Tourists view lanterns at Laomendong scenic area in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 22, 2023. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

By Staff Reporters

"Chunwan," or the Spring Festival Gala, has been held by China Media Group (CMG) every year since 1983 to celebrate the Chinese New Year. This year the gala was equipped with more high-tech to offer a better watching experience for the live audience and those watching on TV and other media platforms.

Many high-tech applications were adopted for the first time, including filming the gala with self-developed 8K Ultra HD cameras, producing audio signals with 3D Color Sound, and live broadcasting the gala with these two technologies.

3D image rendering through virtual reality (VR) was also used for the first time. Jiang Wenbo, a member of CMG's editorial board, said this technology was developed based on the need of program design in the gala.

In a program targeting teenagers, a painter drew VR 3D images by using an electronic pen and wearing VR glasses, said Jiang, adding that the painter could choose the required colors and calligraphy style used via buttons on the pen, and check the painted image in real time through the glasses. After being rendered and composited, the images were displayed on screen in real time, and audiences could simultaneously watch the generated 3D images being created.

An extended reality (XR) Ultra HD production system was also used during the gala to create a virtual stage for performances like martial arts, Peking Opera and intangible cultural heritages, offering the audience a visual feast. The system could render scenes in real time by following module data and camera parameters, and display the scenes on the stage's Ultra HD screen, said Jiang.

5G and cloud were also used. Audiences from across the country were invited to join in cloud singing performances. Those singing at home could have their performances transmitted to the studio via CMG media cloud and 5G network, said Jiang.