Consolidating equipment for video processing into regional head ends brings a range of benefits, from eliminating redundant processing equipment at every CO/hub and reducing staffing requirements through network management equipment to the ease of inserting broadcast affiliate “off air” signals and PEG channels. There are, however, challenges to processing and delivering broadcast affiliate “off-air” signals and local PEG channels from multiple Designated Market Areas (DMAs) to the regional head end.

Nevion’s Ventura product family provides a cost effective way for providers to get these signals to the regional or super head end by aggregating the signals in their native format at the CO and back-hauling them using an existing SONET network. With carrier-class specifications and features, the NEBS Level 3-compliant Ventura platform can transport analog or digital video with associated audio and data, in a variety of formats, providing the industry’s most versatile solution set for high-quality content delivery. Since Ventura products provide for mapping of video format signals onto SONET/SDH, difficulties arising from a lack of fiber can be resolved by using an existing SONET/SDH network to reach the regional/super head end. Multiple video formats are not an issue. Ventura modules work together to transport any combination of analog, SDI, ASI, ATSC and JPEG 2000 – compressed HD video formats. Remote management solutions escalate alarms and support remote interrogation and diagnosis of error conditions, thereby eliminating the need for personnel.

A multitude of video signals to be transported in their native format over a SONET network. Once off-air and PEG channels are back-hauled and processed at a regional head end, these channels can be inserted into the channel line-up that will ultimately be seen in the local area where they originated and targeted services are delivered.