Ikegami Rolls Out 'World's First' 8K Production Truck

Ikegami has announced the completion of the world's first 8K OB production vehicle. The new vehicle is designed to operate as a complete mobile 8K broadcast production facility capable of producing television of unsurpassed picture quality, complete with 22.2 channel surround sound.

In March 2015, Ikegami introduced its SHK-810 fourth-generation 8K television camera that was developed in co-operation with Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK). This is about one tenth the size and weight of Ikegami's first-generation 8K camera and offers significantly improved operability. The company's efforts to develop 8K broadcast production equipment have focused on achieving extremely high resolution combined with Ikegami's proven ability to deliver very wide dynamic image processing. Ikegami also has long experience in producing mobile television production trucks, having produced more than 800 OB vehicles.

In Japan, the road map for 8K broadcasting announced by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications specifies that trial broadcast transmissions will be conducted in 2016. Regular 8K broadcast services are planned to begin in 2018.

Many elements of 8K television production infrastructure are much larger in size, power consumption and number of cables than their HDTV equivalent. This is because 8K broadcast production captures 16 times more image information than HDTV. Organising an 8K OB vehicle is therefore much more challenging than designing and producing traditional OB vehicles.

The 8K OB vehicle produced by Ikegami delivers extremely high quality and high reliability in a compact size. The vehicle's specifications allow operation not only in Japan but worldwide so it can be operated for global sporting events such as the Olympic Games. It can be expanded to accommodate additional equipment as and when required.

The 8K OB vehicle was delivered to NHK in September 2015. Its role will be to allow television audiences to experience the full reality of live events from wherever they choose to view.

OB system outline

Vehicle size: 2495 (W) x 3330 (H) x 11,930 (D) (mm); (1000 mm (W) expandable when operating. Switcher: 16 inputs, 4 outputs 1 mix/effects. Router: 8K, 4K and HD (2K). DSK : 8K. Camera: Up to 10 8K cameras (Ikegami SHV-8000, SHK-810). Recorder: 8K recorder (up to 4 units). Slow-motion: 8K slow-motion player. Up to 4 units. Audio router: Supports MADI. Monitor for switcher: Main: 55-inch 8K monitor; Sub: 55-inch (with multiviewer). Additional video monitors: 32-inch and others.

About Ikegami

Ikegami Tsushinki Co. Ltd. (www.ikegami.co.jp) is a leading manufacturer of specialised cameras, image processing and transmission equipment. Founded in 1946 in Tokyo, Japan, the company today has around 800 employees working across three factories and nine sales and service organisations all over the world. Ikegami has consistently created the most advanced products in all image processes, namely image, transmission, processing, recording and display.

Ikegami Electronics (Europe) GmbH (www.ikegami.eu) was founded in 1970. Based in the city of Neuss, Germany, it is the sales and service headquarters for Europe and Africa. There is a branch in the UK. In the other European, Middle East and African countries, Ikegami works in partnership with authorised distributors and dealers.