Orad contributes to France NRJ HITS’ groundbreaking Ultra HD test project

France NRJ HITS implemented Orad’s broadcast graphics solutions to manage the channel branding and image conversion for its Ultra High Definition (Ultra HD) Broadcast programme. Four times richer in details than high definition, NRJ HITS broadcast for the first time on July 1, 2014 in Ultra HD on the Paris DTT network.

The test broadcast encompassed the full workflow from MCR to playout. Orad, along with the likes of Pole Experts and TDF, worked with NRJ HITS to test the Ultra HD broadcast workflow (upscaling, video coding, HEVC, etc) in order to ensure interoperability among the various solutions while increasing the efficiency of the entire broadcast process.

The Orad 3DPlay channel branding solution provided sophisticated channel branding capabilities for the Ultra HD broadcast. 3DPlay also controlled the Orad HDVG4 rendering platform, converting live images from NRJ HITS’ main programme into Ultra HD.

Guillaume Godet, vice-president of Orad, comments: “3DPlay provides the powerful and compelling Ultra HD quality channel branding required to catapult NRJ to a whole new level of broadcasting quality. For over six years, we have been working with NRJ and we are proud to collaborate with Pole Experts Group in carrying out this experiment.

“While Ultra HD specifications are being approved by the DVB group and the first Ultra HD TVs are entering the market at affordable prices, it is essential that manufacturers like Orad work now on adapting solutions to meet the needs of this new image quality.”