Harmonic Facilitates Foxtel’s First 4K UHD Offerings in Australia

Harmonic announced that Foxtel, an Australian pay-TV operator with cable, direct broadcast satellite, and IPTV streaming services, has launched the first 4K UHD offering in the country using a Harmonic software-based UHD solution. Harmonic’s solution maximizes workflow efficiencies and ensures exceptional video quality at low bitrates for Foxtel’s next-generation television services.

“Video quality, HDR support, and reliability were our key considerations when choosing a technology partner,” says Darren Windus, distribution systems manager at Foxtel. “Harmonic has a strong track record of delivering amazing video quality and world-class deployment support, making this an easy business decision for Foxtel. When we are ready to introduce HDR to this new service, Harmonic’s software-centric approach to video delivery will make it a simple, quick upgrade.”

Harmonic handles the entire UHD production and delivery workflow for Foxtel’s new service using the Electra video processor for live UHD HEVC encoding, the ProStream X stream processor for scrambling and the RD9000 decoder to achieve superior video quality for broadcast contribution.

“This is a significant technology breakthrough for Foxtel and will undeniably attract many new subscribers who are excited about the raw beauty of UHD,” says Tony Berthaud, vice president of sales, APAC, at Harmonic. “With UHD’s improved resolution, Foxtel’s viewers can now feel like they are standing on the field during live sports events and become immersed in the latest movies. Our video processing solutions are at the heart of many UHD service offerings around the world, and we’re proud to be leading the charge for stunning video experiences.”

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