Driving Success Through Partnership: The Core of Bitmovin Innovators Network

Our “Better Together” approach is rooted in a simple yet powerful idea: collaboration drives innovation. At NAB 2024, this shone through in the way our partner network delivered solutions that not only met but exceeded the needs of our customers. Together, we are tackling key challenges—reducing streaming costs, generating new revenue streams, retaining and growing subscribers.

As we gear up for IBC 2024, these themes remain at the forefront of our collective efforts. Our partners are prepared to showcase how they are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in streaming, ensuring that our customers can deliver exceptional experiences while optimizing their operations.

The Power of Partnership at IBC 2024

Joint Customer Success Stories: A Testament to Collaboration

At IBC 2024, we will highlight the tangible outcomes of our partnerships, showcasing how “Better Together” translates into real-world successes of solving customer challenges. On Thursday, September 12 from 3:30-6:00 PM, we are once again hosting our exclusive Bitmovin Innovators Network Partner Executive Networking Event. We have an exciting lineup of customer success stories planned for this year’s event, including Alpha Networks presenting a “better together” customer success story featuring Ligue Nationale de Volley, Insys Video Technologies highlighting their “better together” success with ORF, and a “Voice of the Customer” session lead by BBC. We will wrap up the afternoon with the inaugural Bitmovin Social Hero Awards, followed by the executive happy hour.

On the Bitmovin Stand: Discovering the Future of Media Search

At IBC 2024, the Bitmovin stand (5.H48) will be a hub of innovation, featuring a dedicated demo station from our partner, Nomad Media. Nomad will be unveiling their new advanced Generative AI search capability that enables business users to find and discover their media that otherwise could never have been found – with the ability to identify locations, people, activities and more. Visit Nomad’s demo station to see this innovative solution in action and learn how it can transform your media workflows.

“Better Together” Solutions on the IBC Floor

The IBC floor will be buzzing with activity as our partners present a range of “Better Together” solutions designed to address some of the most pressing challenges in the streaming industry. Here is a preview of what you can expect:

Accedo, in partnership with Humans Not Robots, is co-leading the ECOFLOW project under the IBC Accelerator Program to measure and reduce the environmental impact of streaming. The initiative, featuring Bitmovin Player’s ECO Mode, collaborates with industry leaders – including BBC, ITV, Bitmovin, RTL Nederland, Quanteec, Cognizant, the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), Fraunhofer Fokus, Greening of Streaming, DIMPACT, and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) – to assess energy consumption across the streaming supply chain, starting with CDNs, encoding, and end-user devices.

Join the presentation with Accedo & ITV on Friday at 11:15 in the Accelerator Zone, and meet with our Product Managers for Playback, James Varndell on Friday 10:30-12:00, and Jacob Arends on Sunday 3:30-5:00, for in-depth discussions.

2Coders [5.H96] will be showcasing Velvet, an SDK-based front-end app, integrating Bitmovin Player and Bitmovin Analytics for optimized, multi-device streaming, delivering high-quality content with cost efficiency and fast time to market.

At Elicium Meeting Room [13.D301], learn about Akamai Connected Cloud, a massively distributed edge computing cloud platform and how Bitmovin Live and VOD Encoding SaaS on Akamai Connected Cloud helps Media & Entertainment customers reduce streaming expense by up to 90% by reducing compute and data transfer costs.

Alpha Networks [1.A59] will showcase a joint solution for live streaming that optimizes costs without compromising video quality, featuring Alpha Networks’ PaaS and SaaS products, Gecko and Bee, and modular video software Tucano, integrated with Bitmovin Live Encoding on Akamai Connected Cloud.

Visit the Amazon Web Services (AWS) stand [5.C90] to learn about Bitmovin’s SaaS products running on the AWS cloud, including Bitmovin Live Encoding, Bitmovin VOD Encoding, and Bitmovin Analytics. Customers can learn how Bitmovin integrates with AWS services, like AWS Elemental MediaPackage, AWS Elemental MediaTailor, Amazon CloudFront, and others, as well as integrations with partner SaaS products, including anti-piracy solutions, content and asset management systems, ad monetization platforms, data visualization products, and more – to solve for every live and on-demand use case. Bitmovin Live Encoding, Bitmovin VOD Encoding, and Bitmovin Analytics are available in the AWS Marketplace.

At Broadpeak’s stand [1.F83], learn about transitioning to an ad-supported HVOD (Hybrid VOD) model and enhance your monetization strategy with mid-roll ad management via Broadpeak.io Ad Proxy, premium UX, integrating Bitmovin VOD Encoder with clean transitions for mid-roll ad break, and revenue protection with anti-ad-skipping through Bitmovin Player and Broadpeak Smartlib SDK integration.

Edgio [5.A68] will demonstrate their Smartplay technology, a component of Edgio’s Uplynk Streaming Media Platform, which integrates seamlessly into Bitmovin VOD Encoding SaaS workflows generating new revenue through personalized sessions.

EZDRM [5.A50] is showcasing a cost-effective live video streaming solution where content captured by a Videon Edgecaster appliance is routed to Bitmovin Live Encoder, converted to DASH and secured by EZDRM DRAMaaS in an Akamai Connected Cloud instance.

Learn how PallyCon’s [5.G56] DRM License Cipher and Key Rotation prevent software-level vulnerabilities, like DRM license hijacking. Seamlessly integrated with Bitmovin Player, it ensures robust content protection and secure streaming experiences for global audiences.

MainStreaming [5.H30] will demonstrate its new implementation of Common Media Client Data (CMCD), working with Bitmovin Player, that provides advanced Stream Delivery Routing Decisioning to further enhance Playback Quality of Experience (QoE) and help streamers retain and grow subscribers.

MediaKind [1.D71] demonstrates how to stream flawless video and build iconic sports apps with Bitmovin Player and Bitmovin Analytics as part of an end-to-end solution for D2C streaming and monetization.

NAGRAVISION [1.C81] will showcase its streaming security and consumer engagement solutions including OpenTV Video Platform, integrated with Bitmovin Player for secure, high-quality streaming across multiple devices, ensuring seamless delivery and protection of premium content.

Synamedia [1.B33] is partnering with Bitmovin to showcase several cutting-edge solutions. At the Innovation pod, you will see how content steering, integrated with Bitmovin’s Playback capabilities, works seamlessly with Synamedia’s CDN solutions to optimize content delivery. At the Ad Insertion and Monetization pod, Bitmovin and Synamedia team up for ad insertion with precise HLS interstitials, driving more effective monetization strategies. Finally, at the D2C Streaming pod, you can discover how Bitmovin Player ensures low latency streaming, delivering an unmatched viewer experience for Synamedia’s D2C solutions for sports.

Hosted at the EZDRM stand [5.A50], Videon is demonstrating a live end-to-end secured stream, encrypted from the video source with a Docker container running on the Videon LiveEdge® platform, sent to the Bitmovin Live Encoder running on Akamai Connected Cloud, and distributed over the Akamai Content Delivery Network (CDN), then played back on Bitmovin Player in a cost-effective and scalable fashion.

Discover how Yospace’s [5.C77] dynamic ad insertion solution recently delivered four billion one-to-one addressable ads during Paris 2024. Yospace, with Bitmovin Live Encoding, delivers maximum ad revenues for media owners at scale for the streaming age.

Zixi [5.A85] is showing how customers use the native integration of Zixi with Bitmovin Live Encoding for secure, reliable, and cost-effective ultra-low latency live IP video streaming of sports, news, and events.

Engage, Connect, and Celebrate: Social Activities at IBC

IBC isn’t just about showcasing technology; it’s also about connecting with peers and partners in the industry. We are excited to invite you to a range of social activities designed to foster collaboration and innovation.

Lunch and Learn, Hosted by Akamai: On Saturday, 14 September, from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM in room G109 at the RAI, Akamai is hosting a lunch and learn session “How distributed cloud is driving innovation in digital media.” Bitmovin’s EVP of Product, Reinhard Grandl, and other industry leaders will be discussing Akamai’s vision for media and share real-world customer success stories. Please register in advance to attend this event.

Bitmovin and Akamai IBC Reception: We at Bitmovin are proud to be partnering with Akamai for their exclusive reception on Saturday, 14 September, from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM at The Beach at Strandzuid. This invite-only event offers a chance to connect with industry peers, discuss the latest innovations, and enjoy a relaxed evening in a vibrant setting. To secure your invite, please speak to your Bitmovin representative.

Bitmovin & Nomad Media Happy Hour: Nomad Media and Bitmovin are co-hosting a networking reception and happy hour on Friday, 13 September, from 5:00 – 6:00 PM at the Bitmovin Stand, 5.H48. This happy hour is the perfect chance to unwind and connect with fellow attendees. Visit Nomad or Bitmovin for an exclusive invite!

Breakfast with Synamedia: Synamedia and Bitmovin co-host a breakfast with coffee and pastries at the Synamedia Stand, 1.B33, at 10:00 AM. We invite you to meet our teams for casual conversations about the latest industry trends.

Irdeto Happy Hour: On Sunday, 15 September, from 4:00 – 7:00 PM, join us at the Irdeto Stand, 1.D51, for a joint happy hour. It is a great way to wrap up the weekend, reflect on the insights gained at IBC, and win some awesome giveaways.

MainStreaming & Bitmovin Presentation and Happy Hour: Join MainStreaming and Bitmovin for a presentation followed by Happy Hour at MainStreaming’s booth [5.H30] on Saturday, 14 September, from 4:30 – 6:00 PM. Discover how MainStreaming’s CMCD+ and Bitmovin Player improve performance, enhance QoS, and maximize ROI. Hear from Sergio Carulli, CPO at MainStreaming, and Reinhard Grandl, Executive VP of Product at Bitmovin.

We can’t wait to see you in Amsterdam and continue building on our joint success stories!

The post “Better Together” at IBC 2024: Elevating Streaming Experiences with Bitmovin Innovators Network appeared first on Bitmovin.

Closed-GOP prediction structure

Let us first look at a conventional closed-GOP prediction structure. Since nothing was decoded yet, the first frame in a bitstream is an Instantaneous Decoding Refresh (IDR) frame. If an IDR frame is received, the decoder is instantaneously reset (refreshed) and all frame buffers or other internal buffers are cleared. Since the frame has no dependencies on other frames, it can always be decoded. An IDR frame is also a Random Access (RA) point or keyframe. At RA points decoding can be started. (RAs are marked in orange).

The following frames are then encoded using predictive (P) coding. This means that they use data from the already decoded frames. This includes pixel data for motion compensation but also motion vectors or prediction modes. But let’s illustrate this with an example:

In this example we are encoding a total of 9 frames. The frames are marked from 0-9 in the order that they are displayed to the viewer. (The vertical offset of the uneven frame numbers is just for illustration purposes.) However, they are not encoded in the order that they are displayed. In this example, frame 2 uses only frame 0, which has been decoded already, for prediction. Next, frame 1 is decoded which is displayed between frames 0 and 2 and uses both frames for prediction. This so-called Bi-prediction is much more efficient than prediction only from frames in the temporal past and is a key feature that makes modern video codecs so efficient. 

