ViewSat Optimizes Satellite Bandwidth With Harmonic
Market-Leading Digital Video Headend Solution Delivers Exceptional Video Quality for ViewSat's Expanding DTH Service
SAN JOSE, Calif.(31 Jul 2012)
Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in video delivery infrastructures, today announced that ViewSat, a leading global satellite provider based in the U.K., has deployed a comprehensive digital video headend based on Harmonic video processing solutions. Leveraging the high density of Harmonic's Electra(TM) multichannel encoding and ProStream(R) with ACE(R) real-time stream processing and transcoding platforms, ViewSat can more efficiently allocate satellite bandwidth for its direct-to-home (DTH) service, enabling the satellite provider to deliver an exceptional quality of service to subscribers located in Africa and the Middle East.
"In deploying a new digital video headend, our goal was to find a solution that would optimize bandwidth while ensuring a high quality of experience for our customers," said Awaes Jaswal, CEO, ViewSat. "Harmonic's high-density and scalable video processing solutions will enable us to efficiently add new channels and services in the future to support our growing subscriber base, all while maintaining superior video quality."
ViewSat utilizes Harmonic's market-leading Electra MPEG-2 encoders to deliver superior-quality video at reduced bitrates. Capable of supporting up to four SD or HD video channels from a single rack unit, the Electra encoding solutions enable ViewSat to cost-effectively deploy additional channels on its satellite transponder.
Harmonic's ProStream with ACE transcoder maximizes bandwidth utilization for ViewSat's service while performing SD/HD, MPEG-2 video and audio transcoding of up to 20 HD or 60 SD channels, with ASI to IP multiplexing and scrambling, from a single rack unit. The ultra-dense ProStream platform decreases capital and operating expenses through reduced rack space and energy consumption. Relying on the highly scalable ProStream architecture, ViewSat can easily support new value-added services in the future as its business needs evolve.
"Based on extensive experience working on DTH projects in Africa and the Middle East, Harmonic understands the constraints that are challenging today's satellite providers," said Ian Graham, vice president of Sales, Europe and Middle East, at Harmonic. "Our comprehensive encoding and transcoding solutions help to reduce the cost of satellite transmission by dramatically lowering per-channel bandwidth usage, enabling operators like ViewSat to expand the quality and size of their digital video services cost-effectively."
More information about Harmonic and the company's products is available at www.harmonicinc.com.
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About Harmonic
Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) is the worldwide leader in video delivery infrastructure for emerging television and video services. The company's production-ready innovation enables content and service providers to efficiently create, prepare, and deliver differentiated services for television and new media video platforms. More information is available at www.harmonicinc.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements related to the anticipated capabilities and benefits of Harmonic's Electra, ProStream products. Our expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize and are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the possibility that neither the Electra nor ProStream products meet some or all of their anticipated capabilities or provide some or all of their anticipated benefits, such as the delivery of exceptional quality, improved efficiency and cost-reduction.
The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, such as those more fully described in Harmonic's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec.31, 2011, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Harmonic as of the date hereof, and Harmonic disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
EDITOR'S NOTE Product and company names used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
ENDS