Digital Cinema distribution made profitable and efficient over satellite networks

Real Image Media Technologies deploys RaptorQ forward error correction software to enhance an advertising revenue service, reduce operating and capital expenses, and achieve network economies-of-scale as their business grows.

CHALLENGE Meeting the demand for time-sensitive media

As a pioneer in media technology, Real Image is leading the way in delivering reliable and efficient digital cinema files, often in an environment where feature films are required to be distributed to screens just a day before release. The company provides services for 2,400 screens across India with about 1,000 sites that are connected via a VSAT satellite network (due to the remote locations of some theatres). On a weekly basis, Real Image typically distributes 20 films and dozens of advertisements. Due to the large size of DCI format movies (typically 200+ GB files), Real Image must still copy some movies to hard drives and physically ship them to theatres. This process typically takes a day or more. However, for E Cinema formatted movies, Real Image uses its satellite network and its RaptorQ-enabled QubeCast media transmission system, which can digitally deliver movies overnight. Advertisements present a different challenge. While their files are not as large as full-length films, ads are more numerous and change often, and Real Image must adhere to the strict timing requirements of advertisers. Leveraging its satellite network and QubeCast system, Real Image can

Ads are a key contributor to the bottom line. We could not operate our ad network without the tight integration of RaptorQ with our ad service.
Senthil Kumar, co-founder of Real Image Media Technologies.

Solution Highlights
Accurate and timely delivery of advertisements is critical for the bottom line Less satellite network transmission costs spread over more sites means greater economies-of-scale No additional hardware costs software runs on playback servers already deployed without disrupting playback

distribute new ads within an hour of receipt and at any time of the day. Ads are a key contributor to the bottom line. We could not operate our ad network without the tight integration of RaptorQ with our ad service said Real Image co-founder Senthil Kumar

CHALLENGE Effectively managing a growing digital cinema services business

When Real Image began offering a digital cinema service over satellite, it looked to its subsidiary Qube Cinema to provide a broadcast file transfer

protocol (FTP) solution. The solution worked, however Real Image soon discovered that the system could not scale as efficiently as needed. Retransmission costs due to network packet loss were a significant obstacle. The VSAT satellite network averages 5% packet loss and up to 10% in bad weather conditions. Resending the lost packets resulted in an exponential use of bandwidth. All RaptorQ error correction symbols are equal (a property of a fountain code), allowing economies-of-scale as more receivers are added. The RaptorQenabled system will save us money in reduced network costs by reducing the need for retransmission as the network grows, said Kumar.
Copyright 2011, Qualcomm Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.

SOLUTION Add best-in-class forward error correction - RaptorQ

To meet its financial and service performance requirements, Real Image knew it would need a best-inclass FEC technology. RaptorQ was the companys first choice. RaptorQs advantages include being a softwarebased technology that is memory and CPU efficient. This allows the integrated solution to run directly on theatres existing playback servers, requiring no additional hardware. Also, the RaptorQ software development kit comes complete with file delivery and streaming media sample application source code. The sample code was very helpful and allowed for a straightforward integration with our QubeCast software platform, said Kumar.

The RaptorQ-enabled system will save us money in reduced network costs by reducing the need for retransmission as the network grows.
Senthil Kumar, co-founder of Real Image Media Technologies.

SUMMARY RaptorQ enables QubeCast to meet the heavy demands of HD video distribution
Incorporating RaptorQ in its QubeCast media transmission system has enabled Real Image to produce a high quality product that meets the heavy demands of HD video distribution. Working with partners, Real Image now plans to license QubeCast to hundreds of external theatres. Key to QubeCasts quality is RaptorQ FEC technology, which provides application-layer protection against network packet loss, over all wired and wireless networks, including satellite and terrestrial networks. The RaptorQ encoder and decoder libraries allow file delivery and streaming services to recover data lost in transit and reconstruct it, without using a backchannel.
For more information on the QubeCast software platform go to www.qubecinema.com .

Key Benefits of Raptor Q

Software-only solution is network, device and operation system independent Superior flexibility supports all content delivery solutions, including streaming Operates efficiently on small memory devices (Set-top-box/handsets) RFC 6330, IETF FEC standard for object delivery over Wireless WAN

For more information on RaptorQ go to www.qualcomm.com/raptorq or email raptorinfo@qualcomm.com.

Business Profile: Real Image Media Technologies

Real Image Media Technologies is Indias leading provider of technology in the film, video and audio domains and has pioneered several technology revolutions over the last 25 years. Established in 1986, the company was instrumental in bringing computer-based digital nonlinear editing to India with Avid Technology, transforming the industry and forever changing the way Indian film and television programs were edited. Real Image subsequently brought digital cinema sound to India with DTS and helped Indian cinema leapfrog a generation, from mono sound directly to digital. With its Qube Cinema end-to-end digital cinema product line, Real Image has made an impact worldwide. It is the only Indian company and amongst a handful worldwide with DCI compliant digital cinema technology.
Copyright 2011, Qualcomm Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.