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Australian pay-TV operator Foxtel, which operates cable, direct broadcast satellite and IPTV streaming services, has launched the first 4K UHD offering in the country. Foxtel is using a Harmonic software-based UHD solution. Harmonic handles the entire UHD production and delivery workflow for Foxtel's new service using the Electra video processor for live UHD HEVC encoding, the ProStream X stream processor for scrambling and the RD9000 decoder to achieve superior video quality for broadcast contribution.
The service currently consists of a single dedicated 4K channel, that offers 4K produced and upscaled to 4K content, including sports, with live cricket in 4K starting next month, concerts, movies and documentaries like Planet Earth.
It is only available to Foxtel satellite customers. "In line with our plan to move our residential customers off the Cable network and onto satellite services by 2023 we have stopped investing as heavily in Cable boxes. Therefore we have only developed the iQ4 model for Satellite customers"the company explains on its website. Customers will need to be either a Sports + HD or Platinum HD subscriber, as well as have the iQ4 set top box.
This set-top-box allows for up to 62hrs of recording of 4K content.
"Video quality, HDR support and reliability were our key considerations when choosing a technology partner", said Darren Windus, distribution systems manager at Foxtel. "Harmonic has a strong track record of delivering amazing video quality and world-class deployment support, making this an easy business decision for Foxtel. When we are ready to introduce HDR to this new service, Harmonic's software-centric approach to video delivery will make it a simple, quick upgrade".
"This is a significant technology breakthrough for Foxtel and will undeniably attract many new subscribers who are excited about the raw beauty of UHD", Tony Berthaud, vice president of sales, APAC, at Harmonic, added.
The service currently consists of a single dedicated 4K channel, that offers 4K produced and upscaled to 4K content, including sports, with live cricket in 4K starting next month, concerts, movies and documentaries like Planet Earth.
It is only available to Foxtel satellite customers. "In line with our plan to move our residential customers off the Cable network and onto satellite services by 2023 we have stopped investing as heavily in Cable boxes. Therefore we have only developed the iQ4 model for Satellite customers"the company explains on its website. Customers will need to be either a Sports + HD or Platinum HD subscriber, as well as have the iQ4 set top box.
This set-top-box allows for up to 62hrs of recording of 4K content.
"Video quality, HDR support and reliability were our key considerations when choosing a technology partner", said Darren Windus, distribution systems manager at Foxtel. "Harmonic has a strong track record of delivering amazing video quality and world-class deployment support, making this an easy business decision for Foxtel. When we are ready to introduce HDR to this new service, Harmonic's software-centric approach to video delivery will make it a simple, quick upgrade".
"This is a significant technology breakthrough for Foxtel and will undeniably attract many new subscribers who are excited about the raw beauty of UHD", Tony Berthaud, vice president of sales, APAC, at Harmonic, added.