NAB Product Preview: Signal Processing


It’s a great time to be in this industry; the equipment is rock solid and almost anything can be done with just a “card.” Whether it’s being in compliance with EAS or closed captioning requirements, building a plant from scratch with d.a.s and processing gear, or diving headfirst into the world of IP encoding/delivery, suddenly the world is not so scary. There have never been more choices, equipment has never been more compact, and instruction manuals are getting smaller every year.

This year, it seems as if each equipment category will have plenty of new stars to catch our eyes, but there will be some entries around that are not so new, just to make you feel comfortable.

EAS

Cobalt Digital will promote the new EAS audio ducking feature for all Cobalt Digital Fusion3G cards, allowing input mixing of 5.1 or stereo program audio and EAS audio when a GPI trigger occurs.

Digital Alert Systems will showcase the DASDEC-II LC / DASDEC-II LCR, specifically designed for television facilities needing minimal EAS/CAP requirements. Also for review will be the MultiPlayer, which provides multiple EAS switching, playout, and control to cover the EAS requirements of multiple program streams.

TFT will introduce the Model 3320 CAP-to-EAS decoder, for compliance with FCC requirements for receiving CAP-encoded messages. Use of the 3320 will allow some existing EAS systems to remain in place.

CLOSED CAPTIONING

CPC-Computer Prompting & Captioning Co. will highlight their YouCaption realtime speech recognition based closed captioning software to supplement their popular MacCaption and CaptionMaker products.

EEG will show off the file-based MPEG-2 Caption Legalizer, along with the CCPlay FilePro, a software encoding tool for MPEG-2 and MXF XDCAM video file formats. Also, check out the ComCC 1250 iCap Interface Card and 1480 HD Encoder Card. For voice captioning, the iCap Voice Captioning (iCap VC) will be available for review.

Gorman Redlich Mfg Co. will offer for review the CAP-DEC 1 CAP converter that translates received CAP 1.2 alerts into EAS headers able to be transmitted by your current EAS equipment. For multiple channels, the EAS1-CG2 will also be shown.

Softel will showcase ScheduleSmart, a workflow technology to determine the optimum point at which to bind captions, subtitles and ancillary data to content. Also for review will be the Swift TX, a caption/subtitle management and transmission platform. For teletext, Softel will offer the latest Microsoft Windows-based Cyclone.

Visionary Solutions (VSI) will introduce newly added capability to process closed captioning (EIA-608 and EIA-708), for both SD and HD signals, using the AVN443 blade (SDI and HDSDI input). CC for composite input (EIA-608) will also be available on the AVN441 for compliance with H.264-over-IP applications.

Wohler will display their HDCC-200A captioning cards, which allow users to handle encoding, decoding, and monitoring of CEA608, CEA708, WST, and OP47 captions, as well as encoding/decoding of multiple GPI triggers.

ENCODERS/DECODERS

Alcorn McBride Inc. will showcase the Alcorn Encoder, their all-in-one workflow system for the encoding and transmission of playback content.

Alteran Technologies will offer for review the ViTaDi ExPack, a portable extension pack with available options, including automatic transcoding, additional storage, AQC (automatic quality control), and LTOPack (multiple drive LTO tape storage). It comes in a rugged flypack with Xserve computers and has a small form factor.

Broadpeak will unveil the BkS100 TS Server, offering streaming and record capacity for multiple video formats, including H.264/MPEG-2, SD/HD and streaming and download formats including MPEG-2 TS,HTTP, ISMA RTP.

Crystal Vision TANDAM 3GCrystal Vision will offer its latest embedded audio product, the TANDEM 3G, embedder/de-embedder module.

DVEO division of Computer Modules will be showcasing the MPEG Gearbox RF/IP multistandard MPEG-2 to H.264 transcoder/scaler. Also on display will be the MPEG Legend, a two channel 4:2:0 MPEG-2 SD transport stream encoder.

Ericsson will display the Ericsson Contribution Encoders, a high density video processing platform for contribution and distribution applications. It supports both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC, with up to 10-bit precision and 1080p50/60 resolutions.

