The BBC will stream its live coverage of the 2019 FA Cup semi-final and final in 4K Ultra HD and HDR on BBC iPlayer for the first time.
Viewers watching on compatible Ultra HD TVs can watch the live stream on BBC iPlayer by pressing the Red Button during the BBC’s coverage, or directly through the BBC iPlayer app on their TV.
The first semi-final sees Manchester City take on Brighton on Saturday, 6 April, kicking off at 5.30pm, with the showpiece final to be staged on Saturday, 18 May. Both matches will be broadcast on BBC One.
The Ultra HD HDR live streaming follows the broadcaster’s Ultra HD streams of selected World Cup matches and Wimbledon games last year.
This latest trial of live Ultra HD broadcasting follows the corporation’s live UHD streaming of the FIFA World Cup and Wimbledon tennis coverage last summer, which had 1.6m live requests combined.
As with the trial during the World Cup, there will be a cap of tens of thousands in place for those watching the BBC’s FA Cup coverage in Ultra HD, due to the experimental nature and the high bandwidth required.
Viewers will need an internet connection of at least 40Mbit per second for full 3840 pixel Ultra HD, or 20Mbit per second for 2560 pixel Ultra HD. Wi-Fi performance can vary greatly, so the BBC advises that a wired internet connection to the TV may provide a more consistent Ultra HD experience. Footage will be played at 50 frames per second.
Dan Taylor-Watt, Head of BBC iPlayer, said:
“Our Ultra HD and HDR programmes have been streamed millions of times on BBC iPlayer, making them some of the most popular Ultra HD programmes in the world, and BBC iPlayer is one of the only streaming services to offer them live in such high quality.
“It’s an excellent example of how we’re reinventing BBC iPlayer, making it an even better place for watching live events, and giving people the best programmes to enjoy in the best possible quality.”
Phil Layton, Head of Broadcast & Connected Systems, BBC R&D, added:
“As Ultra HD becomes increasingly popular in the future, the BBC is making sure nobody is left behind. Our research has already provided a highly effective way for free-to-air broadcasters to put HDR into their Ultra HD programmes, and we’re working on a range of projects to make Ultra HD even better for audiences and the industry.”
Previous trials of Ultra HD broadcasts have been a separate experiment to main outside broadcast production. For the FA Cup trials, the BBC’s Ultra HD coverage will be the main production hub, from where the standard HD and SD coverage will also be delivered. This will be done in conjunction with facilities provider Arena Television, who also undertake a similar role on BT Sport’s Ultra HD coverage of Premier League and European football.
The BBC is also continuing to work on a solution to eliminate the issue that all live-streamed programmes currently experience a significant delay compared to the TV broadcast version.
The corporation’s research and development team has proved that it can eliminate this latency lag in a prototype it showcased recently. BBC R&D will continue to refine its technology and is cooperating with the industry to bring this to audiences in future.
Watch the BBC’s live FA Cup coverage in Ultra HD on BBC iPlayer – bbc.co.uk/iplayer
