MARKHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA— Digital Rapids is now shipping version 3.8 of the Digital Rapids Stream software for its StreamZ, StreamZHD and Flux ingest, encoding and streaming solutions.
The new version includes H.264, MPEG-2 and DVCPro encoding enhancements including 4K Ultra HD H.264 encoding support; expanded support for automated multiscreen advertising insertion workflows; and new predefined project files for transforming content for Netflix delivery.
H.264 (AVC) encoding enhancements include increased quality, performance gains and support for 4K Ultra HD encoding. Version 3.8 also features increased quality and performance for MPEG-2 encoding, plus improved DVCPro output quality.
Stream 3.8 extends the software’s support for automated, live advertising and monetization workflows, adding support for the updated SCTE-104 specification and the HTTP Live Streaming protocol. Cueing messages in live input sources are detected to automate the insertion of markers into HLS outputs for triggering subsequent ad insertion or replacement.
The new project files for Netflix asset preparation enable the streaming service’s content suppliers to consistently create high-quality deliverables meeting Netflix specifications.
Additional features include: enhanced MXF compatibility including support for uncompressed YUV video; improved MOV file format handling; expanded support for up to 64 audio tracks in Transport Streams; live 5.1-to-stereo and stereo-to-mono audio down-mixing; enhancements to the optional HLS (e.g. iPhone and iPad) encoding and segmenting module; and a variety of minor additions and refinements.
“The encoding performance and quality gains in the new version will bring immediate benefits for most media transformation applications, and with a broad range of specific yet powerful new features and enhancements, users from post production facilities and studios to multiscreen content distributors will each find operational improvements for their particular needs,” said Darren Gallipeau, product manager at Digital Rapids.
