M+E Daily

Verizon Digital Media Services Brings OTT Capabilities to Existing Volicon Media Intelligence Broadcast Customers (MESA)

The Volicon Media Intelligence service from Verizon Digital Media Services has been enhanced with the integration of Verizon’s Slicer application, an essential software element of the Uplynk Video Streaming service. This integration allows users of the Volicon Media Intelligence service to launch over-the-top (OTT) offerings quickly and efficiently by leveraging their existing Volicon hardware infrastructure. The Volicon Media Intelligence service, deployed at over a thousand broadcast locations worldwide, records broadcast content across interfaces including SDI (serial digital interface), TS (a digital container format for transmission), and analog for purposes of monitoring, compliance and review. The Uplynk Video Streaming service offers a comprehensive solution for broadcasters to stream linear channels, live events and on-demand clips to online viewers on an array of mobile phones, tablets, web browsers and streaming devices.

The addition of the Slicer application to the Volicon Media Intelligence service puts industry-leading compliance, monitoring and OTT delivery in a single footprint within a broadcaster’s facility. Activated as quickly and easily as flipping a switch, the Slicer application gives broadcasters the ability to ingest video, encode it into multiple bitrate profiles, encrypt it and distribute it via OTT or VOD (video-on-demand) services, as well as through web and social media sharing platforms.

“The Uplynk Video Streaming service is ideal for TV networks, stations, affiliates and any other Volicon Media Intelligence service-enabled operation looking to light up new OTT channels quickly and economically,” said Ted Middleton, chief product officer at Verizon Digital Media Services. “The worlds of traditional broadcasting and over-the-top delivery are converging, and in this case, we’re actually combining workflows from both worlds in one location for our customers.”

In addition to streaming, Volicon Media Intelligence service users will have access to all other Uplynk Streaming service features enabled by the Slicer, including targeted server-side ad insertion, unified content and user analytics, and scalable content delivery via the Edgecast Content Delivery Network.

Unifying encoding for compliance as well as monitoring OTT encoding simplifies broadcast workflows, resulting in fewer overall encoding requirements, improved technical efficiency and fewer vendors to manage.

Monitoring and compliance tools within the Volicon Media Intelligence service’s single unified interface will also make it easy for broadcasters to keep an eye on new OTT offerings and ensure the integrity and quality of audio and video. It allows users to identify problems earlier, validate the presence and accuracy of closed captions, confirm proper ad insertions, and review for loudness and decency as needed. The service empowers broadcasters to ensure a better quality of experience, regardless of the distribution platform.