BBC RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 2011/12 at a glance 01/ INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION
04/ HIGHLIGHTS
06/ SPATIAL AUDIO
08/ 2012 has long been anticipated as a WHITESPACES signifi cant year for the UK and consequently for the BBC. Events of national and international signifi cant are occurring, such as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the London 10/ Olympics, and in the world of broadcasting IP STUDIOS specifi cally, the completion of the switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial television. 12/ In terms of research, the preparation work YOUVIEW for events such of these has been building over a long period, with 2011-12 seeing Matthew Postgate, many strands of activity that have been Controller, Research & Development worked on over a number of years 14/ coming to fruition. BBC R&D ACHIEVEMENTS In common with many other countries, the OVER THE YEARS UK has been undertaking a process of switching its analogue television services off and replacing them with digital services. BBC R&D expertise has been fundamental 16/ to the development and implementation MANAGEMENT AND of digital terrestrial television in the UK, LEADERSHIP TEAMS including the planning for switchover, which was originally announced in 2005.
01 “2011-2012 HAS SEEN MANY STRANDS OF “WE HAVE LAUNCHED A LONG-TERM ACTIVITY THAT HAVE BEEN WORKED STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP WITH SOME ON OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS COMING OF THE UK’S LEADING UNIVERSITIES IN TO FRUITION.” THE FIELD OF AUDIO AND ACOUSTICS.”
Over the last few years, BBC R&D has worked room and user experience laboratory. The Some examples of the key challenges we are Japanese national broadcaster, NHK, whose with colleagues across the BBC and the UK location of the lab in the centre of the BBC’s addressing with our academic partners are system provides for 22.2 audio as well as industry towards implementation of switch- Salford Quays site is already leading to closer as follows: video with 16 times the number of pixels as over, and the movement of services and working relationships with other BBC today’s high defi nition service. The plan for multiplexes to make best use of the spectrum departments now on site, and the benefi ts • Could spatial audio be the next major the Olympics is to take live pictures and available for television broadcasting. of internal and external collaboration advance for our audiences? We will work edited highlights packages, and using a range opportunities are becoming evident and with our partners to study the options for of research and commercial networks, to Switchover has also provided the opportunity leading to many exciting initiatives. true 3D sound – that can envelop the backhaul them for production and then for new types of services to be launched, in listener from above and below as well as distribution to viewing venues across the particular a terrestrial high defi nition service The opening of BBC R&D’s new lab at all sides. world. The trial demonstrated this concept utilising DVB-T2 technology in whose MediaCityUK provided a particular impetus at IBC 2011 in Amsterdam, with live pictures development BBC R&D was a key player. for growing our audio R&D activities, through • Can arrangements of many speakers be from London, and gave a successful test of the In 2011, R&D helped the BBC use some of a long-term, strategic relationship with some made practical in a typical living room? issues involved in very high bitrate time-critical its HD capacity for a trial transmission of the of the UK’s leading universities in the fi eld of delivery over IP networks, in preparation for popular Strictly Come Dancing show in audio and acoustics. In July 2011 the BBC’s • Could 3D audio realistically be delivered the following year. stereoscopic 3D, also shown in cinemas. Director of Audio and Music, Tim Davie, via headphones? It provided an opportunity not only to formally launched the BBC Audio Research In July 2011, Peter Brightwell and Graham understand the audience’s opinion, but also Partnership in front of an audience of • Can we develop ways of separating (or Thomas had the honour of representing to try the technology of the system end-to- invitees from industry and academia. This ‘un-mixing’) audio signals that work in BBC R&D at an evening reception at end and explore the production issues collaboration will bring signifi cant research practical situations, allowing us to eliminate Buckingham Palace for winners of the 2011 involved in providing a live light entertainment effort to bear on some key challenges, microphone cross-talk in recording, or Queen’s Award. We were there following the show in 3D. producing solutions that the BBC can listeners to re-mix a programme to announcement that BBC R&D had won an turn into services or industry can turn improve the audibility of dialogue? award for the Piero sports graphics system. In the spring and summer of 2011, the BBC into products. These are highly prestigious awards given for started to vacate its premises in Oxford Road, With the forthcoming London 2012 Olympics, outstanding achievement by UK businesses; Manchester and move to a new site in We will be working with fi ve world-leading a lot of work within BBC R&D has been to win an award in the Innovation category MediaCityUK, Salford Quays. R&D was one university partners, selected for their relevance targeted at enhancing the corporation’s we had to demonstrate that Piero was both of the earlier departments to make this move to BBC R&D’s current audio ambitions; our coverage of the Games. The Games provide highly technically innovative and had been a and benefi t from the world class facilities the primary partners are Surrey University for an opportunity to take the accumulated signifi cant commercial success. We won the new site has to offer, having specifi ed our audio-visual research and Salford University outputs of research work and to bring them award jointly with our partner, Red Bee Media. requirements for our new laboratory from for acoustics research. We are also working to the screen and loudspeaker. In the run up Piero is in use worldwide and frequently seen an early stage in the design. As well as closely with Southampton, Queen Mary, to 2012, a number of experiments and trials on screen providing leading edge graphics working areas and general laboratories University of London, and York. The BBC has were undertaken to test the services being capability that enhances sports coverage and capable of accommodating around 50 staff, committed to this partnership for at least proposed. Prominent among these was a trial helps presenters and experts to explain the facilities include a purpose built listening fi ve years. of Super Hi-Vision (SHV) services with the events in an informative and compelling way.
