SINGAPORE—On June 18 at the CommunicAsia conference in Singapore, European satellite bandwidth technology provider Newtec will join with MEASAT to send 4K Ultra High Definition Television (UHDTV) video via satellite using the new DVB-S2X (or extension to DVB-S2) transmission scheme.
Both companies are calling this test the first ever contribution of 4K UHDTV video distributed using the new DVB-S2X transmission scheme. Boasting improved spectral efficiency the new DVB standard, promises to give the satellite industry more breathing space to increase profitability and allow for business growth throughout all applications, from high speed IP to broadcast to VSAT. That's according to a white paper written by Koen Willems, Market Director for Government and IP Trunking at Newtec.
DVB-S2X is said to deliver efficiency gains over DVB-S2 of up to 50 percent for professional applications and up to 20 percent for DTH. The move to DVB-S2X is part an industry-wide initiative among satellite bandwidth providers to keep pace with demands for new features and increased efficiency among content distribution customers. Published in March 2014, DVB-S2X—as a 2-part document to accommodate the new DVB-S2 Extensions—is said to deliver efficiency gains over DVB-S2 of up to 5o percent for professional applications and up to 20 percent for DTH. Other improvements include: higher modulation schemes (64/128/256APSK); reduced roll-off factors; and improved filtering, making it possible to have smaller carrier spacing. In addition, new operational modes such as channel bonding increase flexibility.
When it was approved in March Peter Siebert, DVB's Executive Director, said, "The satellite industry has been anxiously awaiting this standardization, which will help it to improve profitability, interoperability and achieve further growth."
During the demonstration at CommunicAsia, the UHDTV feed will be uplinked via MEASAT's teleport in Cyberjaya, Kuala Lumpur, and delivered live via MEASAT-3 satellite in C-Band, using Newtec's new DVB-S2X modulation equipment (including Newtec's M6100 Broadcast Satellite Modulators and demodulators). Ericsson is providing video processing technology at both ends of the closed link.
With U.S. offices in Stamford, Conn., Newtec's products and technologies can be applied in a wide range of single and multiservice applications from DTH broadcasting, video contribution and distribution and disaster recovery and backbones for cellular backhauling, to small and medium enterprises, SCADA networks, manned and unmanned aircrafts.
