NAB 2012 closed its doors two weeks ago, so it’s a good time to draw an appraisal on various themes concerning OTT issues, and especially premium OTT issues, that have been handled through industry technology offer during the tradeshow. Here we’ll go from production to distribution and examine the salient NAB facts and products, at least the ones which have a potential influence on OTT workflows evolution in the coming months (or years ?). 
VMs have enabled a new public utility of cloud-based computing, providing IT resources that are charged based on usage. This new utility has transformed the way IT companies deploy applications hosted on x86 server architecture, allowing them to quickly deploy new software and services.
More recently, vendors of broadcast technology have extended their use of the x86 Intel server architecture as they move towards workflows based on files. In the early days, it was back-room systems such as Traffic and Scheduling that made the most use of an x86 architecture. As IT servers become ever more powerful, many of the broadcasting tasks, which historically have been handled by unique proprietary DSPs, are now able to be carried out, using software, on standard IT servers. If we look at an entire workflow — ingest, transmission and uplink — of a typical publisher-broadcaster, we will find IT servers running applications at every stage. 
As LG launches the first next-generation Google TV sets, how well is Google positioned for the future of television?
The Internet giant has a longstanding strategy to extend its domain from PCs to other devices, particularly mobiles and also TV sets. For television, this would bring both its search service and YouTube’s content to smart TVs and thereby grow new revenue streams from the main screen in consumers’ homes.
Television sets powered by the Google Android operating system give the company a new distribution channel, in addition to mobile, for premium content from its Google Play apps and entertainment store (formerly Android Market). Two other elements to the strategy are developing professional-quality content for YouTube and attracting more users to the Google+ social network, which is being enhanced with a video chat and broadcasting feature, Google Hangouts. 
Launched in 2009, Yahoo’s Connected TV was one of the first platforms to introduce an open app development kit (ADK) for Internet-capable TVs. Now it’s making those apps even more powerful, by allowing developers to build apps that integrate TV and mobile capabilities.
The new ADK let developers connect their mobile and connected TV apps, supported by two-way messaging between the devices through Yahoo’s device communication protocol. That way, developers can build apps for smart phones and tablets that recognize what users are watching or games that are being played on the TV.
READ ALSO "Create second screen mobile apps using Y! Connected TV App Development Kit" : 
The Digital Production Partnership (DPP) has today unveiled a major industry report, “The Bloodless Revolution: A Guide to Smoother Digital Workflows in Television.” The report is the first published guidance on digital workflows to be issued on behalf of ITV, Channel Four and the BBC. It seeks to help producers and suppliers achieve a smoother transition to fully digital production.
The new guide follows the publication of the DPP’s report on breaking down the barriers to digital production (The Reluctant Revolution, September 2011). One of the claims made in the first report was that the pace of change in the industry was held back by a lack of commonly agreed ways of working. It observed that greater guidance is needed if the industry is to complete its move from tape-based to file-based production.
READ GUIDE HERE : http://www.digitalproductionpartnership.co.uk/PDF_Outputs/DPP_Bloodless_Revolution.pdf 
BuyDRM now has 'more tools in our toolkit,' as it faces an increase in demand for mobile rights management.
Today's premium content providers care more about protecting their assets on Apple iOS and Google Android devices than they do on Windows and Macintosh PCs, says Levy. His team hasn't been able to advance their DRM mobile technology as fast as they'd like, but being a part of Inisoft should change that. The industry is changing dramatically, he adds, and DRM needs to support iOS and Android natively.
As a result of the acquisition, BuyDRM will no longer be a software-as-a-service offering delivering encryption and licensing, but will expand into a software platform that can offer software agents that enable the delivery of encrypted content.
Thesis : A Dynamic Adaptive HTTP Streaming Video Service for Google Android (HLS/DASH)
ABSTRACT OF LUCIANO ROMERO'S THESIS :
Adaptive streaming approaches overHypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), such as Apple’sHTTP Live streaming (HLS) andMicrosoft’s Live Smooth Streaming, have recently become very popular. This master’s thesis project developed and evaluated several media rate adaptation algorithms optimized for mobile networks with a client running on Google’s Android operating system. The deployed service supports HLS and the emerging ISO/IEC MPEG standard called Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH).
