Who's Who in Advanced Video 1/30/06

Vendors continue to push their advanced video products to do more, be more flexible, cost less and occupy less real estate. If you have any doubts, just review the headend, customer premise, testing and asset management products outlined in Broadband Gear Report's special report, "Who's Who in Advanced Video."

Joe Jensen

S. Scott Painter

Pragash Pillai

To find out what operators are doing in the advanced video space and uncover their broadband gear "wish lists," we talked to engineers with three cable operators. Sharing their thoughts with us are: Joe Jensen, executive vice president, chief technical officer for Buckeye Cablevision, with 146,000 subscribers; S. Scott Painter, corporate director of engineering for Susquehanna Communications, with roughly 235,000 subscribers; and Pragash Pillai, vice president of advanced engineering — digital video — for Charter Communications, Inc., 5.9 million subscribers.

Jensen: "We are bringing all our of resources to bear on digital simulcast. We launched VOD a couple of years ago, so that's a standard process now. But we are hoping to have digital simulcast running this quarter, and we're looking at continued expansion on the HD tier. We also are trying to enhance VOD from a free perspective and understand how we can increase customer visibility of video on demand."

Painter: "[Prior to our announced sale to Comcast], we'd made plans to migrate to an all-digital network. This was the forefront of our focus for the past year.

"Picture quality is paramount. We have Verizon and SBC rolling out digital offerings. DirectTV is all digital. As you get to larger screen sizes in TVs, impairments in analog are very easy to see. To be competitive, you need to have an all-digital offering.

"It's easy to see that digital is superior to analog. To launch new HD services, takes bandwidth. We can put 10 SD or 2 HD channels on same 6 MHz space as analog. We can reclaim bandwidth by shifting channels to digital that are on Expanded Basic.

"Our goal was to end up with a Basic tier that was about 30 channels, above that everything would be digital. This is the most cost-effective way to find space for the new channels. Even in our 550 MHz systems, we have enough bandwidth with all digital to have HD and everything else.

"Also on our plate was VOD and other on-demand services. Linear programming is going to give way to everything being delivered on demand. When we first started looking at VOD several years ago, we were looking at 1,500 hours of storage and 2,000 streams, and we based that on 8 percent of digital households. Now the current numbers are 10 percent of digital set-tops deployed. And storage is in the 8,000- to 10,000-hour range. When we last figured streams, it jumped from 2,000 to about 4,500 streams for our York system alone. If someone would have told me that people would watch video on all kinds of devices including iPods and cell phones on a 2-inch screen and pay for it, I would have said, 'You're crazy.' With unified services, you'll be able to get on-demand content on what ever platform you're at."

Pillai: "We're continuing to focus in multiple areas, including digital simulcast, OCAP, VOD, HD and DVR, which we believe are important to enhance the end-to-end customer experience.

Headend

Localized on Demand Coming to CherryPicker

Terayon Communication Systems' DM 6400 Network CherryPicker aggregates content, grooms channel lineups and rate shapes HD programming.

Distinguishing Features: The DM 6400 also is able to insert ads in the digital domain, without the need to decode and re-encode programming streams. Terayon reports that cable system operators already have used the DM 6400 to insert more than 200 million ads directly into digital streams, reducing equipment and system integration costs and maintaining native video quality. On the horizon are forward error correction, scrambling and new "localization on demand" features to allow delivery of more personalized content.

Deployments: According to Terayon, the DM 6400 Network CherryPicker is deployed with major operators worldwide, including Comcast, Charter, Time Warner, Adelphia, and all top-tier MSOs.

Web Meets Video: ICTV Brings Web to Set-Top

ICTV's HeadendWare is a centralized platform for delivering interactive programming and services to digital cable subscribers. Rather than requiring local execution of applications on set-tops, HeadendWare delivers interactive content as standard HFC output streams by encoding video and audio generated by network applications into MPEG-2 and digital audio such as Dolby Digital AC3 in real time.

