IBC Show Previews V – W
Velocix – Booth 5.F36
Velocix, the carrier-grade cloud TV software provider, will showcase its newest technology for smarter, more efficient streaming at IBC 2024, including its hybrid-cloud streaming portfolio featuring AI technology and content steering for advanced, multi-CDN delivery.
Founded on its market leading CDN and Origin software, Velocix’s hybrid-cloud streaming platform maximises the efficiency of live, VOD and nPVR services by harnessing both cloud and on-premises storage plus streaming. This architecture allows video service providers to combine the elastic delivery capacity of cloud caches with the cost efficiency of on-premises caches.
The hybrid-cloud streaming portfolio has been strengthened with Velocix’s AI technology which delivers more accurate CDN traffic forecasting via the Velocix Analytics application. This innovation enables video service providers to be better prepared for organic subscriber growth, as well as traffic surges linked to major events.
Velocix will present its CDN Broker application with advanced content steering to enhance the viewing experience with multi-CDN architectures. CDN switching is driven by CMCD quality of experience data from the viewer’s media player, which allows detection of quality issues and dynamic triggering of a content steering server to stream video via an alternative, higher performance CDN.
Jim Brickmeier, CEO at Velocix, said: “Video service providers are under continued pressure to control costs and boost streaming efficiency, while also navigating a path towards more flexible and energy efficient streaming platforms. We see our latest advances in AI, hybrid-cloud streaming and content steering technology as key enablers towards these critical goals.”
In addition to its hybrid-cloud streaming platform and content steering solution, Velocix will also highlight its open caching software for generating new revenue streams from OTT content delivery, as well as its ultra-low latency streaming and enhanced managed services, which can support video service providers as they transition to new content delivery technologies like hybrid-cloud, multi-CDN and AI.
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Verimatrix – Stand 1.C65
Verimatrix, a global leader in powering the modern connected world with people-centered security, has announced its exciting plans for IBC 2024 taking place from September 13-17 in Amsterdam. Verimatrix’s IBC booth is set to become “Broadcast Beach,” a vibrant, surf and sand-themed experience designed to transport attendees to the sunny shores of San Diego (home of Verimatrix’s U.S. office), while showcasing the company’s robust suite of security solutions, including its latest anti-piracy solution, Counterspy.
Counterspy, a new product in the Verimatrix Streamkeeper family, is a groundbreaking solution designed to tackle the escalating threat of digital video piracy in bold new ways. It offers unparalleled protection with a focus on tangible revenue-saving benefits for customers. IBC attendees will be able to experience a live demonstation that showcases how Counterspy customers can:
– Reduce Video Piracy: Counterspy provides a formidable defense against unauthorized access, significantly cutting down on piracy incidents and securing content across platforms.
– Protect Media Apps: With its advanced app protection and telemetry features, Counterspy shields media apps from reverse engineering, man-in-the-middle attacks, and other malicious activities, ensuring that only legitimate users can access content – and providing customers with a way to monitor and respond to piracy threats in real-time.
– Unlock Access to More Premium Content: By safeguarding content with Counterspy, operators can confidently expand their premium content offerings, meeting studio security requirements.
– Reduce CDN Costs: Counterspy directly addresses the issue of CDN leeching, enabling operators to cut CDN costs dramatically (one Verimatrix customer saw their CDN expenses drop by 50% after implementing Counterspy)
– Boost Paid Subscribers: By enhancing content security and reducing piracy, Counterspy helps customers maintain a trustworthy service vs. pirate services, which in turn helps drive subscriber growth and revenue.
The Verimatrix Broadcast Beach-themed booth at IBC 2024 will feature:
- Surfside Check-In: The first stop in the serene beachfront oasis where attendees can check in with a host and grab some wave-breaking Verimatrix swag.
- Counterspy Cove: Grab a seat at one of the high-back deck tables and interact with a live demo for Verimatrix Counterspy, the ultimate in video security defense, seamlessly shielding media apps from piracy, preventing CDN leeching, reducing credential theft, and ensuring substantial revenue protection.
- Revenue Protection Cabanas: Reserve a cabana equipped with hammocks and interactive displays to comfortably engage with and learn about award-winning Verimatrix Streamkeeper solutions.
