Digigram has partnered with France’s OPAL’TV to provide broadcasters with a mobile solution for making live and on-demand video available via Ka-band satellite link. OPAL’TV has incorporated a dual-channel AQORD *LINK video encoder/transcoder from Digigram into a flypack to enable IP-based delivery of video when terrestrial networks are unavailable. “For local broadcasters, the advantage of this solution is the high reliability and quality of live transmission, enhanced by the low latency of the Digigram unit, as well as the speed and simplicity with which the entire solution can be deployed,” said Laurent Galet, technical manager at OPAL’TV. “We tested and compared this integrated application against current 3G mobile solutions and found it to be the best solution for our broadcast clients.” The AQORD *LINK has been packaged in a Com IP VSAT flypack including an IP modem and retractable satellite dish with automatic positioning capabilities. The Digigram system delivers dual channels of SD/HD streaming video at data rates of 0.5 to 20Mb/s using MPEG-TS encapsulation. In OPAL’TV tests, the encoder/transcoder’s low latency cut transmission times by two or three seconds. The 1U/19-inch rack-mounted AQORD *LINK features an internal 1TB hard drive for storage and 3 Gb Ethernet RTP-UDP/IP ports for transmitting/receiving streams in either unicast or multicast. Users can set up and monitor the encoder/transcoder locally through the unit’s HMI front panel or remotely via a web-based interface. “AQORD *LINK is a highly versatile solution – in a convenient and compact package – that delivers the performance essential for satellite transmission,” said Christophe Jacquinet, sales account manager at Digigram. “The system is a perfect fit for this application, ensuring high video quality while helping to make economical Ka-band transmission viable for smaller broadcasters.”www.digigram.com
