September 1, Ateme launched Ateme+. Today, as part of our ever-evolving cloud-agnostic SaaS (Software as a Service) suite, I present Ateme+ Live.
A secure and scalable cloud-based platform, Ateme+ Live allows you to contribute live linear content over the Internet, at scale. Think of it as your live distribution switchboard in the cloud, delivering on three use-cases:
- Occasional Use: For sports, news, and events, it delivers a Master Control Room (MCR), operational anywhere. And it ingresses to the cloud from OB trucks, studios, and even bonded 4G and 5G wireless technology.
- Distribution and Satellite Replacement: Satellite has sat comfortably within the broadcast ecosystem for years due to its wide reach and ability to deliver high bitrate feeds. However, as content increases, so do costs, especially when it comes to transporting and delivering feeds to takers. Ateme+ Live helps solve this by offering an alternative for mid- and long-term distribution with cloud and Internet technology.
- Business Continuity: It’s the perennial debate, how do you budget for disaster recovery? Ateme+ Live delivers a platform that can be fully configured to mirror your primary site(s), with options to have it cold, warm, or an active standby. Therefore, you have the flexibility to choose the tolerance you want on Mean Time to Recovery (MTTR).
Three Core Functions for Flexibility and Convenience
Packaged as part of the complete SaaS suite, Ateme+ Live can be tailored to match your operational needs. Of course, this depends on your particular use case and type of service. Flexibility can range from pay-as-you-go for occasional use, to subscription for around-the-clock distribution, or a hybrid of the two to support use cases such as disaster recovery. Therefore, this helps maximize revenue and make your life easier, especially as demand fluctuates.
Through three core functions, Ateme+ Live:
- Sends signals to the cloud securely using SRT, Zixi, REST, RTMP. At this point you can fully monitor the platform with services information, statistics, stream analysis, and the ability to create and configure alerts.
- Transcodes signals in the cloud to any format you require: SD, HD, or UHD, and from single bitrate to multi-bitrate for OTT. Hence, you can fully condition the signal for the respective takers. In turn, they can pass the signal directly onto their customers.
- Distributes signals (supported with a scheduling feature) via set times for when service is available or not. For instance, during a live sporting event, this can be accomplished whether via a straight pass through from the original signal or transcoded signals in different bitrates.
Another fun feature embedded in Ateme+ Live is its software-based, motion-compensated frame and format conversion. This in-house Ateme-developed, motion-adaptive processing is particularly beneficial for fast-paced broadcasting sectors such as live sport. Content owners can now process live video in real-time. This happens using an algorithm that interpolates video information to reformat content. The cloud-native frame and format conversion, running on available CPU cycles in cloud compute engines, reduces dependence on specialist hardware.
Ateme+ Live is made to fit within your current and future user environments. While it’s a live service that runs in the cloud and has its own console, it is also fully exposed through API. So, if you have an overarching network management or monitoring control (M&C) systems, for example, Ateme+ can be integrated into these platforms.
Time-Saving, Easy-to-Use Console
You’ll also find the self-service Ateme+ Live console super easy to use. In fact, it features the same intuitive UI as Ateme DevOps to manage the overall platform. Moreover, a single pane of glass is used for ALL functions of contribution, live transcoding, monitoring, and distribution.
The console also features a full built-in suite of analytics, so you don’t need to spend time or money on an extra external stream analyzer. Indeed, you can monitor everything — from its running history and core tech setup info to error reports and PIDS that send alerts or notifications through email and Slack.
What’s more, you can also share and unify operations across multiple organizations with source permissions. Thanks to secured tokenization, they’ll only have access to what you want them to have.
And thanks to the embedded TAG Multiviewer, you’ll be able to create from 4 to 16 tiles in one multiviewer. This means you can monitor both incoming and transcoded services via an MCR/NOC, mobile OB trucks, desktop computer, or mobile phone anywhere in the world.
Ateme+ Live: Run it When You Need It
Further, the best part about Ateme+ Live is that there is no upfront investment needed to get you going. And you can be up and running in about 30 minutes from scratch. As well, if you only need it occasionally (once per day or weekend, for example), you can save your configurations, shut the transcoders and platform down to reduce operational costs, and then start it back up in about 10 minutes, just when you need it.
Featuring the best-in-class transcoding on the market, Ateme+ Live delivers top video quality at the lowest bitrate. It’s great for the viewing experience, and a win for the planet and your pocketbook. But most importantly, to help us define new features for Ateme+ and iterate on products with regular updates, we need feedback from you, our customers. So, drop me a line, and tell me what you think. I would love to hear from you.