ATEME, Eutelsat Join Forces to Deliver VOD over Satellite

ATEME, a global leader in advanced video compression solutions for the broadcast industry, is joining forces with satellite operator Eutelsat Communications, its innovation team, and partners to demonstrate advanced video-on-demand (VOD) over satellite using Eutelsat’s “smart LNB.” This product provides a satellite return link that allows encrypted Digital Rights Management content to be offered on demand, using the same techniques as terrestrial networks.
“ATEME’s strong position in the VOD transcoding space makes them a solution
of choice for leading DTH operators worldwide,” says Antonio Arcidiacono, Eutelsat’s director of innovation. “The company is a natural addition to the “smartLNB” ecosystem, and we are excited to work with them and our partners as we demonstrate the future of interactive satellite broadcasting.”

According to ATEME, households face a lack of Internet connectivity. Many households either do not have access to the Internet or do not have an Internet access point located near their television to access “pay-per-view” VOD. The “smart LNB” is a low-cost device that bundles direct-to-home (DTH) reception of TV channels with a narrowband satellite return channel for short transmissions of IP packets.

For end-users, the “smart LNB” uses the coaxial cabling of existing installations to connect to the set-top-box. In the past, when a consumer wanted to purchase a VOD movie via satellite, they would need to use a secondary device – such as a mobile phone or computer – to do so. With this technology, consumers can make these purchases with a click on the
remote control.

EURO extends service offerings and opens the door for broadcasters to operate their own ecosystem of linear television and connected TV services directly by satellite. It is compatible with legacy DVB-S2 receivers and connects TVs, tablets, and other IP-compatible devices.

ATEME’s TITAN transcoder line, TITAN Live and TITAN File, provides the technology to not only transcode VOD, but also streams linear channels to connected TVs, while Eutelsat’s “smartLNB” offers the return path for interactivity.