NBC to provide delayed 4K Olympics coverage
May 27, 2016
NBC Olympics’ comprehensive coverage of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will include the distribution of 4K Ultra HD (UHD) coverage to cable, satellite, telco providers, and other partners.
The coverage will be made available on one-day delay and will include 4K UHD footage from the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, swimming, track and field, basketball, the men’s football final, and judo, as well as Rio scenics. One event from the previous day’s competition will be provided daily from August 6, the day after the Opening Ceremony, through August 22, the day after the Games conclude.
“The Olympics have been a consistent driver of technological advancements, and Rio will be no different,” said Gary Zenkel, President, NBC Olympics. “The stunning backdrop of Rio combined with the world-class competition of the Olympics will give the American audience a spectacular early look at this impressive new technology.”
NBC Olympics will distribute the 4K UHD coverage provided by Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) and Japan’s NHK to US distribution partners, who will individually choose how they will make the content available to their customers.
“Since the London Games, OBS and NHK have been working together, experimenting on the future standard of 8K. Substantial recent technological advancements have allowed us to pursue this opportunity further for the Rio Games and to offer a 4K feed for a number of sports, down-converted from the original 8K, to NBC and other interested Rights Holding Broadcasters around the globe,” said Yiannis Exarchos, OBS CEO.
The 4K UHD coverage of the Opening Ceremony, which will be produced by NBC Olympics, will also include High Dynamic Range (HDR), which produces a wider and richer range of colours, and Dolby Atmos, a sound technology that allows for a more immersive audio experience.