Pace Reveals First MPEG-4 High Definition Set-Top Box Platform Pace Demonstrates Expertise in All Advanced Video Codecs
Pace Micro Technology (LSE:PIC) has today revealed its first MPEG-4 Part 10 (H.264) high definition (HD) set-top box platform as the Company continues to demonstrate its expertise in advanced video coding for digital television services.
The TDX800 incorporates a hard disk for personal video recording (PVR) and at IBC 2004 it will be demonstrated alongside one of the world's first commercially available VC-1/Windows Media 9 set-top boxes, the DB440, also premiering at IBC, completing Pace's advanced video coding (AVC) line-up.
"Within the next three years, advanced video coding will become the dominant TV technology, for both standard and high definition content. Pace, with our MPEG-4 Part 10 and Windows Media 9 demonstrations, is at the forefront of making this transition," says David Gillies, Director of Technology at Pace. "Advanced video coding will be a critical factor in the market acceptance of HDTV and it's also certain that consumers will want PVR with their HD."
Pace's Gillies continues: "At Pace we believe in actively supporting new standards, so operators can be confident that all AVC bases are covered when they select Pace high definition technology."
The TDX800 demonstration utilises the latest Broadcom silicon AVC co-processor and will be available across all television delivery platforms; satellite, cable, terrestrial and IP. It will also be able to demodulate both high and standard definition programming, with the potential to use advanced modulation schemes such as DVB-S2. DVB-S2, when used in conjunction with advanced video codecs, will deliver the same number of HD channels per transponder as available in SD today.
The DB440 is Pace's second generation Windows Media 9-based set-top box and uses the latest developments in this codec. It is based on Microsoft's Windows CE operating system and can deliver a full range of Windows Media 9 video and audio content. In addition, low bit-rate content can be viewed on the DB440 at high resolution (full D1) due to Pace's full utilisation of the advanced post-processing options available in WM9.
"Within the next three years, advanced video coding will become the dominant TV technology, for both standard and high definition content. Pace, with our MPEG-4 Part 10 and Windows Media 9 demonstrations, is at the forefront of making this transition," says David Gillies, Director of Technology at Pace. "Advanced video coding will be a critical factor in the market acceptance of HDTV and it's also certain that consumers will want PVR with their HD."
Pace's Gillies continues: "At Pace we believe in actively supporting new standards, so operators can be confident that all AVC bases are covered when they select Pace high definition technology."
The TDX800 demonstration utilises the latest Broadcom silicon AVC co-processor and will be available across all television delivery platforms; satellite, cable, terrestrial and IP. It will also be able to demodulate both high and standard definition programming, with the potential to use advanced modulation schemes such as DVB-S2. DVB-S2, when used in conjunction with advanced video codecs, will deliver the same number of HD channels per transponder as available in SD today.
The DB440 is Pace's second generation Windows Media 9-based set-top box and uses the latest developments in this codec. It is based on Microsoft's Windows CE operating system and can deliver a full range of Windows Media 9 video and audio content. In addition, low bit-rate content can be viewed on the DB440 at high resolution (full D1) due to Pace's full utilisation of the advanced post-processing options available in WM9.
