Fujitsu Develops Codec Equipment for Super Hi-Vision Video Transmission Systems

Tokyo, May 26, 2010

Fujitsu today announced that it has developed codec equipment for systems transmitting Super Hi-Vision⁽¹⁾ (SHV) video, with resolution 16 times higher than Japan's current Full Hi-Vision video. The new codec equipment was delivered as a prototype to NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories. Aiming for practical implementation of SHV broadcasts in the future, NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories is expected to further enhance its R&D efforts to make SHV video transmission systems more compact while delivering better video quality with higher stability.

The codec equipment utilizes the H.264⁽²⁾ encoding format that can efficiently compress the vast amounts of image data that SHV produces at a rate of 60-frames per second (fps), a world's first, enabling efficient transmissions via broadcasting networks or IP connections. Compared to existing equipment, this new device achieves double the compression efficiency, and due to more efficient inter-frame predictive processing, it also results in higher video quality for the whole system. The improved compression efficiency allows the video to be transmitted using lower bandwidth, thereby reducing the line costs and making a significant contribution towards the practical implementation of SHV video transmissions.

An SHV video transmission system utilizing Fujitsu's codec equipment will be on display at the "SHV High-efficiency Video Encoding Equipment" booth of the Open House 2010 hosted by NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories, from May 27-30.

Background

In July 2011, Japan will complete its transition from terrestrial analog broadcasting to digital. This will bring with it a fundamental shift in video quality, away from the current standard definition to high definition.

Being a long-time leader in international broadcasting technologies, NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories began working on video-processing technology and system R&D for SHV as early as 1995. In September 2002, NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories began joint R&D work with Fujitsu Laboratories on video-processing technologies. With the practical implementation of the technologies as their final goal, the two have made significant progress in performance enhancement and processing load reduction.

The latest prototype delivered to NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories is the world's first codec equipment using the H.264 encoding format that supports the 1080p⁽³⁾ video signal format. Compared to the existing IP-9500⁽⁴⁾, which supports 1080i⁽⁵⁾, this new equipment eliminates the need to divide the SHV signal's time axis into two streams, thereby doubling compression efficiency. As well, while sixteen units of codec equipment have previously been needed for processing the SHV video, the new equipment reduces the number to eight units, allowing for a much more compact system.

Since November 2006, Fujitsu has launched the IP-9500 high-definition video transmission system globally, which utilized the highly efficient H.264 video encoding format. In the past few years, the IP-9500 has maintained a solid track record of delivering live feeds for sporting events. In February 2007, NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories began deploying the IP-9500 as codec equipment for SHV video, and initiated its collaboration with Fujitsu Laboratories to improve video quality.

The new codec equipment is designed to meet the broadcasting industry's needs for higher video quality, and Fujitsu plans to market the equipment to broadcasters and telecommunications carriers around the world.

For applications such as delivering live broadcasting of international sporting events to public viewers, Fujitsu, in collaboration with Fujitsu Laboratories, plans to continue to work with NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories to develop even higher levels of video quality and more efficient synchronous transmission methods.