Frontiers develops real-time IP gateway 
“HD x3000" for ultra-low delay HD video transmission

- Achieved ultra-low delay of 28msec minimum plus circuit delay -
 

Frontiers Co., Ltd., a pioneer in IP transport technology for high-definition (HD) video, has newly developed “HD x3000,” a QoS Video-over-IP Gateway (*1) with integrated HD CODEC (*2), which is capable of real-time transport of MPEG-2 (*3) video with ultra-low delay (28msec minimum + circuit delay), with technical assistance from IBEX Technology Corporation. The HD x3000 is the latest model in the “HD x1000 series” of QoS Video-over-IP Gateway, which integrates HD CODEC for transporting HD video material over IP circuits with a Video-over-IP Gateway. The HD x3000 will be introduced at the “IMC Tokyo 2007,” which will be held June 13-15 at Makuhari Messe, in a demonstration connecting the Frontiers booth and the IBEX booth (Hall 8, booth numbers 8F01 and 8H09. Please see www.interop.jp/imc/ for details)

The newly introduced HD x3000 is an epoch-making product that is capable of IP transport of HD video with latencies of one frame or less, compared with delay levels of around 700msec for conventional MPEG-2 CODEC. The HD x3000 is an ideal solution for meeting the fast-growing demand for IP transport of HD video, which is being accelerated further by the revision of the Copyright Law in December 2006 and its enforcement in July 2007. Frontiers’ plans for HD x3000 include supplying HD CODEC as a separate unit, upon customer request, and development of customized products.

[Main features of HD x3000]
1. Achieved ultra-low delay of 28msec, more than 75% reduction from our previous products
The HD x3000 is capable of transporting MPEG-2 HD video with a minimum delay of 28msec at the hardware level, between two HD x3000 units. This represents a delay reduction of over 75% compared to our previous products, and the delay is not discernible by the naked eye.

2. Ultra-low delay HD MPEG-2 CODEC integrated with Video-over-IP Gateway
The HD x1000 series is currently the world’s only video-over-IP gateway with ultra-low delay integrated HD MPEG-2 CODEC that can meet the stringent field demands of real-time international IP transport of HD video. The ultra-low delay is achieved by optimum tuning of the CODEC and the Video-over-IP gateway and by reducing the number of connected hardware.

3. High-quality video transmission ensured by QoS Video-over-IP function
The HD x3000 features a QoS Video-over-IP function, which restores in real-time the IP packets that are dropped or reordered through IP/Ethernet circuits without resending the packets, thus ensuring transmission of faultless compressed video signals. This QoS Video-over-IP function has been used for coverage of the Super Bowl for the last three years, which is the most expensive event video transmission in the world. In addition to event video transmission, over 80% of live coverage of NFL games in the U.S. are delivered using the QoS Video-over-IP function. The “HD x3000” is equipped with exactly the same function as this QoS Video-over-IP function.

4. Compatibility with conventional CODEC
The HD x3000 can be used in combination with conventional HD decoders, not to mention the conventional HD x1000 series. Even a combination of HD x3000 equipped with ultra-low delay HD encoder and HD x1000 equipped with conventional HD decoder can achieve a low delay of about 150msec at the hardware level, which will enable a video conference that was previously not possible with conventional MPEG equipment. By deploying only the HD x3000 equipped with ultra-low delay HD encoder, your existing HD CODEC can be utilized to build a low-delay system.

Broadcast-quality HD Video-over-IP equipment, which integrates HD CODEC and Video-over-IP gateway, has been used by major TV stations for numerous live TV broadcasts, real-time video transmission, event telecast including the EXPO 2005 Aichi Japan, 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Sapporo Snow Festival, etc., and a “one-segment” broadcast experiment organized by Keio University last March.

The gateway portion of QoS Video-over-IP Gateway of this HD x1000 series has been deployed and operated by two key private TV stations in their national networks, for use in terrestrial digital data broadcast, which is rapidly spreading in Japan. These services are also expected to lead to development of new broadcasting services intended for mobile communication and portable devices.

Frontiers plans to offer this new “HD x3000” series at 6 million to 15 million yen per unit. With the introduction of the new series, Frontiers aims to explore new markets such as digital cinema industry and business applications such as video conference, in addition to the existing markets that include broadcast stations, CATV operators and communication carriers. As broadband continues to spread further, Frontiers plans to deliver real-time, interactive HD video distribution service over the public IP network, which is different from conventional streaming video distribution, for applications in areas such as video conference system, remote education and telemedicine.

*1  QoS Video-over-IP Gateway: Broadcast-quality IP video gateway which allows real-time restoration of IP signal packets that are dropped or reordered through IP/Ethernet circuits, without resending the packets, thus ensuring transmission of faultless compressed video signals.
*2  HD CODEC: Software or device used for compression/decompression of high-definition (HD) video data.
*3  MPEG-2: One of video compression methods which is a part of the MPEG standard. MPEG-2 is used for DVD-Video and next-generation digital television such as terrestrial digital broadcasting, etc.

About IBEX
IBEX Technology Corporation is a proposal-oriented design center, which incorporates the latest multimedia technology, conducts research and development of dedicated LSIs, and provides system solutions. We are a highly competitive engineering group, which develops algorithms and architectures optimized for LSIs for advanced and complex information processing. As a fab-less company that creates high-integration LSI with original architecture, IBEX will continue to transmit advanced technology that is on par with Silicon Valley. For more information, please visit www.ibextech.jp

About Frontiers
Outline of business: Frontiers Co., Ltd. (Sogyo) was established in 1996 in Sagamihara, Japan. Under the corporate philosophy of “To be a true innovator who operates a “business of turning 0 into 1” in leading-edge technological fields (Frontiers), thereby contributing to the creation of a better society,” Frontiers has been delivering “from Japan” technologies and products to the Japanese market.
Frontiers mainly develops, manufactures and sells video transmission equipment based on optical communications and IP technology. Frontiers’ solutions have already been widely deployed in international events such as the Winter Olympics in Turin and EXPO Aichi Japan. Our goal is to see our “from Japan” solutions being used in every real-time IP transport of HD video, both in Japan and overseas, in the near future.
For more information, please visit our web page at www.big-frontiers.co.jp.