This new television format will be one of the main drivers of growth in the satellite video market in upcoming years. Thanks to their high capacity, ease of deployment and extensive coverage, satellites are key for broadcasting high added value contents through HDTV, as they will be through UHDTV. 4K UHDTV quadruples the resolution of HDTV, which means greater capacity broadcast by satellite. The 4K UHDTV standard through first generation satellites has a TV resolution of 3,840x2,160 pixels.Likewise, UHDTV incorporates a series of technological features like HDR (High Dynamic Range) and HFR (High Frame Rate) that offer up greater immersiveness and signal quality.
The new coding standard (HEVC/H.265) also optimizes the required capacity up to 50% more than other standards such as H.264.
In 2013, Hispasat launched its Hispasat 4K channel in Europe free to air with three main goals:
This channel has been successfully exhibited in fairs related to the satellite industry and video broadcasting, such as NAB, Washington Satellite, IBC and the 4K Summit.
In 2014, Hispasat made the first live UHD broadcast of a soccer game in Portugal, which was further consolidated in 2017 when the Sport TV 4K Channel was incorporated into Hispasat's satellites. HISPASAT has also contributed to generating contents in 4K through a pioneering initiative in the industry, the Hispasat4K short film festival, which started in 2015 and is currently held in Malaga.
At present Hispasat transmits 4 UHDTV channels. The company recently signed an agreement to exclusively distribute the Funbox 4K channel in Europe. This channel, belonging to the content provider SPI International, is a thematic channel about nature, travel and adventure, art, music, culture and lifestyle, and this UHD channel is one of the most widespread among European paid television operators.
Users' consumption habits have changed, the number of viewers of on demand video continues to grow and second screens are acquiring significant relevance in the television ecosystem.
Push VoD is a new service from Hispasat that enables a linear television operator to broaden their product offering with on-demand video contents. This service is especially intriguing for users without Internet connectivity, as the service can optimize content distribution to homes thanks to the satellite broadcast.
The Push VoD solution offers a series of benefits, such as:
