Cisco announced today that the Pac-12 networks will be using
Cisco's IP-centric PowerVu video processing and distribution technology and
Digital Content Manager when they launch one national and six local networks
this August.
The solutions, which include the servers that support the
delivery networks at all 12 universities, the data routing and switching
capabilities in the Pac-12 Studios in San Francisco and the encoding and transcoding
equipment, will allow the networks to delivery hundreds of live sporting events
from each of the 12 campuses.
As previously reported, the Cisco system will play a key
role in the Pac-12's construction of a new infrastructure that is designed deliver
an enormous amount of content to multiple platforms. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/486869-Pac_12_Huddles_on_TV_Everywhere_Game_Plan.php
The Pac-12 Networks, which launch August 15, are scheduled
to televise 850 live sporting events annually, including 35 football games and
more than 130 men's basketball games in the first year.
"Given the diverse demands that we have with both national
and regional networks, Cisco provides the kind of flexibility and reliability
we need to deliver all of the great live content from the campuses to all of
our fans spread across the country," noted Pac-12 Enterprises president Gary
Stevenson in a statement.
The Pac-12 Networks began its signal test using the
technology on Monday, July 16, delivering a live feed from its San Francisco
headquarters to Comcast Media Center in Denver to each of its affiliates
through Cisco's PowerVu system.
The PowerVu system allows the Pac-12 Networks to deliver
MPEG4 HD content with surround sound audio to both MPEG4 and MPEG2 CATV
headends. It also will be used for ad insertion and provides a control and
conditional access system for security.
"Cisco is proud to be collaborating with Pac-12 Enterprises
and delivering technology that will make the Pac-12 Network a model that future
organizations can follow," said David Hsieh, Vice President Marketing, Video
and Emerging Technologies, Cisco. "Cisco's network will enable the Pac-12
Network to give passionate college sports fans the dynamic experience they
demand, allowing them to be more than just viewers."