Distinguishing Features: HeadendWare's support for Web-based content enables operators quickly to deploy interactive content, including multiplayer games, local entertainment, breaking news, customer care and account information to any digital set-top. HeadendWare also creates a technological foundation for the Web-influenced content delivery networks that will enable network operators to provide subscribers with increased choice of, and control over, viewing options, as well as the delivery of advertising that is targeted, interactive and auditable.

Deployments: ICTV reports that Sunflower Broadband, Grande Communications, Time Warner Cable, Cablemas (Mexico), ntl (UK), and Video Networks Ltd. (UK) use HeadendWare.

Switched Broadcast Optimizes Capacity

BigBand Network's Switched Broadcast solution provides live digital television programs in dynamic response to subscriber requests. The company's Broadband Multimedia-Service Router (BMR) switches programs to their proper frequency channels and service groups/nodes and performs QAM modulation on the programs being switched.

Distinguishing Features: According to BigBand, the Switched Broadcast solution delivers:

Deployments: BigBand Networks reports that one of the top ten MSOs has completed a commercial deployment of its Switched Broadcast solution.

Gotuit Personalizes Content On Demand

Gotuit On Demand is a patented indexing technology that combines segment metadata with on-demand video, allowing consumers to access the parts of a show in which they are the most interested.

Distinguishing Features: Gotuit On Demand is comprised of a video indexing service and navigation software that works with standard VOD systems. The three main elements of solution are:

Deployments: Gotuit reports that Gotuit Music On Demand, Gotuit News On Demand and Gotuit Sports On Demand are available to more than 500,000 digital subscribers in New England, western New York, western Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio on Time Warner and Adelphia Communications cable systems.

AgileTV Brings Voice to Navigation

AgileTV's Promptu is a voice-enabled search and navigation service that allows customers to find their favorite programs by saying the name of the program, network, actor or sports team. Users press the "talk" button on a voice-enabled remote and issue requests such as "CNN," "Find the Kansas City Chiefs," or "scan movies."

Distinguishing Features: Promptu delivers higher than 90 percent voice recognition accuracy and uses a dynamically managed database of more than 150,000 phrases. Promptu requires no special training to use and is a self-install, "plug and play" service. Promptu scales from thousands to hundreds of thousands of voice-enabled customers from a single headend. It has a response time of less than one second from the viewer's voice request to the selected program appearing on the TV.

Deployments: AgileTV reports that Sunflower Broadband is testing marketing tactics for Promptu, with a full deployment scheduled for mid-2006. Promptu also is trialing with Comcast in the Philadelphia area and with other MSOs.

Server Sports Reliability, Simplified Maintenance

The Broadbus B-1 Video Server is a high-density, scalable DRAM-based server for delivering VOD, SVOD and future television-on-demand (TOD) services.

Deployments: Broadbus reports more than 60 deployments worldwide, including Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter, Adelphia, Rogers, Patriot and Telenet.

ARRIS Delivers Digital Broadcast, VOD in Same Chassis

ARRIS' Keystone D5 Digital Multimedia Termination System (DMTS) is an edge QAM device that enables simultaneous delivery of MPEG-2TS and DVB-C based digital video content along with emerging IP digital multimedia content.

Deployments: ARRIS reports that the Keystone D5 is in multiple lab and field trials in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific.

Fast, Standard and Flexible: Arroyo OnDemand

Arroyo OnDemand is a solution for VOD content ingest, storage, distribution and streaming. Arroyo OnDemand takes standard Intel servers, marries them with the company's Arroyo Video Accelerator, and then networks them together to operate as one.

Distinguishing Features: Because Arroyo OnDemand separates content ingest, storage and streaming, cable operators can scale them separately, tailoring them to individual services. The solution's support for 10 gigabit Ethernet enables streaming density of more than 1,600 streams per rack unit, and the ability to simultaneously ingest 200 channels per industry-standard server. Cable operators can deploy Arroyo OnDemand in centralized, decentralized or hybrid environments and migrate from one configuration to another.

Deployments: Arroyo reports deployments in six of the top 10 MSOs, including Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Charter. The company's IPTV solution is currently in trial with a major U.S. telecommunications operator.

Single Server for Analog, Digital and IP-Based Advertising

C-COR's IP advertising insertion product offers a single-server solution for those transitioning from analog to digital and IP-based ad insertion for large-scale digital simulcast environments.

