SRG SSR selects Harmonic for HD transition

Switzerland: SRG SSR, has selected a combination of Harmonic video encoders, stream processing solutions, and management tools to power its new HDTV services. The idea is that the new DVB-S system provides the video quality, bandwidth efficiencies, and flexibility to enable SRG SSR to begin its migration to HD, while continuing to provide legacy channels until the transition is complete.

“Harmonic’s video compression and processing solutions deliver the flexibility and quality to successfully address the challenges of migrating services from SD to HD over the next three to five years,” said Andre Frank, project manager, distribution/engineering media services, at SRG SSR. “Additionally, the Electra 8000 is designed to reclaim bandwidth by increasing the channel count per transponder while maintaining video quality, so we can continue to expand our HD services well into the future.”

The Electra 8000 encoders provide SGR SSR with SD and HD, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC encoding, as well as integrated statistical multiplexing. The Electra 8000’s architecture, featuring up to four channels in a single rack unit, also significantly reduces operational costs for SGR SSR with its high density and power efficiency.

SRG SSR is using Harmonic’s ProStream 1000 stream processing platform for bulk scrambling and NMX Digital Service Manager for easy configuration, control, and monitoring of Harmonic and third-party video network elements. Installation of the system was performed by Euromedia Service GmbH, a leading systems integrator and Harmonic reseller based in Germany.

“With Harmonic’s video compression, stream processing, and management solutions we are able to expand our global customer base by offering new customers like SGR SSR unique and integrated solutions that enhance scalability, improve performance, and ease management of their video services as they make the move to HD,” said Michael Salomon, area sales manager, Germany, for Harmonic.