Headend Technology From Thomson Video Networks Drives Sweden's DVB-T2 Roll Out

Thomson Video Networks has announced that it is supplying headend technology to broadcast network operator Teracom for Sweden's roll out of DVB-T2.
Already available to 70 percent of the country's population, DVB-T2 is scheduled to cover the entire nation by the end of 2012.
Thomson Video Networks is providing video headend solutions for Teracom comprising ViBe EM3000 and ViBE EM2000 encoders, NetProcessor 9030 multiplexers and the XMS management system to enable the provision of HD services over the network. HD versions of Sweden's most popular channels are among the bouquet of services launched on the DVB-T2 platform at the end of 2010. These include SVT 1 HD, SVT 2 HD, Canal+ Sport HD, National Geographic HD and MTVN HD. Two more channels - TV3 HD and Kanal 5 HD - will be launched on the terrestrial network in early 2011.
Teracom has built and operates the five existing nationwide multiplexes used for the DVB-T platform, and with recent advances in video encoding, the company has been able to increase the density of services, leaving capacity on a sixth and a seventh multiplex to be dedicated to DVB-T2 operation.
Peter Johnsson, Head of Sourcing, Teracom Group, said: "This very important phase in the development of Sweden's broadcasting infrastructure is an exciting project with some interesting technical challenges. Thomson Video Networks' expertise and market-leading compression technology are making a vital contribution to the successful roll-out of DVB-T2 in Sweden."
The Thomson ViBE EM3000 HD MPEG-2/4 AVC encoders, which also feature superior audio processing, set the benchmark for high-definition encoding. Combined with the powerful Flextream statistical multiplexing solution, the highly integrated and powerful NetProcessor 9030, and the fault-tolerant XMS management systems, the complete Thomson system delivers unprecedented quality with efficiency and the highest levels of service availability.
Christophe Delahousse, President of Thomson Video Networks, said: "DVB-T2 offers great potential to broadcasters for developing new services. We are very pleased to be working in close partnership with Teracom to develop a highly efficient infrastructure based on our core compression offering, developed and extended for a customised solution."
(KMcA)