MobilityWire

Here at Cable-Tec Expo, RGB Networks, the leader in network video processing, is demonstrating the latest addition to its Video Multiprocessing Gateway (VMG) product line, the VMG-6, which it introduced today. Like the larger VMG-14, the new VMG-6 is a carrier-class, chassis-based platform that provides an array of digital video solutions for service providers as it can perform multiple advanced video processing functions on both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4/H.264 video streams, including transrating, ad insertion, statistical multiplexing and transcoding. The five rack unit VMG-6 is ideally suited for operators that require a smaller form factor chassis for deployment in hubs, whereas the 13 rack unit VMG-14 is better suited to headends.

The ability of the VMG-6 to transcode MPEG-4/H.264 programs into MPEG-2 utilizes RGB’s recently announced content repurposing technology, and is particularly timely for cable operators as programmers increasingly deliver their content in MPEG-4/H.264. Though first generation, single-channel, “pizza box” transcoders work for the few programs currently delivered in MPEG-4/H.264, they will be far too costly and operationally inefficient once most programs are in MPEG-4/H.264. Additionally, integrated transcoders in satellite receivers lack the high availability, redundancy and networking flexibility of the all-IP VMG. The VMG-6’s ability to transcode an unprecedented number of streams drastically improves workflow and reduces operational expenditures while enabling operators to cost-effectively convert an entire MPEG-4/H.264 channel line-up into the MPEG-2 format that their networks support. In addition, the VMG’s content repurposing technology prepares operators for future “three screen” delivery.

“RGB is committed to providing customers with the widest range of video processing solutions to meet their unique requirements and applications. With the addition of the VMG-6 we offer a scalable, carrier-class solution that ideally complements our already proven single rack unit products, each addressing a different set of needs,” said Ramin Farassat, RGB Networks’ Vice President of Product Marketing. “Furthermore, the VMG-6 is our latest solution for content repurposing, which enables operators to process multiple video streams from different sources and deliver them seamlessly and simultaneously to TVs, PCs and mobile devices in real time and optimized for viewing on each platform.”

Cable operators – and their competitors – are all racing to deliver their programming to TVs, PCs and mobile devices simultaneously, but implementing a multi-device service in a cost-effective and scalable manner has been elusive. The VMG-14 and VMG-6 address this challenge with their ability to transcode and process an unprecedented number of streams in real time, while simultaneously performing a number of other functions, including aggregation, grooming, replication, transrating and ad insertion, all within the same platform. This ultra-high-density, integrated approach of RGB’s content repurposing technology offers operators a scalable solution, allowing multiple video processing functions to be applied to each stream in real time, as needed, to prepare the video for its intended receiving device.

The high-density VMG-6 can accommodate up to six modules that perform a variety of advanced video processing functions. The integration of these modules within a single chassis provides a unique solution with very high reliability due to its full intra-chassis redundancy capabilities. The VMG-6 utilizes the same application modules as the VMG-14, thereby providing operational cost savings and flexibility in deploying both platforms at various network locations, based on the applications and capacity requirements.

Cable-Tec Demonstration
At its Cable-Tec Expo booth (#15059) RGB will demonstrate key functionality of the VMG, including transcoding from MPEG-4/H.264 to MPEG-2, MPEG-4/H.264 ad insertion and statistical multiplexing of MPEG-2 and MPEG-4/H.264 streams. RGB will highlight how this integrated platform approach to video processing reduces operational complexity and allows for the seamless deployment of a variety of applications with easy, license-based upgrading and scalable, pay-as-you-grow expansion of services.

About RGB Networks
RGB Networks is revolutionizing video, delivering leading-edge video processing solutions that address the complexities of the changing video delivery model. With advanced solutions for bandwidth optimization, content repurposing and addressable advertising, RGB’s products enable operators to deliver the next generation of highly personalized video services, which are relevant to individual subscribers and delivered anytime to any device. The company’s products are based on its unique Video Intelligence Architecture™ (VIA), enabling them to process an unprecedented number of video streams with the highest video quality. RGB’s scalable solutions dramatically reduce the cost to deliver both broadcast and unicast services, and help operators maximize their existing network infrastructure. More than 7,000 RGB products are deployed in the field by over 170 service providers in 25 countries worldwide. Learn more at www.rgbnetworks.com.

RGB Networks, the leader in network video processing, today announced that its Broadcast Network Processor (BNP) has received a 4.5 Diamond rating in Broadband Gear Report’s esteemed 2009 Diamond Technology Reviews. This score marks the third consecutive year that the BNP has received 4 diamonds or higher from the coveted reviews program. The BNP was recognized in particular this year for its significant upgrade to support the MPEG-4/H.264 video format, including ad insertion, grooming and multiplexing.