Evertz will demonstrate their 9782ENC-H264HD HD/SD H.264 encoder, featuring HD/SD 8-bit 4:2:0, with optional 8-bit 4:2:2, 10-bit 4:2:2, and MPEG-2/JPEG2000 HD/SD encoding.

Haivision Network Video will debut the Furnace 6.0 IP video system, which records, distributes, and plays back multiple synchronized HD H.264 media streams. Also look for the new Makito encoder for efficient and affordable distribution, capture, and rebroadcast of HD video.

Haivision Furnace 6.0Hitachi High Technologies will show their HU200 ultra low latency H.264 encoder and decoder, along with the MS3500, compact H.264 HD codec module, which offers full high-definition 4:2:0 color space support and low latency.

Manzanita Systems will exhibit their Adaptive Transport Stream Multiplexer, which accepts one or more MPEG streams encoded at different data rates, and remultiplexes all streams into one synchronized MPEG-4 stream.

NTT will show an extended new line of its HV9100 series high 4:2:2 profile encoder/decoder, which provides high quality video at lower bit-rates.

Sencore will introduce the TXS 3453 transcoder, which delivers multiple channels of transcoding in a high-density 1RU chassis. The TXS 3453 can perform MPEG-2 to H.264 and H.264 to MPEG2 SD and HD transcoding, as well as transrating of MPEG-2 or H.264 streams.

Sonifex will feature the Redbox RB-DS2 stereo delay synchroniser and tine zone delay, along with the Redbox RB-VHDDD8 3G/HD/SD-SDI Dolby E encoder and embedder, which encodes eight channels of audio into two channels of an AES/EBU digital stream, which is then embedded onto video output paths.

Teradek plans to show Citadel, a professional broadcast network video HD/4SD H.264 encoder and decoder that can encode input video at any resolution. Also on stage will be Chimera, a professional broadcast network video HD H.264 encoder offering 1080p60.

Vidyo will offer Vidyo encoders and decoders for H.264 SVC scalable video coding. These include resolution layers, and can use the private-cloud VidyoMediaSwitch, or Internet-focused VidyoSwitch-in-the-cloud for point to multi-point, or can operate simply as point-to-point.

Visionary Solutions Inc, (VSI) will showcase H.264-over-IP encoding at full 1080p60 in their AVN443, AVN441 and AVN422 modules, which previously were limited to 1080i.

Vitec will off the Stradis encoder and decoder solutions, including the HDM850 and HDM500ex. The full line of Stradis MPEG2 standard-definition and HD AVC/MPEG2 high-definition decoders provide a variety of outputs and additional features.

PROCESSING

Atlona plans to exhibit their AT-3GSDI-16 1x6 SDI/HD-SDI/3G HD-SDI distribution amplifier, a high-performance unit for SDI (SMPTE 292M) and 3G HD-SDI (SMPTE 424M) signals.

Axon Digital Design will showcase the GRB100—3 Gbps, HD, SD dual SDI in embedded domain shuffler and re-embedder with S2020 metadata insertion, along with the HSI11—HD/SD SDI VBI/VANC encoder.

Bluebell will debut the BC460T, a 4-channel AES 3G-SDI embedder, along with the complimentary BC460R, which converts input optical signals into a 3G-SDI signal while de-embedding audio and providing four channels of AES/EBU.

Cobalt Digital will offer a “Wings” option for Fusion3G cards, accepting a separate SDI wings stream, featuring auto-size and user scale.

ESE will showcase the ES-110, GPS Based 10 MHz frequency standard, along with the HD-488/SD, HD & SD timecode reader/generator/inserter. Also, check out the DV-321, genlockable HD/SD sync generator with SD/HD genlock input and four HD sync outputs.

Eyeheight will display its LE-2-K Video Legalizer, which combines Eyeheight’s composite, RGB and composite + RGB legalizer functionality with KARMAudioRT real-time, for unattended adaptive loudness and true-peak correction of stereo or 5.1 surround audio.

Harris will be presenting their 6800+ Application series signal processing and distribution products. The Application Series includes a variety of modules for functions including audio conversion and mux/demux, high-definition signal up/down conversion, frame synchronization and delay, as well as multisource standard-definition video decoding.

