Terayon Communication Systems is demonstrating how cable television operators can deliver multiple high definition (HD) digital video streams in a single analog channel through rate shaping, the real-time adjustment of digital video bit rates to accommodate a given amount of bandwidth.
This demonstration will show the company's new DM 3200HD Network CherryPicker rate shape multiple HD feeds into a single channel while maintaining optimum picture quality. The DM 3200HD sets a new rate shaping benchmark as it can rate shape up to four HD streams into a channel at 256 QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) with no discernable loss of picture quality. Typically a 256 QAM channel can only support two HD feeds and maintain a high quality picture, but the advanced proprietary ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) of the DM 3200HD provide it with rate shaping and picture quality advantages over other solutions.
HD television (HDTV) offers far superior picture quality compared to standard definition television (SDTV), but requires substantially more bandwidth to deliver. The ability to rate shape HD programming -- while ensuring maximum picture quality -- is important for operators, allowing them to maximize their available bandwidth as they increasingly roll out HDTV to their subscribers.
"Like digital cable service before it, HDTV promises to be an important service for operators, and again CherryPicker is ready with the features and performance to help operators deploy this new service efficiently and with the best quality picture," said Mark Jeffery, senior product marketing manager for Terayon's digital video solutions. "From grooming custom channel line-ups to digital advertising insertion, CherryPicker has been the leading solution for helping operators achieve their digital video goals. CherryPicker's proven track record and new HD rate shaping capabilities make it ideal for HDTV."
The Terayon DM 3200 Network CherryPicker is the second-generation successor to the original CherryPicker, which is the most widely deployed digital video management system and is in use by the eight largest US cable operators, including AT&T, Cox and Time Warner. In addition, to enabling the grooming of custom programming line-ups, the seamless insertion of revenue-generating local digital advertisements and other advanced capabilities, the DM 3200 is an integral component of Terayon's new Distributed Media (DM) platform. The DM platform will allow operators to quickly rollout digital cable service with lower costs by enabling operators to distribute digital video content throughout a cable system efficiently from a central headend, while maintaining dynamic program management at their local headends.
The DM 3200 has been substantially advanced over the first generation CherryPicker. The size of the DM 3200 has been reduced from eight rack units to one, inputs have doubled from eight to 16 and outputs have increased from one to four. Additionally, the DM 3200 has increased the number of programs or services that can be rate shaped from between 12-18 to 32.
Terayon Communication Systems provides innovative broadband systems and solutions for the delivery of advanced, carrier-class voice, data and video services that are deployed by the world's leading cable television operators and telecommunication carriers.
January 9, 2002 - Zenith's New 30-Inch Widescreen HDTV Monitor Leads Versatile Five-Model LCD TV Line
Significantly expanding its family of flat, thin LCD TVs, Zenith Electronics Corporation has introduced five new models in four screen sizes, including a dramatic new 30-inch widescreen HDTV monitor.
Sharing a new, streamlined design built around the advanced TFT-LCD (thin-film transistor, liquid crystal display) technology developed by Zenith's parent company, LG Electronics Inc., the new models are the 30-inch L30W26 LCD HDTV/PC Monitor, the 20.1-inch L20V26 LCD EDTV Monitor, the 15.1-inch L15V26 LCD HDTV/PC Monitor, the 15.1-inch ZLD15A1b LCD HDTV/PC Monitor, and the 10.4-inch L10V22 EDTV.
The flagship of the collection, shown publicly for the first time this week at the Consumer Electronics Show, is the L30W26 HDTV/PC Monitor, boasting a big 30-inch HD-capable widescreen display.
The monitor's 1280 x 768 W-XGA resolution, suitable for television and computer display, is enhanced by a high 400:1 contrast ratio, an exceptional peak brightness of 450 candles/square meter, and broad 170 x 170-degree viewing angles that make it easily seen from almost anywhere. The versatile complement of inputs for DVI, RS-232, Component, S-Video, RGB and A/V assure compatibility with both digital and traditional video sources, and computers. A separate box for the included NTSC tuner enhances its user friendliness as a monitor.
