Eastlink to deploy MPEG-4 Video compression

[hugh]

According to a Motorola press release issued today EastLink will now incorporate MPEG-4 video compression technology in all of its broadcast and on-demand HD services.

Motorola says this major step is a first in the industry and solves bandwidth requirements for EastLink, especially as more services migrate to HD and 3DTV.

Press release below.

[hugh]

Release

EastLink Continues to Solidify Video Leadership With Deployment of Motorola MPEG-4 HD Services

HORSHAM, Pa., Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- In a move that will increase and improve the high-definition (HD) and 3D services offered by Canada's largest privately owned telecommunications company, Motorola Mobility, Inc. MMI -0.05% announced today that EastLink will incorporate its video compression technology in all of its broadcast and on-demand HD services. By achieving this milestone, EastLink becomes one of the first MSO-based video entertainment service providers in North America to shift to the next generation of video delivery technologies that continue to support the highest quality broadcast and OnDemand HD and 3D services to their customers.

The benefit to EastLink is the savings in video delivery bandwidth that Motorola's MPEG-4 solutions provide. These bandwidth savings provide EastLink with increased flexibility and greater potential to deliver new service offerings without having to modify or expand existing network infrastructure.

"Our customers have very high expectations when it comes to video quality, choice in programming and OnDemand video services," said Deborah Shaffner, President and COO EastLink. "With the adoption of MPEG4 technology, we are capable of delivering the highest quality video our customers have come to expect while continuing to lead the industry in HD, 3D, and OnDemand content availability."

"EastLink has a strong history of leading cable operators in the adoption and integration of advanced technologies into their network. Following successful trials in test markets across Canada, EastLink is now in a position to deploy Motorola's MPEG4 for all OnDemand, HD and 3D services," said Joe Cozzolino, senior vice president and general manager, Network Infrastructure, Motorola Mobility. "By using Motorola's MPEG-4 technology to deliver industry-leading video picture quality, EastLink can also enjoy significant bandwidth efficiencies."

"EastLink's migration to MPEG-4 technology provides the company with increased network capacity so that they can continue to develop new, meaningful products and services for its customers," added Deborah Shaffner, President and COO EastLink. "Our customers will also enjoy significantly increased HD and 3D DVR content storage due to the very-high quality Motorola MPEG-4 video delivery solutions can provide."

EastLink has also deployed two of Motorola's advanced HD set-tops, the DCX3400-M and DCX700-M. These set-tops enable the migration of HD broadcast and on-demand services to MPEG-4. Additionally, through integrating the Motorola CAP1000, EastLink can now benefit from more advanced capabilities like ad insertion, achieving greater bandwidth efficiencies and support simultaneous channel substitutions.

EastLink is also using Motorola SE6601, an advanced encoder to offer MPEG-4 encoding, which provides industry-leading picture quality based on perceptual video processing (PVP). PVP links the physiology of the human eye and how it captures images to the development of advanced video delivery technologies which results in very rich consumer viewing experience without sacrificing picture quality.

[smallmj]

Does this mean that I won't be able to watch anything On demand with my dct2000s and dct2500?

Mark

[denben73]

Not sure, they are still out there in many HD areas. My boss has 3 DCT2500s at his place and they were replaced a few months ago. They don't sub to HD though. I think only HD services will be using MPEG4. You may have to call them or tweet them to find out.

I have 2 questions? The first is Is EastLink running HD in MPEG4 right now, like here in Timmins, Halifax, etc. or am I just not reading the press release correctly? Secondly, is there anyway on our 3400s or 700s to tell if it is tuned to an MPEG4 stream or channel?

I wonder if this means a bunch of new channels are coming our way...

[hugh]

Does this mean that I won't be able to watch anything On demand with my dct2000s and dct2500?

Are those HD set top boxes? The way I read it, only HD VOD channels will be affected so if you have an HD box then presumably you will need to upgrade to a MPEG4 capable HD box at some point in the future. SD users seem unlikely to be affected.

[jimbo42]

Originally Posted by denben73

Not sure, they are still out there in many HD areas. My boss has 3 DCT2500s at his place and they were replaced a few months ago. They don't sub to HD though. I think only HD services will be using MPEG4. You may have to call them or tweet them to find out.

