Sky Deutschland to launch 4K UHD box and sports channels

Sky Deutschland is to launch a new 4K Ultra HD set-top and channels in the autumn.

The Sky+ Pro box will be rolled out along with the launch of two exclusive UHD TV channels – Sky Sport Bunedesliga UHD and Sky Sport UHD.

The Bundesliga channel will provide highlights of German top-tier football in UHD, while Sky Sport UHD will air selected matches from the UEFA Champions League tournament in the format.

Sky Sport Bundesliga UHD will show one match per day in the UHD format.

Sky said that other UHD content including movies and series would follow the launch. These will be made available via Sky On Demand.

The new box is said by Sky to be HDR-capable. The device has a 1TB hard drive an comes with built-in WiFi and provides fast access to Sky On Demand and the EPG, according to the broadcaster.

All Sky customers with the HD Premium package who take the new box will receive 12 months’ free access to the UHD offering. The box will be made available to new and existing customers in Germany and Austria via both satellite and cable, according to Sky.

The German Football League (DFL) has meanwhile said it is to introduce a new production standard to support 4K coverage of Bundesliga matches in the next few weeks. Holger Blask, director of audiovisual rights at the DFL, said that the Speilzeit Ultra HD standard demonstrated the Bundesliga’s commitment to innovation.

Sky recorded its first football match in UHD in 2012 and broadcast the first live UHD match in 2014. In December that year it also broadcast a concert featuring German band Die Fantastischen Vier (The Fantastic Four), following this up by showing the 2015 German Cup final and Champions League final in sport bars in UHD.