Wowza introduces the third generation of its streaming system, Wowza Media Server 3. With Media Server 3, formerly hard-to-implement features such as adaptive bit rate (ABR) streaming, time-shifted playback and integrated rights management are made simple and cost-effective.
Complementing the platform are three initial value-added components: Wowza Transcoder AddOn, Wowza Network DVR (nDVR) AddOn and Wowza DRM AddOn. Wowza Media Server 3 is the ideal media platform for revenue-generating services for an ever-growing number of destinations, including Flash- and Silverlight-capable computers, tablets, phones, set-top boxes, media players, and game consoles; Apple iPhone/iPad and other HLS-capable devices such as Apple TV with AirPlay, Android devices, Roku media players, and Internet-connected TVs including Samsung Smart TV and Google TV-powered sets.
General availability of Wowza Media Server 3 and the new value-added components is expected in Q3 2011, at which time all current Wowza Media Server 2 licensees will be eligible for a free upgrade to the new platform.
Wowza's Transcoder AddOn for Wowza Media Server 3 uses commodity hardware to transform incoming live streams from encoders, IP cameras, IPTV headends and other live sources into multiple stream sets for H.264-everywhere adaptive bit rate delivery using Flash RTMP and HTTP Dynamic Streaming, Apple HLS and Silverlight Smooth Streaming. Wowza Transcoder can also be used for nonadaptive streaming using any transport protocol supported by Wowza Media Server 3, including RTMP, RTSP/RTP, MPEG-TS and HTTP. Integrating transcoding into the media server eliminates the provisioning complexity typical of adaptive bit rate streaming, reduces bandwidth access by up to 80 percent, and enables better utilization of network resources such as routers and switchers. The result is not only simplicity, but also increased systemwide reliability and lower overall cost.
TheWowza Network DVR (nDVR) AddOn is a live-stream cache that enables Wowza licensees to increase revenues and viewer engagement by delivering live linear streams as time-shifted services to any screen. Supported features, including live-stream pause, rewind and resume, enable content publishers and service providers to develop premium catch-up TV services to individualize the viewer experience. Wowza nDVR works by storing content for any-screen playout in a normalized format accessible to Wowza Media Server 3. Compared to client-specific nDVR implementations, it significantly reduces cost by minimizing network storage requirements and simplifying the delivery workflow for all screens.
The Wowza DRM AddOn offers third-party DRM Key Management System (KMS) integration such as support for Verimatrix Video Content Authority System (VCAS) for Internet TV and Microsoft PlayReady key management systems. Equipped with the Wowza DRM software AddOn, Wowza Media Server 3 provides secure key exchange and encrypts individual video segments on the fly for streaming of premium content to viewers on a wide range of devices including PC/tablets, STBs, connected TVs and mobile devices. Wowza plans to announce integration with additional DRM platforms in the future.
