MainConcept Codec Plugin for DaVinci Resolve Studio Lets Creators Do More

Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve is without question one of the most popular video editing, compositing, audio processing and color-grading solutions currently available on the market. It is widely used by production houses, broadcasters and Hollywood studios alike to create stunning movies and TV shows.

What’s New with DaVinci Resolve Studio 17?

For DaVinci Resolve Studio 17, Blackmagic asked MainConcept® to develop the first-ever codec plugin. The goal: seamless integration of MainConcept’s industry-leading video and audio encoders.

Professional users expect a wide range of export profiles for rendering their project timelines. The MainConcept Codec Plugin not only adds existing codecs and formats to DaVinci Resolve Studio, but it also introduces a completely new collection of ready-to-use presets.

How Can MainConcept Help?

A major pain point for professional editors is that—depending on their workflow or target format—they need to switch between software tools to perform certain tasks such as rendering or transcoding. For a specific use case, they often must work with a different application. Depending on the project requirements, the MainConcept Codec Plugin can rescue the editor from this burden. Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve Studio already comes with many Formats, Codecs and Types for rendering a project, but it misses some that are widely requested by users, such as AS-11 UK DPP. Right now, this popular format is not natively available in Blackmagic Design’s high-end software production tool.

The MainConcept Codec Plugin for DaVinci Resolve Studio fills this gap. It enables rendering of your project using predefined profiles for AS-11 UK DPP SD (MPEG-2) and HD (AVC/H.264) for broadcast production workflows. It is as simple as selecting a MainConcept MXF (AS-11) Codec and then the actual SD or HD preset Type.

What About the Metadata?

A mandatory AS-11 UK DPP DPT (XML) metadata file that contains all descriptive metadata required for your project must be specified. A sample template file comes with the MainConcept plugin and can be edited with a common text editor. You only need to take care of the descriptive metadata. The MainConcept Codec Plugin for DaVinci Resolve Studio takes care of the rest.

Most of the metadata for the Video and Audio XML elements will be added automatically during rendering of the timeline, such as Codec, Bit Rate, Picture Format, Sampling Frequency, and Bit Depth. If a client requires it, you can also generate an optional XML metadata sidecar file that contains all the information from the rendered project. Using the MainConcept Codec Plugin, Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve Studio is now able to create the AS-11 UK DPP compliant content that many broadcasters require.

Can the MainConcept Codec Plugin Handle Broadcast Workflows and OTT Content Creation?

The MainConcept Codec Plugin for DaVinci Resolve Studio is built to handle the most challenging of broadcast workflows and OTT use cases. It contains ready-to-use presets, fully compliant with professional recording formats from Sony and Panasonic, such as Sony XAVC, various flavors of Sony XDVAM and Panasonic P2 AVC Ultra (powered by MainConcept’s renowned AVC/H.264 and MPEG-2 codecs). The plugin even deploys several generic HEVC/H.265 presets with AAC audio in an MP4 container up to Main 10 8K. Now, you can add the right codec for OTT content creation to DaVinci Resolve Studio 17.

What’s Next for the MainConcept Product Line?

At MainConcept, our team is already working on porting the plugin to run natively on the latest Apple Macs using the M1 chipset based on ARM architecture. Having this universal solution available will allow the huge community running DaVinci Resolve on macOS to work with the MainConcept Codec Plugin on future generations of Apple computers.

Want to learn more? Read the data sheet or download the free demo today.

Enable AI Capabilities for Your Monitoring Services With MonitorIQ 7.0

Broadcasters have the need to collect, compile, and analyze the information they present to the public via various mass communications channels for the purpose of analyzing the information. Broadcasting rules, laws, and regulations make it mandatory for them to monitor the results continually. While regulatory and compliance standards are maintained to help organizations attain their goals, some regulations are very specific to ensure data protection.

The media landscape is ever-changing as it presents an overwhelming number of broadcasts that can either have a positive or a negative influence. This makes activities like content review, ad monitoring, ad placement, etc., critical. Monitoring would put broadcasters in a better position to understand other brands and give better access to competitive coverage across the globe.

The consumers’ ever-growing demand for content has resulted in the exponential growth of broadcasters. In the wake of these developments, monitoring, which was once a very tedious and manual process, has evolved into a very valuable asset for content owners, producers, and broadcasters throughout the world, making it easy for them to identify, save, and analyze content.

Leveraging the knowledge built over two decades, Digital Nirvana provides broadcast monitoring and compliance logging services to the worldwide media and entertainment industry. companies trust Digital Nirvana’s solutions to help them capture content from multiple sources, create, and publish them on different digital platforms and monitor quality and regulatory compliance.

