Blonder Tongue Launches Customized Solutions for In-House Broadcast Distribution at the 2014 NAB Show
Blonder Tongue Laboratories, Inc. today announced two new customized solutions for in-house broadcast distribution applications.
OLD BRIDGE, N.J.(31 Mar 2014)
Blonder Tongue Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE MKT:BDR) today announced two new customized solutions for in-house broadcast distribution applications. At the 2014 NAB Show, April 7-10 in Las Vegas, booth SU10202, Blonder Tongue will demonstrate the AQT8 Series transcoder, which provides channel processing in a high density, low-cost, flexible 1-RU chassis that reduces the equipment, space, and power needed for QAM or IPTV in-house distribution. In addition, the company will offer a sneak peek of its new HDE-4S-PRO encoder, which offers superior motion optimization for professional sports applications.
"Within the in-house broadcast distribution environment, operators need high-quality, cost-effective encoding and transcoding equipment," said Jeff Smith, vice president of sales at Blonder Tongue. "At the 2014 NAB Show, we'll demonstrate how our AQT8 Series transcoder allows system operators to affordably create custom-made channel lineups of HDTV programs. We'll also showcase the HDE-4S-PRO, which is perfect for sports applications that demand fast motion, real time, live encoding of camera feeds."
The AQT8 Series transcoder inputs eight 8VSB digital off-air and/or QAM signals, and outputs both in IP and QAM simultaneously, providing operators with maximum flexibility for selecting channels and distributing them. Through an interactive dashboard, operators can monitor the performance status of all eight channels. An intuitive Web-based GUI simplifies setup and management, enabling local and remote operation. Two models are available depending on the desired output distribution. The AQT8-IP provides an IP output, and the AQT8-QAM/IP provides QAM and IP outputs simultaneously. Emergency Alert System (EAS) program switching is featured on the GigE output, triggering either an ASI or IP format EAS input and terminal block contacts, allowing operators to comply with EAS requirements.
An extension of the company's standard HDE-4S-QAM, Blonder Tongue's HDE-4S-PRO brings efficiency, quality, and affordability to professional sports encoding applications. In addition to the enhanced motion estimation for HD-SDI inputs, the PRO includes an HD-SDI spare and monitoring points -- optimizing encoding in real-time environments. Utilizing the MPEG-2 encoder, operators can accept up to four HD-SDI programs, plus one spare, and simultaneously output in QAM, IP streams (1000Base-T Ethernet), and ASI formats. By allowing operators to assign up to four programs to each QAM output channel, and to individually turn on/off each of the four adjacent QAM output channels, the PRO dramatically improves transport efficiency.
The encoder supports Dolby(R) Digital and closed captioning (EIA-608 and EIA-708) to ensure a superior audio quality. It is also equipped with an EAS interface to support the delivery of emergency messages. A front-panel RF test point allows operators to monitor and test the QAM output without service interruption. Comprehensive remote monitoring and control is accomplished via a user-friendly Web browser.
More information on Blonder Tongue and its products is available at www.blondertongue.com.
About Blonder Tongue
Blonder Tongue Laboratories, Inc. together with R. L. Drake Holdings, LLC -- its wholly owned subsidiary -- offer customers more than 130 years of combined engineering and manufacturing excellence with solid histories of delivering reliable, quality products. As a leader in the field of cable television communications, the Company provides system operators and integrators serving the cable, broadcast, satellite, IPTV, institutional, and professional video markets with comprehensive solutions for the provision of content contribution, distribution, and video delivery to homes and businesses. The Company designs, manufactures, sells, and supports an equipment portfolio of standard- and high-definition digital video solutions, as well as core analog video and high-speed data solutions for distribution over coax, fiber, and IP networks. Additional information on the Company and its products can be found at www.blondertongue.com and www.rldrake.com.