Innovative MSO Utilizes Ligos’ MediaRig Mosaic to Bring Video Rich Navigation to its Subscribers
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - (November 2, 2006): Ligos Corporation and Oceanic Time Warner Cable announced today the launch of the cable operator’s new video-rich program channel, “SportsChoice”, using Ligos’ MediaRig® Mosaic system. MediaRig Mosaic is Ligos’ new system for MSOs who are seeking a compact, cost-effective solution to provide an enhanced visual and navigation experience to their subscribers.
SportsChoice on Oceanic Cable Channel 200 takes one of the latest innovations in the interactive viewer experience and extends it a step further for advertisers. Using a tiled “mosaic” approach, the SportsChoice channel displays multiple thumbnails of high-quality live video streams on a single TV screen. Viewers use the arrow buttons on their remotes to highlight individual video tiles and hear the accompanying audio, and can directly navigate to that channel if something captures their interest.
In addition, SportsChoice dedicates a portion of the screen to sponsors as an additional screen element. Prominently positioned advertiser “banners” are added and displayed on a dynamic rotating basis. This presents not only a branding impression for the sponsor, but a click through opportunity as well. When the viewer selects the banner, they’re taken to Oceanic’s sponsor portal, where the viewer may choose to view a product video from the sponsor. The ability to dynamically change content on the fly or as-scheduled is a unique feature of MediaRig Mosaic, and SportsChoice is one of the first video-rich navigation channels to explore the potential of this capability.
“We’re very excited about SportsChoice and what it means for both our subscribers and our advertisers,” said Nate Smith, president of Oceanic and Time Warner Cable’s Hawaii Division. “We have a history of firsts with our advanced interactive services, and we’re pleased to add Ligos’ MediaRig Mosaic platform to our extensive offerings.”
“Ligos is extremely pleased to be a part of this effort to bring the enhanced viewing experience not only to Oceanic subscribers, but to its Ad Sales customers as well,” said Mark Koziol, CEO of Ligos Corporation, which provided and customized the Mosaic system for Oceanic. “Oceanic continues to provide its customers with the best of cutting-edge television, and it’s for this kind of application that we created MediaRig Mosaic.”
A single MediaRig Mosaic unit takes the places of up to a dozen hardware MPEG decoders and stack of equipment that might otherwise be required to generate a single guide channel. It consolidates all of the required functions – MPEG decoding, re-scaling, compositing, navigation metadata, re-encoding, and multiplexing – into a single, compact platform that can be managed online in real-time either locally or remotely. As a result, MediaRig Mosaic is the most efficient solution available for operators to produce video-rich channels for value added services such as interactive program guides (IPG), video-on-demand (VOD) and pay-per-view (PPV) gateways, localization, audio-only channels, specialty advertising, news and information and more.
About Oceanic Time Warner Cable
Oceanic currently delivers a diverse selection of entertainment and information services by way of an advanced fiber optic/coax network to more than 400,000 households, schools and businesses on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai and the Big Island. Among its products are Road Runner high-speed Internet as well as Digital Phone services. The company has provided quality cable service for Hawaii residents since 1969. Oceanic Time Warner Cable is the thirteenth largest system in the U.S. and its parent company, Time Warner Entertainment, LLP, is a major developer of entertainment and information content. For more information, visit www.oceanic.com.
About Ligos Corporation
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Ligos Corporation is a leading worldwide provider of proven alternatives for cost-effective digital video processing. Ligos specializes in software-based solutions for the repurposing of digital video, optimized for distribution, device and content. By combining its video processing software with today’s powerful, inexpensive multi-core platform, Ligos products can replicate, consolidate and enhance the features of existing products, made available as a single, rapidly deployable device at a significant reduction in cost to the Broadcast industry. For more information on Ligos Corporation and MediaRig Mosaic, visit its website at www.ligos.com.
AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands (Sept. 7, 2006 ) - via BUSINESS WIRE - SeaChange International’s widely deployed MediaClient/MediaLibrary platform is evolving further in support of rising High Definition (HD) television demands. At IBC 2006, the Company will unveil new software MediaClient codecs that solve broadcasters’ High Definition challenges today and establish an HD-ready infrastructure for an economical migration path from Standard Definition.
SeaChange’s new MediaClient software codecs harness the power of Intel’s latest high-performance server technology to drive bitrates up to 80Mbp/s with MPEG2 4:2:2 Long GOP, bringing significant quality and storage savings for HD play-to-air. Consuming 70% less bandwidth than typically required by competitive solutions that use Intra-frame coding, broadcasters will realize the highest picture quality achievable today.
With MediaClient’s HD-ready capabilities, SD broadcasters using the SeaChange MediaClient/MediaLibrary platform can turn on HD playout virtually anytime. It allows SD and HD simulcast from a single media asset, drastically minimizing storage requirements and providing optimal versatility for the transition to HD broadcasting.