Of course, it is impractical to have only one keyframe at the very beginning of a video. We also want to be able to start decoding at frequent points within a bitstream. This allows us to seek in a video as well as to switch between different renditions as it is done in adaptive streaming. So, we can just insert multiple IDR frames in a video:

In this example, frame 4 is also an IDR frame. We can start decoding at frame 0 as well as at frame 4. Frames 0-3 form a Group of Pictures (GOP) which is completely self-contained and can be decoded completely independently of any other GOPs. The same is true for the following GOP of frames 4-9. As there are no dependencies between these GOPs, this is also referred to as a closed-GOP configuration. 

The closed-GOP configuration is widely used in adaptive bitrate streaming applications where the ubiquitous approach is to split the video into segments of a certain length. Each segment is then encoded using a predetermined set of different resolutions and bitrates called renditions. Since every segment starts with an IDR frame, it is possible to start decoding at each segment which therefore enables seeking. Furthermore, the video player can also freely switch to any of the other renditions at every segment boundary.

Another benefit emerges at the encoder side where each long video is split into small pieces (segments). If these segments can be independently decoded, then they can also be independently encoded. And if we mention “many segments” and “independently encodable” then the next thought is “scalability” and “cloud compute”. And this is exactly the principle that the Bitmovin cloud encoder is based on. We take all these individual encoding tasks and then scale horizontally in the cloud. 

Open-GOP prediction structure

So the opposite of a closed-GOP is an open-GOP configuration. The key difference is that in an open-GOP prediction structure predictions between the GOPs are allowed. Let’s again look at an example:

So, the frames 0, 1 and 2 are decoded in a hierarchical fashion as before. But then something different happens. The next frame in decoding order is frame 4 which is a random access point (RA). However, it is not an IDR but a Clean Random Access (CRA) point. While a CRA can also be decoded independently of any other frame, it does not reset the decoder as an IDR does and the reference picture buffer is not cleared. Next, we have frame 3 in coding order. As before, this frame uses frames 2 and 4 as reference. The rest of the frames are coded as before.

As in the closed-GOP example we can start the decoding process at frame 4 because it is not using any other frames as a reference. But this time, the decoder cannot be reset if this frame is received because the following frame (frame 3) uses previously decoded frames as a reference which as a result must remain in the picture buffer. The process of starting decoding from the second GOP is therefore a bit more complex:

Frame 4 is a Clean Random Access (CRA) point so decoding can be started with this frame. For the next frame in coding order (frame 3) we now have an issue. Since one of its references (frame 2) has not been decoded, frame 3 cannot be decoded. If we start decoding at the Random Access (RA) point of frame 4, the decoding of the leading picture 3 must be skipped. Consequently, the frame type is Random Access Skipped Leading (RASL). The remaining frames can be decoded as before. 

So, what are the advantages of an open-GOP configuration? So far, we just observed that decoding is more complicated. Moreover, it is now also impossible to switch to a different rendition at the CRA because we have not decoded the reference frames that are needed for the leading frames of the open-GOP, and we will have to skip decoding them. But there are two substantial advantages:

Coding performance

As I already mentioned, bidirectional prediction into the temporal past and future is one of the key features that make modern video codecs so efficient. Generally, the more past and future reference frames a frame can use for prediction, the higher the compression efficiency. Frames that do not use any other frames as reference (RA frames like IDR and CRA frames) typically have the worst compression efficiency.

While we cannot avoid having regular random access points in the bitstream for seeking, we can increase the coding efficiency of the leading pictures significantly in the open-GOP configuration. This leads to a significant reduction in overall bitrate at the same quality. In the experiments from the HHI, an overall BD-rate reduction of up to 9% could be observed. Of course, these results depend on many factors like the general coding structure, the resolution and bitrate as well as the content itself.

Coding performance across segment boundaries

In a closed-GOP configuration, the decoder must be reset with every IDR frame. An unwanted side effect of this is that the quality as well as the visual representation of a scene changes very abruptly at this point. Especially at lower bitrates, this can be perceived as a sudden jump or pumping in the video. Things that are generally hard to encode like water, clouds and trees are particularly susceptible to this effect. 

In this example, the difference between closed-GOP on the left and open-GOP on the right is nicely visible. The pumping is especially notable in the exhaust clouds of the rocket launch in the first scene and in the trees in the background in the second scene. In the open-GOP configuration this effect is hardly visible. 

Open-GOP resolution switching

I mentioned before that switching to a different rendition is only possible at IDR frames in a closed-GOP configuration. We also saw that if we start decoding a CRA frame with RASL frames, we must skip decoding of the leading frames. Obviously, we don’t want to skip decoding frames whenever the player switches to a different resolution. This would be a horrible experience for the viewer.

Fortunately, VVC has a trick up its sleeve for exactly this scenario. In the example above we noted that decoding of the RASL frame (frame 3) is not possible because it uses frame 2 as a reference which has not been decoded when switching renditions. But what has been decoded is a different version of frame 2 from a different rendition. While this frame may have been decoded at a different quality or even at a different spatial resolution it is a representation of the exact same frame. So, with a bit of high level syntax, the VVC decoder can use this frame from another rendition as a reference frame for decoding frame 3. Even if the frame uses a different resolution, the decoder has a standardized set of up/down scaling filters. Let’s look at this:

In this example we are decoding frames 0 to 2 from a rendition at a lower resolution. Then the player decides to switch to a rendition with a higher resolution and bitrate. Decoding of the CRA (frame 4) is no problem since RA frames can be decoded independently of other frames. For frame 3, the decoder will now upscale frame 2 from the lower rendition and use this frame as a reference instead of the unavailable frame from the higher rendition. Decoding of the remaining frames is unchanged.

As mentioned before, the open-GOP prediction structure significantly reduces quality pumping effects. But there is another advantage. When switching to a higher or lower rendition in a closed-GOP configuration, there is a visible jump of the quality of the video. Of course, the bigger the jump is, the more pronounced the visible quality jump becomes. However, in open-GOP resolution switching, the intermediate leading frames that are using references from both renditions act as a sort of “quality interpolation” between the renditions which results in a much smoother transition between the renditions. 

