Envivio Introduces a Breakthrough All-Software Video Headend for Pay TV Providers
A Single Encoder for Linear and Multi-Screen Services Lowers Operating Costs, Energy Consumption and Hardware Needs
SAN FRANCISCO(01 Sep 2015)
Envivio (NASDAQ: ENVI), a leading all-software video processing, delivery, and monetization solutions company, will introduce a virtual, all-software headend to revolutionize the way video providers, including satellite, terrestrial, cable TV, broadband and wireless IP networks, deliver live linear and multi-screen video services to all screens, at IBC in Amsterdam.
With this innovation, video providers can now deliver traditional TV and multi-screen services from a single encoder, significantly reducing their total cost of operations compared to a “silo” approach. Envivio’s virtual headend is designed to leverage cloud and IT tools to perform upgrades and updates, making any operator more agile.
Envivio’s solution is performance optimized for Intel architecture, so the output quality is enhanced for every device and every stream, whether it is SD, HD, or HDR UHD.
The operational improvements are delivered via three Envivio products:
- Envivio Muse video software processor, which is available as software/virtual instance or embedded in a server. All instances deliver the same high-quality and reliability. Muse supports MPEG-2, AVC, and HEVC, from SD to UHD with the latest audio coding and advanced statistical rate control (SRC).
- Envivio Spark, a new all-software multiplexer, which enables integration with legacy transmission equipment. As an advanced IP gateway, it demodulates, descrambles, and de-multiplexes for signal reception and for distributing the live channels over IP networks. As a multiplexer, it ingests the various channels over IP produced by the headend and performs multiplexing, scrambling, and signal modulation as required for each type of signal transmission.
- Envivio Guru network management system which monitors each service end-to-end, rather than providing the random snapshot other network management systems offer.
Unlike the traditional headend, where a proprietary interface is required between the encoder and the multiplexer, there is no interface with Envivio: a control module is embedded in Envivio Muse. Envivio’s exclusive advanced statistical multiplexing technology requires 1Mbps (30% less bandwidth) for the same reliable video quality normally transmitted in 1.5 Mbps.
“The most demanding video service providers around the globe trust our solutions. We can significantly reduce costs, hardware needs, and even energy consumption without sacrificing video quality in both the TV and multi-screen worlds,” said Julien Signés, CEO, Envivio. “We believe we have just raised the bar for the whole industry.”
The converged all-in-one headend can deliver live or offline content in all current formats; and provides advanced functionalities such as content replacement (ads or blackouts), live stream monitoring, seamless input switching, and a complete service view. All of these enhancements are delivered with up to 67% less rack space required while using up to 40% less power.
Advantages for operators implementing the all-software headend include:
- The ability to monetize targeted ads
- Advanced content protection for premium services
- No consumer premises equipment development is required
- The software is CDN, device, format, and back-end agnostic
- It can operate on public or private clouds, using standard IT architecture and tools needed to scale up to customer demand.
Envivio’s innovative software, known for both its video and audio superiority, is used to encode more than 150,000 live streams worldwide at any time. The company’s video processing, delivery, and monetization products are in use today by seven of the Top Eight Tier 1 U.S. video service providers; nine of the Top 10 broadband providers and eight of the Top 10 global mobile providers.
About Envivio
Envivio (NASDAQ: ENVI) is a global market leader and innovator of video software solutions that are trusted by video service providers and content companies worldwide to power stunning video quality and captivating, personalized experiences to their millions of viewers on their main screen as well as any device, over any network. Leveraging its pioneering and technically superior virtualized video delivery solutions, Envivio enables video operators of any size to increase revenues and reduce costs while uniquely providing the best-in-class quality, reliability, efficiency, and scalability to support the new age of video anywhere. Envivio is headquartered in San Francisco, California with offices worldwide in France, China and Singapore. Visit www.envivio.com for more information, or connect with us on LinkedIn.