InfoValue Computing powers Japanese powerboat race

InfoValue Computing, experts in providing innovative, high-performance video-streaming platforms and solutions, today announced that Japan Leisure Channel Co., Ltd. (JLC) of Tokyo is using the InfoValue QuickVideo streaming platform to provide real-time multisite remote viewing to 24 locations serving Japan’s popular powerboat-race scene.

Live since early November 2006, Japan Leisure Channel’s service allows boat-racing fans across Japan to watch the action relayed to betting locations via InfoValue’s award-winning IP video-streaming technology. Screening up to 180 races per day between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. on JLC’s three cable channels, the system already provides greater throughput than originally specified, and Japan Leisure Channel plans to extend the service further, with more video-on-demand capability.

“InfoValue QuickVideo enables a highly scalable and available streaming-based TV-switching broadcast system that allows Japan Leisure Channel to optimize the efficiency, cost, and scalability of our operations,” said Yoshimichi Maeoka, managing director for Japan Leisure Channel. “Without InfoValue QuickVideo, we could not have achieved the level of coverage we are now providing. This was a very quick installation, and it has been completely trouble-free and reliable from the start. We are very impressed also with the image quality; powerboat racing is demanding because of the fast-paced action and the constantly moving water filling most of the screen. The quality we get is much better than expected and comparable to HD.”

“This solution represents a new IP-based video approach to streamlining and scaling up telecasting of special events and many types of TV broadcasting,” said Monsong Chen, president of InfoValue. “While boat racing is very popular in Japan, most fans can’t get to the races, but with this service JLC makes it possible for them to enjoy the excitement of the competition and the off-track betting in hundreds of locations.”

InfoValue QuickVideo is the award-winning software platform for comprehensive video-streaming functionality over IP networks, including video-on-demand; video multicast; network PVR (for instant replay); recording, archiving, and publishing; and content distribution. InfoValue QuickVideo is based on a standards-compliant, open architecture that is optimized with innovative, patented technologies to ensure performance, scalability, and intelligence.

JLC and InfoValue partnered with Sanshin Electronics Co. (SEC) and Golden Micro Systems Corp. (GMS) to deliver this solution. SEC, a Tokyo-based systems integrator, provided and installed digital video encoder and decoder appliances at the race sites. GMS, also a Tokyo-based systems integrator, provided the hardware and user-interface integration of the solution.