Harmonic delivers live sports in 4K/UHD for TF1
The deployment of Harmonic’s ViBE CP9000 HD/UHD contribution solution enables the French TV channel to increase bandwidth efficiency while preserving video quality
TF1, a French TV channel, has deployed a 4K/Ultra HD (UHD) contribution and distribution solution from Harmonic to broadcast live sports events, including a soccer tournament and a motor racing championship.
By leveraging Harmonic’s platform, TF1 can deliver live 4K/UHD coverage of sports competitions directly to French service providers, providing video quality at low bitrates.
The solution that TF1 employed from Harmonic is the ViBE CP9000 HD/UHD contribution solution. Designed to preserve video quality, the CP9000 is equipped with the ability to process uncompressed 4K/UHD signals that are eight times more bandwidth-consuming than current HD sources, thus providing TF1 with “pristine” compressed video and ultimately saving bandwidth capacity for the network.
Hervé Pavard, CTO at TF1, commented: “We are gearing up to deliver one of the first live 4K/UHD transmissions via IPTV, a feat that can only be accomplished by partnering with a trusted technology provider.
“Harmonic delivers the best video quality we’ve seen at maximum bandwidth efficiency, and we look forward to showing viewers how incredibly immersive sports events can be when experienced in 4K/UHD. We’re especially excited that Harmonic’s contribution and distribution solution supports high dynamic range (HDR), and we expect to use it in the future to further enhance our live sports feeds.”
