[SatBroadcasting(tm)] Thomson Video Networks has announced that Bahrain-based satellite service provider NOORSAT is powering its growth with an extensive and flexible Thomson headend technology solution.
Over the past two years, Thomson has worked with NOORSAT to scale its operation up to a current 63 channels delivered over six transponders. During the two-year project timeline, and as NOORSAT's requirements have grown, Thomson's extensible architecture has allowed the satellite operator to maintain security of service while further developing its infrastructure during continuous on-air operation.
The Thomson Video Networks installation for NOORSAT comprises a range of encoders including the ViBE EM1000 connected to NetProcessor 9030 Multiplexers, and the Thomson XMS™ management system. This highly flexible infrastructure delivers extremely efficient bandwidth and gives NOORSAT complete freedom to customize its services in response to demand. NOORSAT was established in 2004 and is the first privately owned satellite service provider to the Middle East and North Africa region. Operating a fleet of five satellites and transmitting more than 200 television and radio channels, the company aims to provide solutions for both large and small broadcasters at competitive prices, through optimized space segment capacity and state-of-the-art facilities.
The ViBE SD MPEG-2/MPEG-4 AVC encoder provides benchmark performance for SD encoding in satellite and terrestrial broadcast applications, high-end IPTV operations, and content aggregation. Combining compression efficiency features and the latest pre-processing techniques, the ViBE SD MPEG-2/MPEG-4 AVC encoder can be configured as single-channel or multi-channel units, to offer the reduced footprint and lower power consumption per channel. Each channel can be independently configured for MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 encoding, extending the possibilities for hybrid applications. Both encoders employ the Dolby® Digital and AAC audio compression formats and support up to eight stereo pairs of audio.
