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Satnews Daily
October 26th, 2011

SatBroadcasting™ — This report includes new information from Amino Communications, Bridge Technologies, Ericcson, GlobeCast, Matrox Video Products Group, NETIA, SES, Signiant


[SatNews] For those involved in the SatBroadcasting™ environment, here is important market segment news that could well be of interest to you...

  • Amino Communications, a leading IPTV/OTT solutions provider, has secured a contract to provide SkitterTV with its latest OTT-enhanced Aminet IPTV STBs. A hybrid IPTV/over-the-top video video platform, SkitterTV enables telecom service providers to encode, configure, deliver and monetize streaming media services by combining live TV, audio, web video and personal media assets in one converged entertainment environment. The Atlanta-based company selected Amino devices because of their ability to deliver both traditional IPTV services and a new layer of content delivered over the open Internet including video-on-demand, gaming, applications and user generated content. The Aminet A140 – and A540 with DVR – use HLS (HTTP live streaming) and HTML5 to help deliver this new entertainment experience HLS is an adaptive streaming technology that works by selecting optimum network speeds over open and unmanaged networks to ensure a continuous high quality television service. It can also enhance content choice by delivering video-on-demand and live TV from aggregated and cloud-based services without additional investment in network infrastructure.

HTML5 provides a standardized framework for video and audio playback inside the browser, and will further enrich the viewing experience by allowing operators to create a rich walled garden of OTT content for their customers.



  • Bridge Technologies has begun shipping an enhanced version of the ground-breaking microVB miniaturized digital media probe for subscriber premises. With its ability to report second-by-second data on all traffic passing through the STB, combined with new functionality for analyzing OTT service quality, the microVB 2.0 provides the industry's most complete capability for monitoring the viewer experience in the multiservice, multiscreen market. Widely deployed by major service providers, Bridge Technologies' microVB is the industry's only viable solution for monitoring at the STB, delivering massive maintenance cost savings for digital media operators by giving unprecedented access to accurate and continuous information about the service quality experienced by the subscriber. microVB 2.0 provides data-gathering capabilities that allow operators to monitor every factor influencing QoS and the viewer experience, including interactions between triple-play services, contention for bandwidth with Internet streaming media, and OTT service degradation. Up to four simultaneous streams can be supported by each microVB, with each stream measuring continuous data including bandwidth, MLR (media loss rate), IAT (inter-packet arrival time), and RTP (real-time protocol) drops. The microVB sends the collated data to Bridge Technologies' MDC controller/server for detailed analysis and graphical presentation. All data are made available in XML format by the MDC to allow customized analysis by third-party systems.



  • Ericsson has introduced their RX8000 Series, a complete range of video decoders for the professional broadcast market. Whether it is distribution of content to large cable and broadcast networks or the contribution of footage from major events, the Ericsson RX8000 receiver range leads the industry for functionality and affordability. The range has the capability to handle every video standard up to and including MPEG-4 4:2:2, HD, 10bit.
The range brings with it a huge amount of flexibility so you can configure and pay for only the functionality needed, while still providing an upgrade path for easy and convenient future expansion. From the most basic standard definition system to state-of-the-art HD services, these receivers provide a unique level of features and flexibility allowing direct connection to almost any type of delivery network.


  • Content management and delivery company GlobeCast will be exhibiting at booth 9 at CASBAA 2011 from October to 31 to November 3 at the Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong. In addition, the company's global chairman and chief executive officer, Olivier Barberot, will provide introductory remarks at a roundtable discussion entitled "Reconfiguring the Future." The session, on Wednesday November 2 at 11:20, will focus on the challenges and opportunities of the multiscreen "tv anywhere" marketplace, surveying the technological changes and improvements — from connected devices to 3DTV — that will influence the ways in which viewers consume television content in the near future. Other participants in the session include: Yun Wang, CTO of IBM Research China; David Butorac, CEO of Orbit Showtime Network; Glen Tindall, VP of Sales, AP at SES; Rinaldi Firmansyah, CEO of Telkom Indonesia; and the host, media commentator and journalist Kate Bulkley. GlobeCast will have representatives from around the world at its booth (9) at CASBAA, speaking to broadcasters and content creators looking to repurpose and expand distribution of content throughout Asia and beyond to multiple platforms. Videos and demonstrations will illustrate global distribution, creative services, and playout, including the ability to localize and repurpose content for any platform, any screen, anywhere.



