

Worlds first public experiment on TV (U.K.)

FM transmission invented (U.S.)

Color TV experiments (U.K.)

First overseas broadcasting in the world (U.K.)

Magnetic steel tape recording introduced for broadcasting (U.K.)

BBC experimental TV station opens (U.K.)

Worlds first regular television broadcasting starts (Germany)

CBS starts experimental color TV broadcasting (U.S.)

Image orthicon and traveling wave tubes introduced (U.S.)

Vidicon image sensing tube introduced (U.S.)

First UHF TV station inaugurated (U.S.)

NTSC color TV standards adopted (U.S.)

Ampex introduces the first video tape recorder (U.S.)

Worlds first satellite launched (U.S.S.R.)

Echo 1 communication satellite launched (U.S.)

Relay 1 communications satellite launched (U.S.)

First TV relay between the U.S., the U.K. and France

First TV relay between the U.S. and Japan

PAL and SECAM standards established

TDF-1 broadcasting satellite launched (France)

Astra broadcasting satellite launched (Luxembourg)

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2013

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Jun.

Oct.

Nov.

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Sep.

Oct.

Jul.

Dec.

Jun.

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Nov.

Apr.

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Jul.

Apr.

Feb.

Jun.

Aug.

Nov.

Jan.

Feb.

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Dec.

Mar.

Oct.

Dec.

Apr.

Jun.

Feb.

Oct.

Dec.

Mar.

Apr.

Aug.

Sep.

Mar.

Feb.

Apr.

Apr.

Jun.

Nov.

Dec.

Sep.

Nov.

Aug.

Sep.

Dec.

Apr.

Jul.

Dec.

Feb.

Feb.

May

Jul.

Jul.

Mar.

Jul.

Aug.

Sep.

Regular satellite broadcasting starts

24/7 broadcasting of BS2 and limited experimental HDTV broadcasting start

Audio multiplexing service for Educational TV begins

Operations of the BS-3a broadcasting satellite begin

Audio multiplexing service for Educational TV spreads nationwide

New TOC begins operations

Operations of the BS-3b broadcasting satellite begin

HDTV live broadcast of the Barcelona Olympics

HDTV converter developed, "Red & White Year-end Song Festival" broadcast live in HDTV

Royal wedding of Crown Prince and Princess broadcast live in HDTV

HDTV live broadcast of the Lillehammer Olympics

Final phase of HDTV test broadcasting starts

International TV broadcasting to the U.S. and Europe starts/Radio 1 begins 24/7 service

FM text multiplexing service begins

HDTV live broadcast of the Atlanta Olympics using transpacific optical cable

NHKs website formally opens, General TV channel starts 24/7 service

HDTV live broadcast of the Nagano Olympics

World Cup Soccer in France broadcast live in HDTV

Operations of the BSAT-1b broadcasting satellite begin

First HDTV picture broadcast taken from Space Shuttle

Closed caption service begins on Educational TV channel

Online audio service of NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN programs via the Internet begins

BS digital test broadcasting begins

Regular BS digital broadcasting starts/Internet-based news transmission starts

Special communication line secured for HDTV transmission between Japan and Europe

"Red & White Year-end Song Festival" broadcast with 5.1 surround sound and live captions

New building completed for NHK Science and Technology Research Laboratories (STRL)

World Cup Soccer games in Japan and Korea broadcast in HDTV with live captions

NHK archives inaugurated

Experimental broadcasting of digital terrestrial radio service begins in Tokyo and Osaka

Digital terrestrial television service begins in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya

Nationwide broadcasting circuits for General and Educational TV services digitized

"NHK Data Online service" for digital terrestrial broadcasting starts

First internationally co-produced coverage of the summer Olympics in HDTV at Athens

Full-scale multicasting for digital terrestrial Educational TV service begins

8K Super Hi-Vision theater displayed at the Expo 2005 Aichi

Provided international signals (for speed skating) at the Turin Olympics

One-Seg digital terrestrial simulcasting service for mobile devices begins

Super Hi-Vision presentation at the NAB show in the U.S.