LYNX Technik Inc. will show its yellobrik PDM 1284–SD/HD/3G AES audio embedder/de-embedder, along with the yellobrik PDM 1382–SD/HD/3G four-channel analog audio embedder/de-embedder, featuring optional fiber I/O. Also on display will be the yellobrik DVA 1704–wide band analog video/sync distribution amplifier.

Nevion will introduce the SDI-TD-3GMX-5/SDI-TD-3GDX-5 time division multiplexer that can transport two synchronous or asynchronous SD/HD-SDI signals. Also on display will be the 3GHD-CHO series of automatic changeover modules.

Pleora Technologies will show their EtherCast ASI-Pro ASI-to-IP gateway, a compact converter that makes it fast, easy, and affordable to transport DVB-ASI video from remote sites to central locations.

Snell will further expand its IQ Modular 3G product line by launching a new video and audio processing platform, and will also introduce a new range of fiber optic interfacing modules that combine electrical-to-optical conversion with critical processing functions such as video synchronizing.

Thompson will showcase the latest NetProcessor 9030/40, which now includes a new DVB-T2 interface, along with the ViBE VA5004 modular chassis with JPEG 2000 compression.

T-VIPS America, Inc. will showcase the CP525 cProcessor, part of T-VIPS’ cProcessor product family. The product provides opportunistic data insertion and PSI/SI/PSIP processing.

Ward-Beck Systems Ltd. will show the M6205-3G, 3 GHz-capable processing platform for embedded audio PCM, DTS and Dolby encoding that includes shuffling, replacement, level control, up-mix, down-mix, and mono to stereo.

Xilinx’s SMPTE2022 Video over IP solution provides the ability to transport uncompressed video via 10 GB Ethernet networks while recovering lost packets and enables the transport of the highest quality video, multiple channels and 3D streams. The Xilinx Broadcast Processing Engine Targeted Design Platform enables engineers to develop a complete real-time video processing chain for many types of broadcast applications and supports various formats, frame rates and sizes.

STANDARDS CONVERSION

Atlona will be introducing their AT-LINE-PRO4, with 10 inputs for upscaling for all A/V devices, including four HDMI/DVI, three VGA, one component, one S-Video, and one composite video input. Also available at the booth for review will be the AT-3GSDI-HD2 3G-SDI/HD-SDI/SD-SDI to HDMI with stereo audio conversion for monitoring and production.

Apantac LLC will show the VGA-4/8/16-SE-232 Multi-Port VGA extenders and receivers, allowing users to extend VGA, audio and RS-232 signals over long distances.

BHV Broadcast will show their Syntax SDI up/cross/down-converter, which provides attractively priced SDI up/cross/down-conversion, and also features inputs fpr analog video sources. The converter unit also features embedded audio with variable delay capability, video noise reduction, and aspect ratio conversion.

Blackmagic Design will return with its line of OpenGear Converters and Mini Converters.

Blonder Tongue Laboratories will debut the IPAT-IP ASI Transcoder, which is a bi-directional IP <> ASI transcoder that accepts MPEG-2/-4-encoded input streams in 1000 Base-T Ethernet (GbE) and ASI formats simultaneously.

Communications Specialties, Inc. plans to show its Scan Do HD Scan Converter, which converts Digital DVI and Analog RGB, at resolutions up to 1920x1080, to 3G/HD/SD-SDI output, providing broadcast-quality video images.

Crystal Vision will be showing its Up-Down-AT 3G and Up-Down-ATX 3G, which provide extra data handling features ideal for playout applications. Crystal Vision will also showing the latest versions from its Q-Down range of down converters, and has released the ARC-20MC, a 10-bit aspect ratio converter for live use.

Ensemble Designs’ BrightEye 72Doremi Labs will highlight their H2S-30 and S2H-30, HDMI to HDSDI/HDSDI to HDMI converters, featuring 2K up-conversion, compact size, genlock input, GUI and IR remote control, dual HDSDI and 3G outputs, frame rate conversion, and Color Space Conversion.

