ATEME and SES, VideoLabs and IETR will be delivering the first end-to-end UHD satellite broadcast transmission using the new Versatile Video Coding (VVC) standard. ATEME’s expertise lies in video delivery solutions for Broadcast, Cable TV, DTH, IPTV and OTT.
The test transmission has been launched on SES’ 28.2 degrees East orbital position carrying a UHD (4K) video stream using the VVC standard.
In this trial, the UHD TV source is encoded with VVC and encapsulated in MPEG-TS using ATEME’s TITAN Live video processing platform. The streams are modulated using DVB-S2 and broadcast by SES on an Astra 2E transponder, covering the whole of Europe. On the reception side, the signal, demodulated by a DVB to IP gateway, is forwarded via IP to the VLC player that displays the video using the real-time OpenVVC decoder developed by IETR.
The test showcased the following benefits of VVC:
- Optimized Bandwidth Efficiency: Reduced UHD transmission cost with VVC increased compression efficiency
- Increased Audience Reach: DVB-S2 broadcast of VVC increases audience reach and coverage
- Improved Quality of Experience: Provided a high-quality viewing experience using VLC media player
VVC is the latest video coding technology, developed by the Joint Video Experts Team (JVET), formed by experts from ISO/IEC MPEG and ITU-T VCEG. VVC improves on the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard’s compression efficiency by 50 percentage and addresses all video formats (VR-360 degrees, 3D, 4K, 8K, HDR). Its versatility allows the standard to cover a wide range of applications, from broadcast to OTT delivery.
Thomas Wrede, VP New Technology and Standards, SES stated that since their first digital transmissions back in 1995, every 10 years the industry has released a new, more efficient video encoding scheme and continuing with their video innovation tradition, they are proud to collaborate with their industry partners on the first satellite broadcast using the VVC codec.
Mickaël Raulet, VP Innovation, ATEME, added that at ATEME, they are proud to have contributed to this ground-breaking trial. This test, performed as a part of EFIGI collaborative project, is a great example of how the combined efforts of dedicated professionals can result in driving innovation in the broadcast industry and it proves that VVC is ready to enter the market in July.