NAB: Harmonic Beefs Up Multiscreen Transcoding Solutions

Launches next generation of its ACE solution and expands multiscreen transcoding functionality of its ProStream 1000

By George Winslow -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/15/2012 9:58:00 AM

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With multiplatform distribution a hot tech topic at this year's NAB, Harmonic weighed in early, announcing a number of enhancements to its transcoding solutions that would offer improve delivery to multiple screens.

As part of that effort, it is launching the next generation of its ACE (Agile Compression Engine) with new multiscreen capabilities and is adding new multiscreen transcoding functionality to the ProStream 1000.

As a result of the improvements, the ProStream 1000 with ACE will now be capable of transcoding up to 20 HD streams and 80 adaptive streaming profiles in a single 1RU appliance.

The company is also positioning ProStream 1000 with ACE as an key component of its comprehensive multiscreen solution suite, where it is closely integrated with Harmonic's ProMedia file transcoders, adaptive bit rate packager and origin server, and MediaGrid active storage system.

"With the proliferation of new premium multiscreen video services, and increasing marketplace demand for high-quality video on high-resolution mobile devices, tablets, and connected televisions, this advancement of ACE is the right product at the right time," said Orit Kahana, product line manager, stream processing, at Harmonic.

The market-leading ProStream 1000 with ACE is currently used by more than 18,000 broadcast television channels worldwide. By adding new multiscreen capabilities, the product will enable customers to more quickly launch higher quality streaming video services while lowering capital and operating expenses.

The new multiscreen capabilities for ProStream 1000 with ACE are scheduled to ship in the second quarter of 2012.