Here, we can see an example of the PSNR for the resolution switching behavior. We have 3 renditions of 1920×800 (gray), 1280×534 (red) and 640×268 (blue). In conventional adaptive streaming implementations with closed-GOPs, a rendition switch would result in an abrupt jump in quality at the switching points. The yellow graph shows how the quality has a much smoother transition between the renditions when using open-GOP resolution switching in VVC.

IBC 2023

At the IBC, we are presenting a technical paper about practical implementations and considerations when implementing open-GOP resolution switching with VVC in real world environments. This is a joint effort of Fraunhofer HHI, Spin Digital and Bitmovin. Please join us at the IBC in the “Advances in video coding and processing” session on Sep 16th starting at 14:15 in room E102. Here we will present what technical challenges arise when deploying this feature for low latency live transcoding as well as in the highly scalable Bitmovin cloud encoder.

Related Links

IBC 2023 Website

VVC codec background

VVC benefits and supported devices

The post VVC: Open-GOP Resolution Switching appeared first on Bitmovin.

So what were the trends showcased at IBC, and how has Bitmovin prepared for them for the rest of 2022 and 2023?

1. The simplification of streaming workflows

The biggest item on the list I was hearing from both partners and platforms looking to consolidate their workflows was how they were pushing to have one solution provide the complete package. Of course, this could include multiple partners, but they wanted to have 1 area where they could control each piece without having anything siloed. At every booth, I’m sure one of the significant things you heard from service providers was how they integrated with this company and that product to deliver the whole end-to-end workflow. With this approach, even some of our biggest competitors have become partners.

How Bitmovin is moving in this space:

• Started the Bitmovin Partner Innovation Network
• Announced Bitmovin’s Streams solution

At Bitmovin, we’ve been seeing where the market’s headed, which is why for IBC, we launched our Partner Innovation Network to focus on our existing integrations and recently introduced Streams (read the blog), which is our latest solution built to simplify streaming workflows & help platforms get to market quickly. Streams enables platforms to upload, store and encode video content, embed our Player, stream everywhere with our Global CDN partner and optimize and improve the viewer experience through actionable analytic insights.

2. FAST Channels

Many companies spoke about free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) to give viewers the chance to experience a new platform without needing to pay for another subscription or at a reduced price, which is especially beneficial in today’s economic environment. It was a hot topic and one that will continue to grow, as even Variety said back in July that by 2026 they expect the ad market for FAST to be valued at 6 billion.

How Bitmovin is moving in this space:

• Bitmovin’s Player dedicated ad module
• Bitmovin’s Analytics Solution covering ad performance

As our solutions have grown, we have focused a lot on our services, ads capabilities, and performance tracking. For example, for the Bitmovin Player, we’ve built a dedicated ad module with support for custom ad interactions and integrations with major SSAI ad platform providers (Yospace, Google, etc.). Additionally, to give further accuracy for ads, we’ve even enabled the open measurement SDK to use with our Player.

Some useful links:

• Tutorial on how to set up ads for the Bitmovin Player over the Web  
• Demo for Ad Scheduling with Bitmovin Player

3. SSAI

While still on the subject of ads, SSAI was another hot topic mentioned to monetize workflows, but instead of being about FAST, it was mentioned quite a bit for AVOD workflows. So why not CSAI, you may be asking? Well, that is because the benefits around playback and ads seen for SSAI outweigh the cost and complexity for certain platforms, as SSAI isn’t affected by ad blockers.

Read Next: CSAI vs SSAI: Client-Side Ad Insertion and Server-Side Ad Insertion Explained

How Bitmovin is moving in this space:

• Bitmovin’s Player dedicated Yospace integration
• Bitmovin’s Player dedicated ad module
• Bitmovin’s advertising analytics on the Bitmovin Dashboard

As a reminder, our robust Ads capabilities include SSAI for a smoother playback experience with ad metadata events and handling to ensure AVOD services provide a great viewing experience.

You can also check out specifics around SSAI and the Bitmovin Player here:

• SSAI Demo – Understanding how it uses server-side ads with Bitmovin Player 
• Ad Capabilities Datasheet

4. Testing as a service

At many booths, testing was a vital topic everyone was pushing or interested in. Many of the providers on the market today focus primarily on application testing and how applications use on devices. However, few include playback testing on devices, specifically the stream, and instead require deployment in viewer endpoints.

How Bitmovin is moving in this space:

• Bitmovin’s Player Stream Lab Feature

Back at NAB earlier this year, we launched Stream Lab, our latest player feature that enables companies to test their actual streams in the cloud. It allows companies to experiment with pre-built test cases on real devices and covers over 24 device and platform types, ranging from old to newly released Smart TV (Samsung Tizen, LG WebOS + more), Game Consoles (Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 coming soon),  and browsers. This ultimately helps them save on supporting devices before they need to and don’t have to buy real devices as they have access to them through Stream Lab. Read more about it on our Stream Lab Datasheet.

5. Content Protection

From DRM to watermarking and concurrent device limits, content protection was always relevant and a focus for everyone that attended and wanted to protect their streams. With piracy on the rise and costing providers 11.6 billion in revenue, as reported by Fierce video, it’s no wonder this would be a topic of choice for many platforms as they look to expand their content offerings and locations where they stream.

How Bitmovin is moving in this space:

• Bitmovin’s Player DRM Demo

Bitmovin’s Player provides capabilities for multi-DRM playback across all devices and integrates with the top DRM providers as part of the Innovators Network. Additional content protection measures, including token-based authentication and DRM for offline playback, are fully supported.

