Professional MPEG-2 coder with IP MGW 2000 output. Main possibilities and applications

By Alexander Anufriev

Review contents:

MPEG-2 coders and decoders MPEG-1/-2 coders from Canopus Orca coder from Doremi Labs Company Optibase card for MPEG-coding/decoding Professional MPEG-2 coder with IP MGW 2000 output. Main possibilities and applications MPEG Pinnacle Studio MovieBox USB coder Coding devices of the Streampress Encode Series Equipment for MPEG coding and decoding from Scopus Network Technologies company MPEG coders from Sigma Designs Company Professional decoders MPEG-1/MPEG-2 Stradis Coders and decoders from Tandberg Television Company MPEG-2 coders from lower price ranges

The development of the fibre-optic networks infrastructure allows for the telecommunication operator to give simultaneously not only traditional facilities such as IP-telephony and access in Internet, but also the IP-television. The service of the television can be entered on base such network structures as ADSL, VDSL, fibre-optic, LMDS and LAN. Moreover the television service with IP technology allows greatly increases the list of provided services:

• Traditional TV-broadcasting;
• Time shift of the programs (time-shifted TV) or personal video recorder (this service allows to write the liked program by subsciber, the content viewing with time shift, booking any liked program from archive, etc.);
• Interactive TV;
• TV on screen of the computer.

One of the reasons, slowing development of the broadband networks at the last years, was a small quantity of the services, provided to user with the result that insufficient amount investment was attracted in development of the broadband infrastructure. The positions of business-models of the broadband networks become much more strong when entering the services TV through IP, since there are the main sources of operator revenue. A subscriber gets the package of the services from one source that always more comfortable from standpoint of communication and time expenses for account payment while the operator in the same way vastly reduces the expenses because of the application of existing network infrastructure, billing systems (the extracts, account checking and payment), technical maintenance and etc.

Introduction of TV-service through IP in operator network usually means the transmission of 30-100 television channels on IP-network. From main operator station the content is sent in regional centres via main network. From regional centre the content is delivering via so named “last mile” directly up to final users. For stream broadcasting through IP networks MPEG coders with IP output are used. These coders capture video from content provider and code the signals in MPEG packages. For present the coders, basically use the algorithm of the MPEG-2 coding that allows to transfer with rate approximately from 3 to 4 Mbit/s for one stream. This rate value provides a such digital picture quality that is comparable with traditional analogue systems.

MPEG-2 coder with IP output of MGW 2000 model by Optibase is examined and use-proven in the world market.

The main possibility of MGW 2000 is a transmission of several channels alive TV and video on IP-networks. This unit can take up to six analogue signals, code them in realtime in MPEG-2 format and then deliver on IP-network in multicast and unicast mode. The coder can be provided by input video interfaces, composite or SDI that allows to work with any signal source. The format of the MPEG-2 coding with maximum resolution is 720×576. The output interfaces are the following: 10/100 BaseT Ethernet Full Duplex or Half Duplex (RJ-45), are herewith used the UDP Multicast/Unicast and RTP Multicast/ Unicast as network protocols. On front panel is visually displayed the state of the instrument and each channel status.

Professional MGW 2000 MPEG-2 coder with IP output

MGW 2000 also supports the transmission in “near on demand” mode for ten pre-recorded streams, including MP3 files. By means of MGW 2000 the operators can use their own DSL, fibre-optics and Ethernet LAN network for TV broadcasting on IP.

Using a web-protocol? The systems of the remote control for MGW 2000 provide the stream configuring, control and tracing. Also, system integrators can develop some necessary applications under project of the main station concretely, using such programme packages, as MGW 2000 ActiveX controls and DirectShow development tools.

The special interface allows for operator to plan the broadcasting of programs, record session and transmission on time. Such additional possibilities, as low delay and Diffserv QoS support, assure that TV transmission on IP with MGW 2000 will satisfy the highest level specification.

MGW 2000 unites the easy use with additional possibilities and the highest video quality, giving thereby all that required for decision of the transmission video on IP. The little delay time, provided by MGW 2000, assure that joint and delivery of content will occur almost instantly that it is important in such areas of activity, as remote education and corporative TV-broadcasting. Due to support of such protocols, as Session Announcement Protocol (SAP) and Session Description Protocol (SDP), the TV-channels, transferring by MGW 2000, automatically recognized by a receiver, allowing easy choose between “alive” and earlier scheduled program. The mechanism of the regulation of the traffic (traffic shaping), available in MGW 2000, optimizes joint, allowing to obtain the best quality video in any network.

One of the example of MGW 2000 using is a providing of video service by telecommunication operator in Italy, having broadly developed fibre-optics structure and hundreds of thousands subscribers. One of the broadband service provided to company, is a television. For this MGW 2000 coders are used, which provide the transmission alive video on IP-network for such applications, as TV-broadcasting, “video on demand”, interactive TV, and other additional video services. High capacity company optical network is based on IP-protocol and has the extension more than 1400 km, covering the groups of ten of thousands of the houses. Using service “video on demand”, based on IP-protocol, the network users can order the access to great archive of films, information, news, sport reports, theatrical production, cartoons and music clips with the highest quality of the digital audio and pictures. In the near future in the same way a subscriber can be provided by “the plays on demand” service.

For home using are IP MPEG-2 decoders with keyboard, provided by infrared port for more suitable access to all services. The subscribers can choose any different video- and audio programs from huge library. The additional interactive TV-services allow for users not to be linked to usual planned television broadcasting with already prepared programs.

Material is provided by Syrus Systems Company