02 03 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR
Queen’s Award R&D Labs via headphones, by simulating the effects of Collaborative Centres BBC R&D won The ‘Queen’s Award for We launched a site that gathers all of BBC different head and ear shapes on sound We worked extensively with UK’s Enterprise: Innovation 2011’ jointly with R&D’s internet-based prototypes and APIs coming from different directions. Technology Strategy Board to investigate Red Bee Media, for their collaborative work into one place so that you can try them out; the appetite and potential within the UK’s in developing Piero, the TV graphics system www.bbc.co.uk/rd/labs. HD Archive Creative Industries sector for a new that has transformed sports broadcasting. We have produced an HD version of the technology innovation centre covering this Piero gives sports presenters and pundits VenueVu Archive Ingex system capable of digitising area – this contributed to the positive another way to view and analyse crucial We carried out a live on-air trial of the and coding content using AVC-Intra. This decision to establish a Catapult Centre for incidents in the games, and explain them VenueVu system at Wimbledon. The system allows the release of HDCAM-SR tapes the Connected Digital Economy, which will more effectively to the audience. was used to generate virtual ‘fl ights’ back to production in response to the include media and the creative industries. between cameras on different courts, worldwide shortage due to the Tsunami R&D North Lab allowing viewers to get a feeling for the in Japan. TV Whitespace BBC R&D North Lab is now fully up and layout of the area. We launched of the TV Whitespace running with new facilities that include an Archive Restoration Technology Trial in Cambridge at the end of audio listening room. The Queen offi cially Audio Research Partnership We demonstrated the restoration of old June/beginning of July. A number of major opened the MediaCity site in Salford on We launched the BBC Audio Research archive content (from the 1970’s, for companies including Microsoft have formed 23rd March, and Matthew Postgate Partnership, a strategic collaboration example Dr Who) correcting the telecine a consortium to run this trial, with R&D presented some of our work to her. between the BBC and fi ve leading UK phase to produce a restored version which representing the BBC’s interests. universities in the fi elds of audio-visual and can now be re-broadcast or distributed via Snippets acoustics research. This new approach to the internet. This work combines a number Green Button Snippets is a prototype research tool engaging with academia will allow us to of video analysis techniques that have been Green Button services were launched and designed to help BBC staff fi nd, snip and focus a large amount of effort on developed during the year. are working successfully on BBC HD, BBC share TV programmes. They can fi nd any developing next-generation audio systems. One HD on Freesat. show from the last four years, fi nd half- High-Speed Links remembered scenes by searching subtitles Binaural Reproduction Very high-speed (350 Mbit/s) IP links have 3D Shows and scripts for keywords mentioned in the We worked with colleagues in Audio & been established between BBC TVC Centre We supported the broadcasting of the live programme, and snip and share video Music to mount an on-line trial of binaural and three sites in the UK (Glasgow, Bradford Strictly Come Dancing fi nal in 3D. effortlessly. We launched this in beta this reproduction over the Christmas period, and BH London) with the help of Janet, Atos year and it already has 3000 users within using an excerpt from Carols from Kings. This and BT in preparation for public showings of Stagebox the BBC. allowed us to test the audience reaction to the London 2012 Olympic Games using We developed ‘Production Stagebox’ to this approach for delivering surround sound NHK’s 8k Super Hi-Vision system with introduce IP as a core studio 22.2 multichannel sound. transport technology.
