8 September 2015
As consumer demand for Ultra High Definition (UHD) content and televisions continues to grow, Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in video delivery infrastructure, and Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I), the world’s leading provider of satellite services, today announced a partnership to launch HVN Intelsat UHD, a linear UHD demonstration channel for the North American TV markets.
This channel will be broadcast via Intelsat’s Galaxy 13 satellite located at 127°W and will provide multi-channel video programming distributors (MVPDs) with an opportunity to prepare and test their UHD transmissions from the moment that they start downlinking content from Intelsat’s Galaxy 13 satellite through their own networks and into the subscribers’ homes. This platform will also be available to US cable programmers to conduct their own testing of UHD content. Since Intelsat’s Galaxy 13 satellite has 76 HD channels and reaches 98% of the cable headends in the continental United States, it creates an ideal environment for further enhancing the end-to-end delivery of UHD content to consumers.
Harmonic and Intelsat plan to demonstrate the HVN Intelsat UHD channel content at the upcoming IBC2015 Conference at the RAI Convention Center in Amsterdam, from September 11-15, 2015. Utilizing an end to end UHD video processing system from Harmonic, Intelsat will transmit live and linear 2160p60 (HEVC Main 10 profile) video content via C-band on the Intelsat Galaxy 13 satellite. The content will then travel from Intelsat’s Atlanta, Georgia, teleport facility using the IntelsatOne® IP/MPLS network to Intelsat’s Fuchsstadt, Germany, teleport facility, where it will be uplinked via Ku-band on the Intelsat 905 satellite located at 335.5○E, and received and decoded at the RAI Convention Center in Amsterdam.
The initial commissioning test signal will leverage transport stream servers located at Intelsat’s teleport facility in Atlanta, Georgia, and Harmonic’s ProMedia™ Xpress multiscreen transcoder and packager for pre-compression of the UHD video loop. Later this year, Harmonic will deploy its MediaGrid shared storage system, Polaris™ playout management suite, Spectrum™ X advanced media server system and Electra™ X3 advanced media processor to enable full UHD channel production and transmission from the company’s HVN Center in San Jose, California. That signal will then be uplinked in Intelsat’s teleport facility in Atlanta, Georgia via Intelsat’s Galaxy 13 satellite.
“As consumers purchase millions of 4K televisions before Ultra HD content even reaches critical mass, it has become clear that they are ready to experience the fully immersive viewing experience that Ultra HD provides,” said Peter Ostapiuk, head of media product services, Intelsat. “By partnering with Harmonic, Intelsat can now enable pay-TV operators to test the distribution of live linear Ultra HD broadcasts in crystal-clear 2160p60 resolution to the home. Our customers will now have an opportunity to further test bandwidth allocation and UHD content delivery via Intelsat’s hybrid satellite terrestrial network, which will pave the way for the distribution of amazing content—from popular sporting events to the latest movies and TV shows—and a viewing experience that can enhance customer satisfaction.”
At the heart of Intelsat’s UHD workflow is Harmonic’s Electra X3 advanced media processor, the industry’s first fully converged platform for broadcast and OTT delivery of UHD content with live, full-frame, full-GOP UHD encoding. Electra X3 is powered by the Harmonic PURE Compression Engine™, an advanced encoding technology that supports resolutions of up to 2160p60, leveraging the HEVC Main 10 codec. Using the Electra X3 media processor, Intelsat can deliver superior video quality at minimum bandwidth.
“By providing a complete UHD workflow solution for the delivery of live and linear broadcasts, Harmonic is driving the industry closer toward full-scale UHD service deployment,” said Peter Alexander, CMO at Harmonic. “Harmonic offers all of the video infrastructure components that satellite operators such as Intelsat need for delivering 2160p60 UHD video content, including live, full-frame, full-GOP encoding, storage, and playout systems, enabling them to quickly roll out UHD services with market-leading video quality and a low total cost of ownership.”
For those attending the 11-15 September IBC2015 Conference in Amsterdam, they can visit the Harmonics Stand (Hall 1, B20) or the Intelsat Stand (Hall 1, C71) for more details and a live viewing of the UHD demonstration. (Source: Intelsat press release)
8 September 2015
ARAB SATELLITE TELECOMMUNICATION ORGAINZATION (ARABSAT) and EMERGING MARKETS COMMUNICATIONS (EMC) announce their joint venture to launch TRIO, the first real triple play service over satellite in the world.
The TRIO platform is built on SATLink technology owned by EMC and the soon-to-be launched new ARABSAT Badr-7 satellite at the MENA hotspot @ 26º East to produce a state of the Art STB that will provide TV viewers and household consumers with an unprecedented experience bundling a 10Mb broadband connectivity over satellite, FTA and Pay TV reception, huge recording capability and smart algorithms for VOD with a vast catalog of new titles of international and national content from the famous production studios and Arab World, and will act as a Wi-Fi bridge for the households where all handheld devices can be connected to enjoy access to Internet and linear TV, each on his/her screen.