The once complex, labor-intensive, time-consuming, and error-prone processes like broadcast monitoring, compliance logging, multichannel recording, content repurposing, and distribution are simplified further with the launch of MonitorIQ 7.0, the next-generation broadcast monitoring and compliance logging platform with AI capabilities.

Migrating to MonitorIQ 7.0, broadcasters can reap all the benefits and features of the beloved Volicon Observer and experience enhanced broadcast monitoring and compliance capabilities. Apart from unparalleled monitoring capabilities, MonitorIQ 7.0 has implemented design capabilities to ensure users of all technical skills can complete the key tasks in just a few clicks via the new intuitive user interface.

Let’s have a look at the key features of MonitorIQ 7.0 –

  • Single-click Access –
    • MonitorIQ 7.0 makes metadata for each asset available on a single page, with metadata timestamped and indexed to the video. Metadata includes closed captions, subtitles; loudness measurements; rating data; watermarks; and audio metadata.
    • Rapid clip and share capabilities via a thumbnail storyboard user interface make identifying content fast for the rapid creation of frame-accurate clips.
    • The UI gives users the option of comparing multiple channels — their own and/or competitors’ — at different points along the video delivery chain.
  • AI and ML Services –
    • Broadcasters can now leverage the AI and ML capabilities of MonitorIQ 7.0 to identify ads on competitive channels and detect logos in sporting events and other high-value content.
    • Broadcasters can now generate the transcript for ads, content using speech-to-text (STT), logo recognition, face recognition for finding news content, and closed-caption conformance to internal and external guidelines, along with full workflows for the automated transcript, closed-caption generation, and translation.
  • Hybrid Cloud Architecture
    • MonitorIQ 7.0 features a hybrid cloud architecture that allows broadcasters to archive content locally or in the cloud, with the flexibility to expand storage and automate the archiving processes. As a result, broadcasters can be more efficient in storing both high- and proxy-resolution content and in accessing content through the MonitorIQ UI.

FCC and Media Monitoring With AI & ML-Driven Solution

Every industry that is operating is regulated to ensure fair practice and protect customer interest. Similarly, the media and broadcast industry is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a federal agency of congress. FCC regulations oversee the television and radio broadcasting channels, detailing how the FCC authorizes broadcast stations, the different rules pertaining to broadcast programming and operations that broadcasters must comply with, and the essential obligation of the broadcasters that their stations serve their local communities.

The regulatory and compliance standards are designed to attain their business goals while ensuring data protection. Companies face a heavy fine or other forms of punishment when they don’t adhere to the FCC regulations. Violating the rules and regulations also tarnish the image of the media house and damage the brand’s reputation. The broadcast law framed by the FCC serves the motto of closing the digital divide, promoting innovation, protecting consumers and public safety, and reforming of FCC’s processes.

With broadcasters coming under the regulations, they are obligated to monitor technical and content issues like irreverence, copyright issues, and political and social ideologies like localism and regionalism. Digital Nirvana’s MonitorIQ 7.0, the 7th generation release of the most reliable, secure, and easy-to-use broadcast monitoring and compliance logging platform, is the solution that the industry relies upon to comply with the government and quality standards like loudness monitoring and compliance checks.

Developed and curated by experts including the industry’s beloved Volicon Observer, MonitorIQ 7.0 includes an updated and intuitive web interface, the core feature improvements, and new cutting-edge capabilities to make everyday tasks effortless. Digital Nirvana’s MonitorIQ allows the operators to record, store, monitor, analyze, and repurpose quickly and efficiently with minimum clicks. Natively recording content from any point in the video delivery chain, from production (SDI) to consumption (OTT), MonitorIQ enables broadcasters to collect and use knowledge about their broadcast content to meet a wide range of regulatory and compliance requirements.

Version 7 of MonitorIQ is loaded with features to make the broadcasters life easy in the compliance monitoring maze

Single-click access – metadata for each asset available on a single page, with metadata timestamped and indexed to the video. Metadata includes closed caption/Teletext/subtitles; loudness measurements with instant clip measurements; As run log data; rating data; SCTE 104/35, OP47, or X31 messages; Nielsen and Kantar watermarks; and AC-3 audio metadata.

Competitive analysis of channels – The MonitorIQ 7.0 UI gives users the option of comparing the same or multiple channels — their own and/or competitors’ — at different points along the video delivery chain. The integration of advanced media and business analytics allows for reporting on competitive advertising, as-run-based loudness, quality of experience, and logo discovery.

