Advanced Television

SES launches UHD-HDR demo channel

May 26, 2016

By Chris Forrester

SES is demonstrating a 24/7 Ultra HD test channel comprising all-High Dynamic Range (HDR) programming.

SES says that together with its industry partners the demo channel showcases ‘next generation’ UHD picture quality, “as HDR provides much higher contrast and offers a more realistic viewing experience”.

The programming material includes various HDR technologies including HDR 10 (backed by Sony and Samsung), Dolby Vision (available on LG’s high-end OLED sets), Hybrid Log Gamma (a backwards-compatible HDR technology jointly developed by the BBC and Japan’s NHK), and a UHD solution from Technicolor/Philips.

“As the broadcasting industry is in discussions to establish a standard for HDR transmission, the goal of SES’s HDR demo channel is to allow industry partners to test the various technology candidates,” says SES.

Thomas Wrede, VP Reception Systems at SES commented, “High Dynamic Range will be a major improvement for satellite delivered Ultra HD television. As industry and operators now face the challenge of standardising and implementing a plethora of technology candidates, we intend to support the process with our test channel. At the same time, we have started to implement relevant HDR technology at our Munich playout facility.”

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, DTH/Satellite, Equipment, Production, Services, UHD, Ultra-HD/4K