IP video transport: solutions for speedier video delivery

Table of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. Introduction
  3. The benefits of using IP video transport services
  4. Inhibitors to adoption
  5. IP video transport companies to watch
  6. How to choose suppliers
  7. Key takeaways
  8. About Jose Alvear

1. Summary

In the TV and movie businesses, the transportation of video between creators (studios, programmers, special-effects shops) and distributors (broadcast and cable networks, cable and satellite companies, movie theaters) is still a mix of FTP, physical delivery, and expensive, multicast satellite. Cloud-based file sync-and-share providers like Dropbox and Box are playing an increasing role, but the industry’s unique demands for speed and multicasting have fueled the growth of specialist video IP transport companies like Aspera, Signiant, and Brevity.

This report will look at the current market for video-transport services, the benefits and risks of this model, and the leading vendors in the space. It also includes a guide to those looking to start using these services.

Key findings from our analysis include:

  • IP video delivery is a viable and reliable method of transmission, although it suffers constraints in terms of bandwidth and multicasting.
  • Video-specific solutions like those from Aspera, Signiant, and Brevity are recommended for many content companies because they plug into existing workflows, save time and money, and are easy to use.
  • Existing workflows that use tape systems are still prevalent in the industry so the transition to IP delivery will not happen overnight. IP video transport needs to include better support for workflows, transcoding, storage, and live ingest and transport.

Thumbnail image courtesy of twilightproductions/Thinkstock.

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