AsiaSat has announced plans to launch Asia’s first dedicated Ultra HD broadcast platform.
A single C-band transponder is being deployed on AsiaSat 4 (122 degrees East). It will deliver between two and five full-time UHD channels. Transmissions will be based on current DVB-S2 and HEVC solutions.
It will be available for reception by terrestrial TV stations, pay TV platforms and home viewers across Asia which possess appropriate decoding equipment and a C-band antenna in the region of 2.4 metres (this naturally makes the assumption that the necessary decoders are actually available).
William Wade, President and Chief Executive Officer of AsiaSat, said, “UHD is gaining momentum in Asia with UHD TV sets readily available and affordable. However, there is still a lack of UHD content and consumer receivers in Asia. AsiaSat is proud to play a key role in UHD content delivery in Asia with the launch of this new UHD broadcast platform. We are committed to working closely with content and technology partners to make the delivery economics work for UHD broadcasting in this part of the world.”
The UHD Research Laboratory was established at AsiaSat’s Tai Po Earth Station in Hong Kong as part of an initiative aimed at promoting and incubating the reception of UHD content under the AsiaSat footprint.