Russian broadcaster NTV uses Omneon Spectrum for new HD service

Russia’s direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV system, NTV-Plus, has deployed an Omneon Spectrum media server system to support ingest, storage and playout of HD content.

NTV-Plus built a completely automated multichannel master control facility from which all its sports channels originate. The new HD channel uses a separate delivery and distribution platform for transmission, but is integrated into the facility’s A/V routing and automation infrastructure. NTV-Plus offers more than 90 channels, including 15 sports channels and the new HD sports channel.

The Spectrum system works as an HD content cache server, providing DVB/ASI ingest using external MPEG-2 compression at a 50Mb/s constant bit rate. HD content from HDCAM videotape or live feeds is encoded with a Snell & Wilcox Memphis encoder and recorded to the Spectrum system. A Harris ADC100 automation play-to-air system triggers the video server for playout via Snell & Wilcox converters and logo inserters.

For more information, visit www.omneon.com.