High Definition Television

The 2006 FIFA World Cup™ was the first major international sports event to commit fully to the format of the future, with all 64 matches both covered and broadcast on HDTV. This provided the momentum among consumers for the adoption of a new television standard. HDTV offers a high quality picture that delivers a much sharper image than Standard Definition, with up to five times more picture detail on the HDTV screen. When combined with the widescreen 16/9 format, HDTV delivers an almost cinematographic image.

The first FIFA World Cup™ entirely on HDTV

In 2006, the first time in FIFA World Cup™ history, all 64 matches were covered in wide-screen 16/9 HDTV digital format with 25 HD cameras per match and a package of Super Feeds delivered at the 12 stadiums and at the International Broadcast Centre in Munich.

 

At the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, 48 matches were covered in HDTV, with a maximum of eight cameras per match.  EURO 2004™ also produced a single HDTV feed, available only at the stadium, so there was limited take up of the signal in this format (one broadcaster).

 

This was the first truly global event to commit to and showcase HDTV on a significant scale — it is demonstrating to the world that HDTV is here to stay. The decision was taken on the premise that the prestige of the FIFA World Cup™ calls for cutting edge production standards and that the market is showing that it is ready. Widescreen is fast becoming the common platform for home entertainment in the world and many widescreen displays can offer HD quality.  In Japan, South Korea, Canada and the USA, HDTV is already strongly established. In Europe, leading channels and platforms such as Premiere, BskyB and Canal + are starting HDTV now.

 

HDTV reception requires an HD-ready television set and an HD video source (usually via satellite or cable set-top box). As consumers migrate to widescreen television, many of the televisions that they will buy will be HD-compatible, driving the adoption of HDTV in Europe.