Videon EdgeCaster Encodes at the Edge for Ultra-Low-Latency Live Streaming
Videon developed the new EdgeCaster edge compute encoder to support lower-cost, lower-latency live streaming. It uses an edge compute encoding system that bypasses a layer of cloud-based processing, resulting in latency of less than 4 seconds. Videon specialises in developing 4K and HD streaming products that move media from diverse sources to all screens.
The EdgeCaster edge compute hardware encoder can make it easier and more economically feasible to stream high quality content to less stable emerging markets — that is, smaller groups of viewers dedicated to specific events or interests. Believing that such groups represent a growing share of content consumption today, Videon built EdgeCaster for projects in the prosumer, pro AV and broadcast markets.
Traditional live broadcast introduces 5 seconds of latency, while conventional live streaming methods can add 20 or 30 seconds of latency. By comparison, Videon says that their EdgeCaster system has enabled various applications with under 4 seconds of latency, from camera capture to playback, over public internet connections.
The EdgeCaster HD and EdgeCaster 4K encoders limit the need to carry out heavy computational processes — transcoding, format repackaging from RTMP to HLS/DASH, and generating multiple bit rates — in a central cloud by handling these tasks efficiently, on demand at the network edge. As a result, Videon encoders can achieve higher performance and a lower fixed cost per stream for time-sensitive video applications, including applications that need high-volume streaming to limited numbers of viewers per stream.
As well as low-latency streaming and edge compute processing, EdgeCaster streaming functionality includes forward error correction and full duplex encoding/decoding (simultaneous bi-directional). The EdgeCaster HD includes multiple streaming protocol support for RTMP, SRT and HLS with latency of less than 4 seconds. The Videon EdgeCaster 4K has these capabilities, plus the ability to output up to six streams simultaneously in multiple bit rates and resolutions, power over Ethernet (PoE), support for H.265/HEVC compression and video resolution up to 4K 30 fps.
Videon is debuting the new EdgeCaster edge compute encoder system at ISE 2019 and will begin shipping both the HD and 4K models during the 2019 NAB Show. streaming.videon-central.com