TRIO will have also an enterprise version for broadband over satellite that has been proven already in the market as the solution of choice for enterprise and VSAT networks and with the embedded SatLink technology and patents.
Arabsat Badr-7 will be launched early November, 2015 and its high throughput Ka-band payload was especially designed to support TRIO solutions for MENA and selected African markets. The service will be formally launched upon readiness of the satellite for commercial operations post the launch.
Khalid Balkheyour, President & CEO of ARABSAT said: “We offer our viewers @ 26º East an amazing TV viewing experience, it’s no longer about watching TV, it’s now about enjoying and interacting, it’s about creating a house environment of amusement and convenience. The enterprise version of TRIO will be promoted as the technology platform for all governmental and enterprise networks on Arabsat satellites. Arabsat and EMC have been strong partners for more than 10 years now and we are proud to be part of such an innovation leap in the industry”.
Abel Avellan, the CEO of EMC commented: “TRIO was built on the superior SatLink technology that supported the telecom market for many years; with the conversion trends between Media and Telecom, we have invested heavily in R&D activities to produce a revolutionary chipsets that can support many applications including 4K. This joint venture with Arabsat will take TRIO further as the product of choice for TV markets”.
Santiago Rossi, the General Manager of the newly established TRIO also commented: “Under the current JV, the assets and know-how of SatLink have been transferred into TRIO to allow for an autonomous operation and to serve the needs of both ARABSAT and EMC and support their big database of customers. We trust that this revolutionary platform will be adopted by both telecom and media players who wants to serve their customers with a fully immersive product for their digital lifestyle as well as enterprise and governments that wants to bring efficient communications and content distribution to their communities. We are all very excited and looking forward to have the Badr-7 Satellite @ 26º East hotspot and we are planning to expand into other regions”.
(Source: Arabsat press release)
7 September 2015
BBC Brasil has further extended its reach in Brazil by making its news content available on the digital services of the major mobile content aggregator, Grupo Gol.
The platforms, Nuvem de Jornaleiro and Nuvem de Livros, have been developed by Grupo Gol for the Brazilian mobile operator, Vivo, and now, thanks to the syndication agreement between BBC World Service and Grupo Gol, Vivo subscribers as well as Grupo Gol’s other distribution partners can access global and regional news and information from BBC Brasil via smartphones (Android and iOS), tablet, desktop or laptop.
BBC Brasil text and video feeds, covering international politics, economy, science, environment, health, culture and social issues, add to the Nuvem de Jornaleiro platform which currently offers access to more than 250 national magazines and newspapers and two news agencies. The Nuvem de Livros platform – a virtual educational library with more than 15,000 books, videos and interactive content – now features BBC Brasil coverage of culture and social issues, science and environment. Users can select and configure content based on country, topic and language.
BBC World Service Business Development Manager, Brazil, Katie Wellham, says: “The collaboration with Grupo Gol is a great development allowing us to extend BBC Brasil’s reach directly to the subscribers of the two digital platforms. We very much hope that BBC’s comprehensive coverage of global and regional developments will become an essential resource for these users – especially Vivo customers and those who are new to our content.”
Jonas Suassuna, president of Grupo Gol, adds: “The inclusion of BBC Brasil into the Nuvem de Livros and Nuvem do Jornaleiro platforms demonstrates a commitment to offer the whole of Brazilian society pioneering, unique and transformative solutions which will increasingly take hold as ways to democratise access to information and knowledge.”
Grupo Gol is a value added service (VAS) business provider for key mobile operators in Brazil, including Vivo. Nuvem de Jornaleiro and Nuvem de Livros are flagship products in Grupo Gol’s portfolio of mobile VAS.
BBC Brasil reaches around 15 million unique users a month with its multimedia content on its website bbcbrasil.com and via its content syndication on portals such as UOL, MSN Brasil, IG, Terra, G1, and Folha. BBC Brasil offers news apps for Android, iPhone and iPod touch users as well as for Nokia’s Series 40 devices.
BBC Brasil is part of BBC World Service. (Source: BBC press release)
7 September 2015
If you’re visiting IBC later this week, you’ll want to know where to get the best food in a city that will be buzzing with 50,000 delegates.
We’re sharing with you some inside information on where the AIB likes to go during the tech fest – even if it means we might find it more challenging to get places ourselves…! And the beauty of the first three tips is their proximity to the RAI, while our final recommendations are slightly further afield.
