BlackArrow Provides VOD Ad Insertion Technology for Comcast On Demand Service

BlackArrow, a leading worldwide provider of advanced advertising solutions for New Television platforms, announced that its video-on-demand (VOD) ad insertion platform has gone live in Jacksonville, Florida with Comcast Corporation, the nation’s leading provider of entertainment, information and communication products and services. Comcast has chosen BlackArrow’s Advanced Advertising System to lead its ad insertion technology for its On Demand programming.

BlackArrow’s Advanced Advertising System gives programmers and cable operators a real-time, multiplatform campaign management and decision system for offering more timely and relevant ads in their On Demand sessions. Traditionally, advertising campaigns in video-on-demand content have had limited effectiveness due to the static nature of the ads being encoded directly into the VOD stream. In the Jacksonville market, Comcast is inserting standard 15- and 30-second promotional spots as well as newly introduced 20-second spots designed to drive tune-in for upcoming shows and specials on PBS KIDS Sprout and FEARnet in a dynamic environment.

Diana Kerekes, vice president of Video Content for Comcast, said, “The ability to update VOD advertising will help us offer feature parity with traditional linear and Internet-based advertising systems. We’re pleased to be working with a technology leader like BlackArrow as we look for ways to offer our programming partners expanded opportunities to monetize their content offerings.”

“Comcast has led the industry in creating new opportunities to reach consumers in the on-demand marketplace, and we’re excited to be working with them,” said Dean Denhart, chief executive officer, BlackArrow. “By combining BlackArrow’s expertise in advanced VOD advertising platforms with Comcast’s VOD leadership, we hope to expand the business model significantly for on-demand advertising.”

Dreamweaver Great for Authoring Streaming Video

Dreamweaver is great for authoring streaming video. So, if you need to start putting video content on-line then it's a tool you should have in your arsenal. The application is featured in our 2-Day Video Streaming and Compression Trainings. One of the benefits of Dreamweaver is that it doesn't insert a lot of unnecessary code. Also, if you're authoring Flash content the task becomes a breeze. The tool automatically inserts the proper code whenever you insert a .SWF or .FLV file. You can use Dreamweaver to also author Windows Media, Real Media, QuickTime, and MPEG-4 content. Attend one of our Video Streaming and Compression Trainings to find out how to use the Dreamweaver and how to author your streaming video.

Media Console Makes Life Simple for Authoring Streaming Content

For all those individuals in media organizations, public affairs and media departments that need to start delivering video to the web, there is an amazing tool to help you out. Internap's Media Console is amazing and makes life simple for authoring streaming content. The Media Console tool takes the hard work out of authoring your streaming videos for your website. The only item that you have to focus on is encoding your videos. Once you encode your content all you have to do is upload your videos to the Internap CDN. The Media Console comes as part of the package for using the Internap Content Delivery Network (CDN).

There is a nice user interface that allows you to upload your videos. You can also FTP video to the content delivery network as well. The Media Console includes pre-made Flash Media player templates, generated embed and object tags, support for live and on-demand streaming, live streaming statistics and many other features. If you are serious about moving forward with streaming content on-line, you owe it to yourself to give Internap's CDN and their Media Console tool a try.

Highwinds and Octoshape Tee Up High Quality Streams for PGA TOUR

Highwinds Network Group, Inc., a multiplatform IP services and content distribution provider, and Octoshape, a provider of streaming solutions for high quality and large-scale events, announced that their technologies have been used for online streaming of the four PGATOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup events on PGATOUR.COM.

PGATOUR.COM’s signature LIVE@ franchise offered live streaming from marquee holes at all four of the Playoff tournaments which included The Barclays (Aug. 27-30), Deutsche Bank Championship (Sept. 4-7), BMW Championship (Sept. 10-13) and THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola (Sept. 24-27). Streaming of the month-long PGA TOUR Playoffs utilized the Highwinds-Octoshape solution and helped deliver quality streams of this high-profile event to global online audiences.

