COE broadens its range of real time H 264 video codecs by adding the H-Card

Published: 12.06.2008

Category: Product News

COE Ltd, the developer and supplier of integrated IP video surveillance systems, today launched the H-Card H.264 video encoder/decoder for high quality real time video streaming applications. The H-Card broadens COE's H.264 range of encoders/decoders. H.264 offers a 30% reduction in bandwidth and storage requirements compared to existing MPEG-4 (Part IV) systems together with very low encoding/decoding latency for PTZ camera operators.

COE Ltd, the developer and supplier of integrated IP video surveillance systems, today launched the H-Card H.264 video encoder/decoder for high quality real time video streaming applications.  The H-Card broadens COE's H.264 range of encoders/decoders.  H.264 offers a 30% reduction in bandwidth and storage requirements compared to existing MPEG-4 (Part IV) systems together with very low encoding/decoding latency for PTZ camera operators.

End users are selecting COE IP codecs including the H-Card because of their deep integration into COE's widely used software control interface (Software Development Kernel), COE's X-Net Video Management System (VMS), Network Video Recorder (NVR) and X-Net Network Management System (NMS).  Like other COE codecs, H-Card conforms with the UK rail EMC standards.

H-Card complements the H-Box H.264 codec launched in 2007.  It provides a hardware decoder option for the H-Box and offers a higher specification than the H-Box including universal decode for all COE MPEG-4 & H.264 products including the X-Net G series, embedded Video Content Analysis (available as a download to installed systems later in 2008), more connection options, rack compatibility with the X-Net transmission system and ability to be redeployed as either an encoder or decoder. 

The X-Net H-Box and H-Card series are miniaturized and consume 75% less power than the products which they replace.  These green credentials allow an extended operating temperature range (up to 75°C) and ensure environmental ruggedness exceeding the requirements of rail and wireless networks. 

 "The H-Card has already won a competitive trial for a major project in SE Asia and is in volume production.  We have concentrated development resources on delivering the highest possible video quality in a physically robust codec and a high reliability software environment.  The video encoding/decoding process sets the quality of image that is delivered to the viewer and H-Card delivers high quality continuously even when operating with PTZ cameras.  We see H-Card being used as a pair with H-Box as well as in more complex integrated surveillance systems" commented Andrew Wallace, Chief Executive of COE.

COE works closely with Texas Instruments, a partner of 8 years' standing, and all COE codecs run on TI DSPs.  This provides access to the software development community using TI DSPs for rapid launch of new technologies.