Posted by Derrick on June 26, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression | 
Telestream, a leading provider of digital media tools and workflow solutions, announced that its Episode video encoding software was selected by Banis Software Development, Inc. to provide video and audio transcoding for V&A Waterfront World Media & Legacy Centre which was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa. Banis selected Episode for integration with its Server DAM digital asset management and distribution system. Initially developed for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, Server DAM is the first system of its kind to offer an uncompressed cloud storage and distribution portal with secure web access to video footage for accredited press. Thousands of registered media from around the world gained access this week to the online video portal which allows them to build pre-game video packages in a variety of formats for the 2010 FIFA World Cup which opens in Cape Town on June 10.
“We selected Episode encoder because of the simplicity of fully integrating it with Server DAM and because of the breadth of formats it provides,” said Ford Sinclair, President at Banis Software Development, creators of the video portal. “Telestream’s Episode was a natural fit for our business needs. The strength of our products is that they function as one system, providing on-demand access 24 hours a day to video footage in any format for any number of users.”
Banis integrated Episode server-based software with Server DAM to enable fully automated, on-demand video transcoding. Initial loading of the clips into the video portal included hours of HD video which needed to be encoded into 5 to 60-second clips. According to Sinclair, Episode was the only system that met all the demands required by his client, including input support for RED camera format. Sinclair adds, “Telestream’s technical support has been amazing.”
The Cape Town media center for the 2010 FIFA World Cup at www.waterfrontmediacentre.co.za provides global access to the video portal which offers local footage, location shots, B-roll, HD highlights and photography. Registered media are given secure access to the portal where they can create a custom menu and specify selection criteria. Video/audio format choices include ProRes 4:2:2 HD, NTSC-SD, PAL-SD, uncompressed video, plus QuickTime .mov and .flv for the web. Additional choices include style shots, locations, venues and keyword searches.
Banis developed Server DAM as a robust video portal with a huge data center backend to support large-scale video needs. A single video clip can simultaneously be accessed by 10,000 users without interruption or loss of speed. According to Sinclair, the system proved itself at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games where less than 5 percent of total resources were used at any given time.
Tags: .FLV, audio, DAM, encoding, Episode Encoder, mov, on-demand video transcoding. Episode, online, quicktime, Server Dam, server-based software, Telestream, transcodes, transcoding, Video, video portal
Posted by Derrick on June 6, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression |
Inlet Technologies, the leader in innovative solutions for digital media preparation, announced its support for WebM, an open web media project and the open sourcing of VP8. Inlet joins Google, Mozilla, Opera, YouTube and other major software and hardware manufacturers in making today’s WebM and VP8 announcements.
“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 Inlet Technologies is joining a broad coalition of industry leaders supporting the WebM project to bring a new era of open innovation in web video.”
“Inlet is committed to ensuring that our customers have the flexibility they need for their real-time and on demand programming, and we are building VP8 support into our entire suite of solutions, including our Spinnaker live streaming appliances and Armada high-volume transcoding system.” explained John Bishop, senior vice president of product and business development, Inlet Technologies. “We aim to reduce any ambiguity and complexity for our customers by future proofing their investments with solutions that support a variety of technology options and business models.”
As one of the first to support WebM and VP8, Inlet builds on its reputation as an industry innovator including recognition as:
• The first to demonstrate built-in support for fully-automated ad insertion for live streaming.
• The first to enable Apple® HTTP live streaming of high-quality video to the iPhoneTM, iPod® Touch®, and iPadTM.
• The first to support adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming for Microsoft and Adobe platforms.
• The first to market with a professional live streaming appliance to output Flash, VC-1 and Silverlight streams simultaneously.
• The first to market with support for PlayReady DRM.
• The first to market with 3D Silverlight and web 3D encoding.
For more information on WebM and VP8, visit http://webmproject.blogspot.com/2010/05/introducing-webm-open-web-media-project.html. More project information can also be found at http://www.webmproject.org/.
Posted by Derrick on May 25, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression |
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.
Tags: encoding, Episode, episode encoding, FlipFactory, Flipfactory encoding, Google, On2 Technologies, open source, Support, Telestream, transcoding, Video, video codec, video compression, video transcoding, VP8, WebM, workflow
Posted by Derrick on May 16, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression |
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
Tags: automation, conversion, encode, fast transcoding, file, flash, FlipFactory, format, h.264, HD, proxies, solutions, Telestream, transcoding, Video, windows media, workflow
Posted by Derrick on April 24, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression |
Highwinds, a content, network and hosted IP services business, announced that the National Association of Broadcasters selected its content delivery network (CDN) for the second consecutive year to deliver video from the annual NAB Show. Video highlights from the 2010 NAB Show, that took place from April 10-15 in Las Vegas, were delivered to online audiences over Highwinds’ CDN during and after the event through the NAB Show web site at www.nabshow.com.
Highwinds worked closely with the National Association of Broadcasters and Digital Rapids, who provided onsite transcoding technology again this year. Video of the event, including daily highlights, studio segments, and attendee and exhibitor interviews, were made available for on-demand distribution to worldwide audiences over Highwinds’ CDN. NAB offered more online video coverage than it had in previous years, with new event footage and segments.
Highwinds owns and operates the fastest growing CDN on the planet, delivering live and on-demand video from some of the world’s largest broadcasters to global audiences over its high-performance RollingThunder network. Customers gain intuitive self-provisioning features and superior content command and control with Highwinds’ StrikeTracker console and open APIs, enabling the immediate propagation and streaming of all video uploaded to Highwinds’ network.
