This course helps those new to streaming media get familiar with relevant terms, concepts, and technologies. The session begins with a definition of terms like codecs, container formats, and adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming, as well as encoding concepts like bitrate control (VBR, CBR) and frame types (I, B, and P). Then it details the key H.264 encoding parameters that impact quality and compatibility. Next up is adaptive streaming, including a review of available ABR technologies like HLS and DASH, how to formulate an encoding ladder, and how to use multiple DRMs to protect premium content. Then we review the technical requirements for ABR delivery to computers, smartphones and tablets, OTT devices, and smart TVs. We finish with a quick look at advanced codecs like HEVC, VP9, AV1, and VVC. You walk away knowing the technical requirements for delivering to all key platforms and an understanding of how to do so.

The concept of a single set of files deliverable to all relevant end points has been the holy grail since the dawn of adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming. By mid-2019, the Common Media Application Format (CMAF) will enable such a solution, slashing encoding, storage, and bandwidth costs for companies who deploy it. In this workshop, attendees learn how to create CMAF-packaged assets for HLS and or DASH and get a greater understanding of the benefits CMAF has to offer. We start at the industry baseline of H.264-based CMAF content, then offer insight and direction on how to handle more complex and emerging solutions. We will briefly cover how to extend what you learned to alternate codecs starting with VP9, then to 4K encoding, packaging, and delivery with HEVC or AV1. Then, we dive into what needs to happen next inside the video players to enable proper multi-bitrate ABR streaming with low latency. Last but not least, we cover the details around protecting your CMAF content with DRM, including what you need to know about CENC, CBCS, CTR, and working toward truly fulfilling the vision for unified common encryption DRM on the horizon.

The build vs. buy debate will never go away, but sometimes the perfect tool for content development and distribution already exists, is easy to learn and use, and fits within your budget. This workshop covers the latest developments in a number of tools that will help you at virtually every step of the streaming video workflow, from editing to analytics. This workshop is open to product owners, engineering staff, or others involved with delivering media—you don’t need a development background, just an interest in finding out how the latest tools can optimize your workflow. Nadine Krefetz and co-presenters cover the following types of tools: cloud-based switching products for multi-playout management; collaborative editing; UX prototyping; churn-busting analytics; artificial intelligence and machine learning; live and ondemand video libraries.

Every compression practitioner should understand what objective quality metrics do, how to compute them, and how to use them. This workshop guides attendees through the following steps: an introduction to metrics like PSNR, SSIM, SSIMPLUS, and VMAF, plus several 3D metrics; how to compute metrics with open source tools like FFmpeg and VMAFMaster, as well as third-party tools like the Moscow State University Video Quality Measurement tool and the SSIMWAVE VOD Monitor Inspector tool; how to interpret the results; how to use these tools to choose a preset, choose the top rate for video files, and build an encoding ladder.

Do you want to realize maximum business value from video machine learning solutions? To do so requires customization and model training. During this workshop, we go over core concepts that will help you in your customization and model training efforts. We also take a look at various options that are in the wild and ready for you to realize value from machine learning applications for video. We wrap things up with some hands-on demonstrations and customization and training tips and tricks. You walk away from this workshop armed with knowledge on how to get started providing your business value in this exciting area of video machine learning.

One of the most widely used tools with video encoding and deployment processes is FFmpeg, an open-source command line utility that can read and write just about any video, audio, or subtitle codec with just about any format, container, or protocol. Starting with core command line parameters, you learn how to read video files and output in various bitrates, codecs, and containers. The workshop then moves into more intermediate-level commands with map parameters and video filters. We look at more advanced utilization of FFmpeg as well, exploring composition of two video sources with text labels and placement and setting up multiple processes to output multiple bitrates for adaptive delivery.