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Media Links, a provider of advanced video, audio and data transport technology and concepts, recently unveiled its new MD8400 video transmission platform that is designed to enable service providers to efficiently deliver content to end users.

The MD8400 is an extension of the company’s MD8000 platform that was widely used for the distribution and transmission content of major events including The World Cup, Super Bowl and the 2012 Games Summer Olympic.

The new MD8400 is targeted at last mile applications. It is able to minimize the cost and challenges experienced while providing high-bandwidth, high-availability services. The platform is also designed to serve smaller locations where only a handful of services are required so service providers can increase their overall return on investment in short order.

Built around a 60 Gigabit non-blocking IP switch fabric, the MD8400 is positioned to maximize edge and last mile network connectivity.  With 1RU footprint it saves space and is designed to consume less power.

The multimedia IP-based platform interoperates with legacy MD8000 core networks.  It features Media Links’ proven “hitless switching” technology, standards-based SMPTE 2022 Forward Error Correction and current and future compression technologies offered on an “as needed” basis.

With the expansion of its video transmission platform, Media Links creates a future-proof design capable of supporting broadcast technologies and offering broad expansion and integration possibilities for current and future requirements. The platform offers remote software upgrades, built-in self-test functions, performance information and monitoring for ease of service.

The MD8400 and MD8000 platforms are intelligently managed and controlled by the Media Links NMS network management software for unified network management. It delivers Ethernet data traffic, 3G-SDI, HD-SDI, SD-SDI and DVB-ASI video signals natively or with JPEG2000 and H.264 compression. 

Another advantage of D8400 is that it offers an ‘a la carte’ based feature set allowing users to buy whatever they need now and will need later.