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GearHunter

Accelerating the Evolution to the All-Digital Network

Cable operators that maintain dual analog and digital headends use a substantial portion of network capacity for parallel distribution of the analog signals. But with Terayon Communications Systems, Inc.'s new CP 7600G IP-enabled, digital-to-analog multi-channel integrated edge decoder, operators can immediately remove that analog tier and distribute all of their programming once — digitally — across their networks.

The CP 7600G is a professional grade MID, capable of decoding up to six MPEG-2 digital video services to either NTSC or PAL analog format in a one-rack unit (RU) tall chassis, according to the company. The platform supports dual balanced audio for each video channel, enabling operators to offer two separate audio channels — one in English and one in Spanish, for example — for each channel of video.

Deployed at the edge of cable networks — typically in local headends or hubs — the CP 7600G decodes the digital signal into a high-quality analog signal for transmission to analog subscribers on the network, says the company. Using this approach, operators can consolidate critical functions in the digital domain, such as headend operations and local ad insertion. In addition, it provides improvements in work flow and operational costs, and optimizes the revenue models by enabling operators to address their entire subscriber base at once, rather than one tier at a time, says Terayon.

In addition, the CP 7600G can be remotely managed and monitored from the master headend via the Digicontrol desktop application, allowing operators to validate programming content and quality prior to transmission.

manufacturer's website

Training, Certification and Management Services

New Resources For VoIPTroubleshooter.com

Telchemy, Inc., a provider of real-time VoIP fault and performance management technology, recently announced that Acterna, provider of cable network test and management solutions, will be a co-sponsor of the VoIPTroubleshooter.com Web site. The free site was established in 2003 by Telchemy and contains more than 60 pages of information and online diagnostic tools for network managers to use when investigating and resolving IP-related call quality problems. Acterna says it will supply content on test and management products and services for VoIP, as well as research information, by submitting articles, application notes and white papers.

In addition to information on VoIP issues and problems, VoIPTroubleshooter.com features an open speech repository, an IP network impairment simulator and an industry forum. The open speech repository provides audio recordings of speech files in American and British English, Mandarin (Chinese), French, Hindi, among others, that test engineers can use for testing and related applications without any restrictions, except for source credit, according to the company.

The site's downloadable IP network impairment simulator provides network administrators with a method of modeling packet-related network problems, i.e., jitter and delay, LAN/WAN congestion and backbone and route changes that is scenario-based instead of the more conventional statistical approach to modeling. This method enables administrators and technicians to simulate a network environment with congestion under extremely realistic conditions, says Telechemy.

telchemy's website | acterna's website

VoViDa

Superconnect Debuts VoIP Monitoring Software

Voice over IP (VoIP) performance and reliability recently got a boost from the release of Superconnect's VoIP Aware, a web-based monitoring application for ensuring the quality and performance of a VoIP system. Superconnect says their real-time technology allows VoIP system operators to learn about problems before their customers do and it prevents outages from occurring, a critical issue for providers offering lifeline VoIP telephone service.

VoIP Aware can be deployed onto existing VoIP networks to monitor service quality by directly polling data from customers' VoIP devices as well as analyzing real-time traffic of a VoIP connection to monitor realistic quality and performance. The product presents data in live reports, trend reports, graphs and alarms.

It also can be integrated into a ONE Platform site-wide dashboard display for enterprise customers with multiple ONE Platform deployments, according to the company. The Superconnect ONE Platform is a web-based infrastructure for Superconnect's broadband management and monitoring applications. ONE Platform appliances are multi-processor, use RAID storage, and can purchased for less than the cost of most off-the-shelf PC servers, says Superconnect.

manufacturer's website

A New Brand of Service for VoIP Service Providers

CLECs, IXCs, ISPs, resellers, cable and wireless operators are now able to offer a private branded and enhanced directory assistance service thanks to Volo Communications' new VoiceOne Information Service (VOIS). Volo says its VoiceOne Information Service was created as a carrier/wholesale service designed to enhance a VoIP provider's product portfolio. Other features include:

• Enhanced Call Completion
• Last Number Play Back/Redial
• Category Requests
• SMS Text Messaging
• Email Messaging
• Call Warning (Cost Control Feature)
• Call Limit (Cost Control Feature)
• Departmental Billing

manufacturer's website

Colombian Consumers and Corporations Connected with Net2Phone

Net2Phone and Empresa Telecomunicaciones de Bogotá (ETB), the largest telecom operator in Colombia, launched a joint offering of a suite of co-branded consumer and corporate VoIP services across Colombia. Net2Phone says ETB is the first Colombian telecom operator to offer a full suite of VoIP services to consumers and businesses, including their VoiceLine broadband telephony service and its MaxPVN corporate service.

Under the terms of a five-year definitive agreement, ETB will offer local, long distance and international voice services using Net2Phone's VoIP services. The co-branded ETB and Net2Phone broadband telephony residential and corporate services come with local Colombian phone numbers. The service also is being offered as an integrated bundle with ETB's DSL service.

manufacturer's website

"No Gotcha" VoIP Service Powered by nCite Session Controllers

In an effort to meet anticipated growth, SunRocket, the "no gotcha" phone company, has selected Netrake to support SunRocket's residential VoIP phone service, the first flat-fee phone service in telecom history, claims the company.

Netrake was selected session border controller vendor based on its ability to satisfy SunRocket's immediate and future requirements as it introduces new VoIP services. In addition, Netrake says its ability to support hosted firewall and NAT traversal for offering new, advanced IP services to customers behind enterprise and residential firewalls was critical to the selection process.

SunRocket uses Netrake's nCite session controller to support its all-inclusive annual home phone service, which enables consumers nationwide to use Internet phone service with no hidden charges or fees. Netrake says its single-session controller chassis supports 150,000 VoIP end-points with up to a 10:1 oversubscription ratio, what they say is a very competitive price per port for residential VoIP.

manufacturer's website

Headend

Sencore Unveils New Digital Content Protection Test

There's a new high bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) test option from Sencore Electronics, Inc. which the company says can be installed on the VP401 and VP403 VideoPro multimedia video generators. This option allows the VideoPro to test the HDCP operating capabilities of the DVI/HDMI input on HDCP-enabled video displays.

The HDCP video generator enhancement provides more efficient testing methods for troubleshooting, installation and service, says Sencore. In addition, the VP401/403 owners that take advantage of this upgrade will have the capability to test the DVI input on any display or signal processor for HDP operational compatibility, perform HDCP production key authentication tests, and hot plug detect tests, adds Sencore.

manufacturer's website

Distribution

Force Chosen To Help Modernize MSU

Multiple sequential contracts recently were awarded to Force Optical Broadcast Systems to supply Michigan State University (MSU) with a state-of-art cable TV and Internet return fiber-based system for its three major student apartment complexes, as part of MSU's video network update and renovation. According to the company, when completed, the system will use approximately 100 fiber receive sites to bring Internet services and cable TV to more than 3,500 student apartments.

MSU's existing coax plant, which provided only forward path video service, was antiquated and costly to maintain, says the university, as well as being limited in its ability to provide Internet services to its recipients. By using MSU's existing fiber plant, Force says it designed a hybrid star/cascade network using its CATVLinx product line. MSU selected Force's professional distribution system (PDS) using Model 2804 110 Channel CATV transmitters, Model 2807 Mini-nodes with return path CWDM lasers, and the new 2802RC dual return receivers along with Model 6925 coarse wavelength-division multiplexers and demultiplexers.

manufacturer's website

Subscriber

A Whole New Way To Watch TV in Australia

Pace Micro Technology says it has begun delivery of the world's first cable-based DVB personal digital recorder (PDR), as part of a new contract with Foxtel, Australia's leading subscription television provider. The broadcaster, which recently revealed details of its PDR service, will offer its subscribers Pace's cable and satellite PDR set-top boxes as part of its Foxtel digital service.

