Harmonic Joins Industry-First 3.0 Test Bed

Harmonic, a provider of video delivery technology and services, is participating in the Phoenix Model Market Initiative, the first collaborative single-market effort to implement ATSC 3.0.

Led by Pearl TV and TV stations owned by E.W. Scripps, Fox Television Stations, Meredith Local Media Group, Nexstar Media Group, Tegna, Telemundo Station Group and Univision, the initiative will test advanced business models enabled by the next-generation broadcast television standard.

As part of the comprehensive system with technology partners, Harmonic will provide participating stations in Phoenix with its Electra X ATSC 3.0 media processor, which integrates its encoding solution and statistical multiplexing technology, and a DASH packager, to ensure seamless distribution of ATSC 3.0 broadcasts.

“This unique initiative is the first time that a single market will test the ATSC 3.0 standard and provide a framework to the industry,” said Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV. “Partnering with forward-thinking technology providers like Harmonic, Pearl TV can validate groundbreaking improvements for over-the-air broadcasting and experiment with innovative use cases that ATSC 3.0 enables. All of that is possible in a real-life broadcast environment.”

Harmonic’s Electra X media processor is a fully software-based solution that combines two decades of codec and statmux technology developments with Harmonic’s DASH and OTT expertise. The Electra X system supports HDR, and also performs the important task of decorating ATSC 3.0 channels to ensure they are suitable for targeted ad insertion.

Beyond over-the-air (OTA) transmission, the Electra X media processor connects to Harmonic VOS 360 SaaS platform in the cloud to enable hybrid OTA/OTT services.

“Having a software-based solution for ATSC 3.0 is critical for broadcasters as they enter a new era of television with the post-auction repack and ATSC 3.0,” said Tim Warren, Harmonic’s SVP and chief technology officer, video business. “Harmonic’s software-centric approach to video delivery is flexible, cost-effective and future-proof. Our software-based solutions, combined with deployment experience in OTT and cloud, makes it easy for broadcasters to comply with the next-generation broadcast standard, as well as ATSC 1.0 in the short term. We are excited to be part of this groundbreaking initiative and power the delivery of new broadcast services.”

Harmonic will demonstrate its ATSC 3.0 solutions at the 2018 NAB Show, April 9-12, in Las Vegas at booth SU810.