NAB 2019: JVC Hardware Encoder Delivers Real-Time HEVC Compression for Bandwidth Savings

JVC Professional Video (Booth C4415) announced the ProHD BR-EN900 encoder designed for studio and remote production, ENG, live streaming from sports venues, and point-to-point HD video contribution. Powered by an all-hardware compression chip, the portable BR-EN900 provides broadcast-quality HEVC (H.265) encoding up to 1080p60 with 10-bit 4:2:2 sampling.

Dual encoding capabilities allow simultaneous H.265 and H.264 streaming to different destinations, such as hardware decoders and CDNs. The HEVC codec reduces bandwidth requirements and the associated costs when streaming over cellular, satellite, and broadband networks.

“Our cameras feature built-in encoders, but customers often need to stream the output of a switcher in multi-camera remote production applications,” explained Edgar Shane, general manager of engineering. “The BR-EN900 can deliver contribution-quality HD video over bonded LTE, Wi-Fi, or WAN without compromising the image quality, even at very low bit rates using the high-efficiency H.265 codec.”

Designed for any video environment, the BR-EN900 includes 3G-SDI, DVI, HDMI, and composite inputs, plus support for analog and digital audio (embedded and discrete). The compact encoder is easy to integrate into mobile production vehicles and transport cases. It also features Zixi™ error correction technology, which assures error-free video delivery over the Internet and can tolerate network congestion, high jitter, and packet loss.

When combined with JVC’s BR-DE900 decoder, which decodes both H.265 and H.264 streams, the BR-EN900 delivers best-in-class HEVC video quality and up to 50 percent bandwidth savings compared to H.264. Both units are transport infrastructure agnostic, so they work over WAN/LAN, LTE and satellite connections.