NAB Show Product Review: Content Streaming

With OTT now the fastest-growing method for distributing news and entertainment, the technology for streaming was everywhere on the NAB Show exhibit floor.

STREAMING/MOBILE/IPTV
ARTEL
introduced ARG’s 8000 ARQ, which provides an easily configurable solution for the distribution of high-quality video over unconditioned IP networks, including wireless, internet, and satellite. It’s available as a 1RU rackmount or a small compact unit.

BROADPEAK unveiled the nanoCDN Multicast ABR 2.0 low-latency solution for live video streaming. It’s high scalable, reduces latency by employing adaptive bitrate technology, and provides support for satellite, telecom and cable networks.

COBALT DIGITAL launched its FASTSTREAM OTT (Frame Accurate SCTE Trigger insertion and enhanced H.264 Streaming) system that integrates Cobalt’s baseband SDI processing technology with the company’s compression expertise for a complete linear playout to VOD and OTT processing and encoding package.

DVEO unveiled several new H.264 HDMI encoders and decoders for streaming applications, including the single-channel Ministreamer HDMI/IP and Mini D-Streamer.

EDGEWARE has enhanced its Edge TV Repackager to allow users to repackage and re-encrypt content at the edge of their distribution networks. This reduces backhaul bandwidth requirements, as well as the amount of network-attached storage and caching required for most VOD service by a factor of two to three.

HARMONIC introduced advancements to EyeQ along with a new packaging solution designed to improve performance in constrained delivery networks, allowing operators to deliver higher-quality video and viewing experiences with DSL connectivity and 3G/4G network-connected mobile devices.

LYNX Technik yellobrik PEC 1864 H.264 encoder

Matrox Monarch HD

JVCKENWOOD showed its GY-HM200HW house of worship streaming camcorder that offers graphic overlays without the need for an external character generator.

LYNX TECHNIK launched the yellobrik PEC 1864 H.264 encoder, which allows users to simultaneously stream and record content. It features dual encoders, allowing selection of different quality settings for streaming and content archiving. It accepts SDI or HDMI inputs and supports a variety of streaming outputs, including RTMP, RTP/ RTSP, and records to either a USB stick or micro SD card.

MATROX showcased Monarch HD for simple installations where only a single HDMI feed needs to be webcast to Facebook Live or YouTube Live while simultaneously recording a master-quality recording for post event editing.

MOBILE VIEWPOINT featured their LinkMatrix management platform tool in conjunction with its WMT Multicam bonded transmission system for simultaneously encoding four streams simultaneously; WMT QuaddroLink transmitter for bonding up to six links; and the WMT Agile LiveLink H.265 wearable transmitter that bonds up to eight 3G/4G connections for high-quality live streaming.

OSPREY VIDEO introduced USB 3.0 HDMI and 3G-SDI versions of its Talon encoding/ decoding product line. They provide hardware scaling, status display and UI to enable streaming from laptops and are compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux.

SAM unveiled IQMIX25, a multichannel video-over-IP transceiver developed for use in low-latency and high-bandwidth Ethernet IP networks. Using RTP VSF TR-03, TR-04 and SMPTE 2022-6 encoding and encapsulation schemes, along with either Clause 74 or Clause 108 FEC, the IQMIX25 can encode or decode up to 16 SDI signals and transport them over redundant 25GbE links. The IQMIX25 is also upgradeable to support SMPTE 2110.

STREAMBOX extended its 360 HD cloud streaming service beyond YouTube to include Facebook and Twitter/Periscope. The new capability allows users to provide high-quality live video to all three major social media networks via Streambox Cloud Services.

Telestream Wirecast Gear

TELESTREAM introduced Wirecast Gear, a portable computer workstation fully configured for live event production and streaming. The system allows anyone to broadcast professional live productions in a matter of minutes with a fully-configured system built for live event streaming. Wirecast Gear comes installed with Wirecast Pro live streaming production software.

V-NOVA demonstrated Perseus 2, the next-gen version of the company’s video processing technology. The new codec release provides optimization of several parameters, including an increase in per-channel density, support for HTML5, more accessible encoding, enhanced operating efficiency, extension of H.264 support to include HEVC and VP9 base layers and more.

VERIZON DIGITAL MEDIA SERVICES showed their new Live Streaming Solution for simultaneous delivery of hundreds of live events, and also announced that encoding and playback of Dolby Audio is being integrated into its Uplynk Video Streaming service.

MONITORING/QC
INTERRA SYSTEMS
spotlighted their new VEGA ABR technology for analyzing, debugging, verifying and troubleshooting ABR streams and systems. It provides in-depth information all the way down to video elementary streams and compressed audio to help online video operators, cable systems and satellite enterprises deliver high-quality services.

PRIME FOCUS TECHNOLOGIES introduced the IMF Player and Mastering Automation solution as part of its CLEAR Media ERP flagship product. The IMF Player allows users to preview, playback, review and distribute over a streaming proxy a Composition Playlist (CPL) with all its essences, including video, audio and captions.