Advanced Television

DTH/Satellite

Eutelsat steps up Ultra-HD activity

Satellite operator Eutelsat Communications is ramping up its Ultra-HD activity with the launch of Europe’s first demo channel encoded in HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) and broadcasting at 50 frames per second with 10-bit colour depth (one billion colours – HEVC Main 10 profile). According to Eutelsat, these three parameters are key for creating a […]

May 27, 2014

Manhattan joins Freetime STB roster

UK subscription- free digital TV service Freesat has revealed that long-term partner Manhattan Technology intends to manufacture a new line of Freetime set-top boxes. Manhattan supplies thousands of independent retailers via its sister company Eurosat, as well as all the major retailers and supermarkets, including Dixons, Argos, John Lewis, Amazon and Tesco. Owners of the […]

May 27, 2014By Colin Mann

MEASAT-3b launch postponed

Satellite operator MEASAT has revealed that the MEASAT-3b launch, previously scheduled for June 6th GFT (June 7th Kuala Lumpur time), has been postponed. The postponement was called after Optus Networks informed launch service provider Arianespace that its OPTUS 10 satellite, one of the two payloads being carried by Arianespace flight VA218, originally scheduled for June […]

May 27, 2014By Colin Mann

India’s Sun Direct DTH to boost HDTV

DTH player Sun Direct, which currently broadcasts mainly standard definition channels to India from just four transponders, is to increase this by adding nine new transponders. However, Sun Direct has to wait for the new MEASAT 3b satellite be launched, and that craft is currently sitting on a pad at Arainespace’s rocket facility in French […]

May 27, 2014By Chris Forrester

Newtec enables Indonesia’s VIVA+

New Indonesian prepaid DTH satellite service VIVA+ will deploy Newtec equipment to deliver all of its content, initially consisting of two HD and 35 SD channels. The DTH platform, which launched in April, is featuring nine premium value ‘Ultimate World Cup Channels’ dedicated to broadcasting the upcoming World Cup taking place in Brazil between June […]

May 27, 2014

Millicom launches LatAm pay-TV with Eutelsat

International telecommunications and media company Millicom has selected Eutelsat Americas (formerly Satmex), a subsidiary of Eutelsat Communications to support its recent entry into the satellite pay-TV market in Latin America. Millicom has signed a multi-year contract with Eutelsat Americas for capacity on the Eutelsat 117 West A satellite (formerly Satmex 8) that provides premium Direct-to-Home […]

May 22, 2014

MEA generates $8bn pay-TV revenues

Digital TV penetration will reach two-thirds of total TV households in the Middle East & Africa region by end-2014 having crossed the halfway mark in 2011, according to a report from Digital TV Research. The Digital TV Middle East & Africa Databook (covering 56 countries) estimates that digital TV penetration will be

May 21, 2014

1000 new satellites needed

The past year has seen more than 100 new satellites ordered and 100+ launched, according to data from Northern Sky Research (NSR). NSR says many more will be needed. In total, the combined satellite manufacturing & launch industry generated almost

May 21, 2014

USA signs licences for Russian launches

The US State Department has signed export licences for two upcoming European satellite launches.  Inmarsat 5 F2, a giant satellite for London-based Inmarsat and SES of Luxembourg’s Astra 2G are both approved for launch. The problems – and doubts – arose because of anxieties that US-Russia relations were strained over the Ukrainian political situation. However, […]

May 21, 2014By Chris Forrester

Yahsat awarded Satcom Africa “Satellite Operator of the Year” for 2014

Yahsat, the Middle East satellite service provider, took home the highly coveted SatCom Star Award for “Satellite Operator of the Year” on their first submission for the award. Yahsat had won the “Most Innovative Product/Service for Africa” for two consecutive years in 2012 and 2013. Since 2012, Yahsat has provided connectivity to residents in unserved […]

May 21, 2014