Zixi, the industry leader in enabling cost-efficient and highly scalable live broadcast-quality video over any IP network or protocol and provider of the award-winning Software-Defined Video Platform (SDVP), today announced a partnership with MainConcept to integrate the Zixi SDK and the Zixi ZEN Master control plane into its Live Encoder AVC/HEVC streaming platform, an all-in-one encoding engine designed to simplify common broadcast and OTT video workflows.
The MainConcept Hybrid HEVC Encoding technology supported by the Live Encoder gives customers the best of both hardware and software encoding, meaning they will no longer have to choose between high-quality software and fast-performing hardware. Its ultra-efficient software and hybrid encoding balances the workload, eliminating the need for high-end hardware, saving time and realizing significant cost efficiencies.
Integrating Zixi into the MainConcept Live Encoder will allow customers to ingest and receive ultra-low latency video streams directly to the SDVP without the need for any external conversion, saving on resources while enhancing the user experience. Ultra-low latency is one of the key requirements of broadcast distribution and eliminating additional points of modifications helps further reduce the latency making workflows more efficient. The SDVP features unique capabilities such as its patented hitless failover technique that creates one coherent stream out of multiple stream fragments using a DNA sequence alignment algorithm and bonded delivery. This will enable MainConcept customers to deliver streams to a wider global audience at ultra-low latency with greater bandwidth efficiencies, safely and securely over the internet with dynamic FEC and ARQ combining to ensure smooth delivery over lossy networks.
With integrated Zixi protocol support, MainConcept customers gain access to the industry leading performance, efficiency, security and reliability that the SDVP enables. The MainConcept Live Encoder application handles the contribution and distribution stages, seamlessly processing the handoff of content using the Zixi protocol to CDN and archival systems. The Zixi protocol delivers error-free video, compresses null packets, typical in broadcast streams, and is also video aware removing repetitive packets resulting in 30% to 50% lower bandwidth requirements on the network pipe, including a similar reduction in egress costs. The Zixi ZEN Master control plane is also integrated to enable users to manage large-scale configurations and orchestrate, analyze, monitor, and report on live video streams including MainConcept Live Encoder deployments, and the Zixi Enabled Network of customers, integrated hardware and software applications, platforms and service providers standardized on Zixi.
“Zixi is the market leader for delivering scalable, broadcast quality live video over IP,” said Frank Schoenberger, Senior Product Manager, MainConcept. “With this integration, MainConcept customers will gain access to the global Zixi Enabled Network and paired with our state-of-the-art encoding engine, can deliver ultra-low latency streams anywhere.”
“Zixi’s mission is to sustainably deliver broadcast quality streams over IP networks while providing customer with best in class onboarding options” said John Wastcoat, SVP Alliances and Marketing, Zixi. “This partnership extends the reach of Zixi Enabled Network and enables our joint customers to distribute and monetize their content in exciting new ways.”
