Author: Mark Schaffer, Director, Product Management
With all the talk about bandwidth scarcity, it’s almost difficult to believe that North American cable systems have remained firmly mired in MPEG-2 delivery. Switching to MPEG-4 video encoding would cut bandwidth requirements by half or more, allowing MSOs to add more content and offer more advanced services including network-based digital video recording.
However, the reality is that operators have been reluctant to move away from MPEG-2. Legacy equipment and the potential cost of a transition have dampened enthusiasm, and for several years, operators have held back. Now that we’ve hit 2012, it may finally be time for operators to re-examine their position. Here are three signs that MPEG-4 encoding may soon get its day in the sun.
- Operators are running out of QAMs. Even as they race to add capacity, MSOs are also stretching the limits of what their existing systems can deliver. With higher efficiency MPEG-2 encoding, we hear cable operators starting to explore how to squeeze four video streams into a single QAM channel. Even with MPEG-2 advances, that’s a tight fit, and operators risk compromising video quality to accommodate more content. In an MPEG-4 environment, however, not only could operators double up on video streams, but overall video quality would improve thanks to statistical multiplexing gains. Where four HD channels in a single QAM may be stretching the limits of MPEG-2, statmuxing eight MPEG-4 HD channels within the same bandwidth could actually be a more flexible long-term option.
- Several studios want to differentiate their channels with higher quality video. ESPN, for example, is ready to distribute its networks in 1080p60. When it does make the shift, service providers can grab a competitive advantage by passing those 1080p60 streams directly to consumers. Being able to deliver higher quality video will help them stand out against competitors, but they’ll need MPEG-4 to make it possible.
- In the cable market MPEG-4 set-top boxes are gaining traction. Even though Motorola started deploying MPEG-4 set-tops years ago, there was little interest from providers outside of Verizon in North America until recently. Then late last year EastLink transitioned to MPEG-4 for all HD, 3D and on-demand services via the Motorola DCX3400-M set-top, while Shaw Cable jumped on the bandwagon with the DCX3200 supporting MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Now Shaw offers NFL Sunday Ticket and NHL® Centre Ice™ via MPEG-4.
It’s hard to predict exactly when the cable industry will hit an MPEG-4 tipping point, but the near-term probability of a shift has certainly improved. The big question is whether MPEG-4 or IP will tip first. If it’s the latter, than the window for MPEG-4 QAM delivery may have come and gone. In that case, we’ll still make the shift to MPEG-4, but we’ll do it over IP instead.
Product Information: Motorola MPEG-4 Video Encoders Motorola DCX3200 Set-Top Motorola DCX3400 Set-Top DreamGallery Video
Press Releases:
ESPN to Utilize Motorola Mobility’s 1080p60 HD Video Distribution Solution
Shaw Selects Motorola’s DreamGallery Solution for Next-Gen User Experience
{ 1 comment }
