Motorola has announced the release of two MPEG-4 encoder solutions that the company said will enhance the operational efficiency of distributing high-definition (HD) and standard-definition (SD) video for service and content providers.
The new multichannel network encoder (NE) MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) SD encoder family joins the one rack unit (1RU) single channel encoder (SE) series MPEG-4 AVC HD and SD encoders . Motorola said that the combination offers a complete encoder product line that satisfies the content distribution needs of a broad range of service providers.
The new NE series comprises real-time, full-resolution, multichannel SD encoders that deliver high-quality CBR video services at low bit rates. The NE series features two channels in a single RU chassis and is designed to deliver IP-based multichannel services, ideal for headend environments, according to Motorola. The platform enhances headend architectures, reducing box count, simplifying signal routing and redundancy support by accepting MPEG-2 content streams over IP as the input source and eliminating the need for external decoders.
The NE feature set includes Constrained Fidelity CBR, a capped VBR mode for IPTV environments, and a low-resolution proxy output stream for program guide or monitoring applications. And specific NE models are Microsoft Mediaroom conformance tested with a Linux-based platform that is ideal for demanding CBR applications.
Encoders in the 1 RU SE family will receive a firmware update, making the AVC Multi-Format Video Encoders more efficient to deliver services at lower bit rates, enabling service providers to deliver more simultaneous HD streams per household, Motorola said. This will allow consumers to watch and record multiple HD programs, as well as watch different HD programs on different HDTV sets.
And bandwidth improvements of up to 25 percent for high-action sports are possible with SE encoders, allowing operators to increase the number of simultaneous services delivered to the home while maintaining video quality, the company said.
"With the explosive demand for more high-definition programming, video quality and bandwidth efficiency have become critically important to successful and competitive service launches,” said Doug Means, VP and GM of IP Video Services, Home & Networks Mobility, for Motorola. “These new encoder releases deliver on both requirements for MPEG-4 HD and SD video content, and ultimately will allow more rich video content to be delivered efficiently to the home."
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