BBC Proms 2015 to be broadcast in HD Sound and surround sound online

By Joe Cox
published

The BBC Proms, which this year features a series of Late Night Proms in conjunction with five of the BBC's national radio stations, will be broadcast in HD sound and surround sound online, alongside a full schedule of TV and radio coverage.

The BBC is looking to reinvigorate the Proms experience for 2015, with an unprecedented line-up of TV coverage in HD and surround sound, as well as radio and on-demand online broadcasts promising 'HD Sound' and 4.0 surround sound.

New for 2015, a series of Late Night Proms will showcase a "coming-together of musical genres" in conjunction with five of the BBC's national radio stations: Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 4, Radio 6 and the BBC Asian Network.

The series will include Mary Anne Hobbs presenting a "reimagining of classical music by pianist Nils Frahm and ambient duo A Winged Victory for the Sullen", Pete Tong and the Metropole Orchestra delivering classical reinterpretations of dance music anthems live from Ibiza, and Jarvis Cocker leading a Radio 4 Prom based on his Wireless Nights series.

Every BBC Prom will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and online in what the BBC calls HD Sound. This is an HLS AAC stream at 320kbps. Also new for 2015, every Prom from the Royal Albert Hall will be available online in 4.0 surround sound. Radio 3 has previously trialled surround sound broadcasts.

Watching on TV? Selected BBC Proms will be broadcast on BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Four, in HD and with surround sound. The Proms will also be available for 30 days after broadcast using BBC iPlayer, and via the BBC Proms website, again, with HD Sound.

The First Night of the Proms takes place on 17th July, with the Last Night of the Proms on 12th September.

You can read see the full BBC Proms schedule online now and read about how to listen to BBC Radio 3 in surround sound here.

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Joe Cox
Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is Content Director for T3 and What Hi-Fi?, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for more than 15 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff, and the Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).