This project has produced an implementation of HTTP-based adaptive streaming. This implementation follows the MPEG standard and enables robust and smooth playback of live video content via Google’s Android devices. Results of the experiments have shown that the proposed adaptation mechanisms efficiently utilize the available bandwidth of the network. A
READ THESIS HERE : http://web.it.kth.se/~maguire/DEGREE-PROJECT-REPORTS/111006-Luciano-Rubio-with-cover.pdf 
Hybridcast is an infrastructure system being developed by NHK, with a view to commercial use in 2013. This system combines broadcasting with the Internet, to enable a variety of TV-centered services.
At this year's NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories Open Day, NHK exhibited prototype receivers, developed together with manufacturers, as well as the service concept.
If used in conjunction with sports broadcasts, updates about the players and the game can be synchronized with the broadcast timeline and superimposed on the screen. 
Oversi, the leader in OTT Video and P2P caching solutions, and Jet-Stream, the award-winning market leader in Content Delivery Network (CDN) technologies, today announced a strategic collaboration to provide a converged content delivery solution for network operators.
Dan Rayburn, EVP, StreamingMedia.com said: “Carriers are desperately trying to control managed and unmanaged content on their network. A converged CDN and Transparent Caching solution allows the carrier to enable a better QoS, reduce their internal costs, and in the long run provide revenue generation and new content services.”
This new partnership brings together Jet-Stream’s best-in-class CDN technology and Oversi’s solution-of-choice Transparent Caching. Indicating a milestone in the content delivery market, this partnership provides operators a flexible solution that is easy to deploy in many different network scenarios, and a future proof architecture with the highest performance, scalability and reliability. 
Multimedia is one of the most important component in the mobile devices. The main goal of this project is to add the new "streaming standard" into Android multimedia framework allowing adaptation using also full-HD sequences.
Natively Android framework is already able to support video streaming using Apple HLS standard. The idea is to extend the handler adding all the logic to manage playlists not only in m3u8 format but also as MPD file (Media Presentation Description).
Also the work enrich the multimedia framework of a new component to add a basic set of adaptation heuristics acts to adapt dynamically the streaming bit-rate in use accordingly to some basic platform information like screen resolution and average system throughput. 
Qwilt, the provider of network video-infrastructure technology, is debuting its video delivery solution, which aims to give carriers control over Internet-video traffic in their networks.
For background, Qwilt helps Internet-service providers more efficiently and cost-effectively deliver high-quality video to their customers. That means more consumers can see video from sources like Netflix, YouTube and Hulu in the highest possible quality, when they want.
Qwilt’s video-technology company solves a pretty big problem related to the recent explosion of video being delivered over the Internet (through Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, etc.), on multiple screens. Video now represents up more than two-thirds of all online activity is and expected to grow beyond that. Streaming videos from the Netflix service alone make up 30% of Internet traffic during peak evening hours today. There is an enormous strain all this new content is putting on Internet providers.
SEE THEIR 2012 CDN SUMMIT PRESENTATION : http://conferences.infotoday.com/documents/150/2012CDNSummit-Qwilt.pdf ![ActiveVideo Announces General Availability of CloudTV H5; Brings Advanced VOD Navigation to Any STB [PR] | Video Breakthroughs | Scoop.it](http://img.scoop.it/tOi9burIrrBftLLZzmU5ZDl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVaiQDB_Rd1H6kmuBWtceBJ)
ActiveVideo Networks, creators of CloudTV, the advanced TV software platform based entirely in the cloud, today announced the general availability of its CloudTV H5 platform that can bring any navigation interface or application written in HTML5 to any digital set-top box or connected CE device.
The scalable and battle-tested CloudTV H5 platform utilizes highly-optimized HTML5 browser technology running in remote servers to execute and render complete user experiences in the cloud. The fully-formed user experience is then streamed to the user's device in a bandwidth-efficient adaptive bit rate video stream. Subscribers control the experience by using their remote controls to send key presses to the remote browser, controlling the application in the same way as they would if it were running locally. Surprisingly, the latency between a customer key press and the UI response is minimal. 
