Harris Corporation announced that Siemens Business Services has purchased its NetVX high-speed integrated video transport networking system for BBC News following a successful test during coverage of the U.S. presidential election.
Towards the end of last year BBC News was in the process of digitizing its Washington Bureau so the election became the ideal event to test the capabilities of NetVX. Within two days NetVX was installed to enable the BBC to use parallel networks for contributions to and from Washington. Among other benefits, NetVX makes it easy to switch from one type of network to another – the easiest and most cost-effective technology available to do this today.
NetVX provides an infinitely flexible platform that can handle multiple packet-based architectures such as ATM and IP over multiple networks such as microwave and satellite, and provide the same, and often greater, level of functionality than would previously be found in a myriad of individual hardwired components. Further, NetVX can scale to meet the BBC’s future requirements. With NetVX, analogue or digital video, audio, and/or data can be transported over any combination of networks simultaneously. NetVX systems can support various contribution and/or distribution applications including point-to-point or point-to-multipoint, local or centralized, unidirectional or bi-directional.
Siemens Business Services has a 10-year partnership with the BBC to deliver technology services to the BBC; where relevant, the company works with third parties – such as Harris – to deliver specific services.
“The BBC is recognized as one of the most trusted sources for news worldwide,” said Jim Denny, vice president and general manager of Harris Broadcast Communications Division’s Networking and Government Solutions business unit. “We are pleased to be able to provide an integrated platform that helps to ensure the reliability of their broadcasts.”