Harmonic Inc. announced that its XOS Media Processor will be deployed by CentralCast, the centralized master‑control facility that serves U.S. public‑media stations. The partnership will allow CentralCast to broadcast content to more than 170 channels, delivering higher video quality, reliability, and efficiency while reducing system footprint and operating costs.
The deal positions Harmonic as a key technology provider for the public‑broadcasting sector, a market that values scalable, cost‑effective media‑processing solutions. By integrating its XOS platform, CentralCast can lower per‑channel bitrate, fit additional services into fixed ATSC bandwidth, and streamline audio switching between 5.1 and 2.0 formats. This capability directly supports the network’s need for high‑quality, multi‑channel delivery across a growing number of stations.
Harmonic’s broader financial context underscores the strategic importance of the partnership. In Q4 2025, the company reported strong broadband bookings that drove a 3.5 book‑to‑bill ratio and a substantial year‑over‑year increase in backlog, improving visibility for 2026. The Video business, presented as discontinued operations, exceeded revenue and profitability expectations for Q4 2025 and is on track to close its sale in Q2 2026. For Q1 2026, Harmonic guided EPS of $0.110‑$0.120 versus a consensus of $0.070, and projected broadband revenue of $440‑$480 million for the full year.
Management highlighted the partnership’s impact. CEO Nimrod Ben‑Natan said, "We ended the year with extremely strong quarterly bookings across our Broadband business. These bookings drove a 3.5 book‑to‑bill for the quarter and a substantial year‑over‑year increase in backlog, which significantly improves our visibility for 2026." CentralCast CTO Steve White added, "We support a rapidly growing number of PBS stations. Partnering with Harmonic gives us a solid media processing foundation for easy scaling to meet the evolving needs of member stations. The unique design of the XOS media processor features a higher channel density than our previous encoding platform, lowering our operational costs while maintaining the pristine video quality our member stations expect." Harmonic SVP Gil Rudge noted, "With the XOS media processor, CentralCast can deliver more channels and services using less hardware, energy and space — a model that embodies the future of efficient, software‑defined broadcast operations."
The partnership aligns with industry trends toward software‑defined, IP‑based delivery and positions Harmonic to capture a growing share of the public‑broadcasting market. Harmonic will showcase the XOS processor at the 2026 NAB Show from April 19‑22 in Las Vegas, further highlighting its commitment to innovation in broadcast infrastructure.
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