Industry-first Integration of AI & ML services – The power of Digital Nirvana’s AI and machine learning services portal is now an integral part of MonitorIQ. The integration with Digital Media Services Portal allows broadcasters to:

  • Identify ads on competitive channels
  • Detect logos in high-value content
  • Generate closed caption or transcript of clips from live or historical content or advertisements
  • Enable face recognition from news sources or entertainment content
  • Conform to closed-caption internal and external guidelines, along with generating and translating full workflows for an automated transcript

Hybrid cloud architecture – MonitorIQ 7.0 features a hybrid cloud architecture that allows broadcasters to archive content locally or in the cloud, with the flexibility to expand storage and automate content archiving processes. As a result, broadcasters can be more efficient in storing both high- and proxy-resolution content and in accessing content through the MonitorIQ UI.

Compliance with government and quality standards – Easily perform loudness tasks such as loudness monitoring and compliance verification. MonitorIQ has upgraded loudness measurements to the latest standards, ITU-1770-3 or EBU R-128. MonitorIQ offers

users the ability to generate clips directly by selecting a region in the loudness graph. Log, retrieve, export, and search subtitle information such as closed caption, teletext, or DVB subtitles.

Developed on the secure Linux platform, MonitorIQ lets users leverage its AI-driven microservices to enhance or greatly simplify multiple departments within the organization. MonitorIQ’s seamless integration with the Media Services portal provides cloud-based microservices including closed-caption generation, caption synchronization, and closed-caption quality check.

Digital Nirvana is continuously striving to improve the experience for new-age media and broadcasting companies meeting their requirements for content creation and distribution. MonitorIQ 7.0 is a step in that direction as it gives broadcasters access to

valuable next-generation content processing and analysis tools.

Digital Nirvana Offers Continued Support and Migration Path for Legacy Systems

For media and broadcast organizations it is vital that they constantly collect and use knowledge about broadcast content. The paramount concern for these organizations is to provide the best possible viewer experience and meet the government’s compliance regulations. Recently the legacy system Volicon’s Observer announced the end of after-sales support, leading its customers to look for more efficient broadcast monitoring and compliance logging systems.

Digital Nirvana, the industry’s proven leading provider of media monitoring and metadata generation services, is offering technical support to the users of Volicon’s Observer. Digital Nirvana’s product MonitorIQ has retained the key features of Observer while providing an upgrade to next-generation broadcast monitoring and compliance logging. Digital Nirvana provides the option to migrate to the MonitorIQ, a secure and easy-to-use solution that allows the broadcasters to record, store, analyze, and repurpose content.

Some of the key features of MonitorIQ that set it apart from the competition are:

Hybrid Cloud Architecture – MonitorIQ 7.0’s hybrid cloud architecture allows broadcasters to store and archive content locally or in the cloud. It provides them the flexibility to expand storage and automate the content archiving process.

Industry-first integration of AI & ML services – AI & Ml integration is a crucial part of MonitorIQ and, with seamless integration of the Media Services Portal, allows the broadcasters to identify and detect ads and logos from high-value content, use face recognition, and conform to closed-caption internal and external guidelines.

Compliance with government and quality standards – The latest upgrade of MonitorIQ comes with the provision to configure, measure, and display loudness values at different intervals and also the provision to select the standard in which the loudness values are to be displayed.

Single-click access – Broadcasters can access the metadata for each asset in a single page, time-stamped, and indexed to the video.

Competitive Analysis – With MonitorIQ users have the option to compare the same or multiple channels — their own and/or competitors — at different points along the video delivery chain

Security – Built on the reliable and secure Linux platform, MonitorIQ is extensible into broadcast operations with open APIs and provides broadcasters access to AI-based cloud microservices.

Refined by experts, including architects of the original Volicon Observer product, the MonitorIQ platform gives broadcasters access to valuable next-generation content process and analysis tools. Built on two decades of industry experience, Digital Nirvana’s MonitorIQ addresses the needs of modern broadcast media companies by harnessing best-of-breed video, audio, and AI technologies to drive new levels of speed, creativity, quality, and insight.

In Conversation with Zenlayer

In this interview, we talk to Joe Zhu (Founder & CEO, Zenlayer) about Zenlayer and the problems they are solving for the streaming media industry. Joe explains how, as an edge cloud service provider, they are enabling streaming media companies to tackle several challenges and capture the exploding opportunities in emerging markets.

The importance of face-to-face exhibitions and their position in the market

The year of 2020 will go down in the history books, not only for the devastation of the pandemic but the vast number of processes to quickly adapt to the everchanging challenging environment. It was a year of reflection, the digital revolution, a year of remote working.

