Path 1 Network Technologies today announced that it has developed a new video over IP gateway that will allow network operators to blend real-time, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 video in both standard and high definition formats.

The Vx8000 Video over IP Gateway, which is debuting at the NAB 2005 trade show this week in Las Vegas, is a multi-port, bi-directional IP video gateway that lets operators use public networks to transmit real-time video. The company has traditionally been selling to broadcasters and cable operators, but the move into IP video comes as it's seeing more interest from other potential customers.

"We've started to see a lot of traction on the satellite market with teleport facilities that are looking to get some unique ways to backhaul traffic to their uplinks," said Dan McCrary, vice president of marketing for Path1. "Also as mobile operators start expanding bandwidth capabilities, they see video as an opportunity and we're seeing interest there."

The new gateway should give operators plenty of room for expansion. The unit's eight ports can be multiplexed, allowing service providers to provide multiple channels with less capacity. Among the specific applications Path1 is anticipating is moving live content to contribution applications and backhauling the feeds to other aggregation and distribution providers. The company already works with WilTel on the latter.

"The other unique aspect is that it's bi-directional," McCrary said. "The other products you've got to know exactly where you're going to place it in the network before you order it. Theses ports can be configured to transmit or receive and it doesn't really add any cost."