DALLAS -- March 6, 2017 -- Osprey Video today announced that MCPS-TV, the full-service television and multimedia facility for Maryland's Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), is using Osprey's Talon G1 streaming contribution encoder to stream live content with embedded closed captions to its new YouTube channel. The solution makes it possible for MCPS, the largest school system in Maryland and the 17th largest school system in the United States, to connect with students through YouTube without paying for an expensive content delivery network (CDN).
"The Talon G1 saves us a lot of money over using CDN services and equipment, which aren't even capable of doing everything we need them to do," said John Brittain, an engineer with MCPS-TV. "We couldn't find any other streaming appliance that can do what the Talon G1 does. And it does it in one small, self-contained device that's easy to set up through a simple web interface. Plus, it just works -- all the time -- with no special care, and it puts out a very good-looking picture to YouTube."
MCPS-TV'S flagship program is a live, interactive call-in show hosted by MCPS teachers called "Homework Hotline Live!" (HHL). During the show, students phone in, send texts, or email their homework questions to MCPS teachers, and then watch and listen as the teachers work through their questions. Besides broadcasting "HHL" live three times a week on MCPS' website and community cable TV channel, MCPS-TV recently launched the Homework Hotline Live! YouTube channel and began live-streaming every "HHL" broadcast.
Since using a CDN for YouTube streaming would be an expensive and cumbersome proposition -- and even then, likely wouldn't support embedded closed captions as required by law -- MCPS-TV wanted to be able to stream "HHL" to YouTube on its own. After looking at several streaming encoders, MCPS-TV technicians chose Osprey Video's Talon G1 three-channel hardware-based streaming contribution encoder. The Talon G1 was the only encoder MCPS-TV found that could handle embedded closed captions.
The Talon G1 accommodates the SDI signals coming from MCPS-TV master control. The closed captions come in from MCPS-TV's caption provider and get embedded in the SDI signal that feeds the encoder. From there the Talon G1 converts the video to H.264 and delivers it over IP to YouTube.
"The implementation at MCPS-TV is a great example of the power of the Talon G1 for smaller broadcast operations, like those in the K-12 space, that want to stream broadcast-grade online content without relying on a costly CDN," said Roger Bieri, CEO of Osprey Video. "With the Talon G1, these operations have an easy-to-use, affordable way to bring YouTube content delivery in-house, and unlike with CDNs, broadcasters can also count on the Talon G1 to help ensure compliance with federal closed-caption mandates."
More information about Osprey Video is available at www.ospreyvideo.com.
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About Osprey Video
Osprey Video's premium video-capture technology has long driven mission-critical video delivery in industries ranging from broadcast, internet TV, and surveillance, to enterprise, government, and aerospace. Now the technology in its flagship capture cards and drivers is the foundation for its end-to-end line of live-streaming and encoding products, which allow customers to satisfy increasingly higher expectations for online video in all environments, including more traditional A/V environments such as education, corporate communications, and houses of worship. The company is continually expanding its product portfolio to meet customer demand for high-quality, reliable tools in ever-evolving video applications -- from video over IP to closed captioning, mobile streaming to 4K capture and distribution & and beyond. More information is available at www.ospreyvideo.com.
Photo Link: www.wallstcom.com/Osprey/Osprey-Talon-HighRes.png
Photo Caption: Osprey Talon G1 Hardware-Based Streaming Contribution Encoder
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