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Tag: motorola

  • Starz Entertainment becomes latest cable network to adopt MPEG-4


    The move towards the new compression standard continues as Starz Entertainment invests in a four-channel, HD MPEG-4/AVC encoding system from cable-equipment manufacturer Motorola.
    The premium programmer has become the latest cable network to adopt MPEG-4 compression to conserve satellite bandwidth as it expands its HD offerings.
    The Motorola system – already being used for Starz’s existing HD channels Starz E, Starz Kids and Family HD, Starz Edge HD and Starz Comedy HD – compresses, encrypts, modulates and receives HD signals within a single integrated transmission system.
    The new transmission system also includes DVB-S2 satellite modulation gear, which can increase a satellite transponder’s output by up to 50 per cent.
    Starz said upcoming HD channel Encore HD will also be launched using MPEG-4.
    Ray Milius, senior vice president of programming operations and information technology for Starz, said a key selling point for the Motorola MPEG-4 system was its development of an integrated receiver/decoder for affiliates, the DSR-6050.
    This is able to receive the MPEG-4 signals and then transcode them to MPEG-2 compression for delivery to existing digital cable set-top boxes.
    The importance of such backward-compatible receivers was mentioned by HBO when it selected Motorola last year for its conversion to MPEG-4 delivery for all of its networks.
    “Motorola’s highly efficient MPEG-4 encoding system allows us to seamlessly migrate from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 with the video quality that we require while conserving satellite bandwidth to deliver diverse additional HD content for our customers,” said Milius.
    He said MPEG-4 was “all about how much can we squeeze out of the satellite”, a necessity as the network was running out of capacity on its [VOD] pitching distribution.
    HBO was the first programmer to announce plans to adopt MPEG-4 for most of its planned HD feeds.
    By the end of June, the programmer will offer all 26 channels in MPEG-4, although it will retain the primary HBO and Cinemax feeds in MPEG-2.

  • Young adults aged between 16-27 are driving demand for HDTV, according to Motorola study

    Research by Motorola shows that young adults have a huge influence on their parents’ buying decisions for HDTV sets and programming packages.
    The “always-on” generation are hungry for more control over when and where they access rich content such as high-definition (HD) programming and cable TV, the study found.
    The ability to time-shift with DVRs and have access to HD programming were both highly desirable features.
    In fact, data from Motorola’s study demonstrates the growth opportunity for service providers in bringing these services to the so-called Millennial generation (young adults aged 16-27) who don’t already have them.
    The survey of 1,000 young adults found they are not only looking for more rich media, they are also greatly influencing the buying decisions for the services and technologies in the home and on the go.
    The research found that 62 per cent of Millennials have influence over which HDTV set and programming package to buy.
    And 70 per cent feel their expectations and demands are far greater than their parents’ for rich media experiences (such as mobile TV or video) and on-the-go broadband access.
    Eduardo Conrado, corporate vice president, global marketing and communications, Motorola Inc., said the study explores how the preferences and habits of today’s Millennials are shaping the future of content consumption.
    “With the Millennial generation, connectivity is an absolute must-have, as they’ve grown up with technology and the Internet,” he said.
    “Millennials are now looking to make their connectivity more personalized and take experiences from ‘primetime’ to ‘my time.’
    “This study provides a clear barometer to share with our customers that shows the changes in demand and growth opportunities as these critical users continue to
    Other findings were that: * 46 per cent of Millennials already have HDTV, while 43 percent indicate they would like to have it.
    * 73 percent of Millennials with HDTV access “love” current HD programming, while 35 percent of those with HDTV are looking forward to having a broader selection of HD programming offered in the future.