04 055 The audio research team at BBC R&D • The creative exploitation of these • Many approaches have been postulated for In the last year we have also been conducting investigates applications and challenges relating technologies requires intuitive tools for high quality multi-loudspeaker and headphone some experiments in collaboration with our to various audio topics. Their research spans the producers to use (whether professionals reproduction. Whilst the physical processes in colleagues in BBC production areas to investigate whole broadcast chain from production through or amateurs). Fundamental studies are the sound fi eld are reasonably well understood, different kinds of spatial audio technology. to the delivery of new audio experiences for required to ensure new audio rendering fundamental questions of signal processing In October 2011 we collaborated with BBC the audience. A fi eld of special interest for techniques have high perceptual quality and and perceptual response have to be resolved, Radio 2 to record a concert by Elbow in BBC R&D is spatial audio technology. Spatial are coherent with visual cues on different especially in the challenging environments of Manchester Cathedral in order to experiment audio (sometimes also called 3D audio) aims devices to allow maximum fl exibility for domestic living rooms and mobile devices. with different loudspeaker based spatial audio to deliver a step change in audio experience to our listeners. reproduction techniques in our listening room. listeners at home or on the move. This ranges During the last year the launch of the BBC Audio In December we produced several binaural from a new immersive experience of ‘being • Perceptual coding (mp3) has revolutionised Research Partnership has initiated a new model for versions of Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols there’ while watching sport events or concerts the music industry, but is not yet optimized collaboration between the BBC and universities and invited listeners to fi nd out which worked up to personalised reproduction to enhance for spatial audio. A better fundamental in the UK. The research questions given above best for them at home. We followed this listener experience and accessibility. It spans all understanding of how we hear complex form one important area for the partnership. In with an experiment in February using a radio the way from multiple loudspeakers to just a pair sound fi elds is essential. This requires the fi eld of spatial audio four PhD candidates are drama, Private Peaceful. We also investigated of headphones used for reproduction. In order exploitation of psychoacoustic models to currently working towards new insights and new a novel approach for allowing a producer to for spatial audio to be a practical proposition for formulate signal processing across delivery applications for our audiences together with our position sound sources in 3D using a gesture- broadcasters, some key research questions need platforms and networks. academic partners in Salford, Surrey, Southampton, based interface rather than more conventional to be addressed: Queen Mary University London and York. panning controls.
06 07 White space devices could make use of The approach currently proposed would be to power allocated to white space devices, which BBC R&D participates in two industry-wide trials spectrum unused in small regions of the country make devices license-exempt, provided that they will ensure that television transmissions and of white space technology, which are working to to provide additional low power services, such have built-in mechanisms to regularly consult an radio microphones are not interfered with and verify and demonstrate white space technology. as additional WiFi-like services, or for providing Ofcom-approved database, called a geolocation at the same time to understand the advantages One of these, the Cambridge TV White Spaces broadband connectivity in hard to reach rural database, which will tell the devices which and applications of the technology. Working Trial, recently reported its key fi ndings at a areas. The UK’s telecommunications regulator, TV channels they can use and the maximum with BBC Distribution, we have used this work summit in Cambridge, and these results are freely Ofcom, has identifi ed the TV spectrum as a power they are allowed to radiate. Since the to generate an initial geolocation database and available from the Cambridge Wireless website candidate band for deploying such devices TV bands are also used for secondary services a web front-end which allows the white space (www.cambridgewireless.co.uk). over the next couple of years. The TV bands (PMSE – programme making and special events availability to be inspected at any location. are suitable for this approach as high power e.g. radio microphones), the database would The results of the BBC’s work in this area transmitters using the same frequencies are need to be updated regularly with the details of We have also conducted numerous laboratory are being contributed to an Ofcom Technical separated by relatively large distances to prevent radio microphone deployments at events such as tests to help determine the protection ratios Working Group which will enable Ofcom to mutual interference to TV receivers from the outside broadcasts. that need to be used as part of the algorithm for undertake the regulatory processes needed to different transmitters. These frequencies could calculating the white space availability. We also allow the use of TV White Space devices in the then be re-used by lower power white space BBC R&D has been studying this technology lead the DTG’s RF sub-group, which is aiming to UK. We are also actively contributing to several devices in between the TV transmitters without for several years now, both to understand the set appropriate RF performance targets for TV European groups working in this area. causing interference to TV reception. algorithms that are needed to calculate the receivers in the presence of white space signals.