MediaClient’s 80Mbp/s Long GOP benefits are delivered by SeaChange’s Broadcast MediaLibrary BML6000ex and the new BML24000ex, which will be demonstrated at IBC. These transmission storage systems suit the entire range of broadcast operations today, from the entry-level BML6000ex that can be scaled to meet mid-market demands, through the BML24000ex for extremely demanding multichannel environments and complex tapeless workflows.
“The availability of these HD-ready products marks an important new phase in the evolution of our scalable, open and modular MediaClient/MediaLibrary platform by bridging the gap that has separated SD and HD infrastructures,” said Stephane Jauroyou, SeaChange’s director of marketing, Broadcast. “Until now, many broadcasters have only hoped for some means to achieve a smooth transition to HD instead of enduring a disruptive or expensive migration. The BML6000ex and BML24000ex create an entirely new category of HD-ready products that define a clear path forward from current operations to future opportunities.”
In addition to increased bitrates and higher video quality, the new MediaClient software codecs enhance the already significant cost advantages of SeaChange Broadcast products over competitors’ traditional hardware based codecs. MediaClient codecs support 16 channels of uncompressed audio, Dolby E and AC3, close caption EIA-708/608 demodulation and playback, as well as VANC/HANC preservation.
Workflow optimization and interoperability powered by Intel
Intel’s new server platform, the Intel Server System SR1550AL, lies at the heart of the new BML6000ex and HD-ready MediaClient - respectively 2RU and 1U servers designed for high-density configurations. Each platform offers two Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors, hot swappable and redundant power supplies, and an integrated RAID5 option supporting either SAS or SATA drives for outstanding performance, dependability and manageability.
BMLs provide centralized online access to any video/audio file on any device, helping to streamline operations from capture to on-air. I/O bandwidth is guaranteed via specialized IP accelerator Gigabit Ethernet ports. The BML 6000ex and BML24000ex scale by adding nodes for incremental increases in bandwidth and storage. Together, these products satisfy real-time broadcast play-to-air requirements for HD and SD in any operation, and seamlessly connect to best-of-breed production systems for content exchange. Based on SeaChange’s patented MediaCluster ’single-copy’ technology, BMLs provide fault-resilience without mirroring, an exclusive advantage in reliability and economy.
Broad support for any media format
MediaClient supports MPEG-2 long GOP format in SD and HD, as well as frame-based formats such as IMX, DVCPro and DVCam. It also handles MXF and Quicktime. Any format will play back-to-back frame-accurately from the same decoder output. Completed material from production servers no longer needs to be transcoded or dubbed back to tape for ingest before playout from transmission servers, reducing operator intervention and significantly diminishing time from production to on-air. Further, broadcasters can use native acquisition and production formats on their SeaChange play-to-air solutions since the versatile MediaClient also supports native XDCAM HD, HDV 1080 & 720 back-to-back on a single codec.
“The superiority of MediaClient’s software-based encoding and decoding compared to hardware-based schemes is clear with this new series of products powered by the latest Intel server technology. This open platform uses IT standards, including Common Internet File Standard, for an economical, modular approach that meets the accelerating demand for High Definition broadcast,” said Jauroyou.
Availability
The BML6000ex, the BML24000ex and HD Ready MediaClients will be available this quarter.
About SeaChange
SeaChange International provides digital video systems that are changing television. Its powerful server and software systems enable television operators to provide new on-demand services and to gain greater efficiencies in advertising and content delivery. With its Emmy-winning MediaCluster technology, thousands of SeaChange systems are helping broadband, broadcast and satellite television companies to streamline operations, expand services and increase revenues. SeaChange is headquartered in Acton, Massachusetts and has product development, support and sales offices throughout the world. Visit www.schange.com.
MediaCluster is a registered trademark of SeaChange International, Inc. SeaChange MediaClient and SeaChange MediaLibrary are trademarks of SeaChange International, Inc.
We are pleased to announce the availability of the latest releases of software updates for MediaRig Encoder SD and the Fero PCI Media Adapter drivers. We would like to thank our customers for their feedback, which helped shape this release. These updates include a number of significant new features and improvements to MediaRig Encoder SD, including the following:
New Lower Latency mode - the application now uses an improved and more effective method for auto-calculating latency based on bitrate and VBV buffer size for the current profile, and can achieve latency as low as 600ms. Alternately, the user can manually set the desired latency value and adjust for best results for bitrate and quality.
EIA-708-B Closed Captioning for DTV is now supported.
The optional remote management module for real-time control and monitoring of additional MediaRig Encoder systems over the network has been increased to 25 systems.
Improved method for network configuration and remote system discovery.
New manual Audio Sync Adjustment feature allows user to manually adjust synchronization between audio and the video (from -720ms to 720ms).
Improved user control of transport bit rate.
Existing registered customers within warranty should have already received notification from Support via e-mail on how to obtain and apply these updates. If you have not received this notification, please contact MediaRig Support through the Support Request Form.
Broadcast professionals and VARs interested in receiving information about features, pricing and purchase of MediaRig Encoder SD or Extended Warranties are invited to contact us through our Information Request Form, or by phone at 888-464-8765 (toll free) ext. 101 or 415-249-0100 ext.101 between 8:30am and 5pm Pacific Time.
