Video-processing solutions vendor Elemental Technologies is debuting a server aimed at cutting bandwidth and storage needed for multiscreen-video distribution, by packaging streams closer to end users.
The Elemental Stream 1-rack-unit server is a video processing system designed to segment, package and secure live and on-demand content for multiscreen delivery, without having to re-encode it. The server can be positioned at the core encoding location or as part of the content delivery infrastructure, and Elemental will target it at pay-TV operators, content delivery network (CDN) providers, broadcasters and content owners.
Using Elemental Stream, video can be sent over a CDN in a single encoded video format and then specific digital rights management and adaptive bit-rate formats can be applied at the time of distribution. The company expects the product to be generally available in the third quarter of 2012.
"With Elemental Stream, we are responding to the industry's need for a video processing system that lowers costs for IP video delivery by customizing content separately from the core encoding process," Elemental vice president of marketing Keith Wymbs said. "With this product our customers can experience the advantages of close integration with Elemental Live and Server as well as our unified management system Elemental Conductor."
RGB Networks recently introduced a similar approach with its TransAct Packager for IP streaming protocols, designed for on-the-fly packaging of video streams.
The new server supports closed captioning and subtitle conversion, SCTE-35 advertising triggers and can associate a single video with multiple audio tracks. Elemental Stream packages video to support existing and future adaptive bit-rate protocols including Apple HLS, Adobe Dynamic Streaming, Microsoft Smooth Streaming and MPEG-DASH. Supported DRMs include Microsoft PlayReady, Verimatrix VCAS and Motorola SecureMedia.
Elemental plans to demo the new system at the Cable Show, along with video service technology from Adobe Systems, Akamai Technologies, SRS Labs and Verimatrix.
Earlier this month, Portland, Ore.-based Elemental announced $13 million in series C financing led by Norwest Venture Partners to hire more sales staff and expand the company's product offerings. Existing investors General Catalyst, Voyager Capital and Walt Disney Co.'s Steamboat Ventures also participated in the round. The funding brings Elemental to about $30 million raised since it was founded in 2006.
