ESPN To Pull Down MPEG-2 Feeds On June 30
Sports Programmer Says 98% of Affiliates Have Signed On to Receive MPEG-4
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 5/25/2011 3:37:09 PM
Looking to cut down on satellite transit costs, ESPN is converting to all MPEG-4 distribution effective June 30 -- dropping the four MPEG-2 simulcasts of its HD services to become one of the first programmers to phase out the older compression format altogether.
The sports programmer said 98% of affiliates have signed on for the switchover at this point and expects all of those to be equipped before the June 30 deadline.
Video encoded in MPEG-4 requires roughly half the bandwidth as MPEG-2. But most set-top boxes currently deployed by cable operators are capable of decoding only MPEG-2, which means ESPN's cable affiliates must install receivers that can automatically transcode the video into MPEG-2 for delivery over the cable plant.
ESPN is supplying Motorola DSR-6100 integrated receiver/decoders to eligible affiliates, which provides HD outputs in MPEG-4 or MPEG-2 and a downconverted SD output is provided in MPEG-2.
Currently the Motorola IRDs are live and being used with 40% of affiliate sites, according to Lori LeBas, senior vice president of strategy and business operations for Disney and ESPN Affiliate Sales and Marketing.
All of ESPN's HD services now are delivered in MPEG-4 over satellite, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews and ESPN Deportes.
ESPN began the transition in July 2010 by converting systems previously using analog VideoCipher II for ESPN and ESPN2 located on Intelsat's Galaxy 14 satellite. Through Motorola, the programmer began distributing the new IRDs to cable affiliates in March 2011.
Other programmers have introduced MPEG-4 feeds, including HBO, Showtime Networks, Starz Entertainment, MTV Networks and Turner Broadcasting System. However, they have continued to offer most of their services in MPEG-2, particularly SD versions, for cable affiliates.
Sports Programmer Says 98% of Affiliates Have Signed On to Receive MPEG-4
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 5/25/2011 3:37:09 PM
Looking to cut down on satellite transit costs, ESPN is converting to all MPEG-4 distribution effective June 30 -- dropping the four MPEG-2 simulcasts of its HD services to become one of the first programmers to phase out the older compression format altogether.
The sports programmer said 98% of affiliates have signed on for the switchover at this point and expects all of those to be equipped before the June 30 deadline.
Video encoded in MPEG-4 requires roughly half the bandwidth as MPEG-2. But most set-top boxes currently deployed by cable operators are capable of decoding only MPEG-2, which means ESPN's cable affiliates must install receivers that can automatically transcode the video into MPEG-2 for delivery over the cable plant.
ESPN is supplying Motorola DSR-6100 integrated receiver/decoders to eligible affiliates, which provides HD outputs in MPEG-4 or MPEG-2 and a downconverted SD output is provided in MPEG-2.
Currently the Motorola IRDs are live and being used with 40% of affiliate sites, according to Lori LeBas, senior vice president of strategy and business operations for Disney and ESPN Affiliate Sales and Marketing.
All of ESPN's HD services now are delivered in MPEG-4 over satellite, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews and ESPN Deportes.
ESPN began the transition in July 2010 by converting systems previously using analog VideoCipher II for ESPN and ESPN2 located on Intelsat's Galaxy 14 satellite. Through Motorola, the programmer began distributing the new IRDs to cable affiliates in March 2011.
Other programmers have introduced MPEG-4 feeds, including HBO, Showtime Networks, Starz Entertainment, MTV Networks and Turner Broadcasting System. However, they have continued to offer most of their services in MPEG-2, particularly SD versions, for cable affiliates.
