SES Americom releases HD-4 solution

SES Americom has released its IP-PRIME HD-4 solution to IPTV telcos who want to jump on the HDTV bandwagon. Providers that have invested in MPEG-2 infrastructure are looking for a way to upgrade to the more HD-friendly MPEG-4. Reworking the whole network is crazy-expensive, and that's where the HD-4 comes in. Dropping in some of these units on the headend will add a MPEG-4 "layer" on top of the MPEG-2, allowing the flow of HD goodness to end customers. There's no interruption to the MPEG-2 stream, and all the user needs is a new set-top box for the MPEG-4 stream. Here's to hoping this solution opens up more HD options to customers whose only options are smaller telco providers.