Advanced Television

DirecTV adds 4K availability

August 20, 2015

By Chris Forrester

DirecTV has unveiled its new ‘Genie’ box, the Genie Mini, which permits users of any 4K set to rent 4K movies and documentaries from the broadcaster.

“Customers who want the best picture quality are creating more demand for 4K,” said DirecTV’s SVP/Consumer Premise Engineering Henry Derovanessian. “The new 4K Genie Mini allows us to meet that demand by expanding 4K access to more of our customers nationwide.”

DirecTV has been offering 4K material since November 2014 for owners of Samsung 4K high-end displays.

The new Genie Mini is a small paperback sized box that – in essence – handles downloads of up to 60 frames/second and allows viewing on a second 4K set in a home provided the display has a HDMI 2.0 connection and supports HDCP 2.2 anti-piracy software. It also makes content available on non-Samsung high-end 4K displays.

Downloads are available for a cost of between $3.99 (3.57) and $15.99 a movie with the current selection including The Godfather, Braveheart, Star Trek, Transformers and so forth, plus a portfolio of 4K natural history documentaries.

Dish Network, the DBS rival to DirecTV, is reportedly about to introduce 4K Ultra HDTV on its latest Joey set-top box.

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, DTH/Satellite, Equipment, In Home, STB, UHD, Ultra-HD/4K