When you configure a group of adaptive streaming files, you produce some files at relatively low data rates. With these files, you have several options to preserve quality, including lowering the resolution, the frame rate or both. Lower resolutions preserve frame quality but can look pixelated when scaled for display. Higher resolutions avoid scaling artifacts, but frame quality can suffer. …
Read More »Sorenson Announces Sorenson Squeeze Premium
On Monday, Sorenson Media announced the immediate availability of Sorenson Squeeze Premium for $1,995. What is it and how does it fit into the Squeeze Product family?
Read More »Livestream Doubles Down on Hardware with Studio HD500
Yesterday Livestream announced the $8,500 Studio HD500, a luggable portable computer with five HD/SD SDI inputs and five video outputs with software providing real-time preview for all inputs, transitions, DDR playback, graphics overlay and a full au
Read More »Brightcove Announces Live Cloud Transcoding and Instant Play
In separate announcements at IBC, Brightcove announced two new products from its recent acquisition of Zencoder -- Instant Play and LIve Cloud Transcoding -- and the availability of Widevine DRM encryption and packaging within its Video Cloud platfor
Read More »Who Still Uses Flash Video? Just About Everybody
So there I was, a chapter due on my next book on live streaming, and a column due for Streaming Media. Which to tackle first, I pondered.
Read More »The 2012 Encoding and Transcoding Buyers’ Guide
The streaming media encoding universe has evolved into a complex space with multiple, often intersecting markets. In this overview article, I'll identify the most critical market segments and discuss one or two key products within each market.
Read More »Venera Pulsar Review: Quality Control for Adaptive Streaming
Quality control software has been around for a while now; for an overview of the category and quick look at four entrants, check out "Quality Control Roundup: Catch the Mistakes Before They Go Live." Producing files for adaptive streaming throws some
Read More »What’s wrong with this picture? (Mixing color temperatures)
[Editor’s Note: Michael has taken down the video, so the link below does not work.] When you’re a streaming producer, you can’t help but watch other streaming videos with a critical eye. Here’s one from Michael Katz of Blue Penguin Development, who teaches professional service providers how to position themselves as “likeable experts.” It’s a good column on building trust, …
Read More »What Is a Streaming Media Protocol?
This is another installment in our series of "What Is...?" articles, designed to offer definitions, history, and context around significant terms and issues in the online video industry.
Read More »What is a Streaming Media Protocol
Choosing a streaming technology involves multiple considerations, including an understanding of the pluses and minuses of the streaming protocol used by the technology. This article defines a streaming protocol and then discusses the relative merits
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