BBC aces Ultra HD Wimbledon
June 21, 2018
For the first time at the All England Tennis Club Wimbledon Championship, audiences can watch all Centre Court matches in Ultra HD on BBC iPlayer as part of a BBC trial. The BBC says this will bring Wimbledon to life like never before, with the streams also using a wider range of colours and High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology.
In addition, BBC Sport’s extensive digital service will keep audiences up to date with all the action and news at BBC Sport online and on the BBC Sport app, while the social media channels will offer access behind the scenes and bring fans closer to some familiar faces.
Up to 16 HD video streams will be available on BBC Sport Online via Connected TV or Mobile and BBC iPlayer, or by pressing Red. All broadcast programmes will be available for 30 days. Along with Red Button 1, five curated Red Button streams will also be available on Sky, Freesat, Freeview and Virgin Media, with Red Button 1 in HD on Sky, Freesat and Virgin Media. A
The BBC is extending its Ultra HD trial to cover Wimbledon for the first time, with the initiative part of the BBC’s work preparing for a future where major live events can be streamed freely over the Internet in such high quality on BBC iPlayer.
Ultra HD trial coverage on BBC iPlayer includes every match from Centre Court throughout the tournament. It will be delivered freely over the Internet to audiences with a compatible TV and a high speed internet connection. This will be an HLG HDR production based on BBC R&D’s recent work for the Royal Wedding.
Audiences will need a connection of at least 40Mbit/s for the full 3840 pixel Ultra HD or 20Mbit/s for 2560 pixel Ultra HD. Footage will be played at 50 frames per second. Given the variability of WiFi connections, audiences may find a more consistent Ultra HD experience with a wired Internet connection to the TV, suggests the BBC.
According to the BBC, there are a limited number of spaces for each match in this trial, with the live stream available to tens of thousands of people on a first-come, first-served basis. The Ultra HD stream will be clearly labelled on the BBC iPlayer home screen as soon as programme coverage begins.