- Cyber Surf Shack: Dive into a surf-themed espresso bar adorned with surfboards and beach cruisers, symbolizing Verimatrix’s agility and adaptability.
Attendees are invited to kick off their shoes and soak up some fun in the sun while staff from Verimatrix highlight the latest in secure streaming, bulletproof cybersecurity, and layered anti-piracy measures.
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Viacess-Orca – Stand 1.A51
In today’s competitive landscape, the diverse needs and distinct value-chain challenges within the video delivery ecosystem demand effective, flexible solutions tailored to the specific requirements of each market segment. At IBC2024, Viaccess-Orca (VO) will showcase its innovative and modular end-to-end TV solutions, which address the unique challenges of broadcasters, telcos, content owners, video streaming service providers, sports rights owners, and more. Specifically, VO will highlight its commitment to helping broadcasters navigate the critical transformation to a more connected video delivery environment.
VO offers a comprehensive one-stop shop catering to customers in various market segments with solutions adapted to meet their needs. With VO’s solutions, media companies can streamline operations, expedite deployments, and minimize redundancies. This approach lowers the total cost of ownership and ensures seamless integration into existing infrastructure, ultimately paving the way for revenue growth.
Boosting Viewer Engagement With User-Driven Solutions
VO will demonstrate its cutting-edge TV platform and value-added features as a comprehensive, data-driven solution tailored to deliver exceptional end-to-end experiences. The solution encompasses VO’s service delivery platform, content protection, and multi-DRM, alongside a multiplatform video player, customizable TV apps, business analytics, AI-driven targeted TV advertising, FAST solutions, end-to-end monitoring, and AI-powered recommendations.
Answering the demand for advanced personalization, VO will also spotlight the company’s award-winning Audience Segmentation Service (VO Segmenter). The VO Segmenter enables video service providers to segment viewers based on a range of criteria, including geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioral factors, driving viewer engagement and revenue growth.
Elevating Video Streaming Experiences
VO will present its award-winning Secure Video Player, a versatile media player for premium content. VO will demonstrate how the Secure Video Player significantly enhances live sports streaming experiences through enhanced data visualization, boosting viewer engagement. The solution provides sports fans with direct access to match statistics and fan engagement features via interactive overlays, creating a dynamic and immersive sports streaming experience.
Enhancing Quality of Service and Experience
VO’s QoX suite is transforming the video streaming landscape for service providers by ensuring superior-quality experiences. The SaaS solution offers state-of-the-art QoE and QoS monitoring, failure prediction, and device monitoring capabilities. A key highlight at IBC2024 will be a new Board of the Future demo that will bring to focus QoX’s predictive monitoring service, which identifies weak signals, giving operations teams advance warning about possible service incidents and allows operators to quickly resolve issues.
VO will also demonstrate its new multiscreen application for broadcasters that offers customization of user interfaces to meet specific customer needs while minimizing time to market for services.
Yet another highlight at IBC2024 will be VO’s new Design as a Service (DaaS) offering. Fully set up and preintegrated, DaaS is a no-code tool that empowers VO TV App users to adapt and customize the user interface to meet their unique needs.
Protecting Video Revenues
At IBC2024, VO will unveil its cutting-edge security tools designed to protect premium content and revenues. Taking center stage will be VO’s Anti-Piracy Center, offering a fully customizable suite of services including AI-driven dynamic watermarking, monitoring, breach detection, password sharing prevention, CDN leeching countermeasures, and legal investigations into piracy for both live and on-demand content. VO’s Anti-Piracy Services empower operators to mitigate threats across the content distribution chain, from the service delivery platform to the end-user device, which is especially vital for premium live events like sports.
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VIDA – Stand 5.B44
VIDA, the secure cloud-native media asset management system, will launch Connect2, their latest application, at IBC 2024. This solution empowers film and TV content owners by streamlining the self-service process for licensees, providing seamless access and control over valuable media assets.
Connect2 integrates within the VIDA Content OS, used by global broadcasters such as the BBC, to revolutionize the management of master intellectual property (IP) for film and TV content owners. This includes video, audio, documents, and marketing files stored in VIDA. The application allows licensees to independently access these assets, thereby reducing administrative overhead and expediting content distribution and utilization.
