James Delahunty
14 Jun 2013 0:42
A Japanese telecommunications company is running a trial in Japan this week, delivering 4K video content over the Internet to set-top boxes connected to 4K TVs.
While 4K televisions are already on the market, 4K content itself is much less prevalent. The new H.265 codec cuts the streaming bandwidth requirements for 4K (and 1080p) roughly in half, compared to common H.264 currently in wide usage.
NTT West in Japan is testing a 4K-STB system to determine the feasibility of streaming 4K content over the Internet straight to the TV, as broadcasts in 4K will take more time to become common. Japan will be the first country to broadcast 4K programming over satellite, aiming to be ready in time for the 2014 World Cup.
The test underway this week will hint at whether online streaming services, like Netflix, can get the jump on everyone else this time by becoming the first services that can deliver premium 4K content to 4K televisions.