SES launches IP-based in-home satellite reception

Satellite operator SES has teamed up with partners to launch SAT-IP, an IP-based satellite reception technology that demodulates and converts satellite signals to IP for further in-home distribution to any IP-enabled device.

SES says it is establishing the SAT-IP communications protocol as a new standard for satellite in-home distribution. A live demo of SAT-IP multiswitches showing the distribution of satellite programmes over various IP-based infrastructures (CAT5 Ethernet, Power Line, Plastic Optical Fibre and WiFi) was presented at SES’s Industry Days two-day conference.

In a SAT-IP environment, IP-enabled devices such as tablets, PCs, laptops, smartphones, Connected TVs, game consoles and media players will be able to receive satellite programming without using internet connectivity. According to SES, SAT-IP will become a standard open to all manufacturers. Current prototypes already allow for the reception of up to eight programmes on eight different screen devices at home.

The first SAT-IP based products are scheduled to be available later this year.