“We developed Connect2 to transform media asset access and management,” said Symon Roue, Managing Director of VIDA. “By empowering licensees with self-service capabilities, we enable content owners to focus on creating and curating outstanding content while ensuring effective and secure IP use.”
Key Features and Functionalities:
· User-Friendly Interface: An intuitive interface ensures licensees can efficiently find and retrieve assets.
· Secure Access Controls: Robust security measures ensure only authorized users access specific assets, safeguarding sensitive content and maintaining compliance.
· Real-Time Updates: The Connect2 application synchronizes with VIDA Content OS, providing access to the latest versions of media files and metadata.
· Advanced Search Capabilities: A powerful search engine allows users to quickly locate assets using various filters and keywords.
· Comprehensive Asset Management: Licensees can preview, download, and manage media files within the application, streamlining workflows.
· Customizable Permissions: Content owners can set granular access permissions, tailoring access levels for each licensee.
· On-Demand Access 24/7: Licensees can access assets anytime during the license period, offering flexibility.
· Public and Private Portals: Create and manage portals to suit different audience needs.
· Curatable Mini Libraries: Organize assets into mini-libraries for partners, sponsors, buyers, influencers, PR teams, and media teams.
· Unlimited Portals: Support for unlimited portals, ideal for diverse partnerships.
· Rights Management Integration: Integrate with rights management systems for compliance and control.
· Watermarking: Protect content with customizable watermarking.
· Self-Service Press Kits: Enable press and publicity agents to access and download press kits.
· Broadcast Asset Management: Manage and distribute broadcast assets and publicity materials to different teams efficiently.
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VisualOn – Stand
At IBC2024, VisualOn, a pioneer in video software technology, will showcase significant enhancements for its AI-enhanced universal content-adaptive encoding (CAE) solution, the VisualOn Optimizer. VisualOn Optimizer seamlessly integrates with the cutting-edge SVT-AV1 video encoder and works harmoniously with Qualcomm encoders.
Optimizer will be shown in different versions for various use cases: Optimizer VOD for on-demand video workflows, Optimizer Live for real-time video streaming, and Optimizer Fidelity for reducing the storage costs of massive mezzanine files. Key highlights will include:
- Optimizer Live: Attendees can see how VisualOn Optimizer Live achieves target quality with bit rate savings of up to 60% for real-time video applications. A breakthrough for live video streaming, Optimizer Live effectively halves average bit rates and reduces peak bit rates by more than one-third while preserving or improving visual quality for a wide variety of different content types.
- Optimizer VOD: The Optimizer VOD solution empowers video service providers to maximize efficiency for video-on-demand streaming. Leveraging AI, Optimizer VOD reduces the average bit rate by over 54% in production without compromising visual quality.
- Optimizer Fidelity: Optimizer Fidelity maximizes video quality and storage efficiency. Supporting visually lossless file-to-file video transcoding, the new feature reduces the storage requirements of massive mezzanine video files by up to 80%.
Simplify Video Streaming and Targeted Advertising With Native and Customizable Media Players
At IBC2024, VisualOn will showcase its OSMP+ premium streaming media players. VisualOn’s Native+ players — which include the ExoPlayer+ and AVPlayer+ — are 100% API-compliant solutions that are easy to deploy and use, reducing service providers’ costs. With the Native+ players, service providers can easily enhance any native media players without disrupting existing services. The company’s proprietary OSMP+ is a fully customizable, cross-platform solution, allowing service providers to offer an advanced feature set and differentiate their services from the competition
VisualOn’s premium streaming media players accelerate the time to market for video services. The future-proof solutions can seamlessly adapt to ecosystem changes such as OS upgrades, DRM updates, and new formats. Both the Native+ and OSMP+ media players support state-of-the-art features such as targeted advertisements, multiview, low-latency live streaming, and picture in picture, bringing outstanding video streaming experiences to end users.
Attendees can see demos of VisualOn’s streaming media players in action, including the VisualOn AdFlow manager, an add-on module that ensures seamless ad insertion, playback, and tracking on all streaming platforms to maximize ad revenues.
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VITAC – Stand 6.C29b
The largest provider of captioning products and services in North America, VITAC, will be showcasing the latest AI technologies and solutions in live captioning and subtitling, live multi language translation and dubbing and localisation on stand 6.C29b at IBC 2024.
