Combination of Premium MPEG-4 Compression and SD-to-HD Upscaling Is Industry First; Reduces Both CAPEX and OPEX

RENNES, France — April 1, 2015 — At the 2015 NAB Show, Thomson Video Networks will introduce an update of its award-winning ViBE EM4000 premium HD/SD encoder featuring an all-new, broadcast-grade SD-to-HD conversion capability. With the newest version, broadcasters can now combine premium HD MPEG-4 compression with the ability to upscale an SD video source to HD. With both functions in one solution, the EM4000 enables broadcasters to move more quickly to an all-HD broadcast operation while, at the same time, reducing capital and operating expenses. 

"In media markets all over the world, the ability to broadcast in HD is not only a key differentiator, but it's critical to meeting viewer demand for premium picture quality. However, as broadcasters continue to migrate to full HD operations, they know they'll still be relying on a wide range of SD video sources for the foreseeable future," said Eric Gallier, vice president, marketing, Thomson Video Networks. "The newest ViBE EM4000 marks another industry milestone for our company, as the first solution to combine premium compression with broadcast-grade upscaling in a single piece of equipment. With the seamless ability to upscale SD sources and encode HD MPEG-4, the ViBE EM4000 is ideal for a wide range of broadcast applications including satellite, terrestrial, cable, and IP television." 

The ViBE EM4000 is the first premium encoder to offer a density of eight HD MPEG-4 AVC channels in a 1-RU chassis. The ViBE EM4000's new conversion capability will soon be deployed by one of Thomson Video Networks' largest customers. Compared to more traditional broadcasting operations that rely on separate systems for conversion and compression, the built-in up-scaling capability of the ViBE EM4000 is not only simpler and easier to use, but combining conversion and compression in a single unit means less equipment to control and maintain, lower cooling requirements, and reduced power consumption. 

The newest release of the ViBE EM4000 will be available by the end of April for both HD MPEG-4 and HD MPEG-2 encoding. Down-scaling from HD to SD is also offered in this version, allowing SD and HD simulcasting from a single input signal. Current ViBE EM4000 users may add these conversion features via a simple software upgrade. 

Thomson Video Networks will showcase the new SD-to-HD conversion capabilities of the ViBE EM4000 at the 2015 NAB Show in booth SU2610.