SK Telecom demonstrated next-generation 5G-ATSC3.0 convergence broadcasting service on Jeju Island on April 2. Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 is a UHD broadcasting standard established by the U.S. ATSC that can be added to video and voice and transmitted to frequencies, enabling high-definition video transmission at high speed.
SK Telecom implemented 5G-ATSC3.0 broadcasting service in Jeju with Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest terrestrial broadcaster in the U.S., in June 2019.
Since then, it has been working on developing a new broadcasting service that combines 5G and AI using Jeju Techno Park as a global testbed.
Cast.era, a media technology joint venture between SK Telecom and Sinclair, played a pivotal role in the demonstration and succeeded in developing world-class broadcasting services based on 5G cloud, MEC (Mobile Edge Computing), and AI technologies.
First of all, Cast.era demonstrated on-site that broadcasting video transmitted from Las Vegas to HD image quality is converted to full HD (two times HD image quality) in real-time at Jeju Island event and received it on ATSC 3.0 TV.
AI Upscaler upgrades broadcast video resolution (HD→Full HD), frame frequency (30 frames → 240 frames per second), color area (SDR→HDR), and format (ATSC1.0→ATSC3.0) through rapid computational processing of artificial intelligence learning engines.
Cast.era plans to commercialize the technology at Sinclair stations in the U.S. by the end of this year, and is also considering upgrading related infrastructure by applying SAPEON, the first AI semiconductor developed by SK Telecom for data centers in Korea.
It also unveiled technologies that operate and remotely control transmission systems of broadcasting stations nationwide from the center through 'virtualization platform for ATSC3.0 broadcasting' based on cloud and MEC.
Previously, each local broadcasting station had to establish expensive dedicated transmission equipment separately and physically control it.
But when this technology is introduced, efficient central control and operation will be possible with cheaper general-purpose equipment and software systems.
In addition, Cast.era introduced ultra-low-delay OTT technology that allows users to watch broadcasts continuously like TV. Currently, when watching live broadcasts on smartphone apps, they are watching videos that are sent more than nine seconds later than TV. It is a technology that reduces the delay time to zero seconds.
SK Telecom is planning to supply and apply the latest media platform technology to Korean and U.S. broadcasting stations by the end of this year. In the U.S. market, which was hit hard by COVID-19, it will resume its business in earnest and expand ATSC3.0-based solutions to major U.S. Sinclair stations.
"5G, AI, and cloud technologies are changing the future of the global media industry," said Kim Yoon, CTO of SK Telecom. "Cast.era, which combines SK Telecom's technology and Sinclair's service competitiveness, will lead the global media technology solution market."
"We will introduce cloud and AI-based broadcasting solutions developed by Cast.era to the U.S. market as soon as possible," said Dels Park, CTO of Sinclair broadcasting group. "We expect U.S. broadcasters to have higher future corporate value and business potential."