VITAC, a Verbit company, helps the world’s leading broadcasters, cable networks, and streaming platforms ‘make words work’ by turning spoken audio and video into accessible and actionable text, across different regions and in a variety of languages. At IBC 2024, the VITAC team will demonstrate their full range of media access products, tailor-made for the media and entertainment industry, including:
AI-powered captioning with Captivate
VITAC’s new, proprietary AI-powered solution, Captivate, combines industry leading technology with decades of experience to provide high-accuracy captions at a fraction of the price of traditional human-generated captions. Built in-house by transcription, speech, and machine learning experts, Captivate is trained using diverse language models enabling it to understand languages, accents, and speech patterns better than generic ASR engines. In addition, VITAC’s language experts prepare and train the system before, during and after events to ensure consistently accurate results. At IBC2024, VITAC will demonstrate the power of their captioning engine, showcasing live video from both US and UK customers, and offer visitors a chance to test the product, live.
Live machine translation for multi-language content
In today’s global M&E market, producers and content creators need to appeal to diverse audiences, including those who speak different languages. This is especially important for the upcoming European Accessibility Act, where multi language captioning and subtitling for live events is required. At IBC 2024, VITAC will demonstrate live captioning in six languages on their stand, showing how they are uniquely poised to offer these services.
Localisation and audio description solutions
Content creators from reality TV to YouTubers and gamers are realising that localisation not only expands their audience, but it also improves their bottom line. VITAC will demonstrate their full package of services for this market including captioning, localisation, audio description and scripting on their stand at IBC 2024.
“While other AI captioning companies provide either an engine or a service, VITAC is unique in that we have developed our own technology and have a team with decades of experience,” said Doug Karlovits, VITAC general manager. “We’re looking forward to returning to Amsterdam for IBC 2024 and demonstrating how VITAC’s AI-powered products and solutions are ‘making words work’ for some of the biggest names in media and entertainment – and sharing a drink or two at The Beach!”
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Vubiquity – Stand 1.BS25
Vubiquity, an Amdocs company, announces its IBC2024 showcase (balcony suite 1.BS25). Vubiquity is a technology-led media services provider that empowers the world’s leading content owners and distributors to deliver unparalleled entertainment experiences on any platform. Vubiquity media industry experts will be on hand to discuss solutions and strategies that enable customers to create new consumer experiences that course correct cord-cutting, build a profitable FAST business, and optimize global localization efficiency with proven AI technologies.
Acquisition and Retention Strategies in the Age of Cord Cutting
Pay TV subscriptions continue to decline while subscription fatigue, driven by numerous platforms requiring separate subscriptions and applications, wears on consumers. The financial expense, paired with the hassle of switching between the platforms of the global streaming giants, is driving the need for transformation.
Vubiquity addresses these challenges through its Subscription Marketplace Suite, a super aggregation and subscription bundling solution that reimagines the Pay TV model with an entirely new consumer experience. Flexible bundle options, including precisely curated “skinny bundles” designed around consumers’ viewing habits, provide a fresh approach. Optional add-ons, blending direct distribution (Linear and On-Demand) with OTT Direct-to-Consumer Apps, lead to a more affordable and targeted Pay TV offering and much desired “all-in-one” consumer experience that course-corrects cord cutting into higher retention rates, increase in subscribers, and new monetization opportunities.
FAST Content to a Global Audience
Free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) is one of the easiest ways to monetize content and promote your brand, but multiple technical and ad-insertion challenges hinder profitability. Vubiquity’s managed services group understands this technology’s intricate nature and offers comprehensive, end-to-end solutions that are essential for seamless operations. The team has extensive experience building and delivering FAST channels across a variety of endpoints. This includes direct distribution over CDN, building FAST-specific smart TV and mobile apps, as well as delivering to FAST partners, including LG, Samsung, Roku, Tubi, Freevee and more. Vubiquity’s full suite of services eliminates the juggling act with multiple vendors allowing customers to focus on creating content.