“Being recognized for the third year in a row by such a highly regarded product reviews program is a reflection of the enthusiasm for the Broadcast Network Processor in the marketplace and of our commitment to continually adding new functionality to keep the BNP the most feature-rich video processing platform in the industry,” said Jeff Tyre, Director, Product Marketing for RGB Networks.  “With its new support for MPEG-4/H.264, along with digital EAS and operator-generated alert messages, the BNP continues to provide operators with the tools they need to compete as video services continue to evolve.”

“The Diamonds judges who reviewed RGB’s Broadcast Network Processor were very impressed by the power of this 1RU product,” Laura Hamilton, editor-in-chief at BGR, says. “They felt the company had put a great deal of thought into the processor, from supporting MPEG-2 and H.264 to ensuring integration with SCTE 18.”

The BNP is used by many of the world’s largest cable operators to deliver more high definition (HD) programming, groom custom channel line-ups and to generate new ad revenues through the insertion of local ads. Able to simultaneously process more than 500 video streams in its one rack-unit platform, the BNP is the highest density solution for digital video grooming, statistical multiplexing, transrating, digital program insertion (DPI) and digital overlays.

The addition of MPEG-4/H.264 support is increasingly relevant in many markets, particularly internationally.

The Broadband Gear Report’s Diamond Technology Reviews, launched in 2005, seek to provide an unbiased technology review program within the broadband community- utilizing a distinguished panel of engineering executives from major MSOs to review each submission. The 2009 top Diamond Technology rankings will be announced in a special feature article during this year’s SCTE Cable-Tec Expo in Denver.

About Broadband Gear Report
Broadband Gear Report (BGR) is the cable and telecom industry’s premier product and technology alert service, and is the most successful and fastest growing online vehicle to provide product information, reviews and rankings; technology expertise; and buyer/seller facilitation designed to help network operators build, maintain and upgrade high-performance communications networks. Launched in 2004, BGR has more than 12,000 subscribers for its email, online, print, and television services.

About RGB Networks
RGB Networks is revolutionizing video, delivering leading-edge video processing solutions that address the complexities of the changing video delivery model. With advanced solutions for bandwidth optimization, content repurposing and addressable advertising, RGB’s products enable operators to deliver the next generation of highly personalized video services, which are relevant to individual subscribers and delivered anytime to any device.  The company’s products are based on its unique Video Intelligence Architecture™ (VIA), enabling them to process an unprecedented number of video streams with the highest video quality.  RGB’s scalable solutions dramatically reduce the cost to deliver both broadcast and unicast services, and help operators maximize their existing network infrastructure.  More than 7,000 RGB products are deployed in the field by over 170 service providers in 25 countries worldwide. Learn more at www.rgbnetworks.com.

RGB Networks, the leader in network video processing, today announced that it will be demonstrating its line of advanced video processing solutions at this year’s Cable-Tec Expo, including the new Video Multiprocessing Gateway (VMG), the multi-function, ultra-dense chassis behind RGB’s content repurposing solution. Capable of simultaneously delivering any video program to multiple devices – from televisions, to PCs, to mobile devices – via any network and with pristine picture quality, the VMG offers a scalable and highly reliable video processing solution for cable operators.

“This year’s Cable-Tec demonstrations really highlight the advancements we have made to our product line, particularly as we roll out our new content repurposing solution that enables cable operators to easily support different video sources, networks and devices,” said Ramin Farassat, Vice President of Product Marketing for RGB Networks.  “Most immediately, as programmers increasingly deliver their content in MPEG-4/H.264, cable operators need an easy, cost-effective and scalable solution for transcoding the content into the MPEG-2 format that their networks can support.”

RGB will be demonstrating several products at this year’s Expo, including:  the VMG, the Broadcast Network Processor (BNP) and the Dynamic Bandwidth Manager (DBM).

• The VMG is the heart of RGB’s new content repurposing solution, uniquely combining a number of key functions, including content repurposing, digital ad insertion, transrating, grooming ingest and aggregation, all in a single video processing platform.  The VMG demonstration will include transcoding MPEG-4/H.264 streams into MPEG-2, as well as MPEG-4/H.264 ad insertion and statistical multiplexing of MPEG-2 and MPEG-4/H.264 streams.
• This year’s BNP demonstrations will highlight several key features of this multi-function product, including its digital overlay capabilities and its recently announced MPEG-4/H.264 digital ad insertion feature.  Also on display will be a new function that is drawing much interest from operators—the BNP’s ability to deliver digital EAS messaging and operator-generated alerts. RGB continues to add new features and functionality to the BNP, which is widely deployed by operators throughout the Americas to optimize their bandwidth for the delivery of more high definition (HD) programming and to generate revenue through the insertion of local advertising.
• RGB’s DBM enables operators to deliver more on-demand services without increasing bandwidth. In its demonstration, the DBM will pack three HD VOD programs into a single 6MHz channel without impacting picture quality or VOD’s ‘trickplay’ features.  Three HD streams in one channel represents 50 percent more VOD content without any compromises.