Distinguishing Features: C-COR's IP ad insertion solution provides up to 1,920 channels from a single server. The solution serves operators who insert advertisements or other video programming into digital network streams and use gigabit Ethernet for video transport. It is applicable to operators who use (or plan to use) fine-grained addressable advertising. As addressable advertising focuses on smaller and smaller subscriber groups, demand for individually controllable channels of digital program insertion (DPI) will soar. The large scalability of the IP advertising insertion solution provides operators with the channels they need for cost-effective targeted advertising.

Deployments: C-COR reports that its DPI product is deployed in more than 120 markets and growing. Operators such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Insight and Mediacom use the solution.

Harmonic Platform Sports Two Encoders

Harmonic's DiviCom Electra 5000 Multiservice Encoder is a multicodec, multiservice standard definition (SD) encoding platform.

Distinguishing Features: With two CBR/VBR broadcast quality video encoders per one rack unit (1-RU) chassis, the Electra 5000 can encode a single channel in multiple formats, multiple channels in a single format or multiple channels in different formats. This capability enables a wide range of services — including SD TV, advanced picture-in-picture, high-quality PC streaming and mobile video — to be delivered over wired and wireless networks to multiple devices. As a result, operators more easily can build and scale their digital infrastructure to offer a more compelling video service.

Deployments: Harmonic reports that customers around the world have deployed the Electra 5000 since it launched in September 2005.

Content Editing Made Easy

IMAKE's OpenVision Content Creator is a user-friendly, open standards-based solution for creating, managing and editing digital media.

Distinguishing Features: OpenVision Content Creator provides cable operators with the following:

Deployments: IMAKE reports that a Canadian content provider is using OpenVision Content Creator.

RealNetworks Touts Interactive IP TV

Helix OnlineTV is RealNetworks' solution for enabling personal, interactive TV to consumers' handsets or PCs for both mobile and broadband service providers. The technology enables single or multichannel video with enhanced user interactivity and on-demand, time-shifted replay capability over wireless and wireline IP data networks.

Distinguishing Features: The Helix OnlineTV solution is an end-to-end, open, extensible, cross-platform system that enables service providers to offer customizable, interactive video services to consumers whenever they want it. OnlineTV operates on an operator's existing IP data infrastructure and includes all the elements needed for service delivery, interactivity, quality of service, digital rights management, program guides and viewing.

Deployments: RealNetworks reports that Time Warner Cable in San Diego is trialing Helix OnlineTV. Additionally, Cingular announced last September that Helix OnlineTV would support the company's next generation video efforts.

Digital Simulcast in One Rack Unit

RGB Networks' Simulcast Edge Processor (SEP) 48 is a solution for digital simulcast edge decoding, providing the capability to simultaneously receive multiple MPEG-2 digital video streams over IP, decode the video streams, modulate and up-convert them, and deliver them to subscribers as NTSC analog video at the edge of the network.

Distinguishing Features: The SEP combines all of the processing required to accept digital video streams and deliver them as modulated analog NTSC video to customers' homes in a single 1-RU platform. The SEP enables cable operators to convert and carry all signals in digital format to the edge of the network, eliminating the bandwidth drain of transporting a dual analog/digital programming lineup and reducing the cost of maintaining separate transmission and video processing equipment.

Modular On-Demand Platform

Concurrnet Computer Corporation MediaHawk 4000

Concurrent Computer Corporation's MediaHawk 4000 On-Demand Platform delivers automated streaming, storage and management capabilities for on-demand deployments.

Distinguishing Features: Integral to the MediaHawk 4000, Concurrent's MediaMatrix introduces the ability to manage streams, storage and content ingestion independently, enabling cable operators to configure content storage and video throughput incrementally for flexibility, reduced equipment costs and improved scalability. The MediaMatrix 4100 supports up to two MediaHawk 4000 video servers and one MediaStore 1000 storage unit. Other models support six servers and three storage units, and 12 servers and six storage units. Concurrent's MediaMatrix solution supports centralized, distributed, or hybrid systems for a fully customizable solution.

