BBC plans Ultra HD Commonwealth Games coverage

Aerial photo of the Glasgow 2014 Athletes’ Village, the Emirates Arena and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

The BBC has unveiled plans to make the first live Ultra High Definition broadcast of the Commonwealth Games as part of its coverage of the sporting event in Glasgow. 

The move will mark the BBC’s second Ultra High Definition trial of the summer, following on from a series of 4K broadcast trials its is conducting during the football World Cup in Brazil.

BBC Research and Development said it will broadcast certain elements of the Glasgow 2014 Games live in UHD as part of a public showcase at the Glasgow Science Centre.

As well as being the first time a Commonwealth Games has been broadcast in Ultra HD, the BBC said it will also be the first major live event to be produced and distributed entirely over internet protocol (IP) networks, “representing a major milestone as broadcast and IT technologies converge.”

The BBC said its R&D department is working closely with partners to ensure this new broadcasting system can deliver a range of benefits to the industry and audiences, including more flexible ways of working, increased output and new forms of content that include more production data and metadata.

“We may well look back at this trial as a watershed moment in the history of broadcasting. By proving for the first time that complex events can be created and delivered completely over IP technology, we’re opening up a world of possibilities to programme makers and the wider industry,” said BBC R&D controller, Matthew Postgate.

“Not only could BBC R&D’s vision for a new broadcasting system help producers create programmes more efficiently and cost-effectively, but it allows them to take advantage of data like never before, offering new editorial options and ways of improving the experience for audiences.”