Advanced Television

Ultra-HD/4K

Ultra-HD boost from Sky Deutschland

Satellite operator SES has confirmed that Sky Deutschland has secured additional capacity for Ultra-HD broadcasts on ASTRA at 19.2 degrees East. “At Sky Deutschland, we believe in being innovative with our offerings and providing our customers with the best television experience, and have therefore been investing in Ultra-HD. The agreement with SES gives us planning […]

July 16, 2015

Analyst: 8K TV shipments to near 1m

The advent of 8K broadcasting in Japan for the 2020 Olympics is expected to spur a new round of resolution increases, even though shipments have not yet started in serious commercial volumes. According to critical information and insight source IHS, shipments of 8K ultra-HD resolution (7680 x 4320 pixels) TVs are expected to increase from

July 14, 2015

Field tests show next-gen ATSC standard capabilities

US television broadcasters will reach even more viewers with robust, digital over-the-air ATSC 3.0 signals, the improved broadcast transmission system under development now with key elements being field tested in Cleveland this summer, with encouraging results for the delivery of 4K Ultra HD content and mobile TV streams. Under an experimental broadcast licence from the […]

July 14, 2015By Colin Mann

HD+ unveils embedded UHD TV and demo channel

German HD platform HD+, a subsidiary of SES, and German TV and satellite technology manufacturer TechniSat have unveiled the first Ultra-HD (UHD) TV with integrated HD+ decryption system (no CI+ module for HD+ required) at the IFA Innovations Media Briefing. HD+ also announced the launch of its UHD demo channel in September. With this new […]

July 10, 2015

Fuji TV in 4K online first

Japanese broadcaster Fuji Television Network has begun streaming 4K ultra-HD programmes online, becoming the first commercial broadcaster in the country to offer such a service. The service launched with a documentary based on Hashima Island, also known as ‘Battleship Island’, and a programme introducing illuminated spots in Tokyo. Fuji TV says it will soon screen […]

July 6, 2015By Colin Mann

Portugal: NOS launches 4K channels

Just a day after Vodafone Portugal added its first 4K TV channel, rival Portuguese operator NOS has also launched its 4K offering with two new channels. NOS subscribers can now access Hispasat 4K which features content about animal life, nature and documentaries, and NOS Ultra-HD 4K, an exclusive channel that airs content from the NOS […]

July 2, 2015From Branislav Pekic in Rome

Pond5: “4K is having its day”

According to Pond5, a marketplace for royalty-free video footage, 4K resolution video is finally having its day. As 2015 passes the midway point, 4K televisions, cameras, and computer monitors are filling shelves, with lower prices than ever. Pond5 analysts looked at more than three years of internal data from the company’s network of 40,000 contributing […]

July 1, 2015

Sony and Panasonic commit to TV sector

Reuters is reporting that Japan’s two TV electronic giants Sony and Panasonic are staying firmly committed to their TV businesses, despite in both cases having lost serious amounts of cash over the past few years. The report says that both parties see benefits coming from a wider range of related products, audio systems, for example, […]

June 29, 2015By Chris Forrester

Analyst: STB market contracts for first time in 12 years

Pay-TV operators purchased $15.3 billion worth of set-top boxes (STBs) in 2014, down from $15.9 billion in 2013. This decline represents the first contraction in the market since 2002, according analysis and insight firm IHS. Shipments of pay-TV STBs grew slightly in 2014 to 204.7 million units, an increase of just under 1 per cent […]

June 29, 2015

Amazon embraces HDR for UHD offerings

Higher Dynamic Range (HDR) is key to fully enjoying Ultra HD transmissions. However, few UHD displays can currently manage to resolve HDR with its better picture quality, richer colours, and significantly improved detail in shadows and black and white contrast ratios. Amazon’s Prime Instant Video service says it will supply HDR-enabled content – initially to […]

June 25, 2015By Chris Forrester