Just a short stroll from the RAI is Restaurant As. Nestling in the Beatrixpark and alongside a school in a residential area that’s a world away from the hustle and bustle of Europaplein, Restaurant As is a true gem. This where you can go to get great food that’s sourced within a 20km radius of the restaurant, where practicable. The menu changes almost daily and is governed by what’s available at the local markets and from the restaurant’s top local suppliers. We’ve never been disappointed…unless we’ve failed to book a place at the restaurant’s huge shared tables.
Another favourite with us – and the locals – is the Reuring in the heart of the residential area to the north of the RAI. It’s small, with a handful of outside seats where you can watch the bicycles go by and the locals wend their way home. Great food, reasonably priced and friendly staff go to make this an ideal place to unwind after a hard day of meetings at IBC. Beware – it’s absolutely essential to reserve places as this is a popular restaurant with limited capacity.
Our third recommendation is on the tram route from RAI to the centre of Amsterdam. The Pekelhaaring is in a converted shop and is not a starched linen tablecloth sort of place. Instead it’s relaxed with wooden tables arranged quite close to each other, serving tasty, reasonably-priced food. There’s a constant buzz here as it’s very popular with locals and it’s definitely a good idea to book your place as turning up on the door usually leads to disappointment!
Another recommendation if you’re in need of a quick fix of freshly-made pasta, or a pizza, is Vapiano. This chain has two branches in Amsterdam, the first at Amstelstraat 2-4, 1017 DA Amsterdam, the second at Oosterdokskade 145, 1011 DL Amsterdam, south-east of Centraal Station, alongside the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. While these are reasonably large, they do get busy so allow a bit of time to cope with numbers of young Amsterdammers!
Our final recommendation is Le Debut in the Skotel Amsterdam. This is a fine dining restaurant within Amsterdam’s hotel training school. Your food and drink will be prepared and served by the students under the watchful eye of a tutor or two. We’ve always had remarkable food here – booking’s essential and the restaurant is only open Monday to Friday for lunch from 1200-1400 and dinner between 1800 and 2230 (but you need to be seated by 1830 at the latest).
Don’t share this information too widely – keep it a secret between the AIB and you…
7 September 2015
Roman Steuer, currently head of Sky Deutschland’s Sky Sport News HD channel, is to become the network’s head of sports in mid-September.
Dirk Grosse, the former head of sports communication at Sky Deutschland, is to take a new role as head of Sky Sport News HD.
7 September 2015
The BBC has set out an ambitious plan for the next decade as it strives to “make Britain the greatest cultural force in the world”.
Speaking on Monday 7 September, BBC Director-General Tony Hall said that the Corporation wanted to become “an open BBC for the Internet age”.
The plans include a number of key international initiatives, including:
- a daily news programme in the Korean language, beamed into North Korea on short wave radio;
- a satellite TV service for Russian-language speakers, or an enhanced digital presence on platforms like YouTube and Rutube;
- Additional regional content in the BBC Arabic service, with increased coverage of the MENA region;
- A news service for Ethiopia and Eritrea delivered on traditional medium and short wave platforms.
BBC World Service – which will operate these planned services – is funded from the UK licence fee that all viewers of live TV must buy. However, the BBC is expected to seek funding for the enhanced output from the UK government.
The main proposals set out by the BBC are:
- A commitment to original, high-quality British drama to enrich content for UK viewers and boost the creative industries. This will be the backbone of a more distinctive approach across all of the BBC’s services, from BBC One to online.
- A partnership to create an Ideas Service providing the public with the best of British ideas and culture.
- A new children’s service – iPlay – creating a single front-door for children to the wealth of the whole BBC and our trusted partners beyond – giving more content to children that matures with them, across more platforms, in a safe and trusted way.
- Finding digital ways to support music discovery to help audiences find new music and the best from the archive. This is backed by the UK music industry and focused on promoting the best of new British talent.
- Responsive radio to give audiences a personalised schedule of programmes.
- Significant investment in the World Service to parts of the world where there is a democratic deficit in impartial news. This is about upholding Britain’s place in the world and the promotion of British values.
- The offering of a new partnership with local newspapers on local reporting, shaped in discussion with the industry. This content would be shared, jointly created, and backed by licence fee funding, thereby helping to secure the future of local newspapers and democratic reporting.
- Opening up BBC iPlayer to showcase content from others.
- A review of the BBC’s website to ensure that it is distinctive with a stronger focus on online broadcast content.
- A transition from rolling news to streaming news, with BBC Newstream, bringing the expertise of our journalism into the palm of your hand.
- New versions of our education, news and entertainment services in the Nations, as the start of our consultation about how to reflect deepening devolution.
- The BBC will also set out its ambition to find close to 20 per cent of its cost base in savings. As much of that as possible will come from efficiency and commercial growth, but it will also require service reductions or closures. The BBC says that it will seek to go further than required by the recent Budget agreement in order to invest in the above proposals.
Full details of the Director-General’s speech are here and you can see a film that accompanied the proposals here.
