IBC: Rovi Debuts Codec for HEVC Standard

New Rovi MainConcept codec SDK will simplify implementation of better compression technology

By George Winslow -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/6/2012 10:46:06 AM

Complete Coverage: IBC 2012

At the start of IBC, Rovi Corporation announced new products and deals, including the launch of a new MainConcept codec SDK for the soon-to-be ratified High Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC) compression standard and a multiyear agreement with Microsoft, which will use Rovi's MainConcept H.264 video codec and SDK for its Windows Azure Media Services.

The H.265/HEVC compression system is expected to be 100% more efficient than its predecessor H.264/AVC, which will significantly reduce file size and the bandwidth required for streaming or downloading video to tablets, smartphones, set-top boxes and consumer electronics devices.

The improved compression will also play a role in the development of 4K technologies, which offer much higher resolution than the current HD standard.

"Consumers expect content to be in its best format on every device that has a quality display," explained Matt Milne, executive VP of product, sales and marketing for Rovi, in a statement. "The addition of a new encoder for HEVC builds upon Rovi's longstanding tradition of providing leading-edge codec technology to our customers through the MainConcept product line. The new MainConcept SDK is an extension of Rovi's continued development [of] solutions, such as Rovi Entertainment Store, DivX Plus Streaming, Rovi Content Production tools and others, that promote high quality entertainment consumption."

Separately, with the Microsoft deal, Windows Azure Media Services is using the MainConcept SDK to enable fast, high-quality H.264 encoding.

"Windows Azure Media Services provides a rich set of capabilities for creating, managing, and distributing media in the cloud," said Sudheer Sirivara, director, Windows Azure Media Services, Microsoft. "Rovi's expertise in video encoding brings the quality and performance of the MainConcept H.264 codec to the encoding service offering on Windows Azure Media Services."

Finally, Rovi Corporation also announced an agreement with Belkin, which will use Rovi Video for a program guide and a variety of other features on @TV. This media streaming box enables users to access content from their home theater on their personal and mobile devices.

"We want to give our customers the complete TV experience with @TV," noted Jamie Elgie, senior director of product management at Belkin in a statement. "This starts with the ability to discover content on an integrated channel guide, We've extended this experience to include advanced, eye-catching imagery and information to reflect the highly visual and engaging environment of today's media world."