Deployments: According to Concurrent, Cox and Time Warner Cable are using the MediaHawk 4000.

Managing Multimedia Over IP

Camiant's Multimedia Service Controller supports delivery of IP multimedia applications. It is useful for high-bandwidth applications such as video.

Distinguishing Features: Cable operators can use the policy solution to differentiate their services through new applications such as video communications, streaming media, games, SIP-based telephony and commercial services with quality of service. The Multimedia Service Controller supports real-time allocation of resources and provides service providers with the ability to maximize bandwidth use, enhance their customers' experience and increase revenues.

Deployments: Camiant reports that Buckeye CableSystem is deploying the solution. According to Boston Globe press reports, Camiant also is working with Comcast.

Testing

JDS Uniphase Adds Multicast Analysis for Video Over IP

The JDS Uniphase Digital Broadcast Test Platform (DTS-330) is a single-platform solution for MPEG-2, DVB and ATSC testing. The platform's modular architecture allows cable operators to purchase those capabilities currently required and add new features as testing demands change.

Distinguishing Features: The multicast analysis capabilities of the DTS-330 enable operators to test remotely their customer's IP video quality of experience. The multicast capability along with the IP video record capability give cable operators additional functionality to capture errant video-over-IP traffic before any problems reach the customer, ensuring reliable and efficient IP TV deployment. The new IP frame record capabilities allow operators to capture the video-over-IP data while it is still encapsulated within the Ethernet frames allowing proper multilayer analysis once the operator has identified a problem close to the subscriber's premise.

Deployments: JDS Uniphase reports that it is in the beta phase with a major telco. The company is positioning the DTS-330's multicast analysis capability to its cable network business unit's customer base, including OEMs, cable, broadcast, satellite and terrestrial companies.

Compact Spectrum Analyzer and TV Test Receiver

Rohde & Schwarz's TV Analyzer R&S FSH3-TV combines the functions of a spectrum analyzer with those of a TV test receiver in a single instrument.

Distinguishing Features: The instrument's compact housing is designed for portable use. An integrated rechargeable battery ensures up to four hours of operation independent of the AC supply. An internal demodulator for analog and digital TV enables the most important TV measurements, so the R&S FSH 3-TV provides functions like video scope or constellation diagram presentation. Depending on the selected TV standard at the combined BNC connector, a CCVS (analog TV) signal or an MPEG transport stream is available for external use. Due to its portability, it is useful for servicing new installations and maintaining or repairing TV cable network or transmitter components.

Portable Analyzer Performs Analog and Digital Tests

Sunrise Telecom Broadband's AT2500RQv is a portable 1.5 GHz RF spectrum analyzer with combined CATV, QAM and video measurement capabilities. It tests both cutting edge digital services and legacy analog services. Plus it performs all FCC tests without service disruptions, including triennial color tests.

Deployments: Sunrise Telecom Broadband reports that all major MSOs in North America are using the product.

Asset Management

Around-the-Clock NOC Support for Ad Insertion

TANDBERG's AdPoint OnDemand Advertising Platform

TANDBERG Television's AdPoint OnDemand Advertising Platform is a complete solution that handles the production, management and placement of nonlinear advertising into on-demand programming.

Distinguishing Features: AdPoint has two major components, including a Campaign Manager that cable operators can use to build advertising campaigns and a Media Manager that implements the campaigns at the cable headend. AdPoint is built using open interfaces, which allows use with any ADI-compliant system and means that it is VOD solution independent. It offers plug-and-play compatibility and 24x7x365 support from TANDBERG Television's Network Operations Center.

Deployments: According to TANDBERG, AdPoint is currently in trials with Comcast Spotlight.

Customer Premise

S-A DVR Burns DVDs

Scientific-Atlanta's Model MCP-100DVR with built-in DVD recorder and player is a set-top that combines multiroom DVR, high-definition DVR, dual DVR recording and external Serial-ATA for storage expansion.

