RGB Spectrum has announced the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force have selected the company’s new Zio 2 solution for networked video. Zio 2 is the company’s next generation of products within the Zio Enterprise AV-over-IP platform, developed for government and civilian applications. The U.S. Navy selected Zio 2 for shipboard networked video applications, the Air Force for advanced fighter simulation applications. Commercial release is set for this month.

Zio 2 joins the Zio AV-over-IP platform, an enterprise solution offering video distribution over LANs, WANs, and mobile devices. The Zio platform combines scalable video distribution with multi-image display on individual monitors or across video walls. It includes an array of IP devices, including encoders, decoders, multiviewers, and video wall processors, all managed through a user interface with video thumbnail previews and drag-and-drop functionality. The Zio platform supports open standards to integrate video from third-party cameras and other devices.

[RGB Spectrum Debuts New Zio Recording and Streaming Media Server]

The new Zio 2 delivers both H.264 and H.265 encoding and decoding. Moreover, a single input can be encoded at different bit rates. This enables a single device to encode video up to 4K60 to local decoders while simultaneously transmitting lower resolution, lower bandwidth streams to remote locations across a campus or the internet. An open system, Zio 2 supports industry standard H.264/265 video from third-party cameras and other devices. 

The Zio 2 is available in multichannel configurations, with two- and four-channel encoders or decoders in a single compact unit. This offers the advantage of accommodating multiheaded or independent computer video signals, simplifying network design, and offering substantial space and per channel cost savings. 

Also available is a new content server for control of video recording and playback. 

“Zio 2 is a new and different approach to enterprise AV-over-IP,” said Bob Marcus, CEO of RGB Spectrum. “By supporting multichannel codecs, industry-standard H.264 and H.265 compression techniques, and sophisticated multiview displays, Zio 2 increases the reach of video distribution while simplifying its design. It is no wonder that in prerelease it was chosen by the U.S. Navy for shipboard networked video and by the Air Force for the latest generation of advanced simulators.”

PESA, a U.S. designer and manufacturer of professional video distribution systems (VDS), has completed testing of its hybrid media distribution systems with the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC), the organizational element responsible for certifying joint and combined interoperability for all organizations under the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA).

These new systems include the 12G Fusion Advanced Connectivity Platform (ACP) 4K systems, the 3G Cheetah family of SDI router products, the Mobile Digital Video Distribution Systems, and the PESA Media Management System. This certification initiative reflects PESA’s ongoing commitment of providing mission-critical video and audio systems to the military and other Department of Defense entities.

The PESA products have undergone rigorous testing and will soon receive interoperability certification (IO) and information assurance (IA) accreditation from JITC.

“Mission-critical situations demand the use of accredited source video and audio,” said Scott Barella, CTO for PESA. “Our senior military and civilian leadership rely on having extremely detailed video images. This pending JITC certification ensures that our military users have up to date choices on the current APL [approved products list]. We know what they want because they asked us to build it this way.”

PESA was the first company to achieve VDS listing on the Department of Defense’s APL and supported development of the first Video Distribution System Unified Capabilities Requirements (UCR) document with its Cheetah product line. By adding 4K capability, this current test initiative is yet another testament of PESA’s commitment to providing the highest possible quality to the U.S. military in support of its various missions around the world.

“PESA has provided video distribution solutions to its government customers for nearly four decades, with special considerations for agencies that require high-performance assurance and interoperability in command and control environments,” said Chuck Tillett, president and COO. “PESA’s products are currently used by many military and government agencies. JITC Certification enables us to extend our reach to other departments and agencies looking to expand their role in mission-critical environments.”

PESA offers a complete portfolio of secure, high-definition video switching and distribution solutions with the ability to deliver the latest technology including single-link 12G SDI and AV over IP. With an array of robust features necessary to support continuity of operations, command and control, and emergency preparedness and response, the Cheetah product line has proven to be a solid foundation for many government and federal agencies, such as the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and NASA.

The What: Matrox Graphics has announce that the Matrox Maevex 6120 dual 4K enterprise encoder appliance is now shipping. Leveraging the same capture and real-time encoding technology as the Matrox Maevex 6150 quad 4K encoder, Maevex 6120 delivers simultaneous dual 4K capture, stream, and record—with options to stream and record even more channels in different configurations—all on a standard one Gigabit Ethernet network.

The What Else: Packaged in a rack-ready, plug-and-play form factor, Maevex 6120 features encoding capabilities that can easily feed cloud-based servers to reach internet viewers, push many streams on-premises over the LAN for local audiences, and record to local or network storage for later editing and viewing—all concurrently. The appliance’s ability to also stream multiple resolutions, bitrates, and protocols—including Secure Reliable Transport (SRT)—at the same time, significantly offloads or eliminates cloud transcoding operations and costs for organizations.

The included Maevex PowerStream Plus software management tool provides complete reach and control over the entire Maevex network—including all Maevex 6100 Series 4K enterprise encoders and Maevex 5100 Series Full HD encoders and decoders. For rapid customization, the PowerStream Plus API for Windows and Linux and lower-level REST API are also available for integrators and developers looking to create personalized Maevex control applications. These APIs can be used to easily include Maevex functionality into existing or even third-party applications.

The Bottom Line: The standalone appliance is ideal for a variety of streaming and recording applications in corporate, education, digital signage, military, government, control rooms, and more.

The What: VITEC is set to showcase its latest high-performance video streaming solutions for military and defense applications at Eurosatory 2018. Scheduled for June 11-15 at Paris Nord Villepinte, Eurosatory is the premier international defense and security exhibition.

The What Else: At the show, VITEC will showcase its MGW Diamond TOUGH, a multichannel, military-grade HEVC/H.264 encoder. Its rugged enclosure—meeting DO-160G, MIL-STD810G, and MIL-STD-461G standards—is specifically designed for use in ground vehicles, manned or unmanned airborne platforms, and marine vessels operating in extreme conditions.

For dissemination and content management of full-motion video streams and files, VITEC will also be showing FITIS, an all-in-one solution that can be rapidly deployed in the field or in a secure, hosted site to serve as the central interface for managing live and recorded IPTV content, user access rights, and video distribution workflows. The solution enables decision makers and analysts to view, archive, retrieve, and manipulate ISR footage and tactical military video streams quickly. FITIS also offers editing and collaboration capabilities for analyzing and sharing video assets with KLV/STANAG metadata.

"VITEC is strongly committed to providing every capability for processing and distributing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and situational awareness video generated in the field," said Richard Bernard, product manager, VITEC. "As a result of that commitment, we've added MGW Diamond TOUGH to our encoder lineup. The multichannel encoder streams up to eight video channels with extremely low bandwidth and low power consumption in a rugged and lightweight form factor. And because interoperability is key in any ISR or SA applications, it delivers video streams and KLV metadata in full compliance with the STANAG 4609 standard."

The Bottom Line: With a compact and rugged enclosure, Diamond TOUGH is well suited for IP video delivery from multiple analog and/or digital sources within a vehicle, or externally over RF or satellite links to support ISR.