Programming in UHD has gone up tenfold, although only a relatively small amount is still available.  More media enterprises are coming online with UHD broadcasts and standards have arrived to a certain degree, with initial support for content and devices. But we are still far from pervasive UHD-ready facilities and end-to-end workflows. This session will cut through the hype to look at what realistically can be accomplished in UHD today and experiences thus far in deploying UHD. The panelists also will cast an eye to the future, with discussion around topics such as live UHD event production and streaming and the potential for high dynamic range (HDR).

Online video distributors facing the challenge of congested mobile networks are all seeking methods for reducing bandwidth while maintaining video quality. This panel discusses real-world methods, techniques, and solutions for moving beyond traditional fixed bit-rate ABR profiles to a content adaptive approach, where the encoding bit-rate is determined by the needs of the video vs. a pre-determined recipe. Come hear innovative thinking that, if adopted, can yield a 20% or potentially higher savings while improving the quality of your video encodes.

Despite the gains that HEVC/H.265 codec developers continue to make with its efficiency and quality, questions around the readiness of the new technology surface daily. The hype is compelling: better compression and faster/cheaper delivery over lower bitrates. For content distributors delivering content to mobile devices over congested 3G/4G/LTE networks, these traits are highly desirable. In this session, learn how H.265 compression and deployment options can be utilized in typical online streaming workflows, and, more importantly, if your target audiences can benefit. Up-to-date examples, using FFmpeg with x264 and x265 output, are compared for bitrate, compression time, and file size. 4k input and output are also be examined.

With the number of OTT providers growing every day, consumers are inundated with choice. With a few clicks of the mouse, they can unsubscribe from one platform and subscribe to another. In order to survive, OTT providers must figure out how to keep their viewers engaged. Is it through unique features? Specialized content? Interactive applications? In this panel, industry experts discuss some of the methods that they use to improve engagement with their content, appeal to different demographics, and, ultimately, drive subscriber loyalty. Join this lively discussion and dig into how to truly make a successful OTT platform.

With most major television outlets developing some form of subscription or advertiser supported OTT video application—and countless upstarts developing new programming for the new format—the great unbundling of cable channels has begun. Is it true that the a la carte model is unsustainable? What are the advantages of an unbundled marketplace for content owners and consumers? What are the opportunities for upstarts in an infinite channel marketplace? How will content and marketing evolve in this new paradigm, and what are the principles of next-generation channel bundling and marketing?

Last year was filled with announcements of new products and OTT experiences, creating lots of buzz, but how has that momentum continued into 2016? With reorganized options for viewing, consumers have more choices than ever before, some of which allow them to access their favorite content for a fraction of the cost of a cable subscription. This presentation outlines the new technologies leading the way toward the next generation of broadcasting. From integrated channel guides to place-shifting options, there’s never been more ways for consumers to view their favorite television programming without committing to a contract.

In this special session, Dan Rayburn demos the latest connected TV platforms from Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Vizio, LG, and TCL. Attendees see a hands-on overview of what each manufacturer has to offer in terms of the latest content apps, user interfaces, and video quality, and hear how these TV platforms are going to evolve over the coming years.

Learn how an innovative, cloud-based solution transformed the delivery and management of The Washington Post’s video content and saved hundreds of thousand dollars in ad revenue sharing fees. Video content is a critical function of The Washington Post’s digital media strategy. Yet its legacy platform was plagued by reliability and support complications, as well as costly ad delivery issues. To address these challenges, The Washington Post set about building an integrated video content management and delivery solution. Based on Java open source technologies and hosted in the Amazon Web Services cloud, the solution provided a highly customizable rich-media content and application hosting, processing and delivery platform. Custom-developed with The Washington Post’s challenges in mind, the solution has evolved into a mission critical component of its publishing platform, while future-proofing its digital media strategy for years to come.

Virtual Reality (VR) and 360-degree are emerging as two of the most innovative live streaming trends, powering events such as sporting matches, concerts, corporate meetings, education, medicine, military applications, and many other areas. In this session, you’ll get hands-on with live demos and get more familiar with the technology as we walk through some common 360-degree live streaming workflows, including the Lollapalooza Berlin 2015 music festival that allowed virtual attendees to attend the live concert series and be immersed with the band on stage. Most VR technologies use industry-standard streaming protocols that can be implemented with common streaming servers and platforms. We’ll discuss a couple of examples, including GIROPTIC and VideoStitch Vahana VR, and also review how playback is achieved using common player apps.