I have 2 questions? The first is Is EastLink running HD in MPEG4 right now, like here in Timmins, Halifax, etc. or am I just not reading the press release correctly? Secondly, is there anyway on our 3400s or 700s to tell if it is tuned to an MPEG4 stream or channel?

I wonder if this means a bunch of new channels are coming our way...

We here in Halifax have been switched over to MPEG4 for a few months now, we are the first and only ones to have it at the moment as we were the testing area.

The answer to your question is it will increase bandwidth and yes that will mean a lot more room for more channels.

[Doppelganger399]

Tech has passed me by no clue what this means, guessing they will swap my DCT 6416 at some point.

[denben73]

Originally Posted by jimbo42

We here in Halifax have been switched over to MPEG4 for a few months now, we are the first and only ones to have it at the moment as we were the testing area.

The answer to your question is it will increase bandwidth and yes that will mean a lot more room for more channels.

According to the press release, "Following successful trials in test markets across Canada, Halifax probably isn't the only place that this has happened. Wouldn't Halifax have all the missing HD channels by now if they were using MPEG4? Just a question, not trying to start a war here. The press release is kind of vague as to where and if it is being used yet, it makes me wonder how many MPEG4 HD systems are running right now.

Anyway for the end user to tell if it is being used???

[jimbo42]

LOL Halifax has been MPEG4 for months as I stated and we are caught up with the HD channels now. As far as I know Halifax was the only place that was/is using MPEG4 tech atm but now it will be rolled out to the rest of Eastlinks networks.

This is why subscribers here in Halifax received letters in the mail that in order to receive HD they needed to have the new STB's from Motorola, MPEG4 only worked on the new Motorola 3400-M/700M boxes, no other area's of Canada I'm aware of had to exchange their STB's indicating Halifax was/is the only MPEG4 network running atm on an Eastlink network.

I believe what they meant by testing across Canada was it was tested at the head ends of each area and probably tested by employee's of Eastlink in each area they serve across Canada but Halifax is the only area that has MPEG4 running to all homes.

[jonifax]

Originally Posted by smallmj

Does this mean that I won't be able to watch anything On demand with my dct2000s and dct2500?

Mark

No. This only affects how the HD channels & HD ondemand is delivered. As other posters mentioned, it has already been completed in Halifax.

If you have the silver boxes, the HD will no longer work. Everything else will. EastLink reps came to my place to exchange the silver boxes for the new models. With the hardware upgrade, I actually saved money. The 9.95$/month HD boxes were replaced with a free DCX700 and an additional box of 5.95$. The DVR charge remained the same (14.95$/month).

Hope this clears it up. Even if you don't have HD, you'll like the DCX700s. They are a lot smaller.

[Smoothfonzo]

Silver boxes as in 6412's?

[denben73]

Originally Posted by Smoothfonzo

Silver boxes as in 6412's?

Correct, That would also include the 6200 (the only non-DVR box), the 6208 and the 6416.

[Smoothfonzo]

Thanks, Den. Is there a specific timeframe on when this will happen? And is there a comparable dual tuner box? The info I looked up on the dcx700 said it was a single tuner.

[denben73]

From what I heard from someone on the tech side here, is that all HD channels that are being added from now on will be MPEG4. The "older" channels will be converted in the new year. The Hollywood Suite channels will be in MPEG4. That is for Timmins, so I'm not 100% sure if it will be the same everywhere or not.

The current dual-tuner DVR is the DCX3400. I have two of them here. They are solid black, have 250GB hard drives and run well. I had 2 6416s and had both boxes replaced in January when the 3400s were released. It gave me a 50% or so increase in drive space and the CSR at our local retail kiosk added them to my account like I was a new DVR customer. I rent, so I save $10/month for each of them for one year. Unfortunately the year end in 2 months. Promotions change all the time, so you might even get something better.

Also, the DCX700 is a receiver only, not a DVR.

[Smoothfonzo]

Thanks Den, that's good info to know We seem to constantly run out of space, so the added space will definitely be an advantage, especially when recording in HD.