SkyStream Networks Monday unveiled its next-generation Source Media Router (SMR) platform, a family of networking devices that enable service providers to bolster the overall performance of their land-based fiber or copper networks and picture quality of their streaming media content by adding satellite and broadcast networks into their architectures.
The SkyStream SMR series features intelligent network devices that sit at the uplink or headend of a network operator’s premises and enable it to broadcast rich content files and streaming video to multiple locations or viewers simultaneously.
The SMR platform is part of the overall SkyStream data broadcasting technology, which also includes SkyStream’s zBand Internet Content Distribution Software, SkyStream Edge Media Router 2000 (EMR) and SkyStream QoS Bandwidth Manager, for building and delivering rich digital services over broadband and broadcast networks. With SkyStream’s new SMR platform and SkyStream’s existing zBand and EMR 2000 products, service providers can take raw Internet content (HTML pages, video clips, MP3 files) and prepare it for distribution to Internet edge cache locations.
Service providers can create customized channels or portals based on this content by branding and scheduling these programs for users or cache services, delivering it over broadcast networks (like satellite or digital television), receiving and routing the content at the edge of the network and then delivering it directly to the client desktop or set-top box for personal viewing.
“The SMR product line gives service providers the ability to enhance their Content Delivery Networks with broadcast technologies to offer services like cinema-quality video, Internet content and dynamic graphics to their customers’ TVs and PCs,” said Jim Olson, president and CEO, SkyStream Networks.
“With our recent zBand announcement and now SMR platform, SkyStream continues to be first-to-market with products enabling the delivery of rich content over broadcast and broadband networks, and meeting the increasing performance, reliability and manageability needs of leading service providers in the satellite, cable and digital television industries.”
“Among competitive products in the market, the SkyStream SMR platform has the distinctive features that our global satellite network requires, including industry-leading performance to handle next-generation satellite networks incorporating high-speed 8PSK modulation, remote manageability and security,” said Marni Ehrlich, CEO, NetSat Express, a SkyStream user. “NetSat Express requires mission critical networking products like the SMR platform to serve hundreds of sites in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.”