Xilinx and Screen Service Showcase New Reference Design for Multichannel Video-Over-IP and IPTV at IBC 2007
Programmable solution enables adoption of triple-play services and advanced modulation techniques with high performance advantages
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Sept. 7 / / - At the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) today, Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ:XLNX), the world's leading programmable logic supplier, and MBITL, an R&D subsidiary fully owned by Screen Service Broadcasting Technologies S.p.A. (Milan: SSB), demonstrated a jointly developed reference design for video-over-IP and IPTV. IBC attendees can view a live demonstration of the highly integrated and cost effective reference design, based on Xilinx(R) Virtex(TM)-5 and Spartan(TM)-3 FPGAs, at Xilinx Stand 10.421, RAI Congress Centre, Amsterdam. The solution will benefit designers targeting a wide variety of video based applications such as broadcast, video conferencing, CCTV, surveillance, wired and wireless IPTV applications.
The collaborative demonstration will show an end-to-end broadcast chain from image capture to transmission using DVB-T and DVB-H modulation schemes originating in SSBT's MAGNUM transmitter, a software defined transmitter enabled by Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGAs. The transmitter is capable of loading different modulation schemes, thus allowing smooth transfer from analog to digital broadcasting or easy migration from one digital standard to another. The new MAGNUM series is the latest generation of high-integration digital television transmitters for SFN and MFN networks.
The reference design supports multiple channels in and out, bridging between DVB-ASI and Ethernet IP packets, and forward error correction (FEC) using the ProMPEG Code of Practice 3 (CoP3) and the ProMPEG Code of Practice 4 (CoP4) - for compressed transport streams and uncompressed SDI video sources. Additional flexibility is provided through a choice of memory and processor configurations to closely match technical requirements.
"The joint reference design development with MBITL provides very important building blocks for transmitting broadcast quality audio and video data across IP networks," said Paolo Masini, senior manager of Broadcast Vertical Marketing at Xilinx. "Through this collaborative effort, Xilinx can now provide a high-performance, optimized video-over-IP FPGA solution, allowing broadcast equipment providers to implement IP-capable ports in their equipment with faster time-to-market. With our expanding range of solutions for the broadcast market, Xilinx is solidifying the position of our FPGAs as a key component in many professional audio and video systems."
"The completion of this reference design and demonstration is a step forward achieved by our company towards meeting the requirements for important video-over-IP applications," said Gianluca Saleri, CEO for Screen Service Broadcasting Technologies S.p.A. "Our R&D subsidiary, MBITL, and Xilinx are clearly well positioned to continue providing innovative and cost effective solutions to our customers."
About Xilinx in Broadcast
Xilinx offers a wide array of solutions for the broadcast industry, ranging from video, audio and network connectivity, real-time HD video processing and high speed DSP for transmission and modulation. Xilinx offers reference designs and IP cores as building blocks for complete broadcast systems.
Availability
Production versions of the video over IP reference design, including associated application notes, will be available free of charge in Q4 CY 2007. For more information, visit xilinx.com/broadcast or contact a Xilinx sales representative or distributor.
About Screen Service Broadcasting Technologies, S.p.A.
Screen Service is a leading manufacturer of TV transmitters and microwave links. The Portfolio includes high and low power digital and analogue TV transmitters, transposers and gap-fillers, mobile and fixed microwave links, DTV and DVB modulators, MPEG encoders, re-multiplexers, offset systems, MMDS transmitters and accessories. For more info, visit http://www.screen.it/
About Xilinx
Xilinx is the worldwide leader in complete programmable logic solutions. For more information, visit http://www.xilinx.com/.
CONTACT: Christelle Moraga of Xilinx EMEA, +44 (0) 1932 836 526, cmoraga@xilinx.com
Source: Xilinx, Inc.
