Russian service provider NTV-Plus is delivering live satellite coverage of the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics using technology supplied by Broadcom and Elemental Technologies.
Following an extensive period of testing throughout 2013, Broadcom, Elemental and NTV-Plus designed and deployed an end-to-end 4K HEVC workflow using Broadcom-enabled real-time decoders (the BCM7445 UHD system on a chip), Elemental Live video encoders, NTV-Plus satellite uplink and signal receiving systems and Sony PMW-F55 Cine Alta 4K Digital Cinema cameras for playback on Panasonic 65-inch 4K TVs.
The broadcast is the first to provide real-time Ultra HD TV via a satellite link on a single set-top box chip, the companies claimed.
“Elemental is committed to supporting real-time HEVC today and Ultra HD service launches in the months and years to come,” said Keith Wymbs, chief marketing officer for Elemental Technologies. “We are proud to support NTV-PLUS and to work with Broadcom in supporting the 2014 Sochi Games and enabling this historic 4K HEVC satellite transmission.”
Oleg Kolesnikov, chief technology officer of NTV-Plus, said, “Building on our broad sport programming and satellite offerings, broadcasting the Winter Olympics in 4K resolution shows what can be accomplished when operators and silicon vendors work together to deliver Ultra HD content.”