Path 1 Network Technologies has announced the availability of the Vx8000 v1.2 - a multi-port, bidirectional IP video gateway for live broadcast applications. The new version offers a redundant Gigabit Ethernet port, optional Forward Error Correction (FEC), RepliCaster for stream replication, variable port licensing, and support for VLAN tagging. These new features make the Vx8000 the most reliable, scalable, and flexible standards-compliant Pro-MPEG IP video gateway on the market today.
"Major satellite and broadcast network operators have responded very positively to the Vx8000's advanced feature set since we launched the product this April," said John Zavoli, president and CEO of Path 1. "Building on that success, the Vx8000 version 1.2 takes functionality to an entirely new level for our customers. Its new RepliCaster capabilities allow network broadcasters to simultaneously reach hundreds of locations, making it ideal technology for sending time-sensitive news or sports content to network affiliate stations. This and other enhancements combine to ensure that the Vx8000 gives operators broad flexibility to suit any carrier, broadcast, or satellite teleport network."
The Vx8000 enables broadcasters to deliver real-time, broadcast-quality MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and VC-1 (MPEG-2 TS) video in both SD and HD formats to remote locations over public and private IP networks. Leveraging Path 1's advanced QoS technology, the gateway shields the video from any impairments imposed by an IP network -- public or private. The eight ASI input or output ports - which can now be licensed in any combination for Transmit and Receive -- and Gigabit Ethernet network interfaces allow the Vx8000 to act as a bridge between encoded ASI digital video sources and IP networks, as well as provide IP-to-IP conditioning and transport. The Vx8000 also has native IP input/output capabilities which are well-suited for IP-based encoders. By integrating the Vx8000 into their networks, network operators can inexpensively enhance their real-time video capabilities and scale their support for these services as demand grows over time.
The Vx8000 v1.2 uses standards-compliant techniques for FEC that adhere to the Pro-MPEG Code of Practice (COP 3) for live broadcast applications and compensate for IP network jitter, packet loss, duplicate and out-of-order packets so that video quality and integrity are not compromised as content is delivered in real-time. Because it is standards-based, the Vx8000 is also fully interoperable with virtually any type of networking equipment and can be deployed into any existing broadcast infrastructure. Path 1 has also developed the most robust and complete implementation of the Pro-MPEG COP 3 standard in the marketplace by adopting the highest levels of loss correction and burst protection allowed by the standard, which are critical factors to the delivery of high-quality HDTV programs over IP networks.
New key features and benefits include:
A second redundant Gigabit Ethernet port allows the Vx8000 to be either automatically or manually switched over from port 1 to port 2 in the event of a link failure on an adjacent network device. This new feature helps carriers ensure maximum reliability for mission-critical video services.
The Pro-MPEG COP 3 compliant FEC is now optional on the Vx8000. This gives customers the ability to optimize bandwidth while traffic moves from an ASI network to an IP network.
The Vx8000 now offers the same powerful stream replication available in Path 1's Cx1000 and Ax100, and takes this functionality a step further with the new release. The product's processing power enables it to replicate each incoming MPEG stream up to 30 times per port, for an amazing total of 240 replicated video streams per single system. This high stream density can translate into a substantial cost savings in capital equipment. This functionality is also extremely useful in MPLS-based IP networks, enabling video feeds to be sent to multiple locations without the need for complex multicast networks or advanced traffic engineering.
ASI ports may be licensed in any combination for Transmit or Receive, up to eight total. Customers can order the product based on current needs, and feel confident that it can scale as needs change over time.
New VLAN tagging offers improved QoS by separating traffic sharing on the same circuit and assigning different priority levels to traffic of varying importance.
Like all Path 1 products, the Vx8000 architecture is based on a standardized network processor-powered hardware platform that can be remotely managed via any web-based console. The Vx8000 v1.2 is available immediately.
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