Path 1 Network Technologies Inc., a leading provider of IP video gateway products that enable transmission of broadcast-quality video over IP networks, today unveiled its strategy for utilizing the public Internet infrastructure as a reliable network for broadcast video contribution. Path 1 will also launch two new products today that support this initiative: the Vx8000 2.0 -- a multi-port, bi-directional IP video gateway that combines standards and proprietary-based forward error correction (FEC) technologies for live broadcast applications, and NET -- a network evaluation tool that intelligently analyzes the condition of IP networks and their ability to transport broadcast-quality video.
Broadcasting and teleport companies worldwide, including LBiSat, PCM and RTVi, have selected Path 1's products to leverage the benefits of using the Internet as a transport medium for broadcast video across the globe. Broadcasters can successfully utilize public or private IP networks to lower operating expenses and maintain competitiveness for applications such as backhaul of live contribution feeds from studio to teleport, to serve as an inter-connection among geographically dispersed teleport locations using terrestrial meshed networks, or to function as a terrestrial backup for disaster recovery when there is a failure in an uplink/downlink facility.
Julius Feinstein, VP of Broadcast Operations and Engineering at RTVi, a 24 hour Russian language TV network with 50 million viewers worldwide, said, "Path 1 enabled us to experience a 90% cost savings over satellite transport when we decided to use the public Internet to backhaul video among our headquarters in New York City, studios in Moscow and Tel Aviv, and our European broadcast station in Cologne, Germany. The technologies provided by Path 1 have allowed us to simultaneously manage our network costs more effectively and grow our business by expanding our reach into new markets."
The public Internet operates in best effort mode (i.e. it does not guarantee the delivery or correct sequence of every packet) and is fundamentally designed for data communications. Because video is latency sensitive, any loss or reordering of data packets over an IP network greatly impacts the quality of video. Path 1 has identified FEC and proactive network analysis as key technologies and tools that will help make the Internet a viable and cost-effective option for delivering optimal broadcast video for satellite and broadcast operators. Using point to multi-point delivery models, broadcasters and operators can easily save over 50% on monthly recurring bandwidth costs by using public networks instead of private point-to-point links. The savings in operating expenditures enable broadcasters to improve their profit margins and open up opportunities for additional revenue generating services, such as localized subscription services.
"As world-wide bandwidth capacity continues to grow and prices continue to drop, the economics of video contribution and distribution over public IP networks have become very attractive. The missing piece has been a safe and reliable way to transport high quality video globally over unmanaged networks or through operators with inadequate Service Level Agreements," said Dan McCrary, VP of Marketing for Path 1. "Since the company's inception, Path 1 has focused specifically and solely on the most challenging and error-prone part of the video distribution chain -- IP video transport. With the launch of our two new products, we are clearly delivering on our promise to make reliable video over any IP network a reality.
"As a result of Path 1's extensive experience collaborating with pioneers in the broadcasting industry, we see IP video transport as a hot growth trend enabling new business models, such as instantaneous content exchange among broadcast network affiliates and even international programming. With video over the public Internet, broadcasters and teleport providers can leverage existing local content like news and sports and expand into new markets, such as ethnic and ex-patriot communities living overseas who might want to subscribe to their homeland's local programs."
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