The London Olympics will provide the first live trials of Ultra High Definition TV (UHDTV) based on standards finally agreed last week by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) after a decade of research and development in which the EBU was heavily involved.
The ITU has defined the UHDTV standards, 4K and 8K, as multiples of the existing 1080p1920 format defined in the ITU-R Rec. 709 standard. HD 1080p, at present often referred to as full HD, displays at a resolution of 1920 pixels wide by 1080 high in progressive scan, corresponding to a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9. Various frame rates are supported including 24, 50 and 60. |
It has long been a challenge to achieve consistent sound levels that don't force listeners to readjust their set at every program junction. Today's multichannel world, with playout systems sequencing programs, commercials and trails, means there is no scope for manual adjustment of levels. Instead, volume management policies must be defined. The ITU BS.1770 measurement has been around for a few years and defines an algorithm for loudness measurement. However, it offers no guidance over the values that might offer suitable settings. This challenges manufacturers to keep up with an evolving set of measurement norms by allowing a significant number of user variables. Incorrect setting of these can cause major variations in the values displayed, and a thorough understanding of loudness is necessary to correctly configure a meter so that it gives the required measurements. 
Adobe's updated media server takes the focus off Flash and offers enhanced HLS support. But what about DASH?
With the ship date just around the corner, what features will make AMS 5 different from FMS 4.5 for Adobe's target customer base? Towes provided a list that highlights Adobe's continued support for Apple's HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) for iOS devices: - Protected HLS support via a content license technology embedded in AMS - Additional digital rights management support for HLS using Adobe Access 4 licensing server (a separate purchase) - The ability to segment HLS content for on-demand playback, using an offline HLS segmenting tool, which also supports encryption via Adobe Access 4 - Improvements for HTTP streaming failover and fault toleranceEIA-608 (line 21) closed caption support that will meet FCC requirements
Finally, what about MPEG-DASH support? "Adobe is committed to supporting DASH in AMS in the future," says Towes. "Adobe has committed that our video streaming products will support MPEG-DASH, and we were one of the first companies to publicly demo DASH support at NAB this year, but we have not announced a timeline. 
Traditional client/server streaming consists of two isolated types of applications that do not provide fine-grained control or extensibility. This unnecessarily complicates the design and development of any kind of distributed application.
The Network-Integrated Multimedia Middleware (NMM) by Motama overcomes these limitations by enabling access to all resources within the network: Distributed multimedia devices and software components can be transparently controlled and integrated into a common application, which results in completely new “virtual” devices. 
Modern Times Group’s (MTG) Viasat Broadcasting in Norway and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) have entered into an agreement regarding the sublicensing of the rights to broadcast live 3D coverage of the London 2012 Olympics. Viasat will broadcast more than 100 hours of live coverage from the Olympics on its Viasat 3D channel, which will be the only Norwegian pay-TV channel showing 3D coverage. NRK will broadcast coverage of the Olympics in high definition (HD) on its NRK1 and NRK2 channels, which are also available on the Viasat satellite platform in Norway.
3D technology is becoming a standard feature for the majority of new TV sets bought in Norway. According to Norway’s Consumer Electronics Trade Foundation, 175,000 3D television sets were sold in 2010 and 2011 combined, while 250,000 3D sets are expected to be sold in 2012 alone. 
NHK, in conjunction with Shizuoka University, has developed an Ultra High Definition imaging system that outputs 33MP video at 120fps.
As Ultra High Definition broadcasts at full resolution are designed for large, wall sized displays, there is a possibility that fast moving subjects may not be clear when shot at 60fps, so the option of 120fps has been standardized for these situations.
To handle the sensor output of approximately 4 billion pixels per second with a data rate as high as 51.2Gbps, a faster analog-to-digital converter has been developed to process the data from the pixels, and then a high-speed output circuit distributes the resulting digital signals into 96 parallel channels. 