08 09 The IP Studio is a concept for the future Teams across R&D are working to build the main industry-standard fi les), automated analysis of location, and can reduce costs by simplifying production environment, where the potential of elements of a working IP Studio, which we can content, encoding and distribution of studio rigging and providing feeds and camera control seamless high-speed IP networking is realised to use as a test-bed with real productions and to data events, system timing and synchronisation and tally information directly on a single IP provide: help transfer this technology. over IP, confi guration of system resources network cable. In addition, the unit includes built- and a web-based API. This work will inform in talkback over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for viewing • faster, more immediate and more From a production viewpoint, the main features future standardisation in this area, helping the live on a tablet. Stagebox can also be displayed collaborative production experiences; are: access to any content, from anywhere and production and broadcast industry to move into and recorded directly on a laptop computer. at any time, with a particular focus on accessing the cloud. Stagebox was demonstrated at IBC and NAB • richer capture of production data to speed live feeds; the means to annotate, assemble and where it won an ‘InTech’ award from InBroadcast. data-driven audience experiences on multiple visualise production content; and systematic One of the fi rst outputs of the IP Studio project Stagebox technology has been licensed and is screens; and gathering and sharing of metadata throughout is the Stagebox device (pictured), which is a being developed by our industry partners into a the lifetime of a production. bidirectional bridge between conventional commercial product. • simpler provision and rigging of infrastructure HD-SDI video, audio and timecode signals across distributed locations. The project is developing technology for and equivalent IP streams. The compact unit studio-quality IP streaming (mapping onto is suitable for use on the studio fl oor and on
10 11 This year saw the launch of the new YouView covering the requirements for interoperability. ability to perform ‘white box’ testing, YouView on-demand content from the linear schedule, connected television platform which combines This approach has some disadvantages: the devices can deliver a much more consistent both past and future. DTT broadcast channels with catch-up services performance and usability of set-top box and user experience and greater interoperability. delivered over the Internet. television devices would vary considerably and Separation of the user interface elements from Whilst working on YouView, BBC R&D has even with a great deal of device testing, it has the core software makes YouView extensible. also been contributing to standards groups One of YouView’s main aims is to make been hard and sometimes impossible to create New features can be added over time by such as the UK Digital Television Group (DTG) connected television easy to use, even by those content and services that work correctly on YouView without always requiring changes to and the Open IPTV Forum (OIPF), helping to who are less technically literate. It achieves devices from a range of manufacturers. It has the manufacturer-specifi c elements. Hopefully, achieve common standards for media delivery this by seamlessly integrating video-on-demand also been diffi cult to add new features because by designing the device to be upgraded in in connected television platforms beyond (VOD) programmes delivered using services development work is required for each this way, it will have an increased life before just YouView. like BBC iPlayer with the traditional electronic separate product. the hardware becomes redundant, reducing programme guide (EPG) that viewers are used to. environmental impacts. BBC R&D continues to support YouView with To address some of these challenges, BBC technical expertise in critical areas including YouView began as a small BBC project around R&D developed fi rst-hand skills in set-top Applying its expertise in data modelling and media delivery, content protection and metadata four years ago. BBC R&D was involved from day box hardware, graphics and media delivery technical interfaces, BBC R&D was also able to and is now helping to pave the way for new one and played a pivotal role in developing solid and created specifi cations that defi ne the design the blueprint for a centralised platform features to be added in future. These could technical foundations for the platform as well as functions and interfaces within the receiving metadata repository. This enables the viewer include ‘second screen’ services, improved building relationships with technology partners. device as well as those between the device and to browse and search for on-demand content accessibility, the MPEG DASH format for adaptive the content provider. Through a combination from all content providers on the YouView bitrate media delivery and new application Previous digital television platforms have typically of hardware performance requirements, platform in a unifi ed platform user experience. formats with the potential to unleash the 3D been defi ned by specifi cation documents standardised open source components and the It also provides an enhanced EPG with links to graphics capabilities of the hardware.
