Hi-Vision

Hi-Vision (a contraction of HIgh-definition teleVISION) is the term used to refer to a high-definition television (HDTV) standard developed in Japan. It is a registered trademark of NHK Engineering Systems.^[1][2] The standard was never implemented outside of the country and was only available in media formats abroad.^[3]

Overview

The image quality for Hi-Vision has more than twice as many scan lines as NTSC standard television broadcasting making it high-definition quality compared to standard quality. The aspect ratio of the screen is also wider at (16:9) compared to the standard (4:3).

As of 2016, there are two types of Hi-Vision broadcasting standards in Japan: digital Hi-Vision broadcasting for satellite broadcasting (ISDB-S) (BS/110-degree CS) and terrestrial digital Hi-Vision broadcasting (ISDB-T). Note that analog Hi-Vision broadcasting (MUSE) via satellite broadcast was discontinued on September 30, 2007 and now only digital versions are available.

Analog Hi-Vision

After the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, research began at the NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories to find a way to develop a higher quality image that would be possible to broadcast across televisions within the country.^[4]

In 1976, the world's first 30-inch Hi-Vision monitor was completed. In the 1980s, the first equipment to be compatible with the Hi-Vision video signal were released. This included professional television cameras, high-resolution cathode ray tubes, video tape recorders, and editing and production equipment. Around this time, real preparations were being made for the practical use of this standard. The nickname “Hi-Vision” also began to be used around this time.^[5]

In May 1982, two programs, “The Beauty of Japan” and “Various Images for HDTV,” were produced as the world's first Hi-Vision production programs. On New Year's Eve then same year, the “NHK Red and White Song Contest” was recorded in Hi-Vision for the first time. It was recorded as an experiment to see how viable it was to record and produce in Hi-Vision. Then in 1989 for its 40th edition, the contest was again recorded in Hi-Vision where it then continued to be recorded in the same standard to this day.

In 1984, the MUSE (Multiple Sub-Nyquist Sampling Encoding) system was developed, which used digital technology to compress the bandwidth and enable analog broadcasting via satellite. Satellite television used MUSE experimentally in 1989 with some compatible equipment being used to broadcast music programs and select content.

During the 1990s, Hi-Vision compatible products were starting to become available for home consumers with the most notable being Hi-Vision LD. This was an enhanced version of LaserDisc that was compatible with the MUSE format and offered Hi-Vision quality. The product saw huge success and led to many titles being released in the format. This product was only released in Japan. A less successful consumer product that was released was W-VHS, a videocassette format that also used MUSE. This was available internationally although it was not a success glboally or even domestically compared to Hi-Vision LD.^[6]

NHK wanted to establish Hi-Vision (1125/60 HDTV) and MUSE as the global standard for HDTV after having success developing it and deploying it within the country. Part of this plan involved using the term “High Definition Television” as the English translation for their Japanese term “高品位テレビ” rather than Hi-Vision.

Initially, NHK had set the aspect ratio for Hi-Vision television at 5:3 (1.67:1), which is close to the European Vista standard, but during the standardization process it was adjusted to 16:9 (1.78:1), which is closer to middle point between the European and American Vista standards (1.85:1).^[7]

Digital Hi-Vision

NHK wanted to establish Hi-Vision television as a global standard and continued to actively promote standardization across Europe and the US. However, due to political reasons and other factors; Japan, the US, and Europe ended up adopting different formats for HDTV broadcasting.

In the US, HDTV development skipped analog broadcasting and began on technology for digital broadcasting. Europe would do the same and not developed HDTV broadcasting for analog broadcast but instead begin with digital.

Eventually, satellite Hi-Vision broadcasting, which was an analog HDTV broadcast, ceased on September 30, 2007 and only digital Hi-Vision was continued in Japan. The technology was replaced by Japan's digital HD standard.^[8]

References

1. 一般財団法人 NHKエンジニアリングシステム
2. "文献固定アドレス用結果一覧". J-PlatPat [JPP] 特許情報プラットフォーム. Retrieved 2025-08-19.
3. Sanger, David E. (1991-11-26), "Few See Japan Make TV History", The New York Times, archived from the original on 2025-08-23, retrieved 2025-08-29
4. Murakami, Seiichi, "Developing the Hi-Vision HDTV that were Constantly Swayed by the Standardization Policy", NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, retrieved 2025-08-29
5. Schoenberger, Karl (Sep 25, 1989). "Japan Touting HDTV Despite International Static". Los Angeles Times.
6. Corporate Planning Department (2010-03-05). "ＭＵＳＥ方式アナログハイビジョン 放送終 経緯放送終了の経緯" [MUSE analog high-definition broadcasting ended] (PDF). NHK (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-08-19.
7. Takashi, Fujio (Aug 27, 1988). "ＨＤＴＶ（ハイビジョン）開発の経緯 システムの最適化とその性能" [A short history of HDTV (hi-vision)]. テレビジョン学会誌 [The Journal of the Institute of Television Engineers of Japan] (in Japanese). 42 (6): 570–578. doi:10.3169/itej1978.42.570 – via CiNii Research.
8. "Hi-Vision", PCMAG, archived from the original on 2025-08-15, retrieved 2025-08-29