Distinguishing Features: S-A's MCP-100DVR delivers HD programming, plays commercial DVDs, and enables consumers to record their own DVDs from the DVR — for both standard- and high-definition content. The set-top's Multiroom DVR support enables viewers in three other rooms to simultaneously access content stored on the DVR hard drive and view the same program time shifted. Users also can transfer DVR recordings from the hard drive to DVDs, thus freeing more hard drive space for recording. The MCP-100DVR can archive both analog and digitally encrypted programming formats.

Deployments: Scientific-Atlanta reports that the MCP-100 DVR with built-in DVD is currently in trials in several customer labs.

BroadLogic Touts Ultra High-Speed Chip

BroadLogic's new BL12000 wideband chip enables a new generation of whole-home DVR set-tops, which can simultaneously record dozens of video streams, while other video streams are being viewed live.

Distinguishing Features: The BL12000 delivers improved tuning and demodulation performance and forms the core of a multichannel receiver front-end. According to BroadLogic, traditional solutions tune and demodulate a single 6 or 8 MHz channel, while a BL12000 system simultaneously tunes and demodulates 16 6 MHz channels, after which the resultant data streams can be joined together into a single output "super stream." The BL12000 also enables cable modems to deliver broadband at ultra high-speeds beyond 600 Megabits per second.

Deployment: BroadLogic reports that while wideband technology is not yet commercially deployed, it expects rollout in mid-to-late 2006.

Motorola HD Set-Top Sports Dual-Tuner DVR

Motorola's DCT6412 set-top combines HD television with a dual-tuner DVR to let users watch and record two programs at once. With its integrated 120 GB hard drive, the DCT6412 enables users to record SD television and HD programming. Cable operators also can use the set-top's HD capabilities to support revenue opportunities such as HD-VOD.

Distinguishing Features: The DCT6412 set-top offers advanced capabilities, including a high-end microprocessor, expanded memory, enhanced graphics, and a full range of audio/visual connections. The DCT6412's large memory capacity and fast processor facilitates navigation through a graphics-rich menu and guide screens. The DCT6412 set-top includes a direct digital connection to audio and video devices through IEEE 1394-DTV and DVI interfaces.

Deployments: According to Motorola, Comcast, Cox, Time Warner, Adelphia, Charter, Insight, Cable One, Mediacom, RCN, Shaw, Cogeco, and Cablevision Mexico are using the DCT6412.

Consistent Navigation Across TVs and Mobile Devices

Bluestreak's MachBlue is an open-standard software platform to facilitate development and launch of interactive applications for mobile devices and televisions. MachBlue enhances navigation, graphical display, and functionality on all devices, from legacy set-tops to high-capacity mobile handsets and PDAs.

Distinguishing Features: The MachBlue platform, based on Bluestreak's device-optimized implementation of Flash and ActionScript, allows operators and manufacturers to deploy customized navigators and applications to both TVs and mobile phones — simultaneously — creating a branded, visually consistent user experience. The platform operates in less than 1 MB of memory, allowing products and services authored in Flash to run on digital set-tops, OCAP-enabled devices and mobile handsets. MachBlue for Television is available for the following platforms:

Deployments: According to Bluestreak, digital cable systems across North America, including Time Warner Cable and Vidéotron, have licensed the MachBlue platform.

Platform-Independent Interactive Navigation

Aptiv Digital's Passport Echo interactive navigation software is designed specifically for HD/DVR set-tops. It delivers high-resolution graphics, intuitive interface design and option-rich video control.

Distinguishing Features: Passport Echo simplifies and enhances the ability to schedule recordings, manage disk space and quickly search for shows by title or keyword. Compatible with the industry's two major headend systems, Passport Echo is platform independent and adaptable to a cable operator's particular system configuration, allowing it to coexist with IPGs deployed on non-DVR set-tops. Passport Echo's extensible platform also allows for seamless integration and interoperability with a variety of third-party software such as VOD and native interactive applications such as iSubscribe, Video Mosaic and Passtime games.

Deployments: Aptiv Digital deploys Passport, Passport DCT and Passport Echo to three of the top seven MSOs as ranked by NCTA's top 25 MSOs and many other systems in North America, South America and the Caribbean.

> Who's Who in Advanced Video

Digital Simulcast Leads Cable Video Charge, Switched Video on the Horizon