About RGB’s Products
RGB Networks offers a comprehensive suite of advanced digital video networking products built on its unique Video Intelligence Architecture™ (VIA). The exceptional stream processing density of RGB’s products, combined with advanced processing capabilities, including transrating, statistical remultiplexing, and digital overlay and ad insertion – enable RGB’s products to dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of delivering increasingly targeted, personalized and on-demand video services.

About RGB Networks
RGB Networks is revolutionizing video, delivering leading-edge video processing solutions that address the complexities of the changing video delivery model. With advanced solutions for bandwidth optimization, content repurposing and addressable advertising, RGB’s products enable operators to deliver the next generation of highly personalized video services, which are relevant to individual subscribers and delivered anytime to any device.  The company’s products are based on its unique Video Intelligence Architecture™ (VIA), enabling them to process an unprecedented number of video streams with the highest video quality.  RGB’s scalable solutions dramatically reduce the cost to deliver both broadcast and unicast services, and help operators maximize their existing network infrastructure.  More than 7,000 RGB products are deployed in the field by over 170 service providers in 25 countries worldwide. Learn more at www.rgbnetworks.com.

RGB Networks, the leader in network video processing, today announced it has upgraded its Broadcast Network Processor (BNP) to support MPEG-4/H.264 ad insertion. With an increasing number of video service providers now using the MPEG-4/H.264 format, RGB has enhanced its BNP to enable operators to support this advanced codec when implementing zoned and targeted ad insertion. The BNP, RGB’s flagship product, is used by video service providers worldwide to deliver a greater volume of high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) programming using the lowest possible bandwidth, while also generating new ad revenues through the insertion of local ads and digital overlays.

With television advertising expanding worldwide, there is growing demand for ad insertion solutions that enable the delivery of targeted advertising. Tailored to reflect subscriber preferences and demographics, this capability is highly desirable to advertisers. As the most advanced digital video solution available on the market today, RGB’s BNP enables video service providers to easily deliver this highly targeted and personalized video service. The latest BNP upgrade is in response to the growing use of the MPEG-4/H.264 video codec to deliver bandwidth-intensive services in the most efficient manner. With its new capability, the BNP further improves operational efficiencies by allowing video service providers to seamlessly splice revenue-generating ads directly into both SD and HD MPEG-4/H.264 program streams, allowing for an easy transition as the demand for HD increases.

“Video service providers have a lot on their plates at the moment as they move to digital and try to meet subscribers’ growing demand for bandwidth-hungry HD services. The necessary network upgrades to support these services are costly, and financing them can be challenging,” said Jeff Tyre, Director, Product Marketing for RGB Networks. “The BNP’s ad insertion capabilities help providers secure new revenue streams from advertisers eager to reach targeted subscribers, and its support of the MPEG-4/H.264 format gives operators even greater flexibility.”

“As ad insertion becomes more prevalent in Europe, the ability to support MPEG-4/H.264 in both HD and SD is critical to launching this revenue-generating service and ensuring a future-proof solution,” said Hans Kornmann, CEO, Divitel, a significant systems integrator in the Netherlands. “Operators in the Netherlands are leading the European market in the deployment of ad insertion, and we see this as an excellent opportunity to partner with RGB as this application grows into other parts of Europe.”

Able to simultaneously process more than 500 video streams in its one rack unit platform, the BNP is the highest density solution for digital video grooming, statistical multiplexing, transrating, digital program insertion (DPI) and digital overlays. This unprecedented stream processing density dramatically reduces the cost and complexity of deploying HD and other increasingly sophisticated services. Enabling this industry-leading processing density is RGB’s innovative Video Intelligence Architecture™ (VIA), which is at the heart of the BNP and RGB’s other products.

About RGB Networks
RGB Networks is revolutionizing video, delivering leading-edge video processing solutions that address the complexities of the changing video delivery model. With advanced solutions for bandwidth optimization, content repurposing and addressable advertising, RGB’s products enable operators to deliver the next generation of highly personalized video services, which are relevant to individual subscribers and delivered anytime to any device. The company’s products are based on its unique Video Intelligence Architecture™ (VIA), enabling them to process an unprecedented number of video streams with the highest video quality. RGB’s scalable solutions dramatically reduce the cost to deliver both broadcast and unicast services, and help operators maximize their existing network infrastructure. More than 7,000 RGB products are deployed in the field by over 170 service providers in 25 countries worldwide. Learn more at www.rgbnetworks.com.