special report the connected world supplement
In addition to introducing higher equipment costs, maintenance requirements, and staffing resources, this segregated workflow model limits future flexibility in adapting to new streaming technologies. If content providers are to maintain
the best possible viewing experience across multiple devices and network connections, they must consider a more versatile approach to any-screen streaming. Adaptive streaming enables this versatility, supporting numerous platform-specific variants - Flash dynamic streaming, HLS, smooth streaming, and the newly minted Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) standard - and facilitating future adoption of additional variants.
Implementing adaptive multi-bitrate streaming
Situated at the centre of adaptive streaming models is the content provider’s media server software. A critical element within the streaming media delivery chain, this software can unify encoding processes and thereby simplify preparation and delivery of the appropriate streams, in the appropriate protocols and formats, for target devices. In fulfilling this role, sophisticated media server software may ingest a single set of live streams or on-demand H.264 video files, then stream this content via multiple protocols at once. Content providers that adopt this model can reduce their streaming service costs by eliminating specialised, client- specific encoders. In implementing this type of
adaptive multi-bitrate streaming solution, broadcasters should ensure that their streaming platforms support the most relevant live transport protocols, such as RTSP/RTP, MPEG-TS, and RTMP on the ingress, as well as various flavours of HTTP streaming on the egress. The architecture of the unified platform should also free the broadcaster to adopt new protocols, encoder preferences, and other features that enhance the services being provided - and revenues being generated. Such valuable enhanced features include network personal video recorder functionality that allows for time-shifted viewing with live pause, rewind and resume features, as well as catch-up TV. Digital rights management across all screens can help the broadcaster to meet content protection agreements for its premium content offerings.
The capacity and scalability of the
media delivery system, both in terms of server hardware and network bandwidth, are essential to continued growth of the broadcaster’s streaming operations, and to its ability to serve a growing audience of simultaneous users. Large-scale streaming demands that multiple servers be coordinated in clusters to ensure delivery of live or on-demand streams to subscribers. This process can be optimised through dynamic caching of content at the edge (closer to the viewer), which enables reliance on lower-cost centralised storage while improving the performance of edge servers. Finally, the interoperability of the streaming server’s API with third-party systems can streamline key processes across areas such as billing, advertising and digital asset management. Engineered according to the Wowza
commitment to ‘any screen done right’, the Wowza Media Server 3 provides these capabilities along with the adaptive streaming capabilities that are key not only to cost-effective operations, but also to delivery of the best possible viewing experience where and when it’s wanted. In addition to simplifying adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming, the software enables time-shifted playback and supports integrated rights management. This versatility makes the Wowza platform an ideal fit for revenue-generating services for an ever-growing number of destinations, including Flash and Silverlight-capable computers, tablets, phones, set-top boxes, media players, and game consoles; Apple iPhone/iPad and other HLS-capable devices such as Apple TV with AirPlay, Android devices, Roku media players, and Internet-connected TVs including the Samsung Smart TV and Google TV- powered sets.
Streaming case studies: IPTV and mobile services at Swisscom TV air and RTÉ
Swisscom is Switzerland's leading telecom provider with almost 6 million mobile customers and 1.6 million broadband connections. Launching Swisscom TV air in March 2010, the company sought to take advantage of what it saw as a fast- increasing market for mobile media delivery. While Swisscom planners believed
that the launch of Swisscom TV air was well supported by evolving technology and the marketplace, they also identified technology and
Swisscom TV air enables users to experience television on computers and tablets, including the iPad, featuring more than 50 channels of live TV. Subscribers may also enjoy content on their mobile phones via the Swisscom TV air app for iPhone, Android and
Windows Phone 7.
business challenges they must meet in order to be successful. On the technology side, the company needed to realise reliable, continuous, high- quality streaming 24/7/365, regardless of dramatic fluctuations in demand. On the business side, the company needed to achieve this goal while relying on subscription dollars rather than advertising dollars. Consequently, the infrastructure investment and operational expense both had to remain sufficiently low to support this model. The Wowza Media Server 2 unified
streaming solution and off-the-shelf equipment including Harmonic encoding met Swisscom TV air’s technology requirements and went a long way toward resolving related business issues. Satellite-fed live video is encoded by Harmonic ProStream 4000 Encoders at
www.ibeweb.com l the connected world supplement september/october 2011 l ibe l S29
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