TECHNOLOGY

Why 4:2:2 10-bit video compression?      

 AVC/H.264 profiles designed for distribution process video as 4:2:0 8-bit. Since the SDI links transport 4:2:2 10-bit signals, video components need to be downscaled and sub-sampled prior to encoding and up-scaled and up-sampled after decoding. This 40% reduction in information was originally intended to simplify encoder and decoder designs which is highly desirable in consumer application.
Whether it pertains to production or contribution applications, video quality has to be kept to the highest possible level in order to handle several encoding decoding steps. A mismatch in the chroma sampling and video component bit-depth can introduce degradations that worsen with each generation. For this reason, the ability to process natively 4:2:2 10-bit signals was added to the AVC/H.264 standard in the High422 profile.
ATEME has managed to develop its codec thru open standard and bring it to the real time processing world enabling native video compression for transport or archiving purposes at never seen before bandwidth use.

Download 422-10 bit white paper here ....

Why does 10-bit save bandwidth (even when content is 8-bit) ?

 Along with many other encoding tools, 10-bit compression is an addition to AVC/H.264 that was not available in MPEG-2. The primary intent was to enable processing videos in their native contribution format.
But it appears that it also saves bandwidth compared to using only 8-bit compression: less bit-rate is needed for the same output quality or conversely, the quality is increased when the same transmission bit-rate is used. Read more 

Which compression technology should be used ?   

 Different technologies are widely used to compress and transports broadcast videos: Uncompressed over fiber, JPEG-2K or AVC-I Intra-frame technologies requiring high bit-rate, MPEG-4 or MPEG-2 long GOP technologies requiring low bit-rate. Read more

Satellite bit rate recommendation 

 Bit-rate capacities for satellite transmission using DVB-S and DVB-S2 modulation are well know, but this does not translate easily to video encoder operational configurations. This short paper presents video compression recommendations based on the available bandwidth and for various content types. Read more

Everything you should know about Stereoscopic 3D compression

 Side by Side, Top and bottom, Line interleaved and others, all compression technology foreseen for the distribution of stereoscopic 3D content is presented in a single and simple document.

Download 3D compression tutorial .... 

3D: How Video Compression Technology can contribute

Author: Pierre Larbier - ATEME CTO - SMPTE 2010, Conference on Stereoscopic 3D for Media & Entertainment

Transmission of 3D TV content has become a reality in 2010 with DTH services operators committing to commercial deployments. To avoid video encoders and set-top boxes modifications, high definition content is constructed by packing two views onto a single video stream. For contribution, removing information from the original views could introduce dramatic degradation to the edited and distributed 3D video. Download

Keeping Video Quality Pristine throughout the Production Process: 4:2:2 10-bit AVC/H.264 encoding

Author: Pierre Larbier - ATEME CTO - SMPTE 2009

This presentation is a brief summary pointing out the advantages of the 4:2:2 10-bit AVC/H.264 encoding, discussed at the SMPTE technical conference in Hollywood, October 2009.

It gives an overall status on the AVC/H.264 4:2:2 10-bit profile, demonstrating the Empirical comparisons against 4:2:0 8-bit & 4:2:2 8-bit all through to multi generation Encoding, and closing up with production cases.  Download

Using 10-bit AVC/H.264 Encoding with 4:2:2 for Broadcast Contribution

Author: Pierre Larbier - ATEME CTO - NAB 2009

This paper demonstrates the advantages of processing video in its native SDI format using AVC/H.264 4:2:2 10-bit encoding. Maintaining the encoding and decoding stages at 10 bits increases overall picture quality, even when scaled up 8-bit source video is used. 10-bit video processing improves low textured areas and significantly reduces contouring artifacts. The results presented in this paper were obtained either from ATEME current real-time HD encoders or bit-accurate software models of upcoming real-time products. Comparisons are made over a very wide range of bit-rates in order to illustrate the achieved gains within a great variety of applications. Download

Next Generation Intelligent Video Acquisition Solution for IPTV

Author: Christophe Massiot / Television Head-End Manager - Free Telecom - TVoDSL 2008

This paper explores the need for multi format, field upgradeable encoding platform. Download

On Demand Solution: How BT Vision’s workflow addresses both high quality and flexibility

Author : Rémi Beaudouin, On Demand Product Marketing Manager, ATEME & Mark Riley, Digital Content Specialist, BT  - IPTV World forum 2008 

This paper addresses workflow and transcoding process necessary for efficient production facility. Download

It's all about Quality ! - ATEME Kyrion Architecture

Author : Pierre Larbier CTO - Nov 2007 

This paper addresses FPGA architecture and video quality. ATEME was the first (and still unique) company  to bet on a full FPGA implementation for its encoder back in 2004, allowing greater fonctions and upgrade path now for its customers. Download

ATEME is an active member of North American Broadcasters Association. NABA is a non-profit association of broadcasting organizations in the United States, Mexico and Canada committed to advancing the interests of broadcasters at home and internationally

The World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) is the coordinating body for broadcasting unions who represent broadcaster networks across the globe. It was established in 1992 as a coordinating body at the international broadcasting level. Since then, the WBU has provided global solutions on key issues for its member unions. The North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) acts as secretariat for the WBU.  ATEME has recently joined this consortium to ensure product interoperability effort in contribution and distribution markets 

HD forum has been driving the terrestrial specifications in France for HD service over the air, for many years ATEME has been contributing in specifying encoding video and audio parameters around advanced codec