Ensemble Designs will bring their BrightEye Mitto 1F with optical output, to upconvert YouTube, Skype, weather radar, video and viewer emails to full screen HD video for use on-air. Also on display will be the BrightEye 72 3G/HD/SD Optical to HDMI Converter, which claims to turn any monitor into a professional broadcast monitor.

Gefen will offer the DVI KVM Extra Long Range Extender, designed for computer systems using DVI video with USB keyboard/mouse. It offers complete KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) functionality, delivering high resolution DVI video, RS-232 control, Ethernet and USB 2.0 peripherals over two CAT-5 cables.

Matrox will offer for review the Convert DVI Plus, an HD/SD SDI scan converter. Features include stereo audio embedding and realtime hardware up/down scaling. Matrox Video Products Group will also showcase the Matrox MXO2 Mini, which turns an HDMI screen into a professional-grade video monitor with unique color calibration tools.

Snell’s Alchemist Ph.C–HD, with Emmy Award-winning Ph.C motion measurement technology, will be on display at the show, featuring the new Version 5.1 software release, which adds an enhanced Dolby E Authoring option to the system’s existing Dolby E transcoding and decoding capabilities.

Softel will be offering up their Swift vTX, which enables broadcasters to repurpose content regardless of file format it arrives in. Also check out the vFlex HD/SD, ancillary data processing hardware. For audio description, Softel will show Swift ADePT software.

Teranex will showcase its VC100 universal format converter and frame synchronizer with standards conversion capability. Boooth visitors should also look for the VC400, which provides deinterlacing, 3:2 insertion and removal, cadence detection and correction, scene cut detection, as well as more than 300 format and frame rate conversions.

VidOvation plans to exhibit the HDSDIHDMI-1x1, which converts 3G HD-SDI to HDMI, allowing the display of broadcast video formats on a professional or consumer monitor with HDMI inputs.

STREAMING, MOBILE, IPTV

Artel Video Systems will showcase the DLC410, an ASI and SDI over IP gateway that enables the transport of two bi-directional streams across a single Gig-E connection.

ATEME will showcase the Titan Web and Mobile, the live streaming system built around their KFE software transcoder and blade server architecture. It is targeted at OTT, Web and mobile video streaming applications.

Building4Media, a Primestream Company, will promote the Mobile2Air, allowing reporters to transmit HD iPhone video from anywhere in the world directly to air via the wireless telephone network or Wi-Fi, with two way communication.

Digital Rapids will showcase the StreamZ Live IP multiscreen encoder, for transcoding live IP-based sources. Also for review will be the StreamZHD 3.5, a new version of their StreamZHD multi-format, live and on-demand encoding system. In addition, don’t miss the StreamZHD Live ABR adaptive bit rate streaming system.

DVEO division of Computer Modules will offer up the latest OnRamp 8VSB/IP, which now receives up to eight channels. The system is a professional Linux-based 8-VSB to IP Gateway that simultaneously receives transport streams from one to eight 8-VSB stations and outputs them to an IP network.

Ericsson will display the Ericsson Media Delivery Network a complete system for delivery of video via IP. It includes solutions for distribution, delivery, caching, storing, streaming, and transcoding content.

Eyeheight will showcase the TVtweetCaster, a cost-effective, out-of-the-box solution for integrating social media into broadcasts and provides for instant audience interaction into a live broadcast.

Fujitsu Frontech North America will have for review the IP-9610, advanced H.264 AVC Encoder, along with the IP-920 MPEG-4 AVC Encoder for high performance H.264 encoded content over IP networks at low data rates.

Harris SelenioHarris will introduce Selenio, a flexible and modular integrated media convergence platform. Selenio combines traditional baseband video and audio processing, video and audio compression and IP networking technology into a single platform.

Inlet Technologies will showcase their Spinnaker family of streaming appliances, including the Fathom. Fathom can take a wide range of video inputs and output any combination of digital media formats for multiple uses.

Leightronix will highlight PEGstream-SD, which captures video/audio in real time, creating a single, live video stream that requires less than 500 kbps of outbound bandwidth. The stream is automatically directed to the PEG Stream live media delivery service.