All 64 games of the World Cup Soccer in Germany broadcast in HDTV

The first live HDTV broadcasting in history from the International Space Station

Digital terrestrial broadcasting starts in all prefectural capitals in Japan

Analog Hi-Vision (MUSE) service terminated

8K Super Hi-Vision specifications provisionally accepted by SMPTE

International signals for Beijing Olympic Games produced entirely in HDTV

8K Super Hi-Vision international transmission demo at IBC trade show in Europe

NHK on Demand service starts

Original One-Seg broadcasting service (One-Seg 2) starts

Live feeds of the total eclipse distributed in streaming video

NHK WORLD TV inaugurates the HDTV service

Live feeds of Vancouver Olympics distributed in streaming video

SHV live broadcasting over global IP network

An 85-inch direct-view SHV liquid crystal display

Analog terrestrial television broadcast service terminated (excluding 3 Tohoku Prefectures)

Satellite analog television broadcast service terminated

Analog terrestrial television broadcast service terminated (3 Tohoku Prefectures)

Public viewing of SHV during the London Olympics

SHV recommended by the ITU-R as an international TV standard

Start of "NHK Hybridcast", a service which combines broadcasting and communications

BS-3a broadcasting satellite launched (Aug.)

Domestic standards for HDTV established

BS-3b broadcasting satellite launched (Aug.)

Test HDTV broadcasting begins (Nov.)

Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) established (Apr.)

Perfec TV begins CS digital broadcasting service (Oct.)

Digital BS carriers chosen (Aug.)

Digital BS content broadcasters chosen (Oct.)

Experimental digital terrestrial TV broadcasting starts (Nov.)

Broadcasting standards for digital terrestrial TV decided (May)

BS digital broadcasting satellite BSAT-2a launched (Mar.)

BS digital broadcasting satellite BSAT-2c launched (Jul.)

No. of BS digital receivers exceeds 10 million (Aug.)

No. of digital terrestrial receivers exceeds 10 million (Apr.)

BSAT-3a launched (Aug.)

No. of BS digital receivers exceeds 50 million (Feb.)

No. of digital terrestrial receivers exceeds 50 million (Apr.)

BSAT-3b launched (Oct.)

No. of digital terrestrial receivers exceeds 100 million (Dec.)

No. of BS digital receivers exceeds 100 million (Jan.)

BSAT-3c launched (Aug.)

Relocation of the Transmission Station to Tokyo Skytree (May)

Digital terrestrial broadcasting starts (U.K.) (Sep.)

Digital terrestrial broadcasting starts (U.S.) (Nov.)

Analog TV switch-off (Whitehaven, first in U.K.) (Nov.)

Digital terrestrial TV (ISDB-T) begins (Brazil) (Dec.)

Digital terrestrial TV service begins (China) (Jan.)

Analog TV switch-off (Wilmington, NC first in U.S.) (Sep.)

Digital switchover implemented (U.S.) (Jun.)

Digital terrestrial TV (ISDB-T) begins (Peru) (Mar.)

Digital terrestrial TV (ISDB-T) begins (Argentina) (Apr.)

Digital terrestrial TV (ISDB-T) begins (Paraguay) (Aug.)

Complete digital transfer implemented in the UK (Oct.)

CCIR establishes recommendation to use MUSE system for HDTV satellite broadcasting

FM multiplexing technology DARC becomes an international standardFCC establishes standards for digital terrestrial TV broadcasting (DTV) (U.S., Dec.)

Japanese BS digital broadcasting method adopted as international standard (Oct.)ITU adopts Hi-Vision studio standards as international standard (Mar.)

Digital terrestrial broadcasting starts (Korea, SBS in Oct. and KBS in Nov.)

SkyLife digital satellite broadcasting service starts (Korea) (Mar.)

The Radio Regulatory Council submits a report on digitization of the BS satellite Broadcasting (May)BS digital broadcasting method established in a government ordinance (Jun.)

N-SAT-110 satellite launched for the CS 110-degree broadcasting service (Oct.)

NHKs first 5.1 surround sound broadcasting (with HDTV special program "Shiretoko, Hokkaido")

TV broadcasting services begin in New York (525 lines, 30 frames/sec.)

CCIR establishes Interim Working Party toward establishing HDTV standard

First public experiment on international TV phone between Hawaii and Japan

International allocation of frequency bands for commercial broadcasting satellites

First radio broadcasting in Japan begins at Shibaura, Tokyo (provisional service; regular service begins in July)

Test on text multiplexing service begins (based on the pattern transmission approach; in Tokyo and Osaka)

Inauguration of the Next Generation Television & Broadcasting Promotion Forum (NexTV-F) (May)

Start of the Japanese-style Digital Terrestrial Broadcast in Botswana (July)

Start of the Japanese-style Digital Terrestrial Broadcast in Bolivia and Venezuela (June)