Conclusion

These top 5 Player topics were the most commonly heard on the exhibit floor, and they continue to come up in our conversations in Q4 with an outlook for the coming year. Regarding the Player, Bitmovin is consistently deploying the latest features to stay up to date with the market, which is why IBC 2022 was a success, and we are excited for IBC in 2023. It was great to attend, and I can’t wait to hear about changes in the market and showcase our industry-leading Player next year.

There is a lot of great work happening at Bitmovin, and if you want to test Bitmovin’s solutions for yourself, sign up for a free 30-day trial.

The post Top 5 Player Learnings from IBC and Bitmovin’s Outlook for 2023 appeared first on Bitmovin.

How was IBC 2022 for you?

Busy! Which is how you want IBC to be! We had great conversations with prospects, customers and partners throughout the show. NAB was the first significant industry tradeshow; conversations focused on industry trends and catching up, which was important. At IBC,  everything focused on driving opportunities and projects forward. This was our best IBC to date. We had lots of quality meetings, a great buzz around the brand and the best-designed stand in Hall 5!

The last IBC Show was in 2019; how has the video streaming industry changed since then?

Innovation in video streaming technologies has accelerated in the last two years at a remarkable rate, which was evident at IBC. Back in 2019,  the video streaming companies at IBC were in Hall 14, essentially a tent connected to the RAI, but this year we were in Hall 5, one of the biggest halls at the show. It’s proof that video streaming has grown exponentially and become ingrained in our day-to-day lives.

What big trends do you see at IBC this year?

There was a big focus on codecs, including AV1, AV2 and VVC, as demand for high-quality streams at lower bitrates continues to grow. Also, technologies to optimize the encoding and streaming experience, like per-title and per-scene, became a big trend. I also noticed many innovations around digital rights management, which is incredibly important because there’s still room for improvement in content protection for video streaming.

One of the biggest trends I think this year was live. It seems there is an enormous appetite for cloud-native workflows, event-based streaming for sports, news, and events, reliable ingest using SRT and Zixi, efficient scaling and operations, and of course, highest quality and low end-to-end delay. 

When speaking about Live, FAST was a big topic at IBC. FAST services are an interesting blend of linear television with the speed and agility of video streaming technologies which are already hugely popular in the US. I expect we will see FAST services take off in other markets over the next 12 months, bringing an exciting change to linear television. However, I also think this could be hype and result in way more FAST channels available than customers can consume, eventually resulting in a quick saturation of the market. I am interested in seeing how FAST plays out.

Which stands did you visit during the show?

I thought the MediaKind stand was really cool, especially with its F1 Grand Prix simulator, which was a fun game and a great way to get people on the stand. I also saw a lot of startups with impressive innovations throughout the show.

What’s the plan post-IBC?

I slept as soon as I got home, but now I feel refreshed and ready to return to work! Lots of work goes into an event like IBC, and the work doesn’t finish when the event ends, but I am excited about the conversations we had with the great companies we met at the show. Stay tuned!

The post A Triumphant Return to IBC appeared first on Bitmovin.

Say hello to Reinhard Grandl, who oversees Bitmovin’s product department, who develops the company’s product strategy and ensures it is optimized for customers. 

Discover his insights in the big trends at IBC 2022 and how to enjoy the show

Why are shows like IBC necessary for the media and entertainment industry?

Business is, ultimately, based on building trust and the best way to do this is with human interaction. Things are starting to change due to the rise of SaaS companies, but there’s no doubt that in-person meetings are still valuable. Shows like IBC are vital because they bring all of our customers, partners and prospects together in one place and provide multiple opportunities to connect with them, from giving them a demo on the stand to going out for dinner later. Last but not least, it’s a forcing function for vendors to announce new products and thus helps propel the industry forward.

The last IBC Show was in 2019; how has the video streaming industry changed since then?

It’s changed massively. Part of it is due to the pandemic, but some technical and business trends were already emerging. One significant difference is the range of streaming services available. Almost all major US conglomerates have built streaming services to compete with the likes of Netflix and AppleTV. Furthermore, many sports leagues are trying to monetize their content for fans or via sports-focused streaming services like DAZN. 

All of this creates a fragmented market for viewers who need multiple subscriptions to watch their favorite content. Without a doubt, there will be some market consolidation, but from a technological perspective, it’s creating a huge demand for technologies that can offer a superior viewing experience. At IBC2022, I expect we will see many product launches that focus on offering an optimal viewing experience while simultaneously reducing costs. 

What significant trends do you expect to see at IBC this year?

We will see the next steps in the evolution of technology; 5G, the VVC codec or new cloud-hosted services, to just name a few. I am particularly interested to see how much they’ve evolved since the last IBC in 2019. Of course, sustainability will be high on the agenda. It’s been inspiring to see so many projects emerge with the sole intention of helping the media and entertainment industry reduce its carbon footprint.

The post IBC Preview [2022]: 5 Minutes with… Reinhard Grandl appeared first on Bitmovin.

Say hello to Ian Baglow, our Chief Revenue Officer, who oversees our revenue function, primarily focusing on customer retention, customer growth and new customer acquisition. He has significant experience in leading growth at software-as-a-service companies. 

Discover why he thinks trust is the currency of the media and entertainment industry and the trends he expects to see on the show floor. 

Why are shows like IBC important for the media and entertainment industry?

A defining characteristic of the media and entertainment industry is that it’s primarily based on relationships and trust. While the industry remained resilient during the pandemic and the absence of face-to-face, it’s clear it’s the right time to get back to in-person events. IBC is unique because it’s one of those rare occasions when most of your customers and partners are in one place, so conversations that start on the stand can continue over coffee or dinner. 

Shows like IBC also provide a great snapshot of the industry and its trajectory. In the last couple of years, we’ve seen numerous streaming services launch but also a significant number of mergers and acquisitions as media and entertainment businesses diversity their products. An event like IBC provides an excellent opportunity for technology vendors to showcase how they can help these companies.

