DVB-S2, HEVC Standards Poised To Allow Satellite Broadcasting in 4K
The path to 4K and Ultra HD TV will be paved by the Digital Video Broadcasting-Satellite 2 and High Efficiency Video Coding standards, said experts in the satellite broadcast distribution industry. The standards will bring more mobility services, high-quality content and they will take the direct-to-home market to the next level, they said at the Satellite 2014 conference in Washington.
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The platforms that support the new DVB-S2 standard already exist, said Thomas Van den Driessche, Newtec chief commercial officer. The updated version of the standard, the DVB-S2 extension, was finalized two weeks ago, he said. “We've been active on designing and we'll be implementing it into products.” Developers of the standard ensured that making it a success wouldn’t require the development of chip sets over several years, he said.
The improved standard allows SES to accommodate a large number of channels, said Thomas Wrede, SES vice president-reception systems. The developments also allow SES to make better use of spectrum, he said. There have been advancements on the physical layer, “which gives satellite operators much more flexibility” and enables more efficient use of spectrum from customers, he said. Advancements also were incorporated into the upper system layer, allowing operators to bond capacity over several different transponders, Wrede said.
The Public Broadcasting System made the move to DVB-S2 in 2012, said Christopher Homer, PBS vice-president-operations and engineering. The standard allows PBS to continue providing the same quality of service to its member stations as they deliver content, he said. “They need the highest value, because you're providing high-quality with minimum capacity.” PBS is working with the DVB-S2 and exploring other standards to deliver even better resolution, like 4K, he said.
Ericsson has been trialing 4K capabilities for DTH, said Richard Bullock, Ericsson head of TV contribution and distribution compression solutions. “If it’s going to be successful, it has to be better than today’s HD.” Consumers are willing to pay for better quality, but they must see that it’s better, he said. DVB-S2 and HEVC “will have a very big role in bringing content to the home,” he added.
There are many players that must work to allow terrestrial broadcasters to broadcast in 4K, PBS’ Homer said. This could require new resolutions from the government or new ATSC standards, he said. Over-the-top services are changing the landscape, he said. Many different files of the same content must be created to provide that content on multiple platforms, he said.