Leightronix PEG-stream-SDNevion will debut VideoIPath, a connection management platform that simplifies the complexity of video-over-IP deployment, along with the FCS250-IP, the compact, high-density video in-service monitor for video over IP that installs in any Ventura chassis.

Streambox will highlight Streambox Avenir, supporting up to eight 3G/4G channels with mux and de-mux.

Telestream will debut Wirecast Pro. It builds on Wirecast live’s Webcasting software for streaming to the Web, Wirecast Pro allows adding graphic content, including 3D virtual sets and scoreboards. Also from Telestream, Episode 6 will be on display, allowing automatic uploading to YouTube.

Teradek will unveil Cube Encoders, featuring HD-SDI or HDMI inputs and stream HD video over Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet. The Cube Encoder creates its own wireless network and streams HD video directly to the Cube Decoder, a computer, server, or a mobile device such as an iPad with no other networking equipment required.

Thomson Video Networks will showcase the ViBE VS7000 Video System, a fully-integrated IP video solution for Web TV and Over-The-Top services delivery, along with the ViBE VA5004 JPEG Codec, a modular chassis for any combination of encoding or decoding high-quality SD, HD or 3G HD over IP links.

T-VIPS America will have on hand the TVG450 IP Video Gateway, which utilizes JPEG2000 compression and the flexibility of IP. Features include forward error correction and error concealment.

ViewCast will exhibit the Niagara 4100, for streaming HD content to broadband and mobile networks, including live adaptive streaming to iPhones and iPads.

Vitec will offer its Optibase EZ TV Enterprise IPTV System, for live delivery, on-demand and recorded video over IP networks. Also on display will be the Optibase MGES 6000 Blade, a fully converged HD & SD H.264 encoding blade.

MULTIVIEWERS

The Harris HView IP multiviewer provides the monitoring capabilities of a traditional baseband multiviewer, but is designed for a networked environment where the monitored feeds are all compressed video or audio. This new IP-based multiviewer uses different codecs for different jobs, from high-quality H.264 to lower-bit rate MPEG-2 GOPs, with routing and monitoring of both traditional and IP signals. The SX Hybrid multiviewer is designed for hybrid applications with routing and monitoring of both traditional and IP signals.

Look for the newly launched MV-Series of multiviewers from Snell with highly configurable viewing capabilities for control rooms, studios and remote trucks. Snell’s MV-Series multiviewer accepts up to 64 analog and digital video inputs in a range of formats, including 1080p, and these channels are complemented by audio metering/monitoring for up to 16 channels per tile.

Wohler will debute Presto, a new multiview source selector that makes 16 3G/HD/SD-SDI video channels readily available for monitoring and straightforward switching via integrated OLED pushbuttons. Presto is a compact 1RU solution with 16 OLED screens, each of which serves as a switching button that displays the video stream from any source.

TELECINE/COLOR CORRECTION

Blackmagic Design will showcase its line of DaVinci products, including DaVinci Resolve, DaVinci Revival.

Cintel will display diTTo evolution, a 2K/4K 16mm and 35mm film scanner with unique, instantly switchable, pin registration and non-pin registration capabilites. Also check out the imageMill2 data image processing platform.

Crystal Vision will introduce a modular color corrector and legalizer for 25 different video standards. CoCo 3G not only supports the 50 Hz and 59.94 Hz standards for 3 Gbps, HD and SD, it also supports the 23.98, 24 and 25 frame per second progressive video standards.

Doremi Labs/Doremi Cinema will spotlight CineAsset software-based cinema mastering system that converts video files to unencrypted DCI MXF packaged files, along with the Rapid hardware-based DCI-JPEG2000 encoder.

RadiantGrid will offer live HD-SDI capture capabilities within the RadiantGrid Platform, along with their Cinnafilm image optimization and format conversion.

Snell will be presenting a new timeline controller which adds scene-by-scene restoration control to the company’s Archangel Ph.C–HD real-time film/video restoration system. The timeline controller allows users to apply processing on a scene-by-scene basis, rather than to all parts of the sequence equally, and to change filter parameters on the fly, rather than at breaks in processing.