What big trends do you expect to see at IBC this year?

There will be a host of product launches, of course. However, I believe key trends will centre around user experience as we enter a new phase of the streaming wars. The “battle for eyeballs” is intensifying, and streaming services have a renewed focus on quality of experience alongside the potential total cost of ownership cost savings due to challenging results announced by many M&E customers.

IBC coincides with your first anniversary at Bitmovin. What have been your biggest highlights and learnings over the past year?

The biggest highlight for me was the industry’s reaction to our Next-Generation VOD Encoder at NAB. We received incredible feedback from users and key industry influencers, which helped validate all the hard work that had gone into it. 

My biggest learning has been the importance of industry partnerships. Video workflows can be complex, so it’s important to be open to working with partners to help solve a customer’s problem. Sharing knowledge and expertise is how we’ll deliver the great viewing experiences our customers’ audiences expect and deserve. 

What are you most looking forward to about IBC?

IBC will be a great place to source feedback on our new products and how well our products are integrating with partner solutions. I am particularly interested in speaking to industry influences about market trends so we can stay ahead of the curve, particularly with live streaming, which requires you to keep your finger on the pulse and constantly innovate.

The post IBC Preview [2022]: 5 Minutes with… Ian Baglow appeared first on Bitmovin.

Say hello to Sophie Light-Wilkinson, our SVP Marketing who oversees Bitmovin’s marketing department with the primary purpose of maximizing brand awareness. She is an experienced marketer who has worked in start-ups through IPO, large corporations, and agencies for both B2C and B2B marketing. 

Discover her tips for maximizing ROI on events and why she’s looking forward to IBC 2022.

Why is it important to have events like IBC as part of a go-to-market strategy?

Events like IBC serve as an excellent forcing function for the entire organization. We use IBC as a deadline for go-to-market activities, whether announcing a new product or launching a hero piece of content. It helps focus efforts because we’re all working towards the same goal.

Big events like IBC also help create a lot of buzz around the brand during and in the lead-up to an event, which is exciting when you get to the show and see you have one of the busiest stands in your hall.

Tips for maximizing ROI from tradeshows?

It’s essential to set clear goals before beginning any activities. You need to know how many meetings you want to book and the pipeline you want to be generated and closed. These goals must be communicated to internal stakeholders because events require a significant budget and resources, so be transparent about the level of investment and expected return on investment.

Marketing also needs to be closely aligned with the sales team to maxmize the chances of success, including weekly check-ins to track the number of meetings booked. I also cannot emphasize enough the importance of post-event follow-ups because timely follow-ups make the difference between a prospect picking you or your competitor.

One thing that’s hard to measure is brand impact. Making a splash at a big industry event can maximize brand visibility and create a buzz about your company. It’s not a tangible result, but it is important.

IBC coincides with your first anniversary at Bitmovin. What have been your biggest highlights and learnings over the past year?

A highlight for me has been developing the marketing team, including retaining and upskilling team members, identifying talent gaps, and bringing new people onboard. I also expanded the function of the marketing function to include product marketing so we could have a closer alignment between sales and product. We usually meet monthly because in-person interactions are meaningful and help keep team spirit high.

Another big highlight for me has been our digital transformation project. We’ve completely overhauled our digital marketing processes and seen an increase in quality traffic, trial sign-ups, active trial users and new logos. Seeing the impact is fantastic and will remain a significant focus next year.

A key learning for me was a reminder about the importance of goal setting. The marketing team worked together to define our objectives and strategy and clarify our goals. We have a lot of spinning plates, and it’s all too easy to try and do and be everything. As a team, we’ve learnt to identify what’s essential and what’s “nice to have”, i.e. not urgent.

Last but not least! I have learnt the importance of downtime and self-care. What we do is important, but we aren’t saving lives, so there’s no reason for work to take priority over our health and wellbeing. I exercise daily, have a good night’s sleep (even as a mother to a young son!) and fully unplug at the end of each day by not checking emails and Slack.

What tips would you give to marketers doing their first big event?

As the adage goes, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. Make sure the leadership team is aligned on the goals and purpose of the event, and then create a plan and timeline that can be shared with the broader team. Setting deadlines is essential because event dates creep up fast, so avoid last-minute rushes.

Return on investment should be top of mind. Everyone attending the event should have clear roles and responsibilities. Nobody should be on the stand twiddling their thumbs. After the event, make time to debrief everyone and share feedback on what went well and the areas for improvement. Being transparent about the event’s success will improve results in the future because the team will know where the weaknesses were previously.

What are you most looking forward to about IBC?

It’s my first IBC, so I’m looking forward to meeting customers and partners in person. Nothing beats human interaction when it comes to networking. It will also be great to see everyone’s work come to fruition because I know how hard the team has worked, and I will also enjoy spending time with everyone.

I will also be watching some conference sessions to ensure I am on top of current and future industry trends.

The post IBC Preview [2022]: 5 Minutes with… Sophie Light-Wilkinson appeared first on Bitmovin.

Bitmovin’s next Virtual Event Series Live: IBC Edition, which includes content applicable to all regions across the world, is taking place between September 8th – 24th.  This content-rich virtual event will focus on how to innovatively reduce the cost of video distribution, app development, and optimizing video workflows with a plethora of tools. For our 3rd event series, we’re joined by some great partners and clients alike, like Dalet, Dolby, Google, Google Cloud Platform, IABM, Intertrust, Looker, Streamroot, Sky Studios, Teleport Media, Variety, ViacomCBS, and more!

