Astra Platform Services is giving a boost to its HD playout facility with the installation of Harmonic Electra 7000 encoders and DiviTrackIP statistical multiplexing unit.
The facility in Unterföhring near Munich is one of the most modern broadcast centres in Europe and currently broadcasts over 200 television and radio channels. It was the first playout centre in Germany with HD capability.
The Harmonic encoding and statistical multiplexing solution combines multiple MPEG-4 AVC HD channels into a single pool leading to a more efficient use of capacity.
Harmonic’s ProStream 1000 stream processing platform and the NMX Digital Service Manager, for system monitoring, are also a part of the installation.

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