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NTT introduces 60 new channels in MPEG-4 and prepares for HD VOD and broadcast TV this year On Demand TV is considered to be the world’s first IPTV deployment over an IPv6 fibre optic network. It is using TANDBERG Television encoders and SeaChange VOD systems. By Steve Hawley
Japan’s On Demand TV service will be adding high-definition VOD and supplementing its existing 27 channel MPEG-2 based TV line-up, which is delivered over optical fibre, with 60 new channels of MPEG-4 (H.264/AVC) and HDTV programming. In addition, the operator will be re-encoding (transcoding) its MPEG-2 programming into MPEG-4; allowing it, and the new channels, all to be delivered over lower-bandwidth copper networks and to areas with lower subscriber density. Audio, subtitling and teletext content are bundled with the video streams. It is estimated that On Demand TV will each more than 60 million subscribers across Japan over both NTT West and NTT East, making it one of the world’s largest IPTV deployments. On Demand TV is a joint venture of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) West of Osaka and ITOCHU Corporation. One reason for the joint venture is the fact that Japanese regulators do not allow a single provider to own more than 49% of a service. The operator is currently trialling HD service and fibre-connected subscribers are expected to begin receiving HDTV VOD and live TV during the second half of 2006. The initial 27 channels were implemented using Mediaplex 20 video encoding systems from TANDBERG Television (previously SkyStream Networks), while TANDBERG EN5990 encoders are used both for the 60-channel addition and transcoding. Other systems in the deployment include HDTV-capable VOD systems from SeaChange International and the VCAS content protection system from Verimatrix. Set-top boxes include the Buffalo PC-STB1. Because On Demand TV is delivered over an IP version 6-based network, all of the vendors selected for the deployment had to support it while still meeting stringent project deadlines. |
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