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With the launch of Freeview HD in August 2015 , Thailand-based multi-channel operator and distributor Next Step took the first step towards performing dual roles — not only as a content producer , but also as a service provider .
Today , Freeview HD , a directto-home ( DTH ), free-to-air ( FTA ) satellite TV service , provides a total of 50 channels , including 11 in HD , offering a mix of local and international content .
Holding on to the vision of building the knowledge of society and fostering the communities and culture of the Thai people , Freeview HD is “ the ” platform designed for the Thai middle class to gain knowledge and experiences that will help develop and contribute to their own well-being , says Amornphat Chomrat , managing director at Next Step .
He tells APB : “ Freeview HD is positioned to appeal to the mass market , and our aim is to have a set-top box ( STB ) installed in every Thai household . We ’ re trying to differentiate ourselves from others , to be more family-oriented , and allow our subscribers to have the flexibility of choosing what they would like to watch . If our subscribers would like to have more international channels , they could
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explore the option of subscribing to our pay-TV service .”
The pay-TV service Chomrat is referring to is Good TV , the prepaid , subscription-based platform that Next Step launched in January this year . A total of 13 HD channels are offered under the Good TV platform , including Fox Family Movie , Nat Geo Wild , France24 and NHK World .
With Good TV available at a monthly subscription fee of US $ 8 , Chomrat emphasises the importance of having subscription packages “ offered at an affordable price ” in order to address the issue of piracy . He elaborates : “ We under stand that consumers today are moving to where good content is , regardless the medium of delivery .
“ Viewers can watch local channels from FTA broadcasters but for international movies , they will have to either catch it on pay-TV or via piracy . Hence , if we have good content with higher resolution while maintaining the packages at an affordable price , consumers will turn to us instead of piracy .”
To deliver high-resolution content , Next Step has upgraded its STB solution , which is now equipped with high-efficiency video coding ( HEVC )/ H . 265 video compression standard to deliver all of Good TV ’ s 13 HD channels via satellite .
Jirathiti Rochananond , general manager at Next Step , explains : “ Using HEVC / H . 265 not only enables us to provide HD channels , but it also reduces the size of the file up to 20 % compared to advanced video coding ( AVC )/ H . 264 , which is crucial for the delivery of 4K / Ultra HD ( UHD ) content .
“ This new encoding standard may not have an impact on consumer benefit , but indirectly , audiences can receive more HD channels . Furthermore , this technology also enables us to deliver 4K / UHD content in the future .”
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Utilising the benefits of HEVC / H . 265 , Rochananond reveals the company ’ s plans to launch a new 4K / UHD documentary channel , Khong-Dee-Prathet-Thai ( Thainess TV ), in the middle of this year . Next Step has also commenced its in-house 4K / UHD production in a series entitled Thailand from Above . In the series , the production team travelled around the kingdom to film every province of Thailand using drones , bringing audiences exotic sceneries of the country and presenting storytelling in many perspectives .
Rochananond continues : “ Using technologies such as 4K / UHD and HEVC / H . 265 allows us to gain a competitive edge . However , we are unable to have all our programmes in 4K / UHD due to bandwidth limitations . Hence , as a start , we will only launch one 4K / UHD channel and monitor the feedback we receive .”
Besides employing 4K / UHD and HEVC / H . 265 , Next Step is also closely following the ongoing changes in consumers ’ viewing
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habits , particularly in IPTV and over-the-top ( OTT ). While these platforms are better suited to consumers ’ time-shift habits , Chomrat stresses that satellite will “ still be the best medium ” for Thai viewers , as it is the “ main platform ” when it comes to maintaining good quality signals .
He explains : “ Thailand is different , with only urban cities like Bangkok having good Internet speed . For other cities that do not have high Internet speed , the satellite dish is the main medium in receiving TV channels .
“ Satellite today can allow us to deliver 4K / UHD using HEVC / H . 265 encoding . If satellite continues to provide good signals , consumers will stay on our platforms as they do not have to incur additional Internet subscription costs to enjoy IPTV .”
Although digitisation and the Internet of Things ( IoT ) will continue to disrupt the broadcast industry , Chomrat highlights the opportunities of integrating TV with mobile devices . He envisions
❝ Using HEVC / H . 265 not only enables us to provide HD channels , but it also reduces the size of the file up to 20 % compared to advanced video coding ( AVC )/ H . 264 , which is crucial for the delivery of
4K / Ultra HD ( UHD ) content .❞
— Jirathiti Rochananond General Manager
Next Step
the future of TV as one where the STB and OTT are integrated into TV sets , with mobile devices at the “ centre of everything ” in how TV is controlled .
“ If we have our mobile devices acting like a remote control , viewers can switch seamlessly between the different platforms and channels . They can continue to watch traditional linear channels via satellite , and if they would like to watch either Nextflix or other video-on-demand ( VoD ), they could simply switch the channels on their mobile devices at their fingertips ,” he describes .
While Next Step ’ s priority is to expand its distribution channels by having more STBs installed in every Thai household , the company is also considering extending its reach into neighbouring Myanmar .
Chomat concludes : “ We ’ re looking forward to bringing our concept into Myanmar , and we would like to educate and bring knowledge to the Myanmar people through the international content that we are offering .”
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