...a complete and cost-effective mobile solution for making live and on-demand video available via high-bandwidth Ka-band satellite link. OPAL'TV has incorporated a dual-channel AQORD *LINK video encoder/transcoder from Digigram into a lightweight flypack to enable convenient, reliable, and affordable IP-based delivery of video when terrestrial networks are unavailable.

"For local broadcasters, the advantage of this solution is the high reliability and quality of live transmission, enhanced by the low latency of the Digigram unit, as well as the speed and simplicity with which the entire solution can be deployed," said Laurent Galet, technical manager at OPAL'TV. "We tested and compared this integrated application against current 3G mobile solutions and found it to be the best solution for our broadcast clients."

The AQORD *LINK has been packaged in a Com IP VSAT flypack including an IP modem and retractable satellite dish with automatic positioning capabilities. The Digigram system delivers dual channels of broadcast-quality SD/HD streaming video at data rates of 0.5 to 20Mb/s using MPEG-TS encapsulation. In OPAL'TV tests, the encoder/transcoder's low latency cut transmission times by two or three seconds.

Digigram's AQORD *LINK delivers 99.99 percent operational reliability, and its advanced industrial-grade design ensures the highly dependable performance and low power consumption so important in mobile systems such as OPAL'TV's flypack. Featuring an internal 1TB hard drive for storage and 3 Gb Ethernet RTP-UDP/IP ports for transmitting/receiving streams in either unicast or multicast, the compact 1U/19-inch rack-mounted AQORD *LINK delivers outstanding flexibility for broadcast, telecommunications, and contribution applications. Users can set up and monitor the encoder/transcoder locally through the unit's HMI front panel or remotely via a Web-based interface.