There’s plenty of talk about “editing in the cloud,” and the common catchphrase I’ve heard is, “You could replace your microwave truck with a Starbucks.” In other words, cloud-enabled devices will let you edit anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection. There were three companies at the show with viable cloud solutions for post and news: Avid, Quantel and Aframe. ![VisualOn Integrates MPEG-DASH, providing easy DRM integration [PR] | Video Breakthroughs | Scoop.it](http://img.scoop.it/Pdk726HFFQ-wOyuAMZ3_fjl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVaiQDB_Rd1H6kmuBWtceBJ)
VisualOn, Inc., a multimedia software company that provides solutions enabling high quality video and audio on any mobile platform, announced today that it has incorporated MPEG-DASH into the company's mobile media player, OnStream MediaPlayer+. This will allow operators and content providers to employ new multimedia streaming capabilities, including MPEG-DASH streams and components of the OSMP+ framework that allows easy DRM integration.
PRODUCT PAGE : http://www.visualon.com/products.php 
An FFmpeg-based live and offline encoder that outputs HLS archives or publishes to IIS Live Smooth Streaming endpoints.
Can capture video from DirectShow cameras and audio equipment.
Can use a plugin framework for audio and video pre-processing (includes a tone-detector and a watermark plugin).
Uses the FFmpegControl library for encoding and decoding. ![Limelight Networks Introduces Orchestrate – Industry-Focused Solution Framework to Streamline and Simplify Digital Media Publishing [PR] | Video Breakthroughs | Scoop.it](http://img.scoop.it/tSiIoyjv0yRAm3YtPMrHJjl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVaiQDB_Rd1H6kmuBWtceBJ)
Limelight Networks introduced a new solution framework designed to address the specific digital media workflow needs of vertical markets—Limelight Orchestrate. This suite of industry-specific content publishing workflow solutions leverages a flexible application platform for hosting cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) services, marketing automation technologies, and powerful analytics. Combined, the Orchestrate technologies and services help to manage the growing complexity inherent in publishing digital content to large International audiences that are accessing content from a myriad of connected devices.
Featuring video publishing and management, web content management, cloud storage, site acceleration, and Content Delivery Network (CDN) services, customers can use Orchestrate to elevate their Internet activity from just managing and publishing content to driving revenue by delivering an enhanced online end-user experience. Limelight Orchestrate is made even more powerful by Limelight’s scalable global network. 
Mozilla has recently added basic support of DASH to their famous web browser Firefox. The code was initially based on libdash. 
This is a HbbTV testsuite and is designed for testing HbbTV implementations.
The testsuite is inofficial and incomplete, but still contains a lot ofimportant tests. Please note that the HbbTV consortium currently is workingon an official testsuite, but as this takes longer than expected, thisproject is designed to be a first step towards that goal. "Many service providers are exploring the potential of CDN interconnection and CDN federations. This session will review the business rationale behind this trend and introduce the "CDN Federation Pilot" project. A current program under which leading SPs worldwide have been implementing a long-term, large-scale, multi-phased initiative to plan, deploy, and test an open CDN federation pilot. While the first phase of the CDN Federation pilot proved the concept of a CDN Federation and its essential capabilities, the second phase investigated advanced capabilities across the federation. The lessons learnt from this second phase will also be presented."
SEE ALL 2012 CDN SUMMIT PRESENTATIONS : http://www.contentdeliverysummit.com/2012/Agenda.aspx ![SeaWell Networks & BlackArrow Partner to Enable Monetization of Multiscreen TV with Targeted Advertising [PR] | Video Breakthroughs | Scoop.it](http://img.scoop.it/wOFh77Ibzx1aQq69dADtxjl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVaiQDB_Rd1H6kmuBWtceBJ)
SeaWell Networks today announced successful integration with BlackArrow, a worldwide provider of advanced advertising solutions for New Television platforms, and the debut of their combined technology at The Cable ShowMay 21 - 23 in Boston.
SeaWell’s core product, Spectrum, creates a TV-like experience where advertisements are stitched into one continuous adaptive bitrate video stream. This approach raises completion rates and disables ad-skipping software.
The SeaWell-BlackArrow integration streamlines the ability of pay-TV operators to dynamically insert advertising into linear or time-shifted content that is viewed on TVs, tablets, smartphones and other IP devices. The joint solution leverages SeaWell technology to eliminate the need to create multiple interfaces and streams for different devices and video formats, and uses the capabilities of the BlackArrow Advanced Advertising System to determine ad payloads, decisioning and reporting. |
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