NTT Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo; President: Akira Shimada) has developed a groundbreaking technology that converts 4K120Hz and FHD240Hz HDMI signals into long-distance transmission signals with an ultra-low delay of 0.1 milliseconds or less, the world’s lowest. When combined with the IOWN All-Photonics Network (APN), this technology enables real-time transmission of high-definition video (up to 4K at 120 frames per second) and sound between remote locations with minimal delay.
This technology leverages FPGA-IP, which can be customized with various hardware configurations based on the specific use case, such as port count and size. NTT offers this FPGA-IP for licensing to be integrated into final products and solutions.
Background
As VR and AR technologies evolve, the demand for highly immersive real-time communication applications, such as shared virtual spaces and remote collaboration, is increasing. These applications require simultaneous transmission of high-definition video across multiple points with minimal delay to create a sense of presence. Conventional IP network technologies have struggled to meet these requirements due to signal compression delays and bandwidth limitations, resulting in video and audio quality degradation.
Technical Details
NTT’s new technology converts uncompressed 4K120Hz and FHD240Hz HDMI signals into long-distance transmission signals with a delay of 0.1 milliseconds or less. By pairing it with IOWN APN, high-definition, fast-moving video can be transmitted over long distances without quality degradation. This is achieved by directly accommodating HDMI signals into fixed-bandwidth, fixed-delay OTN signals, bypassing the need for signal compression, thus eliminating video degradation and delay fluctuations.
Even when transmitting high-resolution, high-refresh-rate video, such as 4K120Hz, to remote locations, the video remains crisp and free from motion degradation. The FPGA-IP implementation allows the technology to be customized and combined with different hardware setups.
Future Outlook
By integrating this technology with IOWN APN, a wide range of real-time, immersive applications—such as remote orchestral ensembles, virtual reality (VR) experiences, and remote monitoring of plant lines and railways—can become more feasible. This advancement paves the way for new applications that require both ultra-low latency and high-definition video transmission. NTT plans to expand its use cases and promote the widespread adoption of this technology to enhance communication and monitoring systems across industries. The FPGA-IP is available for licensing.
