DirecTV’s 4K Genie Mini. Photo: DirecTV

[Via Satellite 08-20-2015] DirecTV, now part of AT&T, is offering a new Set Top Box (STB), the 4K Genie Mini, to expand the number of customers who can access 4K movies without a “DirecTV ready” 4K TV. The new STB offers full Genie and 4K capability, and also supports Dolby Digital Plus audio decoding.

DirecTV launched 4K Ultra-HD programming in November 2014, offering new releases, popular films and nature documentaries through its Genie HD DVR. Currently the Genie HD DVR supports 4K with DirecTV 4K ready televisions from Samsung. Other TV manufacturers including Sony and LG are soon to follow.

“Customers who want the best picture quality are creating more demand for 4K,” said Henry Derovanessian, senior vice president of consumer premise engineering at DirecTV. “The new 4K Genie Mini allows us to meet that demand by expanding 4K access to more of our customers nationwide.”