TANDBERG Television is unveiling its next-generation high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) MPEG-4 AVC encoding solutions at IBC 2006 (Hall 1:461). The move continues the company's market leading momentum in the MPEG-4 AVC arena and brings a step change in digital video distribution by combining the broadest choice of density and enhanced features with the industry's leading picture quality versus performance through bandwidth improvements of up to 50% over currently deployed MPEG-4 AVC units.

TANDBERG Television's next-generation compression platform is being launched simultaneously across its encoding family with the introduction of the new EN8030 MPEG-4 AVC SD and EN8090 MPEG-4 AVC SD/HD ultracompression broadcast encoders, alongside the introduction of new MPEG-4 AVC HD and SD ultracompression encoding modules for the Plex range of high density, multi-channel encoders. The new encoders enable HDTV services to be delivered at data rates below 6Mbits/s, with similar improvements to SD services, and are designed to enable operators to deliver HD and SD multi-channel and single channel services across cable, satellite, telco and terrestrial networks.

The new TANDBERG encoders use a comprehensive tool-set of advanced compression video processing features, combined with new pre-processing techniques. They have a common form-factor to previous units and therefore existing users of TANDBERG Plex and broadcast encoders have a simple upgrade path.

"Based on four years of first-to-market advanced compression experience and over 4,000 MPEG-4 AVC HD and SD encoders commercially deployed, we know that broadcasters and operators need a unique combination of industry leading performance, reliability and choice. With the launch of this new encoding generation, we are continuing our market lead in providing customers with the performance and product features they need on which to confidently build their digital video businesses," says Eric Cooney, President and CEO of TANDBERG Television.

Industry leading performance

The new EN8000 and Plex encoders use TANDBERG's Intelligent Compression Engine (ICE) version 3 and are setting new bandwidth benchmarks thanks to a number of innovative features. These include improved motion estimation processes, single slice video processing architecture, dedicated processing for low resolution encoding of Picture-in-Picture services, and a number of performance boosting features such as Multi-Pass analysis and enhanced video pre-processing which are the basis of 12 new patent applications.

At IBC, TANDBERG Television will be demonstrating ICE3 powered products delivering 6Mbits/s full resolution HD and improvements of up to 50% over currently deployed units. This step change in bit-rate performance represents tangible benefits to broadcasters and telcos.

• For IPTV operators it enables 2 full-resolution HDTV channels over ADSL2+ @ 2km.
• For satellite broadcasters it delivers transponder cost savings and the opportunity to add in more HD channels. For example, a 36MHz transponder with:
• DVB-S2 and QPSK - can fit more than 6 channels of full-resolution HD
• DVB-S2 and 8PSK - can fit more than 8 channels of full-resolution HD

Multi-channel and high density front-runner

TANDBERG Television has designed its next-generation encoders to support the needs of today's digital media service providers through multi-channel capability and high density configurations. Running in HD mode from a single HDTV input, the platform is capable of generating 3 channels:

• the main HD full resolution channel,
• a secondary version of the main channel running up to full SD resolution, allowing operators to internally convert HD content to SD to also deliver their services to SD-only set-top-box consumers
• a third "micro" channel for use in Picture-in-Picture, mosaic, and alternate/multi-view applications.

This multi-channel feature results in the new EN8090 HD MPEG-4 AVC broadcast encoder being able to deliver 1 HD + 1 secondary SD + 1 low resolution PiP service per 1RU, while the high density Plex systems are capable of 12 channels - 4 HD + 4 secondary (up to full SD) + 4 Low resolution (up to SIF / 1/4SD) services - in 1RU.

Flexibility and choice for digital business models

The new TANDBERG EN8000 and Plex encoders provide the right choices of packaging and features to meet the true needs of today's digital video service providers. For high-end DTH satellite service providers and cable operators, the TANDBERG EN8000 broadcast encoders provide the ideal fully featured video head-end solutions with support for 1080i, 720p, constant bit-rate, variable bit-rate and statistical multiplexing support, as well as internal multi-channel audio encoding and audio transcoding abilities such as Dolby Digital stereo and 5.1 multi-channel encoding, Dolby Digital audio transrating, Dolby E to Dolby Digital transcoding, and Dolby to HE-AAC conversion. Moreover, the EN8000 has transport stream (ASI) and IP outputs and is part of the TANDBERG iSIS 8000 IP-based system solution which includes IP multiplexing, multi-platform professional receivers and TANDBERG Reflex(TM), the most widely deployed statistical multiplexer in MPEG-4 AVC SD and HD, all brought together under a single control and management system, nCompass.

Telcos and IPTV service operators often prefer a multi-channel encoding chassis, and also require MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 AVC transcoding functionality as most of the content they source has already been compressed in MPEG-2. The NEBS-certified, telco-designed Plex encoders include both encoding and MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 AVC transcoding solutions to provide telco operators with a multi-purpose product that reduces capital and operating expenditures, and also minimizes rack space and conserves energy. In addition, the Plex product line features stream replication - the ability to take each video stream processed inside the unit and output it across different delivery formats (ASI, IP, ATM), enabling an operator to deliver their service simultaneously across multiple delivery mechanisms, for example cable and DSL services from a single head-end.

A number of TANDBERG Television's existing MPEG-4 AVC customers have already had demonstrations of these ground-breaking new encoders and have confirmed that they deliver industry leading performance. "Sharing this development along the way with our key customers has been a critical part of the development path. They have seen the performance improvements in our EN8000 and Plex encoders and how the form density and feature choices they offer address their different needs. Our customers are excited about including these new encoders as part of their deployments when we start shipping in early Q4 2006," says Roger Bolton, VP of Business Development at TANDBERG Television.