# DirectTV Strikes First; First 4K TV Service Officially Launches



## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

DirectTV customers are waking-up to a new Hi-Definition world, as Direct TV is officially launching its new 4K TV service today. Approximately 19 titles from Paramount Pictures and Havoc will be available through the provider's Video On Demand (VOD) service, with _Star Trek_ (2009) and _Transformers: Age of Extinction_ headlining the offerings. DirectTV says these relatively limited initial titles will quickly be padded by more options soon. 










_Samsung and DirectTV are making a splash with the first-ever 4K TV service._​

With every new rollout, there’s always a catch. In DirectTV’s case, users tapping into the service's new 4K universe will need specific hardware, including a supporting 2014 Samsung UHD TV (branded DirectTV 4K Ready) and DirectTV’s Genie HD DVR. Users without this equipment will be on the outside looking in. 

According to Multichannel News, this sampling of UHD material is simply a testing ground for a much larger rollout in 2015. According to a November DirectTV earnings call, the company plans to offer live Ultra HD streaming in 2015. Comcast is also expected to offer a similar Samsung-only VOD 4K platform soon, with additional content in the New Year.

“For more than 20 years, DIRECTV has been changing the way people watch TV as the first to move the industry from analog to digital to HD and now the ultimate TV experience with 4K TV,” said Romulo Pontual, executive vice president and CTO, DIRECTV. “The picture quality and depth of detail that 4K provides is nothing short of remarkable and we will continue to expand our 4K lineup as consumer demand grows and evolves.”

The full list of titles for DirectTV’s newly minted service includes the previously referenced blockbuster special effects gems (_Star Trek_ and _Transformers)_ in addition to several other Hollywood hits including _Forrest Gump_, _Amistad_, _The Terminal_, and _McLintock!_. Other offerings fall into the “Nature and Educational” realm with titles such as _Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs_, _Antarctica_, _Dolphins_, _Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag_, _Dinosaurs Alive!_, _Coral Reef Adventure_, _Space Junk_, _Yellowstone_, _Legends of Flight_, _Rescue_, _The Ultimate Wave of Tahiti_, and _Mysteries of the Great Lakes_.

Pricing for these VOD titles will range from $3.99 to $15.99, and will be on a per-movie basis. 

Samsung, meanwhile, has forced its way to the top of the 4K streaming world. While Sony’s Video Unlimited 4K service currently has more content (over 100 movies), Samsung’s strategy has positioned itself to offer customers a depth choice in the very near future. Currently the company has partnerships with Amazon, Netflix, DirectTV, Comcast, and a recently forged 4K exclusivity deal with M-Go.



_Image Credit: Samsung_


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