RGB's VOD Transrater to Support MPEG-4/H.264
RGB Networks, a network video processing company, has upgraded its Dynamic Bandwidth Manager (DBM) VOD transrater to support the MPEG-4/H.264 video format. The new DBM can deliver up to 50 percent more VOD programming to subscribers, all within an operator’s existing QAM bandwidth and without having to upgrade the current transmission infrastructure with node splits.
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.
The DBM transrates VOD programs in real-time. It 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.
RGB will demonstrate the DBM’s new MPEG-4/H.264 capabilities at IBC 2009, September 11-15, in Amsterdam.