ND SatCom, an SES ASTRA company, will present their new VSAT application SkyRAY Light IPS HD for mobile video broadcasting at IBC 2008 in Amsterdam (indoor booth 1.C51). Described as an end-to-end solution as an all-IP package for the live video streaming based on the latest generation of H.264 AVC codec or store and forward video. The user-focused package contains three major components: ND SatCom’s lightweight VSAT antenna SkyRAY Light 1200; the latest SkyWAN VSAT modem with a full set of IP functionalities; and an advanced H.264/MPEG-4 AVC HD/SD and MPEG-2 encoder. ND SatCom works with vertical markets such as broadcast and media companies for newsgathering, IPTV contribution and studio links, emergency management, homeland security, border control, telemedicine and the defense sector. The key requirement for satellite-based applications in these markets is the video quality at low bandwidth with full mobility.
Christian Adolph, Director of Marketing & Communications for ND SatCom, explains: “The packaging of these system components offers users two major benefits. First, the system is suitable to be operated by non-satellite users with minimal technical training, for example news reporters or first responders. It has two-button operation: the first one for fully automatic and precise antenna pointing and the second one for starting the video streaming. Second, the integration and operation of the system into a customer network follows today’s core requirements of automation and cost savings. The system is suited for one-man operation and is ready for use in less than ten minutes.”
SkyRAY Light IPS HD offers the user an operation via intuitive touch screen operation, wireless handheld or Apple’s iPhone for controlling all system functionalities (encoder/decoder, VSAT antenna). No additional antenna controller or screen is required. Remote control via satellite or GPRS/UMTS is possible from a studio or command center. Preset profiles allow the complete configuration of the overall system within seconds. For camera teams, the system offers pre-view functionality as the video stream can be monitored for immediate quality control and feedback.
“Another advantage for broadcasters is to mix live portions of a story with pre-recorded ones, depending on the desired quality of the content and available bandwidth”, explains Adolph. “For instance, the live introduction to the story by a reporter can be streamed with Standard Definition (SD) resolution, while the main portion is pre-recorded at HD resolution and sent back to the newsroom via video file transfer. This store and forward feature is combined with 500 GB hard disk of the encoder.”
