Sky claims first 4K live UK broadcast, TechRadar present for the big test

Sky testing 4K broadcasts, TechRadar present for Premier League trial
Sky - looking to the future

Sky is deep in a testing phase for 4K, with the broadcast giant laying claim to making the first Ultra HD live broadcast in the UK when it shows a Premier League football match today.

TechRadar will be present for a landmark test for Sky as it continues trials of the 4K resolution, with West Ham's match against Stoke City being given the Ultra HD treatment.

Ultra HD, or 4K, is the next generation of television, offering up a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 - some four times as many pixels as Full HD 1080p.

Unlike much of the recent TV gimmickry, 4K offers up tangible improvements to viewing, with the extra resolution providing a jaw-droppingly sharp picture.

Resolutionary

The Olympic opening ceremony in 2012 was broadcast in 4K in select cinemas but apparently through a closed network, whereas Sky's first live Ultra HD claim is based on running the test on its existing infrastructure.

Want more details? Well the content is filmed with 4 Sony F55 UHD cameras, while there are two UHD EVS servers for replay and graphics.

Sony's 84-inch Ulta HD TV

Sony's 84-inch Ulta HD TV

Sky is also using a purpose-built outside broadcast truck, in conjunction with Sony and Telegenic, and will show the content on Sony's 84-inch Ultra HD TV.

The future of TV

Although 4K televisions are now going on sale, content that is filmed at the higher resolution is thin on the ground, so the news that the likes of Sky are looking seriously at the technology is welcome.

The UK broadcaster has been a major innovator for television, rolling out HD channels and 3D early in each technology's life.

The company has made it clear that the current tests are not a guarantee that it will broadcast in 4K, although its track record always made it likely it would trial the technology.

We'll be bringing you a full behind-the-scenes look at the 4K technology on show in Sky's Osterley HQ and our impressions of how live sport shapes up when there are many more pixels on screen than fans at all of the league games put together.

Patrick Goss

Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content.  After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.