Envivio to roll out TV Anytime enhancements to Halo
Envivio will intro enhancements to the Envivio Halo network media processor, adding support for advanced TV Anytime multi-screen services. Now, operators can offer time-shifted applications such as catch-up TV, start over, and network PVR in the HTTP ABR streaming environment, bringing traditional TV applications to mobile devices. Multiple operators in Europe and North America are currently conducting lab trials of Halo’s TV Anytime functionality.
One key element now available on Halo is Personalized Index Creation (PIC), a new and advanced approach enabling asset creation in the network, including highlights creation and time-shifted TV assets. This streamlined solution utilizes bits of content already cached in the network to deliver a unique stream per user. By leveraging the existing caching infrastructure, PIC does not require expensive storage and processing and opens up possibilities for new personalized service offerings.
“The new TV Anytime capabilities available on Halo further enhance the multi-screen user experience by allowing operators to deliver time-shifted TV and customized assets,” said Julien Signès, Envivio president and CEO. “Halo’s smart, network-optimized architecture offers several benefits to service providers, including increased efficiency, lower costs and the ability to deliver more advanced and personalized services for subscribers.”
Highlights of Halo with TV Anytime support include:
- Time-shifted TV (catch-up, start over, nPVR) on any screen
- Personalized Index Creation (PIC) using content stored in the network
- Targeted ad insertion and blackout management
- Live-to-file asset and highlights creation
- EAS and Nielsen metadata translation on any screen
- Compatibility with cost-effective storage solutions
- Support for MPEG-DASH with ISO/IEC Common Encryption (CENC) standard
- Support for Flash RTMP
- Packaging and digital rights management (DRM) for up to 100 input channels
- Integrated origin server
According to the company, Halo is a flexible, unique, and powerful solution for a variety of multiscreen processing functions, including formatting, encryption, workflow management, targeted ad insertion, and HTTP origination/distribution.
A1 Telekom Austria AG recently turned to Envivio to expand its A1 TV IPTV service. Envivio Muse multi-screen encoding and processing software running on the Envivio 4Caster 1RU appliances power the full lineup of A1 Telekom Austria’s broadcast and on-demand HD, SD and 3GPP mobile services.
Envivio partnered with local Austrian market specialists TV-Connect Broadcast Systems, based in Vienna, for sales and installation support services for the A1 Telekom Austria deployment.
First launched in 2006, A1 TV is Austria’s fastest-growing TV service, available to eight out of 10 Austrian households and counting more than 200,000 households as subscribers. More than 150 TV channels are available in the basic package, with an additional 30 premium TV channels, over 2,000 films and series in the integrated video library and HD content available on-demand.
In 2010, A1 Telekom Austria first invested in Envivio 4Caster encoders to deliver a service allowing subscribers to view live and on-demand content, including sports, movies and TV programming, on IPTV set-top boxes and 3G mobile devices. The new Envivio encoders perform formatting, transcoding and packaging in Apple HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) and Microsoft HTTP Smooth Streaming (HSS) formats for multi-screen viewing.
“Envivio provides feature-rich next-generation solutions that help operators deliver a high-quality multi-screen service,” said Walter Winzel, CEO of TV Connect. “The Envivio 4Caster encoders optimize video quality while lowering bitrates for delivery, and our collaboration with Envivio for the A1 TV IPTV deployment has resulted in a successful and growing service.”
“The A1 IPTV service is innovative in its approach to providing great television services across multiple platforms,” said Julien Signès, Envivio’s president and CEO. “We value our existing customers like A1 Telekom Austria and are focused on delivering solutions that deliver the performance and feature set needed to take TV and multi-screen video services to the next level.”