VP8 Video from Anystream Avalon and Agility 2G

Posted by Derrick on August 1, 2010 under Video Streaming and Compression | Be the First to Comment

Anystream, the leading provider of automated multi-platform media publishing solutions, announced that Agility 2G and Avalon products will produce VP8 video in support of the WebM initiative.

“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 Grab Networks is joining a broad coalition of industry leaders supporting the WebM project to bring a new era of open innovation in web video.”

“Avalon with VP8 automates media packaging for on-line distribution to YouTube.” said Jim Duval, Director of Product Management at Anystream.  “Avalon eliminates the complexity of manually assembling and validating media, metadata, graphics and other media elements that are required by YouTube and other digital media distribution outlets.”

Agility 2G automates and streamlines content production and delivery for television, web and mobile media applications.  In a single workflow, Avalon assembles and validates commercial metadata that is seen in the promotions and displays on video portals, electronic storefronts and electronic program guides.  Avalon also converts media into the specified formats and packages the content with the metadata into media products that conform to all of the delivery requirements.

Shipment of Agility 2G with VP8 will begin in the second half of 2010.

Video Streaming Portals Consumed with Commercials

Posted by Derrick on April 30, 2009 under Video Streaming and Compression | Be the First to Comment

Many Video Streaming portals are consumed with commercials.  For the most part viewers don’t mind waiting for videos that they desire to see, as long as it can be seen for free.  It’s usually alright to watch a commercial prior to a main video but many Broadcasters and other Media outlets have taken it to the extreme.  I don’t believe most users, me included, desire to wait through a commercial for every streaming video they play.  With many video portals viewers have to watch the exact same commercial over and over during their viewing experience.  Many viewers are probably only waiting because they have to.  With some streaming video portals viewers have to wait for commercials or advertisements to play even if they rewind or advance the video one time or too many times.

This is the wrong approach.  Those managing streaming video portals need to find a way to deliver commercials periodically throughout the on-line viewing experience.  There should not be a commercial playing before every video but maybe every third video so on-line viewers don’t become annoyed with all the waiting.  Streaming video portals should allows viewers to rewind and fastforward without the process advancing them into commercial.  The best way to develop the best streaming video portal experience is to view your own video portal as a visitor.  This will help improve many of the on-line viewings experiences.