Netflix opens the floodgates on Super HD streaming support

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How to break the 4K bottleneck and bring super duper ultra HD to homes

There’s no doubt that TV makers are excited about 4K television. The sets, which offer four times the detail of today’s high-definition sets, are appearing in increasing numbers and consumers too seem convinced by the technology, which must be a relief to the industry after the cool reception that 3D TV got a few years ago.

The most obvious barrier to wider 4K adoption is price—the sets cost thousands of dollars more than high-definition TVs—but it’s not the only problem. Among the cables and interfaces on the back of the new TV is an equally important problem: how to get 4K content into the TV sets.

At this week’s IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, TV and video equipment makers are showing prototypes of several new technologies that will bring 4K content into the home and transport it between devices.

Martyn WilliamsOne of the many 4K sets unveiled at this year's IFA using the HEVC codec.

One of the biggest steps was the launch of HDMI 2.0, a new version of the “high-definition multimedia interface” standard that is the de-facto method of sending HD video between devices.

HDMI 2.0 doubles the maximum bit rate to 20 gigabits per second, allowing 4K video at up to 60 frames per second, and should start appearing in 4K products later this year or early next year.

This could be especially important to the short-term success of 4K because initially consumers will be restricted to watching prerecorded content streamed from players alongside the TV.

Getting a live 4K signal into the living room is a more complex task, not least because it requires broadcasters to replace their production systems. Many have only just completed multi-million dollar upgrades to high-definition so they won’t be looking to scrap the equipment any time soon.

To date, the only regular 4K broadcasting in the world is taking place on a promotional channel via the Eutelsat 10A satellite in Europe. Run by satellite operator Eutelsat, the channel demonstrates the stunning picture quality possible with 4K and also the current problems faced by broadcasters.

Martyn WilliamsThematic channels may be the first dedicated 4K channels.

4K signals, by definition, carry a lot of data and getting that compressed, transmitted and decompressed in real time requires a lot of processing power.

Eutelsat has got around this problem by splitting the 4K signal into quarters, each equivalent to a conventional HD channel, and sending them simultaneously over satellite to four receivers that decode them and stitch the signal back together.

While it works, it’s not the future of 4K broadcasting.

Instead, broadcasters are planning on using HEVC, a new video codec that can compress a video signal much more efficiently than the H.264 codec used in much of today’s high-definition broadcasting.

At IFA, satellite operator Astra and pay TV operator Sky Deutschland were demonstrating a 4K stream encoded in HEVC and sent over an Astra satellite. The stream had been encoded in advance—real-time encoding still is very difficult—but it was being decoded in real time in a set-top box from Technicolor.

No broadcaster has yet committed to 4K, but industry insiders at IFA were generally agreed that the first steps in 4K broadcasting would probably be on a small number of thematic channels or events. Feature films are an obvious candidate because many are already shot at 4K and the technology is likely to be employed in major sporting events, such as the World Cup and Formula One.

Martyn Williams covers mobile telecoms, Silicon Valley and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service.
More by Martyn Williams, IDG News Service

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New Super Luigi U. (for Nintendo Wii U )

Pros Tons of new levels. Great to see Luigi get his own action.

Cons Timer makes things unnecessarily stressful. Little room to breathe when playing. Bottom Line New Super Luigi U gives the unsung Mario brother his own side-scrolling action, but it's a lot harder than New Super Mario Bros. U, the game on which this DLC is based..

By Will Greenwald

Luigi has it rough. While his brother Mario is the headliner in Nintendo's biggest games, Luigi is the sidekick at best and absent at worst. While Mario got swarms of gold coins to swim through in New Super Mario Bros. 2, Luigi got haunted houses to creep through in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. He's always getting the short end of the stick, which is why New Super Luigi U is so promising. This full-game DLC for New Super Mario Bros. U puts Luigi in center stage and takes Mario out of the picture for 80 new levels. The downloadable version offers effectively a full game for $19.99 over the Nintendo Wii U eShop, as long as you already own New Super Mario Bros. U, and a standalone disc-based version in a special Luigi green case will be released in August for $29.99. Unfortunately, once again the path Luigi treads is more difficult and less rewarding than his brother's.

The Challenge
New Super Luigi U. is a challenge game. Compare it to the original Super Mario Bros. 2 (not the American version) as a sequel or expansion to Super Mario Bros. The levels have the same elements but are much harder, and Luigi jumps higher and is much more difficult to control thanks to his "floatiness," an aspect introduced in Super Mario Bros. 2. While the design elements are clever just like New Super Mario Bros. U, every level in New Super Luigi U just feels like a remixed and shortened version of the game it expands upon. As DLC, this isn't exactly a con, but if you were hoping for the full, open New Super Mario Bros. U experience expanded by another game's length, you're going to be disappointed.

Each level has a 100-second time limit, a fraction of the amount of time New Super Mario Bros. U gave to get through its longer levels. You can get more time in certain situations like going into boss fights, but generally you're constrained to those 100 seconds to get from the start of the level to the end. Considering these levels are often densely designed and have several secrets, including the same three well-hidden star coins in each that the levels in New Super Mario Bros. U had, this turns an otherwise pleasant obstacle course into a stressful ordeal. With the 100-second time, there's no time to breathe, nevermind actively poking at every corner of the level. This makes the game feel more difficult, but it's a cheap difficulty that focuses on making you frantic rather than thoughtful.

Same as Mario
The DLC's structure is identical to New Super Mario Bros. U, down to a world map that doesn't bother to change at all. You go from area to area, running through levels, then fortresses with a mini-boss, then more levels, then a castle with a main box, until you finally reach the end. Even changing the season on the map and making every non-frozen area look like Autumn (which would have been a fine callback to Super Mario World to boot) would have made the main campaign feel fresh.

The multiplayer mode is slightly changed, because Mario has been replaced by Nabbit, the rabbit thief introduced in New Super Mario Bros. U. Nabbit can't be hurt by enemies, only environmental hazards, but he can't use items. He can only be played in the single player mode with a cheat, and considering the (admittedly hilarious) chaos of the multiplayer mode makes pits and players bigger dangers than enemies, he's not a big addition.

Nintendo doesn't do DLC often, but it delivered a full, satisfying expansion to New Super Mario Bros. U with New Super Luigi U. It has tons of levels, loads of challenge, and features Luigi as the star. Unfortunately, its time limit and the cheap, stressful sort of challenge it brings holds the otherwise clever levels back, and makes it feel like once again Luigi has gotten the harder, more thankless job than his brother. Luigi walks the same path as Mario, but his steps are much trickier.

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