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Comprehensive Digital Simulcast Solution

The broad functionality of the BigBand Digital Simulcast solution spans encoding, decoding, media processing, QAM, digital ad insertion and GigE IP transport. The company’s platforms are deployed in headends and hubs, and can be connected using a variety of network topologies such as diversely-routed fiber rings, 1+1 linear systems and mesh configurations, achieving enhanced service reliability.

The versatile BMR processes MPEG, IP and Ethernet packets in their native formats, using RateShaping to ensure that statistically multiplexed program flows achieve the best utilization of bandwidth. Up to 96 ASI or DHEI inputs, 72 ASI or DHEI outputs, 32 GigE outputs, and 64 broadcast QAM outputs are available in one high density chassis. The BMR is interoperable with a broad range of DPI infrastructure, either ASI or GigE, including full support for SCTE 30 to SCTE 35 conversion, allowing digital cue tones to be inserted into a program stream if not already present.

Furthermore, since the digital ad splicing resides on the BMR, RateShaping can be applied to multiplexes consisting of both ads and other content, with an operator having full control over bit rate adaptation priorities.

High Availability with Program-Level Redundancy

The BigBand BMR offers program-level redundancy, achieving service reliability beyond what is possible from a redundant network topology alone. In a redundant headend configuration, each facility receives two identical video streams: the primary program source consists of inputs from local encoders, off-air feeds and satellite feeds, while the secondary programs are sourced from the backup headend. Due to its video-aware networking capabilities, the BMR can detect a failure or significant degradation in any of the programs on the primary feed and automatically switches to the secondary source for these programs. Redundancy at this level dramatically improves availability and the subscriber viewing experience.

User-Friendly Management Suite

The BigBand Management and Server Suite makes it easy to configure and monitor the BMR, and dynamically provision content and services. GUI-based management provides a wide range of features, including drag-and-drop creation of output.

BMR Element Manager, one of several GUIs available with BigBand Digital Simulcast