These events are broken by content that anyone within the OTT industry can enjoy, from technical deep dives around codecs, compressions, and super-resolution, to high-level discussions and panels for decisionmakers around how to succeed in the global streaming industry. The International Trade Association for Broadcast & Media (IABM) stated:

“The Bitmovin Live series has demonstrated how it has been possible to adapt quickly and effectively to an online-only conference format in response to COVID-19,” said Ben Dales, Digital Media Manager from the broadcast and media technology industry trade group IABM. “IABM has long been a champion of collaboration, and with Bitmovin Live: IBC Edition, we are impressed to see Bitmovin expand its involvement to partners, industry leaders, and sometimes even competitors in the spirit of providing a place for the community to thrive despite the global challenges.”

Roku, Google, Sky Studios, ViacomCBS, Bitmovin Execs to Discuss Succeeding in Global Streaming Economy

This session will be an exploration of how streaming services are expanding internationally. Learn about the best business practices that your service must implement to succeed at a global scale, from content creation & distribution to your back-end workflows like SSAI, content protection, and compression. This high-level panel discussion will bring insights from the biggest live and on-demand OTT services on the market, Roku, Sky Studios, YouTube, and ViacomCBS. Featuring:

Sign-up to view the Variety moderated session Sept 10th: Roku, Google, Sky Studios, ViacomCBS, Bitmovin Execs to Discuss Succeeding in Global Streaming Economy

LIVE: IBC Edition – Virtual Event Innovation with VR

Bitmovin is dedicated to using new and innovative ways of interacting with event participants.  As a complement to the usual programming of webinars, tech talks, and panels, it has created a “Virtual VR Event Booth,” a space that can bring prospects and customers closer to Bitmvovin’s employees and services. 
“The ‘Virtual VR Event Booth’ will showcase a high-level overview of Bitmovin origins, the value the company brings, as well as a look at the solutions and products that are offered,” said Jamie Attfield, Head of Design at Bitmovin.  “Attendees are also free to explore an assortment of collateral pieces that can be downloaded to their machines and devices for further reading. This experience will be accessible on mobile, desktop, and Oculus Quest, bringing a new perspective on how the company can communicate in the digital realm.

Evolving SVOD and AVOD for a new world – How 2 leading providers with very different business models see growth in a reshaped world (with IABM)

The closing event will be a panel session featuring IABM and top next-gen broadcast leaders, Britbox and Freesat as we discuss how they successfully innovated their AVOD and SVOD strategies to capture market share in a quickly changing global media market. This session will be hosted and supported by IABM’s industry insights and commentary on September 23. Sign here: Innovating AVOD and SVOD strategies

LIVE: IBC Edition additional sessions during the event include:

September 8th – Behind-the-scenes: Insights into the new virtual video industry era. The session will address that “the new normal“ is here to stay and how companies have been adjusting their business models to optimize costs and continue to deliver high-quality viewer experience.  
Featuring:

• Jure Žlak, Sales Director, Beenius
• Xavier Leclercq, VP Business Development, Broadpeak
• Matej Puhan, Sales Director, Castoola
• Jin Soon Brancalhao, Field Marketing Manager, Bitmovin
• Teddy Zeskind, Partner Manager, Bitmovin

September 10th – A case study review of how Dalet + Bitmovin solutions can help you innovate your sports content OTT strategy. 

September 14th – There’s a Fix For That: the Top 5 OTT Video Challenges … and How to Fix Them! – Bitmovin’s CTO Chris Mueller and head of product Reinhard Grandl tackle the top 5 challenges for OTT video providers with real-world examples of straightforward technical solutions to materially improve the long-term business outcomes for streaming operators. 
September 14th – Encoding where it matters: How will the changing demand in content type affect your workflows? – Join Peggy Dau and Women in Streaming Media as they discuss the most critical factors in developing your future video workflows. 
September 16th – How VuClip Achieved Scalable, high-performance Video Encoding with Bitmovin on Google Cloud – Join Google Cloud’s Solutions Engineer, Chris Hampartsoumian, Vuclip’s Technical Product Manager, Praveen Singh, and Bitmovin’s Solution Director, Adrian Britton. Vuclip will cover why time is so critical to effective delivery and how a cloud-based encoding solution reduced their costs. 
September 17th – Wow your audience: Unleash the creative potential of Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision with Bitmovin Encoding into a unified workflow – Sound design and effects are a crucial part of filmmaking that elevate your viewer’s quality of experience. Hear from Dolby experts about the versatile use cases and capabilities of Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. Learn how to create workflows and mezzanine files using cloud-based techniques. 
September 21st – State of Streaming: Bitmovin’s 2020 Video Developer Report – Bitmovin’s 4th Annual Video Developer report is here! Bitmovin will review the top-level results of its survey and define what some of the most important video tech trends of 2020/21 are for OTT services around the world. Learn about what developers and project managers are seeking in the VidTech workflows as well as the technologies they hope to implement in the next 12 months. 

About Us:
Built for technical professionals in the OTT video market, Bitmovin’s software solutions help you optimize customer operations and reduce time-to-market, resulting in the best viewer experience imaginable. This is achieved through our device reach, flexible and scalable integration, and commitment to supporting our customers. Learn more at www.bitmovin.com.

