A consortium of broadcast technology firms has tested and demonstrated what is said to be the world’s first end-to-end 4K broadcast using the next-generation ATSC 3.0 standard.
The group is comprised if Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS), Munhwa Broadcasting (MBC), LG Electronics, and Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) of Korea.
“The success of this trial highlights the potential for Korea’s launch of terrestrial UHD TV commercial services using ATSC 3.0 in February 2017,” said Young-Soo Park, technical director of SBS.
“And the fact that Korean companies are playing such an important role in ATSC 3.0 provides a good opportunity for Korean equipment manufacturers to advance in the United States market,” said Park.
The test broadcast featured a live camera feed with real-time IP transmissions from the SBS network studio in Mokdong to the broadcaster’s Gwanak Mountain transmitter.
The IP signals transmitted over the air on Channel 53 were then received using a simple antenna and decoded by a 4K Ultra HDTV ATSC 3.0 receiver developed by LG Electronics.
K.Y. Kwak, EVP of LG’s Advanced Standard Research & Development Lab, LG said SBS and MBC plan to work with LG and ETRI to take full advantage of new capabilities of ATSC 3.0, such as the combination of broadcast and broadband signals.