As the demand for high-quality video and an enhanced feature set grows in the online media sector, Highwinds and Octoshape continue to work together to deliver robust, resilient solutions through the Octoshape live streaming solution running seamlessly on the Highwinds content delivery network (CDN). The PGATOUR.COM video player, which is fully customizable and enables golf fans to enjoy enhanced features, including digital video recording, leaderboard overlays, scorecard overlays, social network interaction and more, integrated the Octoshape high-quality video streaming solution for the four FedExCup events. For the same events, all live PGATOUR.COM coverage was streamed over the Highwinds CDN.

“Highwinds is quickly becoming recognized as the go-to CDN for the streaming of high-quality, large-scale news, entertainment and sporting events,” said Steve Miller, president and CEO of Highwinds. “Our partnership with Octoshape, which has included the streaming of such live events as the Presidential Inauguration, the Michael Jackson Memorial Service and now the 2009 PGA TOUR Playoffs, continues to grow to support the future of online video. Octoshape’s live streaming solution is a perfect complement to our robust CDN infrastructure and live delivery services.”

“The streaming infrastructure offered by Octoshape is designed to deliver high quality video, DVR, and instant on playback to global audiences,” said Scott Brown, CEO of Octoshape U.S. “Events of this quality and scale only come from the magic combination of ‘Class A’ production and technology integration like that of PGATOUR.COM, our proven, leading-edge technology and Highwinds’ high-performance CDN.”

Video Podcasts Are One of the Quickest Ways to Get Content On-line

Video Podcasts are one of the quickest ways to get content on-line. If you need to start putting videos on-line you should consider this approach. Today is a new day for video editors. Many video editors and professionals are now being tasked with getting streaming content on-line along with the continuation of other video production duties. In order to simplify your workflow you should consider creating a Video Podcast. You can go this route if downloadable streaming videos work for your delivery and if you can sell your organization on the benefit of having videos available for view in iTunes, on Video iPods and on iPhones.

Once your Video Podcast is set-up the process for updating new video content is easy.

If your are fortunate to have a version of Sorenson Squeeze 5 Pro around which supports compression presets for Video iPods, updating on-line content becomes a very quick and simple process. Since you can use Squeeze's automatic FTP feature there's short list of what you'll need to do to get your content on-line:

Here's a short tutorial of the process for adding videos to your Video Podcast.

Step 1. Import your video into Sorenson Squeeze 5 Pro
Step 2. Apply one of the Video iPod presets
Step 3. Apply the appropriate filters for encoding



Step 4. Apply the Copy to FTP filter to your video source



Step 5. Double click the Copy to FTP filter to adjust the settings



Step 6. - Now that the Copy to FTP dialog is open you can adjust the settings. Using this feature will automatically transfer a copy of your output file to your web server after encoding. To use this feature you have to have an FTP account set-up for uploading videos to your web server. Go ahead and fill out the required information which includes: User Name, Password, Host and Path to your videos. Once your information has been typed in click the Test button and you should see a message that displays "Test was successful"



Step 7. - Once encoding is complete your videos will be automatically uploaded to your web server. Open up Blogger or the tool you're using as the blog to your Video Podcast. Add the URL for your video. Look at the image above to see how to add your URL information. Once you save and publish your blog page your video will be available via your Video Podcast. Sometimes it might take a few minutes to appear.

It's that simple. Now you see why I say Video Podcasts are one of the quickest ways to get video content on-line.

MediaMesh from Digital Rapids Wins STAR Award at IBC 2009

Digital Rapids -- the leading provider of tools and solutions for bringing television, film and web content to wider audiences -- announced that the company's new MediaMesh content distribution system is the recipient of a 2009 STAR (Superior Technology Award Recipient) Award given by the editorial staff of TV Technology Europe magazine at the 2009 IBC convention.

