New Products Being Introduced by Omneon at NAB2005

Omneon Spectrum™ for Integrated and Simultaneous HD and SD

Continuing to extend the integrated HD functionality of Omneon Spectrum™ media servers, Omneon will launch at NAB2005 the latest version of its video server, which features integrated capability for the simultaneous playback of HD and SD content on either the same channel or independent channels. The advance is made possible with the introduction of the MultiPort 4100 series, a new family of interface devices for MPEG2 decoding that can support simultaneous playback of both SD and HD MPEG2 material. Incorporating built-in up- and downconversion capabilities, the MultiPort 4100 series gives broadcasters the benefit of having SD and HD on the same timeline. Not only can they mix SD and HD material to create a single output channel, but they also can mix SD and HD material to create two simultaneous output channels — one for their SD feed and another one for their HD feed — all from one timeline.

The new MultiPort 4100 series modules for the Omneon Spectrum™ feature outputs for two synchronized channels, one for HD and another for SD, each one having been built from a single timeline that can originate from either SD or HD material (or both). In addition to outputs for SDI video, HD-SDI video, audio, timecode, and control, each MultiPort 4100 also includes connectors to allow for the use of external up- and downconversion equipment if desired. When an external conversion device is used, the MultiPort 4100 series has built-in adjustable frame delay compensation to maintain audio/video synchronization. With this unique capability, Omneon server systems give customers the freedom to choose either the integrated functionality or a preferred external device for up- and downconversion.

The MultiPort 4100 series can be added to any existing Omneon Spectrum™ media server to add integrated HD playout capabilities easily. These new interface units further extend the HD capabilities of the Omneon Spectrum™ media server product line and provide broadcasters with a media server solution that can simultaneously store and play back both SD and HD content.

HD in Any Format

Over the course of the past year, Omneon has added support for a number of HD formats to allow broadcasters to use an Omneon Spectrum™ system with the HD format of their choice. In addition to the integrated HD MPEG2 capabilities available with its new HD interface devices, Omneon also supports compressed formats from Sony with HDCAM and Panasonic with DVCPRO-HD. This breadth of format support makes the Omneon Spectrum™ system the only media server capable of supporting all leading HD formats simultaneously. Incorporating Omneon’s Smart Scalability™, the Omneon Spectrum™ allows broadcasters to deploy a server infrastructure for HD and SD playback today and gain the flexibility to add channels or services at any point in the future. The complete investment protection delivered by the Omneon Spectrum™ media server enables current Omneon customers to add new HD services, in any format, to their existing media server implementations easily and cost-effectively.

Additional HD Components for Omneon Spectrum™ Media Servers

The new MultiPort 4100 Series is the latest in a line of media interface adapters available for Omneon Spectrum™ media server systems. Like all Omneon media devices, they can be added to any existing system without any disruptive upgrade process. Additional HD interfaces for an Omneon system include:

MultiPort 4000 Series

The MultiPort 4000 Series is a family of HD MPEG decoders for integrated playback of HD material ingested into an Omneon Spectrum™ media server. Providing one or two independent channels of HD playback, these devices are capable of supporting material in either 4:2:0 or 4:2:2 profiles. Each MultiPort 4000 Series device includes outputs for HD-SDI video, audio, timecode, and control.

MediaPort 4010

The MediaPort 4010 provides an input interface for HD material by ingesting an incoming ASI-based transport stream and demuxing the content into HD MPEG essence material. By utilizing the MediaPort 4010, broadcasters can use the HD encoder of their choice to ingest HD MPEG material while using the integrated HD playback capability provided by the MultiPort 4000 series or MultiPort 4100 series for direct playback.

Omneon Spectrum™ Media Server Overview

The Omneon Spectrum™ system is the industry’s most cost-effective and flexible media server, delivering unparalleled scalability and modularity. Capable of supporting both real-time (isochronous) broadcast connectivity and non-real-time (asynchronous) network connectivity, it gives broadcasters the freedom to use multiple formats and applications simultaneously, with the compatibility required to support existing systems and add new services easily.

The Omneon Spectrum™ media server consists of three basic components:

• MediaDirector server components, which manage bandwidth between the real-time interface components, network connectivity, and the storage subsystem. A MediaDirector includes multiple processing elements to ensure maximum bandwidth for real-time audio/video streams as well as manage all file-system and RAID functions.
• MediaStore storage arrays, including 73-, 146-, or 300-Gb Fibre Channel drives, hot-swappable power supplies, plus multiple access modules for enhancing bandwidth and resiliency.
• MediaPort and MultiPort interface adapters for video, audio, timecode, and control. Through these I/O components, users can ingest and encode content, and play out content for production or transmission. These components are available in a variety of formats, such as MPEG2 (SD and HD), DV/DVCPRO, uncompressed ITU 601, SDTI, HDCAM, DVCPRO-HD, and DVB/ASI. MediaPorts provide bidirectional, one-channel I/O, while MultiPorts provide multiple channels of playout.

With the ability to combine components in a virtually unlimited fashion and add any component to a system at any time, users have maximum flexibility in terms of channel count, bandwidth, storage capacity, and system redundancy. In one system, broadcasters can obtain the features they need today and the scalability they need for future growth.

About Omneon
Omneon is a leading provider of flexible media server and active storage systems that optimize workflow productivity and on-air reliability for the production, distribution, and management of digital media. Omneon is a pioneer in the use of advanced IT technologies and open systems for broadcast applications, producing a modular and expandable video server architecture in the Omneon Spectrum. The company's MediaGrid active storage system delivers centralized content storage that is scalable in capacity, bandwidth, and media-processing power. The company has an extensive global presence with customers in 45 countries on six continents. Omneon is on the Web at www.Omneon.com.

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