SES UHD demo channel for North America
June 17, 2015
By Chris Forrester
Satellite operator SES is continuing to set up demonstration 4K/Ultra-HD channels over its key transmission neighbourhoods.
The latest offering will appear later this year from SES-3 over North America and provide an easy test for the hundreds of cable systems that use SES-3 for their programming supplies. SES-3 operates at 103 degrees West.
“With three UHD demo channels already available across Europe – broadcast at 19.2 degrees East, 28.2 East and 5 degrees East, SES extends its global leadership in HD and UHD delivery with this new channel in North America,” said an SES statement.
“SES initiated the new UHD demo channel in response to strong cable operator demand following its highly successful demonstration of the first-ever live and linear Ultra-HD broadcasts to cable systems at the NAB and INTX conferences earlier this spring. The milestone Ultra-HD broadcasts were enabled by SES’s Ultra-HD-ready linear content delivery network, which is used to transmit the UHD demo channel. The camera-to-screen ecosystem is built on satellite’s inherent broadcast advantages coupled with the multicasting capability of DOCSIS 3.0, the most advanced transmission standard that is used by most cable systems today.”
“This new SES Ultra-HD demo channel is playing an important role in accelerating the successful delivery of Ultra-HD to cable homes across North America,” explained Steve Corda, Vice President of Business Development for SES in North America. “Cable operators and content distributors can now begin to prepare their systems and test their networks for Ultra-HD delivery, leading into major trials this summer,” Corda said, noting the Ultra HD demo channel is expected to reach cable subscribers’ homes later this year.