doing this in parallel to the live
program airing, it is possible
to create optimized versions
of the original airing and then
orchestrate replacement of the
replay assets, substituting the
newly minted optimized pack-
ages for the recording cache
renditions.
Optimizations
include multi-pass encoding to
improve video quality at lower
bitrates than can be achieved in
a live window. This can dramati-
cally save on streaming costs
while providing a superior qual-
ity experience. Optimizations
can also include re-assembly
of the content, for example
removing advertising segments
and baking in promos. A tightly
orchestrated workflow ensures
that the audience has continu-
ous access to the program as
it transitions from a live to on-
demand viewing window, while
optimizing the streaming pack-
ages for each viewing experi-
ence.
ally ends at the 72-hour mark.
By rapidly turning around the
live recording into a compliant
Nielsen C3 asset and deliver-
ing it to the IPTV/cable part-
ners, programmers increase the
time for accreditation, resulting
in higher ratings and increased
advertising dollars. Some IPTV
VOD services support dynamic
ad insertion (DAI), so produc-
ing a DAI optimized version is
also critically important. Being
able to begin this production
process for live programming in
parallel to the live program air-
ing maximizes the ad opportu-
nities while providing a superior
audience experience. Lastly, it is
not uncommon to also produce
a VOD version that has ads and
promos “baked in” to the VOD
title. Once again, tight orches-
tration of the live and VOD pro-
duction systems ensures that all
these scenarios are program-
matically executed and deliv-
ered on-time and in the right
context – every time.
Conclusion
OTT live video experiences
promise new ways to engage
and excite audiences, but can
also introduce significant tech-
nical and business challenges.
As business models evolve, a
holistic view is required which
looks at live events and lin-
ear programs as living prod-
ucts. These products must exist
across live and time-shifted
viewing windows on varied
platforms. At Telestream, we
design solutions that seamlessly
manage the transition and con-
textualization of live programs
into time-shifted viewing envi-
ronments for our customers.
Our products maximize revenue
opportunities and video work-
flow efficiency, while ensuring
a superior audience experience
that keeps viewers engaged.
IPTV VOD Window
In addition to the OTT deliv-
erables, programmers look
to capture audience ratings
across other digital platforms,
including IPTV/cable VOD sys-
tems. It is not uncommon to
need to produce two or three
versions of the as-aired pro-
gramming for delivery within
the IPTV VOD window. This
might include a version that
contains certain ads that were
included in the original airing,
and marking those assets with
watermarks that identify them
within an accreditation period
that impacts audience mea-
surement. The most common
of these measurements is the
Nielsen C3 Window. The Nielsen
Window starts as soon as the
show finishes airi ng, and gener-
Syndication
Content syndication is increas-
ingly important and the expect-
ed deliverables have become
increasingly varied. Some syn-
dication partners may require
branded ABR packages with ads
removed. Others might seek a
high-resolution archival format
such as ProRes or IMX with ads
and branding removed. Once
again, having a solution that
can produce a real-time acces-
sible professional production
format and being able to exe-
cute an open or “growing file”
video workflow ensures that the
number of unique requirements
for an ever-increasing number
of endpoints is not a hindrance
to content marketing efforts.
56 • Broadcast Beat Magazine • www.broadcastbeat.com
Ken Haren has been working on
video
encoding
and
distribu-
tion systems since 2000.
He has
been involved in designing and
implementing new media services
including sophisticated live video
experiences. Ken has worked on
many aspects in the delivery chain,
including video encoding, workflow
orchestration, digital rights man-
agement, video authorization and
entitlement
services,
subscriber
management and payment gate-
way integrations, and player and
application development.
Before
coming to Telestream, Ken spent
the last 8 years at thePlatform and
the Comcast Technology Services
team.