Compact broadcast platform for dynamic, video-rich navigation to debut at NAB 2006
National Association of Broadcasters: Las Vegas, NV (April 20, 2006): Ligos Corporation has announced that it will introduce its latest product, MediaRig Mosaic, at the National Association of Broadcasters show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, April 24 – 27, in booth # SU4596. MediaRig Mosaic is a 1RU server-based system for Multi-channel Service Operators who are seeking the most compact, cost-effective solution to provide tiled video Interactive Program Guide channels to their subscribers.
MediaRig Mosaic takes the places of up to a dozen hardware MPEG decoders and the stack of equipment that might otherwise be required to generate a single video-rich guide channel. It consolidates all of the required functions – input, MPEG decoding, re-scaling, compositing, XML navigation metadata generation, MPEG encoding, multiplexing and output – into a single, compact platform that can be managed online in real-time, either locally or remotely via IP.
The user interface provides the operator a straightforward way to dynamically add and modify layered tiles for video, still graphics, text and navigation elements over a background of the user’s choice. Elements are easily modified and can be keyed on or off dynamically, and layouts can be saved and recalled for future use. Modifications to the layout and metadata happen in real-time, allowing the operator to instantly see their modifications in the output video stream.
Regardless of provider – cable, telco, or satellite – MediaRig Mosaic is the most efficient and flexible solution available for operators to produce and utilize mosaic style channels for value added services such as interactive program guides, video-on-demand and pay-per-view gateways, localization, audio-only channels, specialty advertising, news and information tickers and more.
For more details and a demonstration, please visit Ligos at NAB2006 in booth # SU 4596, or visit our website at www.ligos.com to request additional technical and contact information.
About Ligos Corporation
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Ligos Corporation is a leading worldwide provider of proven alternatives for cost-effective digital video processing. Since 1997, Ligos has been at the forefront of video compression, delivering real-time software codecs and video tools designed to run on standard platforms. For more information on Ligos Corporation, its products or licensing, visit its website at http://www.ligos.com.
Ligos® and MediaRig® are registered trademarks of Ligos Corporation. All other trademarks product names, and/or trade names are used solely for the purpose of identification and belong to their respective holders. Copyright © Ligos Corporation 2006.
Two companies partner to exhibit at NAB show and CBA@NAB2006 meeting on April 24
National Association of Broadcasters: Las Vegas, NV (April 19, 2006): Ligos Corporation and DTV Innovations announced that they will be exhibiting together at the National Association of Broadcasters show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, April 24 – 27, in booth # SU4596. Both companies are also exhibiting co-sponsors of the Community Broadcasters Association CBA@NAB2006 meeting on Monday, April 24th in Ballroom B of the Las Vegas Hilton. The Community Broadcasters Association is the trade association of the nation’s 2600 Class A and Low Power Television stations, and this year’s meeting theme is “Go Digital!” Ligos and DTV Innovations offer high-quality equipment for broadcasters that address this industry’s requirement for easy to use, cost-effective solutions as they make the digital transition.
At the events, Ligos will be featuring MediaRig Encoder SD, a feature-rich 1U rackmount system capable of processing up to two channels, and suitable for a wide-range of DTV applications. It supports standard definition MPEG-2 (MP@ML and 4:2:2P@ML) video, MPEG Layer 2 and Dolby Digital (AC-3) audio, Static PSIP and PSI/SI control tables, closed captioning, and superior quality even at lower bitrates. More about Ligos and its MediaRig family of products can be found on the web at http://www.ligos.com.
DTV Innovations will be featuring their Digital TV Conversion System, an integrated solution that combines their powerful and flexible multiplexer, MediaRig Encoder, and DTVI’s own Dynamic PSIP Pro software, all in a single 1RU PC system. Not only is it an ideal solution for the LPTV and Class A stations looking to make the transition to digital broadcast, but it’s also an excellent option for any DTV broadcaster who wants to meet their redundancy requirements in the most cost-effective fashion. More about DTV Innovations and their end-to-end solutions and services for digital broadcasting can be found on the web at http://www.dtvinnovations.com.
For more details or information on pricing (including reseller opportunities), please visit both companies at NAB2006 at booth # SU 4596. And for those in the LPTV and Class A industries, be sure to join us and “Go Digital!” at the Community Broadcasters Association CBA@NAB meeting on Monday, April 24th from 6pm-10pm in Ballroom B of the Las Vegas Hilton. For more information on the CBA, visit http://www.dtvnow.org.
About Ligos Corporation
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Ligos Corporation is a leading worldwide provider of software-based media stream management technology. Since 1997, Ligos has been at the forefront of video compression, delivering real-time software codecs and video tools designed to run on standard platforms. For more information on Ligos Corporation, its products or licensing, visit its website at http://www.ligos.com.
Ligos® and MediaRig® are registered trademarks of Ligos Corporation. All other trademarks product names, and/or trade names are used solely for the purpose of identification and belong to their respective holders. Copyright © Ligos Corporation 2006.
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