The STAR Award (Superior Technology Award Recipient) is designed to celebrate and showcase the preeminent technological innovations available to the broadcast industry. TV Technology Europe's editor reviewed a variety of products, examined the technical applications and their overall contribution to the industry, and then chose 25 winners.

"STAR awards are given to interesting new products that help a user save money or accomplish a task in an easier way," said Mark Hallinger, Editor of TV Technology Europe. "The products selected help advance the industry -- some were chosen because of technical novelty or innovation, some because they filled an important gap in the production or transmission chain, and some because they were just cool products."

"Reducing costs, streamlining operations and broadening distribution reach were themes that we heard repeatedly from content providers throughout the IBC show, and are all objectives that MediaMesh was designed to help our customers achieve," said Brick Eksten, President of Digital Rapids Corporation. "We're pleased that TV Technology Europe has recognized the benefits of MediaMesh, and honored to receive this award."

MediaMesh combines a robust, scalable delivery framework with full-featured, flexible receiving appliances, providing efficient distribution of digital media between content providers, contributors, aggregators and distribution partners. Enabling delivery of HD, SD and Digital Cinema content over terrestrial IP networks and satellite, MediaMesh significantly lowers delivery costs while streamlining the tapeless delivery of content ranging from ad spots and promos to syndicated series and long-form features. MediaMesh RX receiving appliances provide powerful functionality at the endpoints of the digital distribution chain, with integrated review, inventory management, transcoding, re-packaging and playout.

Retiring Streaming Videos in Sorenson 360

One of the features I love in Sorenson 360, Sorenson Media's tool for content delivery, is the ability to easily retire streaming videos when you no longer want your video content on-line. This is great if you have Sorenson 360 videos posted on your blog or on your website and you no longer want the content available for viewers.

To retire a video first select the video from within your Live videos.

On the bottom of the next window that displays, click the Retire button. Now that your videos are retired they will no longer be available wherever you posted your embed code.

Media Console Makes Life Simple for Streaming

For all those individuals in media organizations, public affairs and media departments that need to start migrating video to the web, there is an amazing tool to help you out. Internap's Media Console is amazing and makes life simple for streaming. Their tool takes the hard work out of authoring your streaming videos for the web. The only item that you have to focus on is encoding your videos. The Media Console comes as part of the package for using the Internap Content Delivery Network (CDN) to host your streaming content.

There is a nice user interface that allows you to upload your videos (you can also FTP video to the content delivery network as well). The Media Console includes pre-made Flash Media player templates, generated embed and object tags, support for live and on-demand streaming, live streaming statistics and many other features. If you are serious about moving forward with streaming content on-line, you owe it to yourself to give Internap's CDN and Media Console a try.

Warner Bros. Licenses Content for DivX Devices

DivX, Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment announced an agreement that will enable online retailers to offer Warner Bros. titles in the high-quality DivX standard definition format in October 2008 and high definition format in September 2009 for playback on DivX Certified consumer electronics devices.

The wide-ranging agreement covers all titles available for digital distribution in the Warner Bros. catalogue including current and back-catalogue major motion pictures and television programs. All titles offered in the DivX format are compatible with a variety of DivX Certified devices from major consumer electronics brands, including DVD players, Blu-ray devices, gaming consoles and more. The agreement allows retailers who sign additional agreements with DivX and Warner Bros. to offer Warner titles in the DivX digital media format.

"Using the DivX secure format is in keeping with our overall digital distribution strategy," said Jim Wuthrich, Senior Vice President, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. "The visual quality, security and widespread interoperability of the DivX format offers an excellent means for consumers to enjoy Warner Bros.' content whenever and wherever they desire."

"Warner Bros. offers an extremely compelling catalogue of premium, high-quality content enjoyed by consumers all over the world," said Kevin Hell, CEO of DivX, Inc. "We're very excited to work together to offer consumers premium content on any DivX device, from the PC to the living room and on the go."

For more information about DivX, visit www.divx.com. To learn more about Warner Bros. Entertainment visit www.warnerbros.com.