Asia-Pacific Broadcasting (APB) BroadcastAsia2016 Show Daily - Day 2 | Page 22

22 BROADCASTASIA2016 SHOWDAILY
22

1 June 2016

Broadcast TV retains
relevance in diversified Asia
In Asia-Pacific, what are some of
the current technology developments that will have the most
impact on broadcasters today?
Peter Siebert: Countries in the
Asia-Pacific region are quite diverse in their implementation of
digital technology. Some began
the process of digital migration
a number of years ago and some
have even achieved analogue
switch-off (ASO).
Typically, the ASO countries
have an established broadband
infrastructure to enable people to
enjoy broadcast in combination
with broadband services.
At the same time, we find countries that are in the early stages of
the digital migration. Good quality
broadband may not be available
for every household and that limits
the introduction of hybrid services.
For both groups, the introduction
of HEVC/H.265 will have a big impact. For some, HEVC/H.265 can
increase the number of available
programmes.

Dr Peter Siebert, executive director, DVB
Project Office, is providing an update on DVB
technologies and initiatives today during
conference Track T2: Broadcast Standards and
Video Encoding Technologies. The Show Daily
asks Dr Siebert to evaluate how technologies are
impacting Asia’s broadcast industry.
For others, this new coding
technology will support the transition from SD to HD quality for
already existing services. For the
countries that have successfully
migrated, HEVC/H.265 can bring
4K/Ultra HD (UHD) quality.
In the long run, 4K/UHD will
not only mean more pixels but
also HDR (high dynamic range),
HFR (high frame rate) and immersive audio. These new features will also be available for HD
resolution. In addition, with the
help of HEVC/H.265, broadcasters
in countries with a good broadband infrastructure can even consider new broadband services in

HD quality.
Another important trend is how
people are consuming video more
and more on smartphones and
tablets in the home. DVB has had
to react to this trend and provide
technical solutions to retransmit
broadcast content in the home via
existing in-home networks, such
as Wi-Fi.
As technologies emerge and
viewing habits evolve, how relevant will broadcast TV continue
to be, particularly in Asia?
Siebert: The future of broadcast
will be broadcast!
Broadcast is a wonderful ser-

vice, as it brings information and
entertainment to a very wide audience at the lowest cost per viewer.
The number of broadcast homes
is, and will remain for a long time,
significantly larger than the number of broadband homes.
In addition, experience has
shown that even in countries
where, for example, video-on-demand (VoD) services are available
at a low cost, people will typically
not watch less broadcast TV. The
success of broadcast is not so much
a question of technology, but much
more of good content.
Can you also share with us some
of the initiatives that the DVB
Project will be undertaking in
Asia in the near future?
Siebert: From the beginning, Asia
has been very important for DVB.
Our standards are heavily used in
the region and many countries rely
on DVB technology for broadcast.
In addition, the majority of DVB
devices are produced in Asia.

❝The future of
broadcast will be
broadcast! Broadcast is
a wonderful service, as it
brings information and
entertainment to a very
wide audience at the
lowest cost per viewer.❞
— Dr Peter Siebert,
Executive Director,
DVB Project Office

Sennheiser unveils ‘one-for-all’ camera receiver
A versatile and frequency-agile tool
— a “one-for-all” receiver that will
be the go-to solution for Sennheiser
wireless users. That is how the German
company’s new EK 6042 slot-in camera
receiver is being described.
“The true-diversity, two-channel
EK 6042 can work with analogue and
digital Sennheiser transmitters or a
mix of the two, across a bandwidth of
184MHz,” says Tobias von Allwörden,
product manager, Sennheiser Broadcast & Media (booth 5L7-01).
“It is an ideal partner to our topof-the-range Digital 9000 series and
all analogue transmitters that feature
HiDyn plus or HDX companders
(compressor-expanders). The EK 6042
auto-configures for these transmitters
Sennheiser Broadcast & Media's product
manager, Tobias von Allwörden, with the
EK 6042 slot-in camera receiver.

via IR, saving set-up time and hassle
for broadcast and filming crews who
place a high value on sound quality
and wireless reliability.”
A further asset is the EK 6042’s
exceptional ease-of-use, including
the auto-configuration feature and
the option of conveniently programming the camera receiver via a Web
interface.
“As a true-diversity receiver with
four separate receiver circuits, the EK
6042 is extra-reliable, even in difficult
RF environments,” says von Allwörden.
“It will work with any current Sennheiser series from Digital 9000 in
long-range mode, to the 5000/3000,
and even the 2000 and evolution wireless G3, automatically identifying the
transmitter via an IR link.
“The camera receiver will choose
its own operating mode accordingly,
and automatically select the appro-

priate bandwidth and frequency in
the UHF range between 470MHz654MHz.”
Von Allwörden says that even
older series transmitters such as the
venerable SK 50 and SK 250 can be
used. All that needs to be done is to
enter the fixed transmitter frequencies
via the receiver’s Web interface.
“The EK 6042 can be connected via
its USB connector to a PC or Mac platform and configured via the browser,”
he explains. “There is no need to install
any software. For example , users can
enter transmitter profiles and lists of
managed or licensed frequencies, and
also import or export data.”
In addition to the EK 6042, Sennheiser is unveiling at BroadcastAsia2016 the concept of the VR microphone, the MKE 440 stereo PSLR
microphone and digital mobile recording mics for the iPhone.