SkyPerfecTV launching 4K DTH in June
April 11, 2014
By Chris Forrester
Japanese viewers will be able to view 4K transmissions from this June. Together with a consortium of other Japanese broadcasters (as part of the nation’s NexTV-Forum) signals will almost certainly start with FIFA’s Brazilian World Cup but then continue with other 4K entertainment and factual programming.
The announcement was made at MIPTV, during a week of dedicated 4K screenings. Toshiaki Baba, from the Next Generation Television & Promotion Forum, explained that Broadcasters NHK, Nippon TV, TV Asahi, TBS, Fuji TV, JSAT and WOWOW, have come together with SkyPerfecTV to use its satellite capacity to beam 4K programming.
Transmissions will be in 4K/60p using ‘real-time HEVC encoding’, and that signals will be receivable on a conventional SkyPerfecTV 45cm dish aerial.
Shooting is already wrapped on more than a dozen 4K factual documentaries, and tests have taken place at football and baseball games. On March 15th, filming took place at a Vegalta Sendai vs. Gamba Osaka football match, and again on March 29th at the Yokohama F Marinos vs. Kashima Antlers game in order to test cameras, positioning and workflow practices.
Katsunari Ito, from SkyPerfect-JSAT, said that key to its on-going strategy is coverage of Japan’s J-League football in 4K.