Changing the landscape
A conventional satellite TV reception system converts the received satellite signals and distributes them via coaxial cables to satellite tuners and demodulators in set-top boxes (STBs). To make available satellite TV programmes to more TV screens in the house would require more decoders and coaxial cabling.

However, the continuing growth of the “third” and “fourth” screens—the smartphones and tablets—is changing the playing field when it comes to consumption of video content. More people are spending a significant amount of time viewing their content—downloaded or streamed— through these devices.

Capturing a substantial audience share through these devices is up for the taking, but somehow, not many content providers have yet to announce a proven business case.

“We are facing more and more issues of reaching these devices because they don’t have a tuner built in,” said Wrede.

The development of the SAT-IP technology is expected to break this barrier. In a SAT-IP environment, satellite signals are converted to IP, for distribution over an IP network to any IP-enabled client multimedia device, including tablets, PCs, laptops, smartphones, and connected TVs, to name a few. “The output is already an IP-based signal, which is ‘understood’ by these devices. They are now speaking the same language, so now we can reach the other 50% of viewing devices in the home,” Wrede said, adding that consumers will only need to download the app or software to view content. Wrede said SES has successfully demonstrated this with the iPad and most recently, for Android.

Levelling the playing field
One of the biggest benefits of SAT-IP is the ability to shift linear content around to enable consumers watch their Pay-TV programmes on their second, third and fourth screens at home. According to Wrede, this may also be a source of revenue for Pay-TV operators because they can make this functionality available with a small surcharge in subscription fee. Enabling satellite video-quality content to reach more screens, SAT-IP technology’s other advantage lies in advertising.

While SAT-IP is basically just another method of distributing satellite signals in the home, it has the potential to become a major game changer in that satellite operators can now reach tablets—in a standard way. “SAT-IP for the satellite operator is a tool to bring us into the same level of playing field with the IPTV operator or any telco in terms of distribution in the home,” said Wrede.

Content management
When it comes to content rights management, Wrede noted that there should be no issue from a technology standpoint. “SAT-IP has been made to be transparent— it works with FTA, it works with CA (conditional access),” said Wrede.

He explained that each operator has a transport or conditional access (CA) system; whether it’s NAGRA, NDS, Conax, or Irdeto. “You have to transcode to transfer this transport conditional access into a DRM solution that works on an iPad, or any IP-enabled device,” said Wrede. In a SAT-IP system, this will result in having both transport CA and DRM systems, as each operator has its own fl avour.

“And I think that’s what makes it a bit complicated. But technically, it’s straightforward. SAT-IP is transparent. But to get these Pay-TV programmes on an iPad, operators have to take a decision,” said Wrede. In terms of security, these signals are as secure as what has been transmitted over the satellite. “We don’t touch content. We just wrap it into IP containers, basically. So the security is guaranteed; and it’s the same in the enddevices,” Wrede noted.

The future
According to Wrede, the company is increasingly looking beyond HDTV. “HDTV is great, but is higher resolution possible? We’ve already seen experiments, some nice demos from NHK—the 8K TV—which is 16 times the HD resolution. However, we think that is a bit too complex as of the moment, too expensive, and it is a few years into the future,” said Wrede.

Meanwhile, for SAT-IP, Wrede said the protocol is already ready for the next extension of the technology, which will be available to terrestrial operators as well.