  • Matrox® Video Products Group has announced the company will be hosting a detailed webinar on November 1 and 2 that will address the monitoring, management, and processing of SDI feeds within a broadcast environment.  Matrox will be offering four sessions of the live webinar to accommodate customers and interested parties across multiple time zones:
    • Nov. 1 at 9:00 a.m. EDT, 13.00 GMT, 9:00 p.m. in Beijing and Singapore
    • Nov. 1 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, 18.00 GMT, 2:00 a.m. on Nov. 2 in Beijing and Singapore
    • Nov. 2 at 10:00 a.m. EDT, 14.00 GMT, 10:00 p.m. in Beijing and Singapore
    • Nov. 2 at 10:00 p.m. EDT, 02.00 GMT, 10:00 a.m. on Nov. 3 in Beijing and Singapore
    Technical experts from Matrox will also introduce the new Matrox MC-100 dual SDI to HDMI mini converter, which supports a range of display resolutions through 3G, Dual Link, HD, and SD-SDI. Matrox MC-100 is a single portable unit that can be used as a HD-SDI switcher, a distribution amplifier, a multiplexer, and even as a 3D processing unit.  "Attendees to this webinar will learn how one, cost-effective device can be used to monitor, distribute, switch, multiplex, and converge SDI video feeds," said Charles Amyot, product manager at Matrox Video Products Group. "Our new, award-winning Matrox MC-100 mini converter allows broadcasters and other organizations to accomplish all of these tasks, without having to purchase many single-purpose devices." 


  • At NATEXPO 2011, NETIA will highlight the ability of broadcasters to ingest content, manage their media and associated metadata, then play out or distribute content to any multimedia platform or mobile device using its new and improved Content Management System (CMS). NETIA’s CMS allows customers to streamline all of their production processes through simple, easy-to-manage workflows and task automation. The new software suite also allows users to connect all of their partners and vendors within a single production ecosystem, simplifying the sharing and managing of audio and video assets. Users can now manage all of the processes within the production environment — from editing through post-production and distribution — with one unique and easy-to-use interface.


    Screenshot of the NETIA's CMS offering
    NETIA's homepage


  • SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) has announced that two world-class broadcast organizations, Televisa and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), are using its occasional use satellite capacity to enable the contribution and distribution of the 2011 Pan American Games taking place in Guadalajara, Mexico, where more than 6.000 athletes from 42 nations are competing. Televisa is using more than a full transponder of C-band capacity on SES’ AMC-9 satellite for local contribution. More and more broadcasters are relying on the enhanced regional coverage of AMC-9, which is fast becoming one of Mexico’s top video neighborhoods. The EBU is using more than a transponder of C-band capacity on SES’ NSS-806 spacecraft to bring the international sporting event to fans across Latin America and parts of Europe. The EBU is also utilizing uplink services at SES’ teleport facility in Manassas, Virginia, as part of its global distribution strategy behind the Pan American Games.


  • Signiant 's board of directors has selected Margaret Craig to serve as CEO. Following on a career devoted to leading businesses in the media technology sector, Craig has joined Signiant to guide the company through its next stage of accelerated growth within the media and entertainment industry. Henry Ancona, chairman of the board, Signiant, said, "Ms. Craig is a well-regarded business leader who also brings a technical background to the mix, as well as extensive senior-level working relationships throughout the global media ecosystem. Margaret's broad international experience, including operational roles in Canada and the U.K. and direct responsibility for Asian operations, will be invaluable as Signiant continues to build its global brand." Craig's background includes executive roles in various parts of the media industry, including both product companies and managed services businesses. She recently served as COO of Network Services for Ascent Media Group, which provided media management, content distribution, and 24/7 on-air broadcast services to media companies. Other previous senior positions include CEO at Leitch Technology Corporation, a publicly traded global provider of technical infrastructure for professional television; and president of Snell and Wilcox USA. Early in her career, Craig also served in various engineering and management roles at Tektronix. She has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University.