A quick update on 2012
This is just a quick alert to a couple of things you might be interested in elsewhere in the growing world of 91Èȱ¬ 2012.
First, I've mentioned before that we're hoping to experiment in 2012 with Super Hi Vision - which is a big new improved version of High Definition. It's still at a very early stage so at most during the London Games it will be confined to a small number of test screens; and it could be a decade before anything like this will be in your home. But having seen what's been achieved so far in partnership between and the 91Èȱ¬'s research and development teams - I'm sure it's something people will love.
This week we carried out the first ever live broadcast of Super Hi Vision between London and Tokyo - featuring as our cultural offering to Japan - and you can read more about it here. There will also be a report on this week's edition of , which you can see on the 91Èȱ¬ News Channel in the UK and on 91Èȱ¬ World News.
Not the only way to guarantee a great view of the Olympic Stadium
Second, and much more concrete in every sense: the Olympic Stadium. We unveiled the 91Èȱ¬ 2012 website to coincide with 2 years to go - and it was what we call in the trade 'a soft launch': getting it running and bringing together existing content, but with the aim of making it much more ambitious as we get closer to 2012 itself. Well, today you can see some of the new material we're starting to introduce with a piece about the design of the stadium including an article specially written by one of the leading architects.
But if it inspires you enough to want to make a bid for the stadium after the Olympics - sadly, you're too late. The deadline has now passed but we will, of course, keep you posted on what happens next.
I'm Roger Mosey, the 91Èȱ¬'s director of London 2012. That means I'm overseeing all the 91Èȱ¬'s 2012 preparations including not just sport but the Cultural Olympiad, our Olympic news and information services and everything that will bring the story of the London Games to audiences at home and abroad. I want to share here what we're planning - and debate some of the big issues. You can also follow me on .
Comment number 1.
At 30th Sep 2010, Brekkie wrote:Nobody really cares about watching it in Super HD on 103 inch plasma screens!
Yet the 91Èȱ¬ waste resources on this yet still won't address the Freeview issue - and even though they've agreed another deal with Arquiva to create an extra channel, the much needed resurrection of a second interactive stream is still not on the table.
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Comment number 2.
At 1st Oct 2010, SHAKIR wrote:i wish i could there in london in 2012
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Comment number 3.
At 1st Oct 2010, Roger Mosey - 91Èȱ¬ Director, London 2012 wrote:Brekkie in #1: I think it's about taking the longer view. IPTV initiatives like You View will transform the amount of choice around Freeview, especially as high speed broadband becomes standard.
Then the demand for better big screen pictures will continue to grow too, we believe. Which is why Super Hi-Vision is worth developing, because the quality is astonishingly good. If we didn't do it, it would be like saying 50 years ago "let's not develop colour TV - black and white's fine."
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Comment number 4.
At 3rd Oct 2010, scoobie wrote:Roger, you are missing the point I fear with Super HD, it is a complete distraction for you to even be looking at it when the 91Èȱ¬ can't even run a proper HD service today using current HD technology.
Do you plan to broadcast full HD resolution pictures during the Olympics Roger? Yes or No? I fear the answer is no, unless you push your technology department now.
It's not about taking the long view as you state above, it's about not being able to deliver proper HD pictures using today's technologies, due to people like Andy Quested being in charge. Take the Ryder Cup that 91Èȱ¬ HD broadcast tonight - that wasn't true HD, it was the 91Èȱ¬'s version of HD light - a terrible picture for HD standards.
Is it not supremely ironic that you are putting resources into Super HD that just a handful of people will watch, when you aren't going to broadcast the Olympics at full HD resolution to the millions of viewers with HD TV sets in the UK. The rest of the world will get Olympics in full HD, when we in the UK will get 91Èȱ¬'s version of HD lite.
Please tell me you have other plans, I am happy to be corrected.
In case you or other reader's don't know what True HD is, it is 1920x1020 pixels. Thats what the OBS (Olympic Broadcast Services - the people who actually are in charge of the TV signal) will broadcast to the rest of the world. That's the standard that Sky broadcasts in. That's the resolution HD sets are in. And guess what, the 91Èȱ¬ in its wisdom, has decided people don't need such a high resolution because they can't tell the difference. (Completely conflicting with this idea of Super HD)
So here's the challenge - will you broadcast the Olympics in 1920x1020 full HD resolution? Yes or No?
I think you will find as the games get closer myself and others will be on the case about this. Let's have no excuses.
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Comment number 5.
At 3rd Oct 2010, Brekkie wrote:The ceremonies commentary situation needs to be sorted out for 2012 - it's like somebody talking throughout a film at the cinema.
We need a return to one commentator for the ceremonial parts - only talking when pictures don't speak for themselves, with perhaps a co-commentator bought in for the athletes parade to add the facts.
Like Beijing, Huw and his team talked throughout the performances when most of it wasn't necessary - and then they talked through the big finale performance of Jai Ho. (And before it's mentioned, us Freeview folk didn't get the no-commentary option!).
Hazel Irvine did a much better job covering the Vancouver ceremonies.
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