feature iptv/hybrid tv
The addition of IPTV over the past few years has caused an evident shift in the way broadcast content is being handled and with the technologies involved in the process. As more and more IPTV outlets emerge, the need for rapid output is greatly increasing, resulting in the necessity for the quick conversion and efficient management of content. Developing a non-linear workflow that can handle multiple processes, rapid transcoding and proper asset management is one of the best solutions to fulfill this need. Kirk Marple, president and chief software architect at RadiantGrid Technologies, reports
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Developing a non-linear
workflowfor IPTV
o longer is hardware the only answer for IPTV projects requiring different operations and production processes. Today, there are many
software solutions available that are now on the same level as hardware solutions that can all be integrated under one software platform. This is not only advantageous for space concerns but can also help to make the management of files more efficient throughout the transcoding process. Since the processing involved in items such as colour correction and loudness control are all housed within one platform, it allows these corrections to be run in parallel, effectively reducing the time needed
Broadcast outlets have to be
prepared to handle an increase in managing content in multiple formats.
for content to be converted and processed for deployment. Even with this consolidation of hardware to software there is still a need to harness the processing technologies that the industry has come to rely on as standards. RadiantGrid is one software provider that has brought many of the industry standards for closed captioning, colour correction and loudness control technologies under one platform. By bringing the technologies typically found in an actual hardware unit into the transcoding and media management platform, it helps to guarantee the end result that most users are accustomed to while eliminating the need for content to be processed separately. Another emerging option, transwrapping (also referred to as transmuxing), is for those who are dedicated to certain hardware processing that has not been made available in software form. With transwrapping, the source file is ingested and the video and audio are demuxed into the essence streams, and the audio is then processed within the software-based workflow. Once the audio is processed within the platform, the audio and video are then muxed back together - and then the transwrapped file can be processed.
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Along with the support of multiple processes, another important element when moving to a file-based workflow is the actual transcoding process that’s being used and how the content is being distributed throughout the server. With some software, transcoding tasks are distributed across the transcoding farm, as capacity becomes available. Though this does the job in a batch mode, it can limit the speed at which a file can be converted. Another option RadiantGrid has invented to help speed up the conversion process is grid transcoding. Grid transcoding allows source content to be transcoded in parallel across all available transcoding resources, helping to speed up the transcoding process. This process distributes virtual slices of the source content across all available resources, and once these slices have been transcoded, they are reassembled to generate the final transcoded file.
When selecting items for a non- linear IPTV workflow, another useful feature to consider is the capability to prepare files for final output while still within the transcoding platform. RadiantGrid looks to offer such capabilities through its platform. Its batch-mode video editing engine enables multitrack assembly of media content. Each track can be sourced
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