Description
Objective:
To demonstrate techniques to improve the efficiency and flexibility of DTH receivers. To complement physical layer techniques with access layer solutions that further improve the cost, efficiency and quality of content delivery to the home via satellite.
Targeted Improvements:
Enhanced efficiency and flexibility of direct satellite broadcasting to the home taking advantage state of the art transport and video technologies while maintaining the receiver feasibility.
Description:
Video content distribution is gradually evolving towards “unicast-like” traffic with a mix of live-broadcast and unicast video channels. There is an increasing competition from terrestrial broadband IP networks pushing towards “Zero- TV” solutions.
The satellite broadcast services systems need to evolve in order to maintain the competitive advantage of providing high quality content to a large population in a cost effective manner. This activity aims to demonstrate key receiver components of DTH broadcasting beyond HDTV, that can enable more efficient and flexible delivery of high quality video content to the home network. This objective is aligned with future value chains where broadcast and broadband service would be delivered by a single entity to the user. It should also be appealing to Ka deployments by offering a combined DTH and broadband satellite service maximizing the capacity utilisation from the start.
Technology directions to be investigated include (but not limited to):
- The integration of highly efficient video encoder/decoder (HEVC) along with enhanced solutions for transport stream encapsulation and multiplexing.
- Taking advantage of multi-tuning capability of receivers for logical bonding of data streams to create virtual transponders
- Integration of return link via terrestrial or via satellite to facilitate the conditional access and authentication process and allow pay-per-content schemes.
- Video content distribution within the home network (e.g. SAT>IP) allowing reception on companion screen or multi-screen receptions
- Introduce different classes of quality of service, reduce the link margins while maintaining the target availabilities (e.g., using hierarchical modulation).
- Adaptive Bit Rate, Scalable Video Coding, SHVC, Transcoding Scalable UHDTV over HDTV, other backward compatible modes avoiding simulcast.
The objective of the first phase of the activity is to consolidate the most promising techniques and technologies. In this phase the detailed development plan of the demonstrator will also be finalised.
The second phase of the activity will consist of implementing the demonstrator and validating the proposed concept in the lab environment. Possible proof of concept over satellite will also be envisaged.
Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news "Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and R&D entities in ESA programmes".
Tender Specifics