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We’re all living in a Multi-Codec World

DD: What do you think are the key developments in, or threats to, your market sector at the current time?
SL: With streaming becoming one of the preferred ways for consumers to view their favorite content, codecs play a very important role behind the scenes in delivering these high quality streams to consumers. According to Bitmovin’s latest Video Developer Report findings, H.264/AVC is still by far the most popular and widely used video codec, used nine out of ten (91 percent) of all survey respondents. However, planned usage of AV1 is set to triple, with seven percent of respondents having started to work with it and a fifth (20 percent) expected to start using it in the coming year. A common theme that’s emerging in the use of codecs is that many video developers are moving away from using one preferred codec and are starting to select the right codec for the right job. The transition to a multi-codec strategy won’t bring an end to the codec wars immediately, but will help to satisfy uses across all platforms and devices. 
DD: What are the major technology drivers for your business going forward?
SL: Our customers are looking to redefine the viewer experience, while drastically lowering streaming cost, as streaming becomes the preeminent way for broadcasters and content owners to deliver video content. But as well as innovating to bring new experiences to screens everywhere, they must also deliver traditional broadcast quality, through an increasingly diverse set of platforms and devices. 
As the media landscape grows in complexity, and new players come to the market, Bitmovin is shaping the future of video by enabling broadcasters, publishers and social media companies to deliver content simply, efficiently and at the highest possible quality and the lowest possible bitrate. And it’s that balancing act, between quality and bitrate, that Bitmovin sees as fundamental to the challenges facing the industry, as 4K becomes the standard, and 8K and HDR content emerges.

The Future of Video is driven by AI/ML

DD: Can you briefly outline one of your latest product launches or developments?
SL: Bitmovin believe in data driven development, and over the last year, the Bitmovin Player and Analytics product has been taken from a closed beta release to general availability. It was initially created internally to help debug common playback issues, quality snafus and trace problems across the entire workflow chain so that the perfect playback experience is ensured. New features have been added such as Ads Dashboard and Fraud Detection, and all video developers will now be able to test and optimize their current video player experience using the combined Bitmovin Player and Analytics solution, allowing them to troubleshoot and diagnose problems quicker than ever before. 
DD: What are your own observations of IBC 2019 in terms of what it suggests about new technologies and business trends?
SL: The acceleration in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology was a big discussion at IBC 2019, and Bitmovin’s latest Video Developer Report sees one in four (24 percent) video professionals expecting to start using AI as part of video workflow solutions before the end of 2019. With this sort of technology, developers will be able to deliver personalized high quality video efficiently and reducing costs. 
For other great reads about codecs and AI check out the following links!

• Get Ready for a Multi-Codec World (Blog)
• Multi-Codec DASH Dataset: An Evaluation of AV1, AVC, HEVC and VP9 (Blog)
• Object Detection: Accessible now in the dashboard (Blog)
• Bitmovin Magazine – Autumn Edition

IBC365 is the home of Business knowledge for the global media, entertainment & technology community, as well as the organizer of the world famous IBC Convention.
Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter to stay up-to-date with our latest blogs, events, webinars, and much much more!

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When it comes to media, entertainment, and technology, IBC is one of the world’s most influential shows. For us at Bitmovin, it is a great opportunity to demonstrate what our tech is capable of. Over the past year, the streaming industry has seen incredible technology advancements. Content monetization, low-latency streaming, continued migrations to cloud workflows, and focus on sustainable streaming economics are the topics driving innovation. 
We have prepared an exhibit displaying our three product lines: Player, Encoder, and Analytics as well as an innovation area where we are showcasing low latency streaming capabilities and encoding workflows using object detection for thumbnail extraction. Our media experts will be on-site to offer their expertise and present Bitmovin solutions which address the many technical and business challenges media organizations are experiencing today.

Encoding Excellence

Lower Costs:
Encoding has traditionally been seen as a high-cost function of the streaming workflow, but our latest product innovations are shifting this perception. By analyzing the economics of the overall streaming workflow, and offering bitrate optimization tools as well as multi-codec capabilities, we have leveraged the power of encoding to reduce overall costs associated with streaming (CDN and storage) —  without compromising video quality. 
Improve Quality:
Beyond improving the economics of streaming, we also aim to set the standard for the highest objective quality of experience (QoE) our encoder produces. We will be demoing how Bitmovin achieves this via per-title, 3-pass, and multi-codec encoding. We encourage you to trial our encoder and see the results for yourself or stop by our booth to see video quality increase as bitrates and costs decrease!

Play Everywhere

Maximize Device Reach
Having developed the first commercial MPEG-DASH player, Bitmovin understands the challenges developers face when building or modifying video players. We value simplifying the process for engineers and have developed additional native player SDKs to make cross-platform reach as seamless as possible. We have SDKs and APIs which reach over 10+ platforms ranging from browsers, mobile, connected TVs, Consoles and Smart TV devices. Leverage SVOD and AVOD capabilities out of the box
Our player possesses a wealth of features and functionalities that are core to the streaming experience. Multi DRM support, multi-codec streaming, low-latency support, and a wide variety of advertising solutions make it easy for engineers to address different monetization needs in a flexible manner. We have created a modular player framework which enables you to choose what features and functions are important to you and seamlessly enable or integrate them for an unmatched player experience. Optimizing player performance has never been easier.

Viewer and Advertising Insights

Monitor Your Service Quality
What is quality? For many, it is dictated by quality of service (QoS) KPIs such as rebuffering and video start failure percentages. For others, it means ensuring overall audience sizes are growing, Dynamic ad-insertion (DAI) ad fill-rates meet expectations, or all devices are performing optimally. Regardless of what your definition of quality is, a strong analytics platform enables you to easily monitor your customized performance measurements. Bitmovin has exposed granular metrics and dimensions in a user-centric dashboard which helps achieve all varieties of monitoring.
Uncover Optimization Potential
Optimize your offering based on your viewers’ demands and viewing conditions, reduce redundancies, and tune your service to the browsers and devices that your viewers are actually using. Whether you are a developer aiming to optimize your player’s ABR logic, an executive observing audience trends, a digital sales team demystifying the monetary value of your content, or an operations engineer ensuring availability and quality, our analytics will give you the technical and business insights required for success. 
We are continuously innovating at Bitmovin, and are looking forward to showcasing our technology at IBC. Come see how our products can be leveraged to simplify media workflows, minimize costs, and optimize the quality of experience for your viewers.

Book a meeting at IBC with one of our specialists today!

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