The versatile L15V26 HDTV/PC Monitor features a 15.1-inch screen and a control that switches the set from PC to TV use at the touch of a button. The built-in NTSC tuner complements HD-quality 1024 x 768 resolution. The brilliant image performance is enhanced by a 4H digital comb filter, a high 350:1 contrast ratio, an exceptional brightness of 400 candles/square meter, and wide 140 x 120-degree viewing angles. Inputs for HD, RGB, S-Video, RF and AV make the set fully compatible with both digital and traditional video sources, and computers. A headphone output adds extra convenience.
The 15.1-inch ZLD15A1b HDTV/PC Monitor joins Zenith's award-winning ZLD15A1-the first monitor to combine high-definition display, NTSC TV and computer graphics capabilities in a single TFT-LCD model. The new ZLD15A1b features a built-in NTSC tuner, high-quality 1024 x 768 resolution, and pushbutton PC-to-TV switchability. Image-enhancing features include a 4H digital comb filter, high 350:1 contrast, an exceptional peak brightness of 450 candles/square meter, and wide 140 x 120-degree viewing angles. Hi-Res Component, RGB, S-Video, RF, and AV inputs assure compatibility with both digital and traditional video sources, and computers. A headphone jack adds convenience.
Of Zenith's two new enhanced-definition LCD models, the L20V26 EDTV is the larger, boasting a spacious 20.1-inch screen and an internal NTSC tuner for convenient viewing. It features the same fine 640 x 480 resolution picture as the ZLD20A1, which it replaces. The L20V26 image is enhanced by a 4H digital comb filter, a 400:1 high contrast ratio, an exceptional peak brightness of 450 candles/square meter, and wide 140 x 120-degree viewing angles. Hi-Res Component, RGB, S-Video, RF and AV inputs assure compatibility with digital and traditional video sources, and a headphone jack adds convenience.
The smaller L10V22 EDTV carries a 10.4-inch screen convenient enough to be installed virtually anywhere-on a desktop stand, a wall, or under a kitchen cabinet. A unique automatic picture inversion capability even allows it to be installed upside down to accommodate tight or atypical spaces. The built-in NTSC tuner delivers a bright, very watchable 800 x 600 resolution picture.
The L30W26 has a suggested price of $5,999, and will be available from Zenith dealers in the fourth quarter, 2002. The L15V26 and ZLD15A1b LCD HDTV/PC Monitors have a suggested price of $1,299, and will be available in the second quarter. The L20V26 and L10V22 EDTVs have suggested prices of $1,999 and $699, respectively, and will be available in the second quarter.
HDTV - High Definition Television - digital television
High definition television increases the quality of viewing picture, providing more information and more stunning entertainment.
Digital Video and HDTV: Pixels, Pictures, and Perception - The bestselling digital video guide updated to include video compression and HDTV Digital Video and HDTV provides a clear and concise tutorial on video technologies central to business applications like teleconferencing, Web-based training, and sales and marketing presentations. It explains the operation and maintenance of video systems with an emphasis on integrating video with computer systems at the desktop and workstation levels. Poynton covers the basics like digital broadcasting and SDTV/HDTV, as well as practical applications like filtering, image reconstruction, color and light control, sync, and how to add videotape to digital video. He also discusses the compression standards that enable digital broadcasting, and covers the current production and broadcast standards.
Digital Video and HDTV Algorithms and Interfaces - Rapidly evolving computer and communications technologies have achieved data transmission rates and data storage capacities high enough for digital video. But video involves much more than just pushing bits! Achieving the best possible image quality, accurate color, and smooth motion requires understanding many aspects of image acquisition, coding, processing, and display that are outside the usual realm of computer graphics. At the same time, video system designers are facing new demands to interface with film and computer system that require techniques outside conventional video engineering. Charles Poynton's 1996 book A Technical Introduction to Digital Video became an industry favorite for its succinct, accurate, and accessible treatment of standard definition television (SDTV). In Digital Video and HDTV, Poynton augments that book with coverage of high definition television (HDTV) and compression systems. With the help of hundreds of high quality technical illustrations, this book presents the following topics: Basic concepts of digitization, sampling, quantization, gamma, and filtering Principles of color science as applied to image capture and display Scanning and coding of SDTV and HDTV Video color coding: luma, chroma (4:2:2 component video, 4fSC composite video) Analog NTSC and PAL Studio systems and interfaces Compression technology, including M-JPEG and MPEG-2 Broadcast standards and consumer video equipment.