The TDS460NF and TDC460NF will use a 160 gigabyte hard drive to record digital quality television programming. The integrated twin tuners allow one program to be recorded while watching another, or two programs to be recorded at the same time while watching a previously recorded program. Additional features include pause live TV, instant replay and review, fast forward, rewind, radio recording, time-shift and automatic recording of multiple episodes of selected series, says Pace.

manufacturer's website

PC Media Files on Your Set-Top Box

In a move to allow consumers to enjoy their personal media collections via digital set-top boxes, ICTV, creator of HeadendWare, and GlooLabs, Inc., a developer of multimedia platforms for the digital convergence market, have reached an agreement to provide the GlooNet service on the HeadendWare platform.

ICTV says the agreement will enable subscribers to HeadendWare-powered interactive television services to access via digital set-top boxes personal music, photo and video collections stored on their computers. By installing the GlooNet software on any personal computer, subscribers can navigate and play music or view photos and video through their televisions, using standard TV remote controls. In addition, subscribers will be able to share content from their computers with other subscribers to HeadendWare-based services who may not have Internet access or a personal computer.

manufacturer's website

Two Heads Are Better than One

ADC and Corning Cable Systems recently inked a technology transfer agreement for one of Corning's hardened connector products. The agreement, according to Corning, allows the two companies to leverage the attributes of Corning Cable Systems' OptiTap connector and provides customers with a reliable and cost-effective connectivity solution for their FTTx networks.

The OptiTap connector and adapter are ideal for factory-terminated, environmentally sealed and hardened connectors for use in drop cable deployments in optical access networks, claims Corning. The product reduces the terminal and drop cable installation time for subscriber connection, resulting in lower total installed cost of deployment, adds Corning.

Prior to manufacturing the product, ADC elected to pursue a formal technology transfer agreement to ensure full compatibility between the two companies' products. The agreement allows ADC to interact real-time with Corning's engineering and operations teams, facilitating first-hand direction regarding intermateability.

corning cable systems' website | adc's website

Engineering and Contracting Services

A CATV Lifeline

When it's system critical, cable networks depend on reliable service and equipment. That's where 20-year veteran distributor Tulsat comes in. Whether for a large MSO, hotel, hospital or apartment complex, Tulsat says it strives to be the CATV lifeline for system equipment, technical repair, and fast, dependable turnaround for all those involved in the distribution of television signals.

As an ADDvantage Technologies Group company, Tulsat says it's part of a nationwide network of large product inventories and end-to-end CATV equipment products. Tulsat says it maintains one of the largest inventories of new, surplus and refurbished equipment and accessories for the cable industry and one of the industry's largest inventories of headend, line gear, taps and traps for such leading manufacturers as Scientific Atlanta, Blonder-Tongue, Drake, California Amplifier and General Instruments.

manufacturer's website

OSS and Software Platforms

Adelphia Taps C-COR for Its First Digital Program Insertion Deployment

Adelphia launched its first Digital Program Insertion (DPI) system in San Juan, Puerto Rico using C-COR's digital advertising product. Adelphia says it chose C-COR because of its ability to launch digital and analog ad insertion channels on the same platform. The deployment in San Juan includes 40 analog channels and more than six digital channels.

manufacturer's website

Customer Autonomy Equals Lightened Workload for Cable CSRs

The suite of service management applications and products for automating delivery of next-generation voice, data/Internet, wireless and video services from Sigma Systems continues to grow with the addition of the Sigma Voice Client Services Center (CSC). The CSC is a new customer self-service portal application initially targeted at cable network operators offering VoIP services.

Sigma designed the Voice CSC to meet cable operators' demands for more subscriber-initiated service management functions. Typically, service providers' large call centers handle service orders, provisioning and activation as well as service diagnostics. But call center involvement in day-to-day service upgrades and routine service modification processes are costly, says Sigma. The CSC, says Sigma, reduces CSR operational costs for routine changes and updates to subscriber's service profiles by reducing the volume of call center activity. In addition, the product's e-portal gives subscribers greater autonomy to manage their voice services online. Subscribers can view their account and service information, select new service features and feature bundles, as well as change features and personal parameters.

manufacturer's website

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