Localization Evolved
Vubiquity’s premium localization services fully monetize content libraries to provide exceptional entertainment experiences for audiences everywhere. The award-winning team offers 24/7 best-in-class translation services in every major dialect, as well as partnerships with top-quality translators and studios worldwide. All this comes with the unique added value of Vubiquity’s wider portfolio of technology and services, such as title metadata management, content mastering, and packaging and delivery services. Vubiquity localization services encompass a full suite of AI/ML-powered tools and integration with leading third-party platforms for secure production of localized assets – all integrated with Vubiquity’s world-class media supply chain.
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Witbe – Booth 5.F84
At IBC2024, Witbe will showcase the power of its automated testing and proactive monitoring technology. Attendees can see the benefits of Witbe’s innovative tech suite for streaming and broadband video service providers measuring their viewers’ true quality of experience (QoE). During the show, Witbe will debut a new version of its Mobile Automation setup, easily allowing providers to remotely test any video app running on real mobile devices. This will be enhanced by the company’s Quality of Experience and Data Usage Benchmarking technology, which enables mobile network operators and video service providers to measure and compare bandwidth consumption to reduce data usage and costs while maintaining a pristine video experience for viewers.
At IBC2024, Witbe will highlight its new Mobile Automation technology, which allows teams to directly test and monitor their video apps running on mobile devices from anywhere in the world. Developed with the company’s commitment to accessibility and a simple installation process in mind, Witbe’s Mobile Automation setup empowers providers to plug in real mobile devices, connect them to power, and begin automatically testing any video app on them. This innovative plug-and-play technology empowers companies to accurately measure and improve their QoE on the same devices their viewers use, allowing them to stand out in the market by delivering optimal video quality.
Witbe’s Mobile Automation has paved the way for the company’s new Quality of Experience and Data Usage Benchmarking technology, designed to strike an ideal balance between streaming video quality and bandwidth usage. With the exponential growth of data consumption, largely influenced by streaming video, mobile network operators need to optimize their bandwidth management to stay competitive. Witbe’s technology helps teams avoid using more bandwidth than necessary or building entirely new infrastructure by providing accurate measurements of an app’s mobile data usage, responsiveness, and video quality across different builds, devices, and networks. Witbe’s new Mobile Automation setup and Quality of Experience and Data Usage Benchmarking technology let providers navigate network throttling with ease while maintaining a strong mobile app QoE.
“Witbe is excited for this year’s IBC, where the innovation of our industry is always on display,” said Mathieu Planche, CEO at Witbe. “Offering a strong QoE is essential to standing out in a crowded video market, and Witbe’s ready-to-use testing and monitoring technology helps providers deploy automation quickly to start seeing results right away. Our dedicated approach to testing on real devices continues as we expand to address new concerns, including streaming ad insertion, rapidly increased data usage over cellular networks, and integrating AI and machine learning into the QA process.”
Additional Highlights at IBC2024 Will Include:
New Remote Eye Controller
At IBC2024, Witbe will reveal a brand-new Remote Eye Controller, which allows video service providers to control their real testing devices from anywhere in the world. The updated REC will have an upgraded intuitive interface, increased capacity to scale video monitoring, expanded recording capabilities, and more features based on user feedback and Witbe innovations. More information on this new application will be previewed as the show approaches.
Powerful ABR Stream Analysis Technology
Witbe will highlight its new ABR Stream Analysis technology at IBC2024. Enhancing the monitoring capabilities of the company’s powerful Witbox line, it offers providers additional data on the availability of a streaming asset’s video profiles, audio tracks, and closed captioning from the network side. This data enables providers to identify and resolve streaming errors with greater ease and speed. Witbe’s ABR Stream Analysis technology is available as a software addition to the WitboxOne, Witbox+, and WitboxNet.
Ad Monitoring and Matching Technology
Witbe’s Ad Monitoring and Matching technology will be spotlighted at IBC2024. The Ad Monitoring and Matching technology identifies streaming errors caused by dynamic ad insertion, enabling video service providers to deliver a flawless viewing experience. Through Smartgate, Witbe’s observability platform, providers receive accurate reports on the most important KPIs for their video service, including ad slates, black screens, excessive buffering, crashed streams, and issues returning to the content. Available now, Witbe’s Ad Monitoring and Matching technology is capable of analyzing SCTE-35 ad cues and testing all forms of ad-supported video, including FAST channels, AVOD services, and sports streaming.
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