A Software-Based Solution for Distributing and Displaying UHD Video Content over Packet Networks with Applications to Telemedicine and Culture

Since 2009, RNP has participated in demonstrations related to streaming ultra-high-definition (UHD) content over packet networks. However, working UHD media requires the use of specialized equipment that usually is expensive and has limited availability in developing markets like Brazil. This has led RNP to foster the development of national technology for 4K equipment. Since 2011, RNP has funded a research group to develop a low-cost solution for 4K video-player and streamer. This approach relies on an architecture of distributed and parallelized software components that enables the building of 4K systems using COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) hardware. This represents an alternative to traditional 4K systems, presenting a better cost effectiveness ratio and may be useful to facilitate the large-scale deployment of such systems, especially in contexts where access to technological innovation is limited. In 2013, a pilot project funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Culture is deploying the RNP-funded 4K player/streamer in a set of six cinemas connected to the RNP backbone. Also this year, it was possible to attach a 4K camcorder to our layer/streamer, enabling the live streaming of 4K content. This was first used to stream an open-heart surgical procedure from a university hospital, member of the Telemedicine University Network RUTE [MCTI], to a visualization room, both located in the Brazilian city of Natal, around 30km apart. This paper presents this low-cost software-based solution for 4K player/streamer, in addition to describing the two aforementioned use cases.