*iDirect in the News with Evolution S2 Launch*

Evolution Time — iDirect Directs Debut Of DVB-S2 Suite

VT iDirect, Inc. (iDirect), a company of VT Systems Inc (VT Systems), has launched the first suite of DVB-S2/ACM products in its Evolution product line—the Evolution X3 router, XLC-10 line card, and iDX software. These new products enable service providers to leverage the benefits of DVB-S2 with Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM) to lower operating costs and increase their business opportunities. The Evolution offerings complement iDirect’s widely-deployed iNFINITI product line. The Evolution X3 is an integrated satellite modem and IP router with Ethernet interface. The X3 maximizes bandwidth efficiency, featuring DVB-S2/ACM on the outbound carrier and iDirect’s patented, deterministic TDMA on the inbound channel. This satmodem supports a wide range of IP data rates, carrier modulations, and FEC codes, including downstream modulations of up to 16APSK and upstream modulations of 8PSK.

The Evolution product line, which includes the XLC-10, iDX and X3, enables satellite networks to reach data speeds of up to 156 Megabits per second. Extensive tests reveal that the Evolution product line can deliver a 30 percent improvement in bandwidth efficiency over DVB-S systems. An additional gain of 50 percent is possible through ACM, an advanced feature of the DVB-S2 standard which iDirect has built into its Evolution product line. The new Evolution product line fully integrates with the advanced features of the iDirect Intelligent Platform to help operators amplify the gains of DVB-S2. One of the platform’s key features, Group QoS, enables service providers to combine multiple small networks into a single, larger carrier that is better able to leverage the efficiency of DVB-S2/ACM. In addition, new features have been built into iDirect’s iVantage network management system that allow service providers to track ACM gains in real time and configure their networks to optimize bandwidth efficiency. With Evolution, service providers can readily upgrade to DVB-S2/ACM in their existing iDirect chassis. Once in place, feature enhancements and updates can be made instantly with over-the-air software upgrades—Herndon, Virginia

1) “Is this the third time that iDirect has “introduced” the DVB-S2 platform (first one was in July last year, second was in September last year, then in Feb was another announcement that it was “validated”) and now this last announcement. What is the problem – why is this product so delayed? When will shipments start?”

2) Last year the announcements on DVB-S2 included the Fusion Series E2000 which was a low cost remote terminal consisting only of an outdoor unit. What happened to this unit? Has this been dropped?

3) The product information on the iDirect web site indicate that the Evolution remote terminals receive DVB-S2/ACM but says nothing about the classic iDirect outbound channel. Are these units not backwards compatible?

Best Regards.

2) Last year the announcements on DVB-S2 included the Fusion Series E2000 which was a low cost remote terminal consisting only of an outdoor unit. What happened to this unit? Has this been dropped? 

[-siva-]: I hope, no more E2000. The new Remote Name is called "X3".

3) The product information on the iDirect web site indicate that the Evolution remote terminals receive DVB-S2/ACM but says nothing about the classic iDirect outbound channel. Are these units not backwards compatible? 

[-siva-]: DVB-S2/ACM work for only D/S carrier with XLC-10 Line card. For U/S carriers, still use iNFINITI (M0D1) line cards. I guess, the present release not support other than X3 Remote. Hope, future releases may support iNFINITI Remotes as well.
Hope the above information helps..!

Not 100% certain.  I am sure it is all aligned with the new iDX 1 software.

“However, if you ask me, iDirects challenge is much greater than that of other DVBS2 vendors as they are working with an extremely complex (proprietary waveform)...all while trying to adapt this new technology to their entire product line and the various topologies that their Hubs are capable of.   Such technology must be capable of multiple topologies...i.e. Star, Freq hop mesh, Star and Spread spectrum (in the same inroute group)....each of them secured with TRANSEC and laid against an award winning GQOS that others have emulated”;



TDMAMike you certainly make a lot sense with this statement. No doubt the complexity for iDirect to implement DVB-S2/ACM is far and away more difficult then for the other vendors (too bad they gave up on making the remote terminals backwards compatible). This is certainly a reason that the introduction is so late and is strong warning to anyone who is thinking of being “bleeding edge” with these new products. Probably best to stay away from the new products until all the bugs are worked out and it is proven and reliable.

Best Regards,