DVB WORLD 2013 – MADRID. Sky Deutschland vice president of strategy Oliver Lewis has sounded a positive note on a possible future 4K TV service.
“Everyone who’s seen 4K knows it will become a part of the offer,” told delegates at the DVB World conference in Madrid. “I can’t put a time scale on our 4K efforts. What we’ve done is a proof of concept and we’re monitoring the whole chain to see when the content and screes are available”.
Last December Sky Deutschland ran its own test of the super high definition format after becoming frustrated that “the most classic pay-TV content wasn’t there.” The broadcaster captured the Bundesliga clash between Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund.
Sky Deutschland already runs a 3D channel for which it has been producing both live Bundesliga and Champions League coverage.
Lewis said the broadcaster had not been discouraged by the apparent fall in interest for 3D. “It’s been less dramatic than people expecting; we see a steady stream of people registering for it, it’s free as part of the package, but we ask them to register to track numbers.”
Lewis explained how Sky Deutschland had used innovation such as its HD DVR, on demand, 3D and the multiscreen platform Sky Go to draw interest in pay-TV.