Vela Research announced the newest addition to its family of high performance multi-screen, multi-format encoders, the XStreamHD Encoder.

Vela’s XStreamHD encoder, a board-level solution based upon Vela’s Emmy award winning encoding and video processing technology, utilizes a System on IC design to eliminate the need for a host PC, and comes in a half-length PCIe x 1 form factor.

The XStreamHD encoder enables high performance continuous encoding, with very high video quality at extremely low bit rates - and is ideally suited for live events and streaming applications - as well as providing a very price competitive solution for traditional OTT, Broadcast, Cable, VOD, video distribution, education, defense and healthcare applications.

The comprehensive feature list of the XStreamHD encoder board includes these and a wide array of other features required in the most demanding user environments today:

• Realtime encoding of HD or SD H.264 (AVC)
• Realtime encoding HD or SD MPEG-2
• PAL and NTSC television formats
• HD/SD/3G SDI Inputs
• Closed Caption support EIA-708B and 608B
• SDI Embedded audio support
• Dolby® Digital bitstream pass-through audio
• MPEG1 Layer 2
• AAC LC and AAC HE
• Intuitive, easy to use web based graphical user interface
• File Storage output
• Optional DVB/ASI output
• IP output over UDP or RTP
• IP Unicast and Multicast support
• 1920 x 1080P @ 24/25/29.97/30/60
• 1920 x 1080I @ 25/29.97/30
• 1280 x 720P @ 50/59.94/60
• 720/704/640/544/528/352x480 @ 29.97
• 720/704/640/544/528/352x576 @ 25

Mike Reddy, President & CEO of Vela said, “designed with demanding and complex streaming requirements specifically in mind, the XStreamHD produces unparalleled video quality at bitrates from 300 kbps up to 40 Mbps. This makes full resolution (720x480) Standard Definition encoding possible at video bitrates as low as 300 kbps with remarkable video quality and High Definition encoding (1920x1080i or 1280x720P) at bitrates as low as 750 kbps. Vela continues its tradition of designing and bringing to its OTT, broadcast, cable, video distribution, VOD and other demanding customers, solutions that offer the highest performance and full functionality - to ensure that each solution integrates seamlessly into operators’ workflow and minimizes the need for extraneous equipment to perform the high performance video encoding, content creation, mastering, capture, streaming and distribution functions.”

Kevin Grubbs, Vela’s Director of Engineering, said “the XStreamHD supports HD-SDI/SD-SDI and 3G SDI inputs with embedded audio encoding. Support for EIA 708B and 608B Closed Captioning will be available for broadcast and cable applications as well as access to other VANC data. The XStreamHD supports streaming via IP in Unicast or Multicast modes using UDP or RTP and RTSP. The encoding solution also incorporates an intuitive web based graphical user interface (GUI), for quick configuration and ease of operation within a time-saving and user-friendly encoding environment.”