HISPASAT Chooses Thomson Video Networks to Drive Trial of Ultra HD Content Delivery via HEVC

HISPASAT Chooses Thomson Video Networks to Drive Trial of Ultra HD Content Delivery via HEVC

RENNES, France, September 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --



Thomson Video Networks today announced that HISPASAT has launched a trial
demonstration of Ultra HD content delivery using the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC)
compression capabilities of the ViBE(TM) VS7000
[https://www.thomson-networks.com/en/products/video-compression/multiscreen-hevc-encoder ]
multi-screen encoding platform. HISPASAT, a leading satellite transmission operator with a
strong presence in Europe and South America, is deploying the VS7000 to deliver
HEVC-encoded Ultra HD content to air via its HISPASAT 1E satellite platform. At IBC2013 in
September, HISPASAT will demonstrate live Ultra HD video streams using the Thomson Video
Networks technology.



"This demonstration plays an important role in our plans to promote the deployment of
the most cutting-edge compression and delivery formats - giving our customers the ability
to offer their viewers the absolute highest-quality viewing experience," said Ignacio
Sanchis, chief commercial officer at HISPASAT. "With the Thomson Video Networks
technology, we are hoping to create awareness within our customer base and deliver live
Ultra HD streams that can be used in many different ways, such as demonstrating
interoperability among manufacturers of TV sets and set-top boxes."



Facilitated by Thomson Video Networks' exclusive MediaFlex video operating system, the
ViBE VS7000 is one of the first worldwide implementations of the emerging HEVC compression
standard - designed to lower operators' OPEX for delivery of a wide range of convergent TV
services including WebTV and OTT, as well as traditional broadcast applications. The ViBE
VS7000 video system combines Thomson's renowned next-generation compression platform for
outstanding picture quality in an all-IP environment with live, broadcast-quality
encoding; innovative video preprocessing; and faster-than-real-time file transcoding.



Thomson Video Networks has been participating in a proof-of-concept trial with
HISPASAT that ends this summer to demonstrate how its technologies can form an ecosystem
to drive future commercial Ultra HD service offerings based on HEVC compression. The ViBE
VS7000 will provide 4K file transcoding in HEVC, and Thomson Video Networks' Sapphire
transport stream server will play out the Ultra HD HEVC-encoded content. The open-source
GPAC or VLC HEVC-enabled media players will decode the HEVC content for display on TV
sets.



This trial demonstration is also one of the first steps in the H2B2VS and UltraHD4U
Eureka research projects where partners set up a satellite 4K HEVC transmission, paving
the way for HEVC-based broadband and broadcast services.



"By adding our own implementation of the new HEVC compression standard to the ViBE
VS7000, Thomson Video Networks is paving the way for HD and Ultra HD content on any kind
of device and any kind of network. HISPASAT is providing an important service to the media
industry by proving that the technology exists today through the ViBE VS7000, and that it
can be harnessed to encode 4K content in HEVC for actual Ultra HD delivery," said
Christophe Delahousse, president of Thomson Video Networks.



In addition to this HEVC trial demonstration, Thomson Video Networks and HISPASAT have
signed a wider cooperation agreement to jointly promote Ultra HD TV. As part of this
agreement, Thomson Video Networks will be a partner to the HISPASAT 4K channel, which will
be launched at IBC this year.



More about HISPASAT at http://www.hispasat.com.



More about Thomson Video Networks at http://www.thomson-networks.com.



More about H2B2VS at http://h2b2vs.epfl.ch.



About UltraHD4U



UltraHD4U is a Eureka Catrene research project aimed at investigating the complete
UHDTV chain, from picture origination through to display devices. Composed of 14 partners,
the consortium, which includes HISPASAT and Thomson Video Networks, is funded by five
countries: Belgium (IWT), France (DGCIS), Spain (CDTI), and Turkey (TÜBITAK).




Thomson Video Networks

CONTACT: Agency Contact: Laila Bishay, Wall Street Communications, Tel: +44 1332 865 332, Email: laila@wallstcom.com ; Thomson Video Networks Contact: Crystèle Trevisan, Corporate Communications Director, Tel: +33 2 99 28 52 05, Email: crystele.trevisan@thomson-networks.com


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