RGB Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RGB Networks Improves Cable Operators’ High Definition VOD Capabilities with
Dynamic Bandwidth Manager Upgrade

Cable Industry’s Only Real-time VOD Bandwidth Optimization Solution
Now Supports MPEG-4/H.264

Sunnyvale, California – August 11, 2009 – RGB Networks, the leader in network video processing, today announced it has upgraded its Dynamic Bandwidth Manager (DBM) VOD transrater to support the MPEG-4/H.264 video format.  As cable operators around the world are increasingly taking advantage of the advanced compression capabilities of MPEG-4/H.264 to deliver bandwidth-hungry high definition (HD) video and an ever-increasing array of on-demand services, they can now utilize RGB’s DBM to unlock even greater bandwidth efficiencies.  By deploying the DBM, the industry’s only real-time video-on-demand (VOD) transrating solution, operators can deliver up to 50 percent more VOD programming to subscribers, all within their existing QAM bandwidth and without having to upgrade their current transmission infrastructure or incur costly and disruptive ‘node splits.’

According to industry analyst firm InStat, demand for HDTV services is expected to grow at 30 percent during 2009. At the same time, subscribers are making increasing use of pay and free VOD services. Analysys Mason has predicted that the Western European VOD market will be valued at Euros 1.1 billion ($1.57 billion) in 2013, up from Euros 350.7 million ($503 million) last year. While these trends are positive news for cable operators, they do present challenges in delivering high bandwidth services over existing infrastructures. 

Requiring a simple ‘drop-in’ network upgrade, the DBM offers a fast and cost-effective way to extend existing network capabilities. In traditional VOD deployments, each program is allocated a fixed amount of bandwidth. Using RGB’s transrating capability to continually adjust the bit rates of the individual programs based on a statistical multiplexing algorithm, the DBM increases the delivery of SD programs per channel from 13 to 20 in an 8MHz channel system and 10 to 15 in a 6MHz channel system without requiring additional bandwidth or compromising perceived picture quality. With its new MPEG-4/H.264 capabilities, the DBM now also provides bandwidth savings for a mix of MPEG-4/H.264 and MPEG-2 HD on-demand services.

“Cable operators are eager to capitalize on the growing popularity of on-demand TV, but their infrastructures are beginning to creak under the strain of delivering hundreds, sometimes thousands, of personalized video streams,” said Nabil Kanaan, Director, Product Marketing for RGB Networks. “Operators are already looking to the bandwidth efficiencies of MPEG-4/H.264 to help deliver more HDTV content; doing this in conjunction with the Dynamic Bandwidth Manager pushes these efficiency gains one step further, enabling 50 percent more VOD programming.”     

The DBM transrates VOD programs in real-time, eliminating the need for pre-processing and complex integration with VOD servers.  It simply plugs into existing deployments and is compatible with all major components of end-to-end VOD systems, including VOD servers, resource managers and QAM modulators. Available as single rack unit, each DBM is capable of processing nearly 1,000 streams.

In addition, the DBM’s low latency configuration ensures subscribers experience no noticeable delays when using fast-forward, rewind and pause ‘trickplay’ features. It also supports industry-standard SNMP, Java and HTTP interfaces for control and monitoring, allowing easy-to-use element management and integration into SNMP-compliant network management systems.

RGB Networks will demonstrate the DBM’s new MPEG-4/H.264 capabilities on stand #5.C14, at IBC2009, 11-15 September, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

About RGB Networks
RGB Networks delivers extremely high-density, flexible video processing solutions that enable video service providers to deliver highly targeted and personalised video content at considerably lower costs than conventional solutions. Based on its unique Video Intelligence Architecture (VIA), RGB’s VIA product family simplifies management and delivers scalable, multi-function capability in a single, programmable platform, allowing video service providers to leverage existing infrastructure, while building an advanced foundation to meet the needs of the rapidly growing market for personalised video services. 

For more information about RGB Networks and its unique video processing solutions, please visit www.rgbnetworks.com.

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Contact:
John Giddings                                    
Mobility Public Relations                                
(650) 245-2782
jgiddings@mobilitypr.com