AsiaSat and Rohde & Schwarz develop FTA UHD TV service for Asia

AsiaSat's new UHD channel to be uplinked from Tai Po earth station in Hong Kong.

Munich/Hong Kong | 10/08/2015 | Broadcasting AsiaSat and Rohde & Schwarz develop FTA UHD TV service for Asia Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) and Rohde & Schwarz have partnered to advance next-generation Ultra HD (UHD) TV technologies by implementing the first free to air (FTA) UHD channel on AsiaSat 4. The R&S AVHE100 encoding solution and R&S CLIPSTER mastering station are key components of the UHD broadcast platform that will launch an UHD channel at 122 east on AsiaSat 4 this month. The AsiaSat plans for an UHD TV broadcasting service over satellite have taken a major step forward with the imminent launch of its first channel following an extensive technical evaluation carried out at the AsiaSat UHD laboratory. The high-power coverage provided by AsiaSat 4 will enable broadcasters and pay TV platforms with an AsiaSat 4 C-band antenna in the Asia-Pacific region to receive the UHD channel directly.

Operating at 122 east, AsiaSat 4 provides customers with leading-edge satellite solutions for TV distribution, DTH as well as broadband services throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Its high-power C-band footprint spans from New Zealand to Pakistan and part of the Middle East.

Rohde & Schwarz is providing a comprehensive broadcast solution that includes the R&S CLIPSTER mastering station for editing, handling and playing out UHD data in real time. In addition, the R&S AVHE100 headend will be used for live encoding using an HEVC encoder with 10 bit color depth. Rohde & Schwarz technology not only gives AsiaSat the best UHD TV picture quality, it also provides a future-proof solution.

We are very excited to work with Rohde & Schwarz in this new and evolving technology that will drive the future consumer viewing experience of video content. Rohde & Schwarz has shown exemplary commitment to quality and support in helping us through the evaluation phase. We look forward to launching our first UHD channel and promoting this new technology together, said Sabrina Cubbon, Vice President, Marketing and Global Accounts.

Rohde & Schwarz is the leading supplier for digital TV transmission networks in Asia and the world. We are happy to support AsiaSat in establishing their first UHD channel and look forward to a very successful implementation, said Heino Gregorek, Vice President for Sales and Marketing, Asia Middle.

Rohde & Schwarz The Rohde & Schwarz electronics group offers innovative solutions in the following business fields: test and measurement, broadcast and media, secure communications, cybersecurity, radiomonitoring and radiolocation. Founded more than 80 years ago, this independent company has an extensive sales and service network and is present in more than 70 countries. The electronics group is among the world market leaders in its established business fields. On June 30, 2014, Rohde & Schwarz had approximately 9800 employees. It achieved a net revenue of EUR 1.75 billion in the 2013/2014 fiscal year (July to June). The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany. It also has regional headquarters in Singapore and Columbia, Maryland, USA, to manage its operations in these regions.

About AsiaSat Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), the leading satellite operator in Asia, serves over two-thirds of the worlds population with its six satellites, AsiaSat 3S, AsiaSat 4, AsiaSat 5, AsiaSat 6, AsiaSat 7 and AsiaSat 8. The AsiaSat satellite fleet serves both the broadcast and telecommunications industries. Over 450 television and radio channels are now delivered by the companys satellites offering access to over 710 million TV households across the Asia-Pacific region. AsiaSat also provides VSAT networks throughout the region. AsiaSat's next satellite, AsiaSat 9 on order from the manufacturer is planned to be launched in late 2016/early 2017. AsiaSat is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, a company listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 1135).

For more information, please visit www.asiasat.com.

Media Contacts:

Rohde & Schwarz Europe (headquarters):

Dr. Nik Dimitrakopoulos, Business Development in Asia for Broadcast

Tel: 49 89 4129 15549, Mobile: 82 104026 8494, Email: nik.dimitrakopoulos@rohde-schwarz.com

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited:

Sabrina Cubbon VP, Marketing & Global Accounts

Phone: 852 2500 0899, Mobile: 852 9097 1210, E-mail: scubbon@asiasat.com

Winnie Pang Manager, Corporate Affairs

Tel: 852 2500 0880, E-mail: wpang@asiasat.com

LINK:	http://www.rohde-schwarz.co.uk/en/news-press/press-room/press-releases...
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