Wegener Teams with ViaSat to Support Video Multicasts Over VSAT

Wegener Corp. has conducted live video broadcasts on a VSAT network from ViaSat Inc. showing compatibility of Wegener video overlay solution for VSAT networks, the company said.

VSAT networks provide bandwidth efficient solutions for distributing interactive IP data between thousands of data centers, retail locations, corporate LANS, schools, the Internet and home offices. Using standard ViaSat LinkStar uplink and downlink equipment, Wegener added live HD and standard-definition video streams to a VSAT network traditionally used to transmit data files. Artifact-free video was successfully decoded by the Wegener SMD 515 IPTV set top box.

“ViaSat’s innovative communication networks provide a great complement to Wegener’s private network video products,” said Ned L. Mountain, president and chief operating officer of Wegener. “We want to create more opportunities to present compelling branding, advertising and informational data to new environments by combining advanced video compression, VSAT architecture and file-based content delivery. VSAT networks are a new market for our enterprise video equipment.”

ViaSat VSAT products include hub-based IP data access systems for building enterprise or service provider networks, and mesh and hybrid architecture products for extending networks to locations not served by terrestrial alternatives.

For the initial configuration, continuous IP multicasts of MPEG-2 HD and SD video were fed through ViaSat’s uplink switch, QOS and modulator, before transmission over a Ku satellite link. At the receive end, the signal was processed by a ViaSat LinkStar terminal, and ultimately the Wegener SMD 515 IPTV set top box decoded the video streams.

“We continue to explore bridge technologies that enable us to provide more applications on our networks,” said Mike Kreller, vice president and general manager of ViaSat VSAT Networks. “The ability to support high-quality video is another advantage for our customers.”