SES brings Ultra HD demo channel to the UK and Ireland

Ultra HD demonstration channel now available at 28.2 degrees East

LUXEMBOURG — SES S.A. (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announced today that its Ultra High Definition (UHD) demonstration channel is now available in the UK and Ireland.

Broadcast via ASTRA 2E at 28.2 degrees East, the new channel will simulcast the UHD demonstration channel that is currently at SES’s primary European orbital position of 19.2 degrees East. The Ultra HD content is broadcast using the DVB UHD-1 Phase 1 signalling specifications and is encoded in the HEVC Main 10 standard.

The channel features a mix of colourful and extremely detailed scenes that demonstrate the clarity of Ultra HD television – urban sports, exotic animals and nature, cityscapes – along with footage of SES’s headquarters in Betzdorf. It can be received with a standard satellite dish connected to a state-of-the-art Ultra HD flat screen TV featuring an integrated satellite tuner and HEVC decoder.

Through its collaboration with industry partners, SES is signalling its determination to continue to lead the UHD experience and make it a commercial reality. In order to promote this TV revolution, SES is organising this very day a conference on Ultra HD in London, gathering the UK industry experts to discuss this trend and its future.

“We are delighted to have set up this demonstration channel at the prime orbital position for the UK market,” said Mike Chandler, managing director of ASTRA (GB) Ltd, SES’s subsidiary in the UK. “We are making use of the capacity to enable UK and Irish retailers, installers and enthusiasts to understand the technology that makes UHD possible, and what it will mean for their viewing experience. We encourage our trade partners to show our Ultra HD demo channel at their points of sale for demonstration purposes.”

Reception parameters

Transponder: 2.038
Satellite: ASTRA 2E
Frequency: 12.441 GHz
Polarisation: Vertical
Symbol Rate: 29.5 MS/s
Modulation: DVB-S2 QPSK
FEC: 3/4