Pinnacle Systems unveils new ultra-compact USB digital TV

Pinnacle Systems Inc. has launched its new Pinnacle PCTV HD mini Stick and Pinnacle TV for Mac HD mini stick. The new ultra-compact HDTV tuners build on features and ease of use that have established Pinnacle Systems as one of the major players in the consumer PC-TV viewing market in the U.S. These USB-powered tuners are unique in the sense that they are the smallest TV sticks on the market offering high reception sensitivity. The powerful new signal booster technology integrated in these affordably priced miniature tuners enables them to pick up digital TV even if the signal is weak.

With the Pinnacle HD mini stick, PC and Mac users find a complete solution for viewing and recording crisp, clear live television on their computers at home or when traveling. With the inclusion of the latest personal video recorder (PVR) software as well as a mini remote control, a high-gain telescopic TV antenna, and a travel bag, the sleek, ultra-small tuners are ready to use right out of the box. Both devices support digital over-the-air TV (ATSC) and unencrypted digital cable TV (ClearQAM) for SDTV and HDTV with resolutions of up to 1080i.

Easy to install and use, the mini sticks are activated by simply connecting them to a computer's USB 2.0 port or through a cable jack. Customers will also appreciate the miniature-sized case, which features a built-in protective flip-cap that does not block other USB ports. Once connected, the new TV tuners instantly turn a PC or Mac into a personal video recorder (PVR) with time-shifting capabilities that enable users to record, pause, or rewind live TV. Users can also schedule recordings from TitanTV.com, a free Internet-based electronic programming guide (EPG). Live and recorded programs can be viewed in full-screen mode or in a scalable window while using other computer applications.

Telenor Satellite Broadcasting uses Tandberg's MPEG-4 AVC compression

Tandberg Television's MPEG-4 AVC compression and IP multiplexing solutions are being used by Telenor Satellite Broadcasting to provide IP video contribution and direct-to-consumer IPTV services in Scandinavia. Tandberg is providing encoding and multiplexing from six locations across northern Europe and Scandinavia, with all video distributed across an IP transport network for IPTV consumer services in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. As part of each all-IP head-end, Telenor Satellite Broadcasting is deploying Tandberg's ISIS 8000 IP system, which incorporates EN8030 MPEG-4 AVC encoders and MX8400 IP multiplexers. The equipment is controlled and monitored via Tandberg's nCompass Control.

VCAS for DVB 2.0 solution unveiled by Verimatrix

Verimatrix has launched its video content authority system (VCAS) for DVB 2.0 solution, which extends the reach of its multiple-layered security architecture to digital broadcast content in satellite, cable, and terrestrial broadcast networks where no direct return path is available. Building on its initial VCAS for digital video broadcasting (DVB) release targeting hybrid networks, this support for DVB services can be seamlessly offered with the same pay TV head-end architecture supporting IPTV and hybrid networks. Verimatrix is offering a new, more cost-effective approach to secure services that is especially appropriate for green field deployments and existing service providers transitioning from analog to digital pay TV. The software-based architecture is built on core Verimatrix VCAS technology, which is proven with more than 150 operators and 5 million screens globally. VCAS for DVB takes full advantage of the capabilities of current generation set-top box system-on-chip (SOC) platforms to secure receiver devices that will never have access to a direct return path to the head-end. This innovative software approach supports a base of existing one-way subscriber while providing a clear upgrade path to capture higher average revenue per user (ARPU) subscribers who desire more interactive capabilities and video-on-demand (VoD) services.

VCAS for DVB 2.0 underscores the company's vision and commitment to provide competitive 3-dimensional content security solutions mainly multiple networks, multiple devices, and multiple layers of protection to pay-TV operators globally.

The key product highlights are:

Secure indirect provisioning. Set-top boxes can be provisioned and managed through indirect non real-time response methods in conjunction with standards-based broadcast protocols.

Upgrade path to interactive services. Within the limited one-way environment, VCAS for DVB 2.0 supports a completely seamless upgrade of services when transitioning to DVB-IP hybrid and broadband networks.

Layered security regimes. Operators can stratify the class of set-top box and value of the content by matching different layers of content security to the appropriate price point of the set-top box.

Platform flexibility. Leveraging strong IPTV partnership ecosystem to integrate top tier components necessary to deploy a complete pay-TV system solution, including system integrators, key head-end equipment, middleware, SOC, and set-top box partners.

Digital Rapids bolster broadcast reliability with Broadcast Manager 1.3

Digital Rapids has released a powerful new version of the Digital Rapids Broadcast Manager enterprise-class live encoder management software. Digital Rapids Broadcast Manager provides robust management, monitoring, and fault tolerance for multiple live streaming encoders.

New features in Version 1.3 include:

• Enhanced failover flexibility with control of third-party video routers, enabling video input sources to be automatically re-routed when backup systems take over in the event of primary encoder failure.
• A new control room view provides mosaic-style, multi-channel live video confidence monitoring, allowing operators to see scaled-down streams from multiple encoders in a single screen with audio volume unit (VU) meters for at-a-glance verification.
• Rich scripting capabilities, enabling programmatic, scheduled automation of custom tasks with support for a variety of popular scripting languages. Similar scripting capabilities are also available in a new version of the Digital Rapids Transcode Manager high-volume automated transcoding software, being released concurrently.

Supporting Digital Rapids' StreamZ and StreamZ Live encoding systems, Digital Rapids Broadcast Manager simplifies operation with centralized scheduling, remote control, and individual and group resource management, while enhancing reliability with automated failover and alerts. Advanced scheduling capabilities offer the flexibility of using a different set of encoding parameters, including different compression formats for each scheduled task, while a web services interface enables developers to directly integrate Broadcast Manager into their own custom applications and management systems. 

HD upgrade of Studio Four at BBC Television Centre

BBC Studios is investing nearly two million pounds in HD cameras, lens, vision, and monitoring equipment to support its entertainment production customers. Studio Four comprises 8,000 square feet and is home to programs such as ‘A Question of Sport', ‘The Jonathan Ross Show', and ITV1's ‘The Alan Titchmarsh Show'. The new Studio Four is designed to work in any of the current HD and SD formats, can produce HD and SD simultaneously, and includes Dolby E encoding. The up and down conversion is provided by Crystal Vision's 30 up/down/cross converters and 13 of the Q-Down123 short-delay down converters. The up-and-down converters will be used to convert existing legacy SD equipment to HD, with ten of them wrapped around the main matrix to provide additional feeds as required. The Q-Downs will provide the SD feeds when the studio is in HD mode.

Distribution of the HD signals will come from 17 of the HDDA105N and HDDA111N distribution amplifiers. Three SYN HD synchronizers will be used for synchronizing internal sources that either do not have locking feeds or are unstable. BBC Studios will also use five of the new SYNNER-E HD multi-functional synchronizers which include an embedder, de-embedder, tracking audio delay, audio processor and special Dolby E processing - for synchronizing external sources to the studio and de-embedding the audio to AES. Two CoCo HD color correctors and legalizers will be used to feed in-vision monitors or color correct incoming pictures. For the audio, BBC Studios will use 26 Tandem HD-21 embedders/de-embedders. The studio matrix is either SD or HD, and PAL or Y/C sources and displays will therefore use the ADDEC-210, ALLDAC, and MON210 converters to encode or decode PAL. Other standard definition boards used in the installation include VDA110R and DDA108 distribution amplifiers, SYN102 and SYNNER-E synchronizers and the Tandem-200 audio embedder/de-embedder.