Path 1 Network Technologies Inc., a leading provider of video gateway products that enable thetransmission of broadcast-quality video over IP networks, announced that LBiSat, an international satellite communications contracting and consulting firm, has deployed Path 1 IP video gateways in a variety of applications involving terrestrial transport networks for video content contribution. LBiSat is using the Path 1 equipment to aggregate live and file-based content from its customers by transporting their video feeds over long-haul IP networks and backhauling the content to multiple teleport facilities across the United States. Additionally, LBiSat will use Path 1's video gateways to interconnect its own teleport facilities terrestrially to improve the cost and efficiency of delivering IP-based video across LBiSat's own network.

Path 1's video gateways ensure that content arrives at its destination with the same quality and reliability with which it was sent, a challenge for long-haul IP video transport, which often traverses multiple networks that may not be designed to support broadcast-quality video, making the video susceptible to problems and impairments. By ensuring the quality and integrity of the video stream over long-haul transport, Path 1's video gateways help LBiSat's clients leverage their existing infrastructure investments and take advantage of the ubiquity and "reach" afforded by terrestrial IP networks. With this approach, LBiSat is also transferring cost savings to its clients by leveraging a fiber backbone and maximizing its own satellite bandwidth. Path 1's ability to backhaul video over IP further benefits LBiSat's clients by providing them with a broader distribution footprint while enabling them with additional economical means to gather more content more efficiently.

"LBiSat is pleased with the performance of the Path 1 equipment," said Bob Griffith, director of sales, LBiSat. "Our customers span the world and include carriers, government agencies and large multi-national enterprises. The high performance IP video gateways from Path 1 complement our core satellite operations and allow us to serve our customers more cost effectively for video transport applications."

Many of LBiSat's projects involving Path 1 combine satellite and terrestrial solutions for both broadcast and enterprise organizations; the applications range from electronic news-gathering (ENG) to IPTV to video conferencing. In each case, the Path 1 video gateway is used to deliver real-time, broadcast-quality MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and VC-1 video in both standard (SD) and high definition (HD) formats to remote locations over public and private IP networks.

"We are ecstatic to be working with innovative companies such as LBiSat," said Dan McCrary, vice president, marketing for Path 1. "Teleport operators have been upgrading their satellite networks to support more IP transport for cost-performance reasons; it's natural to use terrestrial IP networks as a complementary extension to create a new generation of hybrid networks. Using our carrier-class IP video gateways, any teleport operator can interconnect its remote facilities over a common IP network and get perfect-quality video."