Balakam Live Media Search to Launch at Streaming Media West

While having access to video-on-demand is important, online viewers gravitate to live streams for a true TV-like experience. Stepping in to help them discover live streams is Balakam, a live media search engine, which will formally launch at the Streaming Media West show taking place in Los Angeles next week.

Balakam was created by Balakam LLC, a developer from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, that specialized in web search technologies. The search tool works with any device, so it brings live discovery to mobile and connected TVs, as well as computers.

The engine uses patented search technology that enhances its ability to discover and index live media streams. Results judged most relevant for the searcher's geographic area are presented first. The engine also considers the media players and browsers installed on the searcher's system.

"We're living in the era where multimedia content in the global web wins the day and gains the overwhelming popularity, when people prefer to watch and listen via Internet rather than to switch on TV set or radio," says Vladimir Krylov, CEO of Balakam, "But the Web space is endless while the time people are ready to spend on the web search for specific content is very limited. Such a complicated web environment needs an indispensable tool -- a smart engine to search for media streams that are broadcasting here and now."

Those interested can get a first look at the pilot version of the search engine in the Streaming Media West demo room at 1:10 on November 8.