eScene Networks Launches Enterprise Streaming Application

Enterprise streaming has been identified as a lucrative market for streaming companies these days because of the availability of corporate bandwidth, as well as the many cost-effective applications streaming provides within the business environment. eScene Networks (www.escene.com), a provider of streaming media applications and solutions for business, increased the competition within this industry segment with the introduction of StreamLine 2.0, a web-based application that allows enterprises to manage, publish, and distribute rich media content over the Web. The company is currently powering the Click2Learn Web site, and plans to go live with a site for Chevron in the upcoming weeks.

eScene CEO, Steve Russell, states that the company was founded after realizing that there were inherent inefficiencies in programming a customized system for each individual company's needs, especially when, in most instances, their needs were similar. To address this situation, eScene created the basic architecture of its StreamLine program to include a back end interface that can control and customize features within eight configurable program components to create a tailored front end experience. The customizable program components include video hosting and storage, as well as commerce capabilities and e-mail marketing.

Clients will also be able to take advantage of the administrative back end to create reports, and securely manage their content. StreamLine 2.0 can implement DRM technologies to enable content monetization -- including subscription and pay-per-view models. StreamLine 2.0 has been developed to be agnostic towards new DRM and streaming formats, so that they can "plug-in" references to the latest technology. In addition, the StreamLine application provides an additional layer of security. According to Russell, this layer essentially guarantees that the stream reference is well hidden from the player.

eScene has also introduced their Java-based UpStream tool that allows streaming media files or complete presentations, to be uploaded onto their server, eliminating the need to FTP the file. eScene is also working on developing a time line-based tool to create presentations using the Real format, and will be releasing this tool, called StreamBuilder, within the coming months.

The StreamLine application is hosted on eScene's servers, and is capable of organizing and serving streams in all major formats. The company believes that enterprises can significantly reduce their costs by outsourcing a streaming solution and avoiding investments in the necessary hardware, software, and internal IT staff.

Russell states that eScene has attempted to price StreamLine 2.0 at a low price point, so as to facilitate easy decision making within the corporate environment, and that an average company can purchase the StreamLine software for about $10,000/month, which will include a certain level of storage and delivery.