FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. -- Fujitsu Frontech North America Inc., a leader in innovative technology and front-end solutions for broadcasting, telecommunications, and pro A/V markets, today announced a new firmware release that dramatically improves end-to-end latency for its IP-9610, IP-900, and IP-920 HD/SD H.264 video encoders/decoders while delivering an exceptional picture quality at reduced bit rates. Ideal for HD satellite newsgathering, broadcasting, and IP streaming applications, Fujitsu's H.264 video encoders/decoders are now capable of operating at less than 99 milliseconds, ensuring a seamless interaction between talent, studio, and interviewees. "Link delays can be extremely disruptive to the natural flow of a live interview and ultimately lower a broadcaster's revenue by requiring additional camera takes and additional talent training," said Richard Harvey, product manager, Fujitsu Network Media Solutions. "Prior to this enhancement, Fujitsu encoders/decoders were able to achieve about 300 milliseconds of back-to-back latency. With a typical satellite propagation delay of 270 milliseconds a one-way transit would take roughly 570 milliseconds, the very edge of acceptable latency. This newest technology improvement further minimizes end-to-end delays, enabling broadcasters and other content providers to cost-effectively deliver professional, superior quality video content to viewers." Fujitsu Ltd.