SES will be showcasing two Ultra HD demo channels in the
new high efficiency video coding (HEVC) standard at the SES stand at
IBC 2013. The Ultra HD demo channels will be broadcast via SES'
prime European orbital position of 19.2 degrees East
For one of the Ultra HD channels, SES partners with Sky Deutschland and
Harmonic to deliver an exciting array of Ultra HD content consisting of
sports matches, blockbuster movies and documentaries to the first actual
Ultra HD consumer set top boxes – from Humax and Technicolor – connected to
a Sony 84-inch 4K TV screen.
The other Ultra HD channel is set up by SES and Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz
Institute to broadcast Ultra HD content in the new HEVC standard, but at
higher frame rates.
SES and Sony were the first to broadcast live Ultra HD content in the
H.264 standard at a data rate of 50 Mbit/s at IBC 2012. In April 2013, SES
went on to pioneer the first Ultra HD transmission in the new HEVC standard
live from an ASTRA satellite at 19.2 degrees East at SES Industry Days 2013
that was attended by over 200 industry experts. At IFA 2013 in early
September, SES, also teamed up with five other industry partners -- German
TV Platform, Fraunhofer HHI, Harmonic, Sky Deutschland and Sony -- to
demonstrate the current and future potential of Ultra HD.
“By showing these two demo channels at IBC 2013, SES has once again
demonstrated how it collaborates with the industry to make Ultra HD a
commercial reality. We also have immediate plans to use these Ultra HD
transmissions to provide our industry partners with live satellite signals
to demonstrate devices with the 50/60 Hz frame rates that the new HDMI 2.0
interface will be capable of,” said Thomas Wrede, Vice President of
Reception Systems at SES. “As technologies for Ultra HD mature, SES will
continue to work with partners to make Ultra HD the ultimate television
experience for consumers, not just with more pixels but with better pixels
that also deliver brighter, smoother and more colourful pictures.”
