SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Within the OTT environment, video content and service providers face a number of significant challenges. Accelerating consumption rates and demand for advanced services like nDVR have driven up storage costs. Larger screens are propelling higher bitrates and resolutions. And viewers have extremely high expectations about video quality, so buffering is not an option, no matter what the network conditions may be. According to a recent report from SNL Kagan and Irdeto, 61 percent of video service providers and content producers around the world see available bandwidth as greatly impacting the success of delivering 4K UHD content.
What’s more, the bring-your-own-device nature of the OTT environment requires compatibility across a broad ecosystem and a standards-based video delivery approach, with limited control over client device transition to next-generation codecs like HEVC. If video content and service providers want to provide superior video quality on every screen, while keeping CDN and storage costs low, they need more advanced video compression technology.
At IBC2016, Harmonic takes bandwidth efficiency to a whole new level with EyeQ, a real-time video compression optimization solution thatdelivers a superior viewing experience on HTTP-connected devices while reducing OTT bitrates by approximately 50 percent. EyeQ is an optional enhancement for our widely deployed software-based Harmonic PURE Compression Engine. We’re excited to show IBC attendees how EyeQ directly improves the bottom line for video content and service providers through reduced network delivery and storage costs, an increased ability to reach more consumers over congested mobile networks, and by enabling a more consistent viewing experience with enhanced video quality and less buffering.
EyeQ is 100 percent interoperable with today’s existing ecosystem, including the AVC codec, and there is no requirement to upgrade existing client devices. Artificial intelligence embedded in the solution leverages the mechanics of the human visual system to continuously assess video quality in real time and focus bits where and when they matter most for the viewer. Unnecessary bits can then be eliminated, allowing content providers to consistently meet video quality targets at the lowest possible bandwidth. EyeQ’s video compression optimization delivers true constant quality with overall bandwidth usage significantly reduced versus constant bitrate encoding schemes.
Ultimately, EyeQ allows video content and service providers to deliver purer video to viewers, increasing their satisfaction with the OTT service and leading to extended viewing. When consumers are glued to the screen longer, content monetization rises. By lowering CDN and storage costs by about half, EyeQ also delivers a dramatic profitability increase.
If you’re a video content or service provider who is looking to increase their competitive edge in the marketplace, don’t wait any longer. OTT is the future. New research from Adobe and TDG found that 42 percent of consumers in front of the television screen are viewing OTT services. With EyeQ you can deliver the ultimate video experience on every screen, with better video quality and reduced bandwidth costs.
Further information about Harmonic and the company’s products is available at www.harmonicinc.com.
