Shedding some light on the technical underpinnings of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s new 4K streaming service, "Ultra," CSG Systems International said its Ascendon digital service platform is helping to power the offering, which launched April 4.
That service enables consumers to buy and stream movies and TV shows in the Ultra HD format via Sony Bravia 4K TVs that use Android TV, including some titles that employ High Dynamic Range (HDR). Customers can also visit the Sony Pictures Store site to redeem UltraViolet codes that come with the SPHE 4K UHD discs sold in the U.S.
Launched about a year ago, CSG’s Ascendon is a digital services platform that can be overlaid on existing business support systems to help service providers rapidly launch new digital services without uprooting existing infrastructure. Others using it include Comcast (for its Xfinity On Campus product), Cineplex Entertainment, and ESPN, among others.
“This latest step we’ve taken with CSG allows us to bring new 4K video to market in a way that pairs the highest possible TV viewing quality with an intuitive and powerful consumer experience,” said Jake Winett, vice president of Consumer Services and Platforms, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, in a statement. “Sony Ultra4K brings together a strong catalog of content with a portfolio of devices that creates a stunning consumer experience that is unmatched in the industry.”
