HP Offers MPEG 4:2:2 Capabilities for HP MediaStream Family
PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 19, 1998--
HP's Long-term Investment in MPEG Compression Technology for On-air Broadcast Applications Pays Off
Leading the way in MPEG compression technology, Hewlett-Packard Company today announces 4:2:2 capabilities for the
HP MediaStream Broadcast Server and Disk Recorder family. HP is the first company to deliver a proven, full-featured,
field-tested MPEG 4:2:2 solution. HP's 4:2:2 implementation offers broadcasters the enhanced chroma resolution to enable
applications such as digital-TV up-conversion and content origination, for which four or more generations of compression
usually are required. "HP chose to go with MPEG six years ago, and since then many others have followed suit, indicating that
we made a sound technology decision," said Dan McGee, broadcast business unit manager of HP's Video Communications
Division. "Given our extensive MPEG experience, customers are looking to us to provide solutions that will deliver easy
growth in an all-digital future." HP offers a reliable, feature-rich broadcasting solution, including bit rates of up to 30mbps with
a full IBP group-of-pictures (GOP) structure. HP is the only company that provides jog and shuttle capabilities and HP's
patented "CleanCut" frame-accurate cuts-editing, which uses dual decoders. The HP MediaStream Broadcast Server
continues to support up to six channels and the Disk Recorder up to five channels of proven superior image quality. In
addition, both now offer the ability to play 4:2:2 and 4:2:0 spots back-to-back. "We are years ahead of the competition," said
McGee. "HP's MPEG has been on-air since 1994, with more than 1,000 MPEG channels on six continents, and now the
competition is scrambling to catch up." MPEG 4:2:0 continues to be a good fit for most on-air applications, boasting excellent
picture quality and significant data-storage efficiencies (up to 35 percent more efficient than 4:2:2). At the lower bit rates
typically associated with on-air applications, the extra chroma information in 4:2:2 is virtually indiscernible to the human eye, so
it may not be a wise trade-off with storage efficiency. Existing 4:2:0 customers may upgrade to 4:2:2 by replacing encoders
and decoders in their servers or disk recorders. The new encoders and decoders will support both 4:2:2 and 4:2:0, making
this capability backward-compatible with all existing HP MediaStream Broadcast Server and Disk Recorder products.
U.S. PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
HP MediaStream Broadcast Servers and Disk Recorders with 4:2:2 capability, as well as upgrades to existing systems, are
expected to be available for order beginning March 1, with shipments expected to begin in May. HP products with this new
capability are offered at the same price as current HP MediaStream Broadcast Server and Disk Recorder products, with
prices beginning at $65,000, depending on configuration. Existing HP MediaStream customers who require the new 4:2:2
compression capability are offered a 20 percent discount on the cost of an upgrade.
HP MEDIASTREAM PRODUCTS
HP's MediaStream Broadcast Server delivers up to six channels and 50 hours of storage, while the compact HP
MediaStream Disk Recorder offers up to five channels and 18 hours of storage. Both products are based on field-proven
computing hardware with a robust, real-time operating system and an ultra-reliable architecture, including integrated RAID
(redundant array of independent disks) and hot-swappable hard-disk drives. Both the server and disk recorder provide Fibre
Channel networking capability, an open architecture and support of both 4:2:0 and 4:2:2 industry-standard MPEG-2 video
compression.
ABOUT HP
Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications
products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 121,900
employees and had revenue of $42.9 billion in its 1997 fiscal year. Information about HP's broadcast solutions can be
obtained on the World Wide Web via hp.com.
NOTE TO THE EDITOR: Sales information may be obtained by calling 1-800-452-4844 ext. 5787. Please do NOT use
editor-contact or corporate telephone numbers for sales information. Information in this release applies specifically to products
available in the United States. Product availability and specifications may vary in non-U.S. markets. If you choose to review
this item, your readers will receive the quickest response to their inquiries by mailing them to Hewlett-Packard Company, Test
and Measurement Organization, 5301 Stevens Creek Blvd., MS 54LAK, Santa Clara, Calif. 95052.
CONTACT: HP
Christine Martino, 408/553-3945
christine_martino@hp.com
or
Golin/Harris Communications, for HP
Jennifer Boggs, 213/623-4200, ext. 769
jboggs@golinharris.com
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