ViXS Systems announced that its XCode 6400 System on Chip (SoC) will power NTT Plala’s latest 4K Ultra HD 4K Set-Top Box (STB).
For more information visit: www.vixs.com
Unedited press release follows:
NTT Plala Selects ViXS Systems to Drive Its New UltraHD 4K HEVC 60p “Hikari-TV” VOD Trial Throughout Japan
ViXS XCode 6400 SoC to Power Stream Cruiser® SmartTV ST4100 Series STB Developed by Sumitomo Electric Networks for NTT Plala’s “Hikari-TV” VOD Trial Service
TORONTO, ON–(April 09, 2014) – ViXS Systems Inc. (TSX: VXS), a pioneer and leader in media processing solutions, today announced that NTT Plala, a major Japanese IPTV Service Provider with more than 2.8 million subscribers, has chosen the ViXS XCode 6400 System on Chip (SoC) to power NTT Plala’s latest Ultra High Definition (UltraHD) 4K set-top box (STB). This next-generation STB was developed by Sumitomo Electric Networks Inc., a major Japanese Smart TV IP set-top box and broadband access equipment vendor. The ViXS-powered Sumitomo Stream Cruiser® SmartTV ST4100 Series STB will lead the launch of NTT Plala’s UltraHD 4K resolution High Efficiency Video coding (HEVC) 60p (60 frames per second) VOD trial service, called “Hikari-TV”, starting April 8, 2014.
The XCode 6400 is driving the next era in content by being the first SoC to successfully support UltraHD 4K and HEVC Main 10 Profile at 60p, enabling content owners and service providers to deliver unprecedented video clarity and color to consumers worldwide for visually stunning 4K broadcasts, with 50% bandwidth savings. The launch of NTT Plala’s “Hikari-TV” VOD trial is the latest example of native UltraHD 4K content being made available to consumers and drive the mass market adoption of this new display resolution. As content choices increase and consumer demand builds, a new generation of broadcast infrastructure and residential delivery equipment is needed. ViXS’ XCode and XCodePro chipsets are the first commercially available solutions that support UltraHD 4K and HEVC at Main 10 Profile 60p, enabling manufacturers to deliver, in 2014, the equipment necessary for this significant industry technology transition.
“NTT Plala is enabling the transition to UltraHD 4K services in Japanese content market, and we needed innovative and reliable partners such as ViXS and Sumitomo Electric Networks to help us achieve our ambitious goals,” said Katsumi Nagata, Board Director, Executive Director, Technology and Engineering Division, NTT Plala. “We are excited to provide the launch of this new UltraHD 4K VOD service in trials, showing the public the amazing video quality they can expect from NTT Plala’s ‘Hikari-TV.'”
“As a leading supplier for Smart TV IP set-top boxes and Broadband access network equipment we are very proud to provide our IP-STB which uses the ViXS XCode 6400, the world first UltraHD 4K p60 (60 frames per second) and HEVC (ITU-T H.265) IP video contents delivery with DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) over IPv6 FTTH network for the 4Kp60 trial service of ‘Hikari TV’ from NTT Plala,” said Hiroaki Nishimoto, Director & Co-CTO of Sumitomo Electric Networks, Inc. “We believe 4Kp60 will be quickly adopted by Tier-1 carriers in the world and our experience with NTT Plala and ViXS will keep us in a leadership position for this emerging technology.”
“We are honored to have NTT Plala choose the XCode 6400 to power their flagship UltraHD 4K STB and to bring this Ultra HD trial service to life and give consumers an unbelievable viewing experience,”said Sally Daub, President and CEO, ViXS Systems Inc. “The ViXS team has yet again used its considerable expertise and flawless execution to give our customers a commercial-ready solution ahead of the market.”
The XCode 6400 SoC can decode HEVC-based content and display resolutions up to Ultra HD 4K (3840×2160 pixels) at a full 60 frames per second. ViXS is an active contributor to the HEVC Standard and was a leading proponent of 10-bit media processing during the development of the HEVC technical specifications. Advantages of 10-bit media processing are higher color bit depth allowing for smoother color transitions in video, resolving color-banding issues, and bringing more than 1 billion colors to life in Ultra HD 4K.
The ViXS XCode 6400 device family is in commercial production now with immediate availability. Please contact sales@vixs.com for further information.
About NTT Plala
NTT Plala is the provider of an IPTV Service called “Hikari-TV”. “Hikari-TV is a total life entertainment service allowing users to enjoy popular Movies, Drama, Animation, Premium Channels, Gaming, and Music using their TV’s, PC’s, smart devices and several other devices through the Internet. The “TV service” has 94 channels which include popular pay channel, Digital terrestrial broadcasting, BS broadcasting, and 85% of the content is available in High Definition. Approximately 70,000 “Video service” and “Karaoke Service” selections are available to be enjoyed at anytime. In addition, within the “Video service” there are 8,000 all-you-can-watch titles available to users, the biggest in the industry.
About Sumitomo Electric Networks, Inc.
Sumitomo Electric Networks, Inc. (SEN), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., and is dedicated to supplying video and broadband access solutions for the world’s leading telecom and video service operators. The company serves customers, who are leaders in information and communications technology, and provides innovative, reliable and high-quality products, including GE-PON, IP and Hybrid STB (Set Top Boxes), DMS (Digital Media Servers), RGW (Residential Gateways), SGW (Service Gateways), Wireless Broadband, PLC (Power Line Communication) and XDSL. SEN is continually pursuing innovations, which enhance and improve the end-user’s broadband environment and experience.
About ViXS Systems Inc.
ViXS is the pioneer and market leader in designing revolutionary media processing semiconductor solutions for the broadcasting and consumer electronics industries, with over 437 patents issued and pending worldwide, numerous industry awards for innovation, and over 29 million media processor shipments to date. ViXS is driving the transition to Ultra HD 4K across the entire content value chain by providing professional and consumer grade chipsets that support the new High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard up to Main 10 Profile, reducing bandwidth consumption by 50% while providing the depth of color and image clarity needed to take advantage of higher-resolution content. ViXS’ XCodePro 3xx family is ideal for Ultra HD 4K infrastructure equipment, and the XCode 6xxx family of system-on-chip (SoC) products achieve unprecedented levels of integration that enable manufacturers to create cost-effective consumer entertainment devices.