Telestream Joins Major Industry Leaders to Offer Video Transcoding Support for WebM

Posted by Derrick on May 25, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression | Be the First to Comment

Telestream, a leading provider of digital media tools and workflow solutions, announced broad support for the WebM project along with Google and other industry leaders. The new WebM open web media format, based on the VP8 open source video codec, will be available at no additional charge in all Telestream video encoding, transcoding and workflow products, including FlipFactory, Episode and recently announced Vantage.

“A key factor in the web’s success is that its core technologies are open and freely implementable. Video is fundamental to the web experience, and developers and content publishers need an open video format option,” said Mike Jazayeri, Group Product Manager at Google. “We are excited Telestream is joining a broad coalition of industry leaders supporting the WebM project to bring a new era of open innovation in web video.”

WebM is a flexible format that provides high-quality video across resolutions and bitrates to support a variety of viewing devices. Computational efficiency enables smooth video playback on low-power devices such as netbooks and mobile phones. WebM is optimized for the web and network video delivery, providing fast video starting and seeking within videos. VP8 is based on 10+ years of innovation in video compression by On2 Technologies. Its predecessors have been installed over two billion times, making it proven technology. Google gained access to the VP8 video codec when it acquired On2 Technologies earlier this year.

“Telestream has extensive experience optimizing and deploying On2 technologies and is uniquely positioned to bring the new WebM format to the video consumer, enterprise, media and entertainment markets,” said Barbara DeHart, VP of Marketing at Telestream. “We are excited to join Mozilla, Opera, Google, YouTube, and other software and hardware manufacturers in the WebM project.”

Telestream provides the broadest and deepest video and audio transcoding format support on the market today for desktop to server, Mac and Windows systems. Telestream video compression products support more than 120 digital media formats and wrappers, including WMV9, H.264, VC-1, Flash 8, VP6, MPEG-2, and 3GPP. In addition, Telestream video transcoding and workflow products support direct integration with leading third-party systems, allowing users to create and distribute content to virtually any platform or viewing device.

The Orlando Magic Scores with Telestream HD Transcoding

Posted by Derrick on May 16, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression | Be the First to Comment

Telestream, a leading provider of digital media tools and workflow solutions, announced that Orlando Magic Broadcasting has successfully deployed its FlipFactory video transcoding automation product for fast, efficient HD file format conversion and delivery of game-action highlights and pre-produced features for the National Basketball Association (NBA) team. Orlando Magic Broadcasting is the in-house video and audio production department for the Orlando Magic professional basketball team.

“Game action highlights are the bricks we use to build anything we need,” said Rick Price, Assistant Director of Broadcast Technology and Services for Orlando Magic. “We looked at other video transcoding solutions and found that Telestream was the only one that could decode and encode the proprietary EVS format. FlipFactory provides a cost-effective solution, fast transcoding speed, and tremendous workflow improvement.”

Prior to Telestream, camera shots and non-game actions were captured in HD via the OB truck. However, the Orlando Magic were unable to convert important game action highlights from their EVS slow motion, instant replay system into HD-compatible files for editing on Final Cut Pro systems. This kept them from being able to deliver HD content for game telecasts.

Since deploying Telestream’s FlipFactory video transcoder, over seven Terabytes of HD game highlights were transcoded during the 2008/2009 season alone. Price said that while he chose FlipFactory for game highlight conversions, he’s found that he can use it to do a lot more, including transcoding back to EVS HD, Flash for the web, H.264 for proxies, and Windows Media for review and approvals.

“We’re pleased that the Orlando Magic chose FlipFactory as the important final link in delivering superior-quality, all-HD broadcasts to its viewers,” said Barbara DeHart, VP of Marketing at Telestream. “One of FlipFactory’s strengths is the depth and breadth of formats and systems it supports, including the EVS system for sports broadcasters.”

FlipFactory provides a cost-effective alternative to buying and maintaining an expensive HD tape deck to record HD game highlights. It also eliminates the extra steps involved in handling and laying video off to tape. According to Price, “For the cost of the FlipFactory software and a server, we now have an all-HD workflow.”

Telestream FlipFactory video transcoding automation software offers more video and audio formats and third-party system support than any other file format conversion solution on the market. Used by thousands of the world’s most demanding media and entertainment companies, FlipFactory provides direct media and metadata integration and file exchange between all major professional systems.

FlipFactory is sold through a worldwide network of direct sales and resale channels. More information is available at www.telestream.net