While 4K TV set ownership is growing, the fact is there are few TV channels to watch. However, Sony Corp is already preparing for ‘next generation’ 8K transmissions.

The 8K need is very real given that Japanese 8K ‘Super Hi-Vision’ broadcasts are starting in August. Japan’s public broadcaster NHK is starting its 8K test-transmissions with specially commissioned programming, including news broadcasts.

What Sony is doing is to introduce the industry’s 1st demodulator and tuner models that can handle Japan’s ISDB-S3 transmission system.  Samples will start shipping in September. The tuner can automatically handle terrestrial signals, as well as transmissions from digital satellite and the Japanese BS satellites.

Sony said it is also planning to introduce variations in September of the basic tuner and able to handle up to 3 tuners on a single integrated chipset for handling simultaneous channel broadcasts.

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