HECAS Demos Hybrid Broadcast-Broadband MMT Technology

ARLINGTON, VA—HECAS, a South Korean-based startup in mobile live video transport solutions, is demonstrating what it says is the industry’s “first commercially-deployed” MPEG-MMT-based mobile live streaming solution, at the IEEE Broadcast Symposium, at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Va. this week.

Hoisoo Cho, head of business development and marketing for HECAS demonstrates the company’s MMT technology at the 2017 IEEE-BTS The Seoul-based company, which is publicly demonstrating its technology in the U.S. for the first time at this week’s event, first deployed its HECAS MLS (mobile live streaming) technology for SK Telecom’s Oksusu mobile IPTV service last year, delivering ultra-low latency on the Oksusu SPOTV live sports channel. Using HECAS MLS, the Oksusu service provides latency below three seconds on 4G networks; has 10 percent less data traffic than comparative HLS/DASH implementations, and has a playback differential of less than 30 milliseconds between multiple devices.

The HECAS MLS technology guarantees real-time end-to-end delivery of live videos on mobile networks. The company has a strong relationship with the KAIST Media Network Lab in Daejeon, where research on ultra low latency live video streaming resulted in the formation of HECAS in 2014.

“We have worked to achieve what we believe is the most robust live video delivery solution in the industry, and having deployed in South Korea, we are now planning to expand to the U.S. market with the vision of seamless convergence of both over-the-air and online content delivery,” said Hoisoo Cho, head of business development and marketing for HECAS. “Video providers of all kinds—telcos, broadcasters, and emergency network providers—have needs that can only be met with low latency and perfect sync solutions.”

South Korea broadcasters have already deployed ATSC 3.0 and a handful of stations are currently testing the standard in the U.S. At the 2017 NAB Show, U.S. broadcast group Sinclair vision stated that the Next Generation Broadcast Platform (NGBP) will be facilitated by the MMT (MPEG media transport) standard that can be used to enable hybrid broadcast/broadband services. The company believes its MLS platform has the potential to act as a media server that can help the MMT standard gain widespread adoption, from content production to distribution, according to the company.

The MLS Solution currently consists of HECAS MLS Caster; HECAS MLS Engine, and HECAS MLS Player. HECAS will introduce its MLS Service in early 2018, which will incorporate the HECAS MLS Cloud solution.

Tom Butts

Tom has covered the broadcast technology market for the past 25 years, including three years handling member communications for the National Association of Broadcasters followed by a year as editor of Video Technology News and DTV Business executive newsletters for Phillips Publishing. In 1999 he launched digitalbroadcasting.com for internet B2B portal Verticalnet. He is also a charter member of the CTA's Academy of Digital TV Pioneers. Since 2001, he has been editor-in-chief of TV Tech (www.tvtech.com), the leading source of news and information on broadcast and related media technology and is a frequent contributor and moderator to the brand’s Tech Leadership events.