SES’ Ultra-HD Platform to Accelerate 4K Rollout in Latin America

Screencap from NASA TV UHD. Photo: Harmonic.

Following major space and ground infrastructure investments and the expansion of its Latin America video neighborhood, SES announced the launch of its Ultra High Definition (Ultra-HD) platform into the region to accelerate commercial 4K rollouts among cable, IPTV, and Direct-to-Home (DTH) providers across Latin America.

A number of of Latin American pay TV providers are already testing SES’ new Ultra-HD solution, a package of pre-configured Ultra HD content, reception equipment, and satellite distribution. The new SES Latin America Ultra-HD solution will open with four Ultra-HD channels, including NASA TV UHD, produced by Harmonic, as well as the SES Ultra-HD demo channel, an incubator for emerging 4K content producers. SES plans to add new channels and content produced in Brazil, Mexico, and other Latin American countries in the future.

Like SES’ North America Ultra-HD solution, the Latin America platform will be distributed over multiple SES satellites. SES 6 will provide dedicated delivery across the Brazilian market, offering programming flexibility for local content. SES’ NSS 806 satellite, home to SES’ Latin American pay TV neighborhood, will serve the rest of the region until it is replaced by the recently launched SES 14 satellite later this year. Once SES 14 initiates service, SES plans to significantly expand the Latin America channel lineup on its expanding video neighborhood at 47.5 degrees west.