The Multiscreen Dilemma
The multiscreen video market is growing rapidly, and as more viewers enjoy the flexibility of watching TV at any time from different devices, their demand for broadcast-grade quality is increasing. WISI empowers operators to offer full cable line-ups to end-users using next-gen video delivery to multiscreen devices, removing the need for set-top boxes and truck rolls.
Two common deployment options include:
- An on-premise solution where operators maintain their own headend and manage all equipment.
- A fully hosted solution where video services are transmitted from hosted headends situated in various North American locations.
The choice is never this simple, but the Inca IP Video Platform is a flexible transcoder that can be deployed with either solution or a hybrid of both.
How ABR Deployments Work
The Inca IP Video Platform ingests local and national services in MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 and transcodes these inputs to multiple frame-aligned MPEG-4 profiles with integrated monitoring and analytics. Video streams are transcoded using a hardware processing engine providing predictable density and performance in a power-efficient 1RU chassis.
With an on-premise solution, it is important to design an encoding ladder (a range of ABR profiles) to satisfy different playback devices and balance the cost of transcoding while creating multiple frame-aligned transport streams. Middleware vendors can usually help video operators plan what ABR profiles to use for HD and SD services. Discuss options with middleware vendors to understand their live to VOD workflow and what platform their client devices support.
With a hosted ABR solution, streams are processed at a central headend managed by the hosted provider and then delivered as HLS and MPEG-DASH to the operator’s headend for distribution. The Inca platform can be used to transcode local channels and deliver the multiple-bitrate output streams to the centralized network for packaging and encryption.
The Inca is fully compliant with hosted providers for HD and SD services and includes multiple de-interlacing options for broadcast sources. Video services are streamed to the fully customizable white-label apps supported on devices such as Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku.
WISI supports a full variety of vendor and implementation methods.
Option 1 – On-Premise ABR Video Delivery
Launch an ABR service while utilizing existing infrastructure to control all streams in the headend. In this example: Ingest 8VSB, IP or ASI streams and output adaptive bitrate streams.
Benefits:
- Own your brand and user experience by providing consistent video performance with high-quality outputs, using hardware transcoding.
- Monitor video streams with integrated analytics and troubleshooting tools and avoid depending on a 3rd party for troubleshooting issues.
- Use on-prem equipment for future deployments and services, Inca’s modular platform can be easily adjusted to different functionalities.
- Maintain control of video sources and utilize existing on-prem equipment.
Option 2 – Hosted ABR Video Delivery
Launch a hosted service with local channels from your region. Ingest local channels at operator headend and deliver transcoded outputs to cloud-based service to merge with national streams.
Benefits:
- Monitor streams with integrated analytics and troubleshooting tools prior to transport to centralized headend.
- Continue to offer local services to subscribers using new, innovative TV delivery methods.
- Re-purpose equipment from your existing linear video deployment (MPEG-4 migration, IPTV, QAM.)
- Benefit from the modularity of Inca Platform. Use the Inca device for additional applications or different functionalities as business needs change.
Why Choose the Inca Platform for your ABR project?
- Low-power architecture, consuming less than 200 W per fully loaded 1RU chassis
- Rapid configuration and deployment with VidiOS™, an award-winning web-based UI
- Powerful VidiOS™ management tools with integrated analytics, video thumbnails, and stream downloads
- Trusted video delivery solutions, deployed globally by customers such as Access Communications, Cable Bahamas, and Westman Communications