Businesses had queried whether office space was worth the rent when most, if not all of their employees were working from home. Or, the number of advantages of virtual audiences for a whole host of events had been questioned, changing perspectives and paving the way to a new normal. But if there is one thing that has been truly missed… face-to-face exhibitions and trade shows are at the top of that list.

The absence of face-to-face exhibitions

Exhibitions are a powerful platform for businesses throughout a number of different sectors. It is a chance to come together with similar professionals and share information, promote your business and liaise and build communication with potential prospects.

The UFI (The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) website identifies there are around 32,000 exhibitions per year globally. With this includes 4.5 million exhibiting businesses and over 303 million attracted visitors per year, with a combined spend of over £104 billion. That is a major industry that is vital to the economy.

Exhibitions have kept with the curve and moved to virtual experiences due to the pandemic. While there has been a number of positives from this, including being able to attend from your living room, reduced travel cost and less strain on the environment – exhibitions haven’t had the same positive experience that they are used too.

The importance of face-to-face

If 2020 has highlighted anything, it would be the importance of face-to-face communication at exhibitions. A physical event brings business and consumer together on a different level. It’s more informal and you can draw from prospects reactions. Face-to-face relations create a lasting relationship and a more hands-on solution with your consumers – which in turn converts to higher customer retention.

Another missed opportunity for face-to-face exhibitions is the opportunity to understand your competitors. The chance to collect important research of consumer reactions, working methods, marketing inspiration etc… of the competing businesses. This gives you a clear view of where you are doing well and the areas you may need to improve.

If you find your business/ service more of an ‘in the moment’ feature; you desire that traffic of people walking past your stall and thinking ‘Oh yeah, I need that!’.  Face-to-face gives you this opportunity which was hard to convert to a virtual experience; we found out this the hard way at DPRTE’s 2020 event back in September.

Face-to-face gives exhibitors and visitors… professionals and amateurs the chance to learnt new information, market trends, draw from other people’s stories and liaise with likeminded people in their chosen sectors. That time and information are invaluable. As much you try to convert this over to a virtual experience; nothing beats the paybacks you get from being there in person.

The current state

The current climate is still in a risky state at the moment but the success of the vaccine rollout has brought new hope as the way out of this pandemic. It is still hard to plan ahead or know what is going to happen but we are hoping there will be a return to face-to-face exhibitions still this year; even if it is more towards the end of the year.

We know many businesses will be in the same position hoping for their steady return. Face-to-face exhibitions are a vital part of a lot of industries; especially in manufacturing as it is a way of showcasing products to a new network of prospects.

If you have any questions about the products that we hope to display in exhibitions this year you can call a member of our friendly team on +44 (0) 208 568 1881 or email info@cpcases.com

Global gaming company uses Zenlayer Bare Metal Cloud to signficiantly lower latency & costs in Brazil

Summary

A global gaming company based in the Asia-Pacific region wanted to expand in Brazil and give their users both lower latency and more reliable connections to their game servers. Zenlayer’s complete solution provided them with 250 bare metal servers, local IP transit with Brazilian carriers, and dedicated connections among their global PoPs – all for 25% lower costs than the Client had previously been paying for comparable services. The 15% reduction in latency during peak hours translated directly into higher customer satisfaction and greater participation on their platform due to positive reviews and word of mouth.

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Zenlayer enhances real-time interaction for audio and video service provider ZEGO

Summary

ZEGO assists global enterprises rapidly acquire stable and high-quality live streaming capabilities in more than 200 regions. To better serve their 500+ million users, ZEGO used Zenlayer to quickly deploy and connect 22 core and edge PoPs in Europe, America, and Southeast Asia.

By doing so, they established a stable, low-latency, dedicated network with access to the best local carriers and improved end-to-end real-time interactive audio and video experiences for users even under complex network environments. At the same time, Zenlayer helped ZEGO reduce operation and maintenance costs, increase operation efficiency, and expedite technology developments and upgrades, allowing ZEGO to further expand its global footprint.

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Digital media company deploys hybrid cloud in China using CoreSite and Zenlayer Cloud Networking

Summary

A global social and digital media company based in North America and Europe was exploring new business ventures within China but lacked a hybrid cloud interconnect solution for the highly regulated and unique Chinese market. The Client was an existing CoreSite customer, which provided the path to a simple solution. The Client turned to Zenlayer, a Coresite Open Cloud Exchange® and co-location partner, to bridge their network gap. Using Zenlayer Cloud Networking the Client was able to deploy a complete hybrid-cloud environment across their infrastructure within just a week.

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