Measat trials UHDTV with Ericsson

• Trials have begun to demonstrate the ability to provide live Ultra High Definition TV (UHDTV) video
• Live solution being showcased at Broadcast Asia 2013

MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd has begun trials with Ericsson to demonstrate the ability to provide live Ultra High Definition TV (UHDTV) video contribution over its satellite network.

As UHDTV gains momentum and operators explore how it can become part of the future roadmap, there remains the challenge of enabling necessary workflows through the entire broadcasting ecosystem to the home, Ericsson said in a statement.

“Measat looks forward to supporting UHDTV across Asia, beginning with this trial on our high-powered Measat-3 satellite," said Jarod Lopez, vice president of broadcast sales at Measat.

"UHDTV will take consumer expectations for high quality picture to a new level. We are therefore ensuring that the necessary solutions and systems are in place to deliver the next generation of TV services that meet evolving consumer demand.

“We are excited about the UHDTV trial using Ericsson’s reliable and efficient solution and will ensure that we have the infrastructure in place to distribute and broadcast 4K content over satellite in a reliable and robust manner,” he added.

Ericsson and Measat are demonstrating a live solution at Broadcast Asia 2013, Asia’s largest representative integrated show for the pro-audio, film and TV industries. The system shows how UHDTV premium coverage such as live sports can be broadcast today, Ericsson said.

Measat has a reach that covers over 150 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Australia, representing 80% of the world’s population. The Ericsson solution that it has in place for the UHDTV trial uses Ericsson’s AVP 2000 contribution encoders and RX8200 advanced modular receivers.

“We understand that with consumer demand for higher quality comes greater pressure on broadcasters to increase service velocity while maintaining the high standards that are expected,” said Dr Giles Wilson, head of the TV Compression Business at Ericsson.

“This trial with Measat demonstrates how content providers and broadcasters can simply and effectively build their UHDTV content libraries so that they are ready for commercial launch in the coming years. Ericsson is a pioneer of next-generation TV services and is committed to enabling the industry to meet consumer demand, rather than chase it,” he added.

Ericsson’s AVP 2000 and RX8200 solutions are touted to deliver the highest levels of performance including 4:2:2, 10bit support as well as p50/60 support. As they use MPEG-4 AVC encoding technology, the same devices can also be re-used for HD and SD contribution applications.

Ericsson said it has also employed its Simulsync technology to ensure that the delivery of the UHDTV images remains perfectly in sync.

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