Snell & Wilcox launches new high definition compression pre-processor

Building on an installed based of more than 1,000 standard definition compression pre-processors, Snell & Wilcox has announced the introduction of the Prefix-HD CPP1000, a new multi-standard high definition compression pre-processor that provides the dual benefits of improved picture quality for viewers and lower bandwidth usage for cable, satellite and terrestrial television broadcasters.
The bandwidth savings that Prefix-HD delivers provides real benefits to users in the form of increased revenues and short pay-back time. For example, when using Prefix-HD with film-originated content, operators can achieve a bit rate saving of 3Mbit/s with a modest degree of pre-processing and 5Mbit/s with a more aggressive setting. The bit rate savings provided by Prefix-HD enables broadcasters and pay-TV operators to add extra HDTV channels to their line-up without having to add bandwidth. It is also a valuable production tool for content owners who are mastering programs for HD video-on-demand (VOD) delivery.
"Distribution of HDTV content puts broadcasters and pay television operators in a quandary. Viewers have high expectations of quality, yet delivering this quality puts a strain on available transmission bandwidth because as the required quality level goes up, the aggregate bandwidth per channel goes down," said Andy Major, product manager for Snell & Wilcox compression pre-processing products. "Prefix-HD addresses this dilemma by conditioning HDTV signals prior to compression. Prefix-HD produces significantly better picture quality than can be achieved with no pre-processing at all, while freeing up valuable bandwidth for cost reductions or additional channels and services."
Prefix-HD reduces noise-related artifacts in HDTV video in the pre-compression stage, so broadcasters can avoid encoding artifacts such as excessive film grain and video noise. The resulting pictures are clean and stable for better bandwidth efficiency and increased picture quality.
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