12 13 BBC R&D ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE YEARS SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF BBC R&D’S INNOVATION OVER THE YEARS
1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s Research mainly concerned with short-wave The start of FM radio; colour television The start of work on stereo radio; fi rst Satellite communications used for the fi rst broadcasting, studio developments, started to look viable; and new magnetic transatlantic signals (and so need for time in broadcasting; digital techniques developing the Simultaneous Broadcast recording techniques started coming standards conversion); transistors being used transform sound and picture communication: system, and television: into operation: in commercial equipment: 1962 First transatlantic colour TV link by 1930 BBC Research Department formed 1945 First VHF/FM transmission tests from 1953 Suppressed-frame telerecording satellite, using BBC R&D’s slide scanner in April Alexandra Palace; Type D disk recorder equipment designed, and used at Coronation 1963 NTSC, SECAM and PAL colour 1936 First regular high defi nition television brought into service 1958 VERA (Vision Electronic Recording demonstrations to EBU and OIRT service launches 1947 Early measurements on the magnetic Apparatus), fi rst video tape machine used by 1964 First studies into digital techniques 1937 First close-talking noise-cancelling properties of recording tape the BBC for television ribbon microphone giving broadcast speech, 1949 Work starts on smaller, light, higher 1959 First transatlantic television transmission 1967 BBC Two transmits fi rst regular colour the L1. sensitivity commentator’s microphone, the by R&D’s ‘Cablefi lm’; stereophonic tests using television service in Europe. L2, to replace the L1. Simple colour channel EMI-Percival system; investigations into TV set up. picture storage begin. 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s Latest integrated circuits used for signal Decade of debate: stick with analogue Start of digital radio and television Upgrades and enhancements across processing: systems, wait for digital, or a hybrid? broadcasting, and launch of BBC Online. the board: 1970 Digital line-store standards converter 1982 BBC Microcomputer, from Virtual production techniques evolving to 2000 R&D’s handheld digital radio camera work commences Acorn, released provide powerful production tools: used for live broadcasts 1972 Teletext experiments begin 1982 HDTV studies commence in earnest 1990 First DAB trials 2001 Speech recognition used as an aid 1974 BBC R&D demonstrates world’s fi rst 1984 Video watermarking – electronically 1995 The new Digital Radio service started to provide subtitles digital television recorder labelling television pictures – devised in September 2002 Freeview launched 1975 Successful transmission of digital 1985 LF Radio Teleswitching service 1996 First fully compliant test of the new 2006 World’s fi rst end-to-end MIMO television signals commences enables the Electricity Supply DVB transmission standard broadcast system tested 1976 First transmissions of digital television Industry to optimise power distribution at 1997 BBC internet services start 2008 Freesat service launched. Dirac Pro over INTELSAT satellite; CARFAX road traffi c peak demand times 1998 BBC launches digital satellite and used by BBC to deliver Beijing Olympics information service principle demonstrated 1986 BBC’s NICAM 728 system for digital terrestrial television services in HD 1978 First digital stereophonic sound stereo sound accepted as British Standard 1999 Digital Text service (replacement for 2009 Freeview HD service launched using broadcast experiments – leading to NICAM 1987 Join Eureka 147 collaborative group, analogue Teletext) successfully launched DVB-T2 transmission standard stereo sound. which developed the DAB standard. on DTT. 2010 Live delivery of Super-Hi Vision via the internet from our studio to NHK in Japan.
14 1515 MANAGEMENT TEAM
Matthew Postgate From left to right: Controller, Research & Developmnent Stephen Baily General Manager Brandon Butterworth Chief Scientist Daniel Pike Head of Technology Transfer Conrad Franklin Head of Business & Operations Adrian Woolard Project Director, R&D North Lab George Wright Head of Prototyping, R&D Central Labs Caroline Green Business Manager
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Top row, from left to right: Second row, from left to right: Graham Thomas Production Magic Justin Mitchell Lead Technologist Phil Tudor Automated Production Andrew McParland Audience Experience & Media Management Andy Bower Head of External Relations John Zubrzycki Archives Research Jeff Hunter Distribution Application Layer Tristram Biggs YouView Launch Manager Judy Parnall Knowledge Management Chris Nokes Distribution Core Technologies & Communications Phil Layton Digital Service Development Samantha Chadwick Strategic Partnerships Executive Michael Evans User Experience & Accessibility Chris Chambers Media Network Integration Lab Nick Wells Research Fellow Justin King Head of Research Platforms Lindsay Cornell Principal Technologist
16 17 CONTACT DETAILS
For more information about BBC R&D, who we are and what we do – including regular updates on our current projects – please check out our website at www.bbc.co.uk/rd For media enquiries please contact BBC Press Offi ce on 020 8576 1865 or email at press.offi [email protected]
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