Tech & Sci
22:31, 15-Feb-2018
Augmented Reality, 4K resolution featured in China's 2018 Spring Festival Gala
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China's best artists are trying to entertain the country's 1.3 billion people on Chinese New Year's Eve by bringing the latest technologies, such as 4K resolution and augmented reality (AR), to this year's Spring Festival Gala to create a more immersive experience.
Better resolution
The gala has been trying to catch up with the latest video-shooting standards, like 4K which provides four times the pixel resolution of 1080p.
Viewers in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong Province and Guizhou Province can watch the variety show in 4K resolution.
A CGTN screenshot showing the studio of the Spring Festival Gala on February 15, 2018.
A CGTN screenshot showing the studio of the Spring Festival Gala on February 15, 2018.
The new-standard video stream also shows more colors than normal with 10bit color range, and utilizes high dynamic range (HDR) to provide more contrast between different colors.
Virtual stage?
AR is also used in this year's installment of the gala to virtually expand the studio's stage size and display special effects (FX).
In some performances, virtual elements can only be seen by viewers, with the studio audience unable to see the additions.
The objects are digitally superimposed on the camera shots, bringing a freshness to the scenes despite the shooting angles being similar to previous editions of the gala.
The rotating objects around the stage are virtual. /CGTN gif
The rotating objects around the stage are virtual. /CGTN gif
The optical special effects have been enhanced to create a world of magic. This was showcased when hip-hop singer Jay Chou performed magic tricks during his singing routine.
The virtual elements moved as if they were controlled by the singer himself, while the black background provided enough space to bring out real objects. Real and virtual elements were blurred together to trick viewers' eyes.