Distribution and connectivity provider Atlona has been making a splash in the AV over IP world with its Atlona OmniStream for a while now. Back at InfoComm 2016 OmniStream was among the most-talked about solutions at the show. Then at InfoComm 2017 it continued to stand out among a then crowded group of AV over IP solutions. Now Atlona is expanding OmniStream’s AV over IP capabilities to include 4K, UHD @ 60 Hz 4:4:4, video wall processing and more.
Through a firmware update Atlona says it will expand OmniStream’s capabilities with a wide range of new features that will greatly benefit its corporate, educational, and government AV customers. Scheduled for release in late September, these new enhancements include:
- Comprehensive 4K and HDR compatibility
- Video wall processing
- HDCP 2.2 compliance
- AES67audio over IP interoperability
“In keeping with our mission to help our AV over IP customers solve their integration challenges, streamline infrastructure, enhance connectivity, and simplify management, this OmniStream upgrade will continue to enable many new and novel AVsystem design and problem-solving opportunities, today and tomorrow,” says Nick Bethard, Atlona’s senior product manager, in a press release.
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4K HDR and 4:4:4 Compatibility (from press release)
Topping the list of new features is the addition of high-performance encoding and decoding of UHD @ 60 Hz 4:4:4. This feature will be available as an optional licensed upgrade for the OmniStream 111 (AT-OMNI-111) single-channel encoder, but will be standard with the OmniStream 112 (AT-OMNI-112) dual-channel encoder as well as the OmniStream single and dual-channel decoders (AT-OMNI-121 and AT-OMNI-122).
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The firmware upgrade also adds support for popular HDR formats, including HDR10. In particular, the OmniStream platform will now handle 4K @ 60 Hz with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling, 10-bit color, and HDR, making it compatible with Ultra HD Blu-ray, streaming media players and other emerging consumer video sources that deliver HDR content.
The OmniStream product family consists of five distinct products that integrate and distribute critical-quality 4K/UHD video, audio, and RS-232 control over a standard Gigabit Ethernet network with off-the-shelf switches. This enterprise-grade network platform also offers extensive levels of system redundancy and failover, AES-128 encryption, forward error correction, and other measures for reliable, secure IP content distribution.
“With the addition of UHD @ 60 Hz 4:4:4 and HDR10 support for 4K video over 1 GbE networks, among other higher-end video capabilities, Atlona is responding to the requests by our quality-conscious corporate, educational and government customers for better video resolution, low-latency compression algorithms, and standards compliance,” commented Bethard.
HDCP 2.2 (from press release)
HDCP 2.2 compliance adheres to the latest specification for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), and is backwards compatible with older HDCP 1.x compliant devices, if permitted by the source content. HDCP 2.2 compliance also ensures seamless integration with new and forthcoming sources and displays.
Scalable Video Wall Processing (from press release)
The upcoming OmniStream firmware update will also allow encoded video to be delivered to an array of video walldisplays, regardless of size. Additionally, the newly expanded video wall processing capabilities include bezel compensation and image rotation, as well as frame-accurate synchronization between decoders.
Compatibility with AES67 Devices (from press release)
With this firmware upgrade, Atlona is expanding the platform’s audio networking capabilities further by adding compatibility with AES67-enabled audio over IP devices and systems for OmniStream encoders and decoders.
The AES67 standard enables audio over IP streaming interoperability between OmniStream and a wide range of AES67-enabled professional audio products from other manufacturers. AV consultants, system designers and integrators willgreatly benefit from the ability to interface OmniStream encoded audio directly with popular third-party audio DSPs.
Scrolling Text Display (from press release)
The firmware update will also provide text scrolling, a feature unique to OmniStream which allows the display of announcements, alerts, captions and notifications with scrolling capability for presentation of extended messages.
Dedication to Addressing Customer Requirements and Needs (from press release)
“We are committed to continually upgrading the features and capabilities of our OmniStream AV over IP platform and adding compatibility that supports key, next-generation AV integration requirements,” said Bethard. “By responding quickly to evolving market demands, we can ensure that our customers continue to benefit from OmniStream AV over IP network capabilities and operational efficiencies well into the future.”
OmniStream products are available for order through authorized OmniStream partners, and pricing is available through regional Atlona representatives. For more information about OmniStream, please visit atlona.com/omnistream.
