XOrbit launches a Direct-to-MPEG Closed Captioning Solution

XOrbit, a manufacturer of broadcasting automation,
management, and distribution solutions launched Xilex, a revolutionary new
process to embed closed captions directly to MPEG video files.

While many broadcasters have worked to eliminate videotape
from their facilities, nearly all captioning is still done on tape. Even using
digital videotape is highly inefficient and costly, requiring content producers
to send their digital material to videotape before it can be captioned.

Xilex inserts captions directly into SD, HD, program, and
transport stream MPEG files without the need to encode physical media. Programs
can be captioned in a fraction of the time of the former, tape-based process.
Through full integration with the broadcaster’s digital asset management (DAM)
system, Xilex receives captioning data and video data in separate file formats,
embeds the captions based on timecodes, and then automatically restores the
captioned MPEG to the DAM or a separate storage device. Xilex eliminates the
need for a VBI encoder to deliver video to air, and the system is unique in its
ability to handle both the program file and the transport stream — making it
ideal for video-on-demand applications.

“Until now, closed captioning has been one of the last
tape-based holdouts in a typical broadcasting operations environment, which is
increasingly defined by digital, file-based processes and systems,” said
Steven Blumenschein, president of XOrbit, Inc. “With Xilex, we’re closing
that gap and enabling customers to realize a full transition to digital
operations, with significant savings in time, costs, and editing
resources.”

The Xilex server is packaged as a 1-RU solution with full
API documentation and development support. The system works with standard ATSC
MPEG-2 files, and supports an extensive list of caption file formats including
NCI, CaptionMax, Vitec, Soundwriters, CaptionColorado, CCS, RapidText, Cheetah,
and many others. Xilex will be demonstrated at the 2008 National Association of
Broadcasters (NAB) show in April in
Las
Vegas.