- At the 67th Meeting of the Steering Board, the DVB approved the first two of three DVB-RCS2 specifications for the 2G DVB interactive satellite system. DVB-RCS2 takes advantage of state-of-the art technology that gives substantial enhancements over 1G systems, as well as a decade of research and experience. DVB-RCS2 is natively developed for IP services and is specified for interactive satellite services in several market segments, ranging from professional to consumer. The specifications “Second Generation DVB Interactive Satellite Services” will be submitted to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for formal standardisation. As compared to DVB-RCS, the new solution provides increased transmission efficiency and new operational modes. New channel coding allows for increased capacity and/or robustness on the return channel. The forward channel is based on the well proven DVB-S2 specification and, in combination with Generic Stream Encapsulation allows for efficient transport of IP traffic. The return channel offers both a highly spectrum efficient linear Adaptive Coding and Modulation scheme, as well as a Continuous Phase Modulation alternative that enables the use of lower-cost terminals. The powerful DVB-RCS2 provides the only open multivendor platform for interactive services with unmatched flexibility and performance, strengthened integrity control; enhanced security; improved Quality of Service system architecture; and support for IP version 6. “This new specification is the result of extensive collaborative efforts from key players in TM-RCS. DVB-RCS2 forms the most flexible basis for modern interactive satellite services in these times when the industry increasingly turns to open standards,” said Peter Siebert, Executive Director, DVB.
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httv, the France-based solution provider for interactive Digital TV, is introducing at the IP&TV World Forum 2011 at booth 215, its new OTT Player for STB and TV manufacturers using HTTP based adaptive bitrate streaming and interfaced with Allegro servers. The growing availability of broadband capacity and the progress of internet content delivery technology have made available Over the Top (OTT) content across a large number of TV devices. httv’s OTT player is httv’s technological answer to this growing demand of the market, in order to help hybrid STB and TV manufacturers to make OTT contents available on their devices. httv has developed and integrated an OTT stream player based on Linux and easy to adapt to any SOC. httv’s competitive and customizable OTT player solution, enables STB and TV manufacturers to offer both operators and VOD services provider’s rich OTT services in a limited bandwidth environment. The availability of such a player in the STB will enlarge the number of services and extra content the operators can offer, in the unmanaged part of the network. httv has made the drivers development to integrate the adaptive streaming technology in its OTT STB solution. With Allegro adaptive streaming, the video quality of a media file or a live feed is dynamically detected and seamlessly switched in real time to match local bandwidth and CPU conditions. Viewers with high bandwidth connections get HD quality streaming while those with lower speeds receive the best possible stream available for their bandwidth and therefore take full advantage of the existing HTTP infrastructure (Silverlight, HLS and Zeri streaming). OTT adaptive allows a common approach to video delivery for multi devices: TV sets, tablets, smartphones...and among them STBs.
The company is also deploying for the French DTT its new DSM-CC Object Carousel solution dedicated to the HbbTV Standard. TDF, the French leading broadcasting transmission network operator, is the first customer of the HTTVStream HbbTV and is actively testing and demonstrating the potential of this new standard for Connected TVs and hybrid STBs. HTTVStream HbbTV has been the first data streaming solution for HbbTV standard commercially deployed on the French market and is now widely adopted by the French operators. It is dedicated to the broadcast of applications (DSM-CC Object Carousel) both for broadcast and broadband signalisation. HTTVStream HbbTV is based on the HTTVStream iTV solution, a robust, cost-effective DVB data streamer and real-time multiplexer for all types of interactive applications. It supports both static and real-time updates and numerous files types from a variety of media sources. httv will be demonstrating HTTVStream HbbTV during the IPTV World Forum (22nd to 24th of March) in London. HTTVStream iTV is also available for all iTV formats (OpenTV, MHP/GEM, HbbTV...). It is a highly competitive head-end solution for operators seeking to enhance their services, by means of interactive contents and services. Several major operators are already using HTTVStream iTV to broadcast their iTV applications and TV content (Videocon, ERT, Digiturk, NTV+, Etisalat...). - RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd. (NASDAQ: RRST) will be providing its advanced playout and uplink services for HIGHTV’s entirely 3D content roster. Commencing on April 4, 2011, HIGHTV 3D will broadcast their full lineup of HD 3D programming, ranging from dramas and comedies to lifestyle and fashion. HIGHTV will provide tens of millions of viewers with access to over 450 hours of high quality 3D programming played out and distributed by RRsat over the Eurobird-9A satellite to Europe and over the MEASAT-3a satellite across Asia Pacific. Both channels will be distributed in MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 broadcast standard and will be played out from RRsat’s state-of-the-art Playout Center using digital workflow and including the archival storage of over 4 TB of HIGHTV's 3D material. Executives from RRsat will be available at Satellite 2011, Booth 338, to discuss this step forward in 3D television as well as their views on the future of the format over all
- Wavestream has announced that HBO’s network and transmission facility in Hauppauge, New York, has successfully installed Wavestream’s PowerStream® 757C-i indoor C-band solid state power amplifiers for HBO’s satellite feed. HBO has selected the PowerStream 757C-i units to support a phased plan to replace Travelling Wave Tube Amplifier (TWTA) technology. “As energy and facility costs continue to rise, and as the pace of new media demand continues to escalate, customers like HBO are looking for solutions to improve ROI and reduce costs,” stated Cliff Cooke, president and chief executive officer of Wavestream. “Amplifiers are a critical component to content delivery systems and are often the last component in the chain to be evaluated. As replacement tubes become more costly, Wavestream’s solid state products offer strong performance and reliability, with the added benefit of significant energy, operating and lifecycle cost reductions, when operated in a redundant configuration. Upgrading to next generation solid state amplifiers just makes sense.” The PowerStream 757C-i is designed as a plug and play replacement for traditional 750W linearized Traveling Wave Tube Amplifier (TWTA) solutions used in satellite communications, teleport and satellite news gathering systems. The PowerStream 757C-i incorporates Wavestream’s field-proven, next generation Spatial Power Advantage™ technology to provide high output power and greater efficiency. When used in a redundant configuration, the PowerStream 757C-i draws less power than 750W linearized TWT system solutions and offers zero warm up time. For teleport and satellite news gathering operators, this translates into strong performance, improved reliability and reduced energy and lifecycle maintenance costs.
Satnews Daily
March 14th, 2011
Of Interest to SatBroadcasting™ Professionals...
