AOL Chooses Zencoder to Transcode 15 AOL On Video Channels
Brightcove announced that AOL has selected Brightcove's Zencoder to transcode content videos for the AOL On network's 15 channels. AOL cited Zencoder's consistently fast encoding times and its support for the Apple HLS adaptive streaming protocol as the reasons for its choice. While AOL On previously used Encoding.com for its transcoding, it will now split the work between the two companies. Zencoder will handle HLS transcoding and will take 30 to 40 percent of the traffic that had been going to Encoding.com.
"Our strategy is to have as broad a support as possible," said Shahar Chaskelevitch, head of product marketing for AOL On. AOL is expanding its relationship with Zencoder and giving it more traffic since Zencoder APIs fit in better with the AOL workflow. He stressed that AOL values the service it gets from Encoding.com and, as AOL On channels grow, will likley give Encoding.com as much yearly business as it did previously.
AOL On streams on-demand video to 71 million viewers. AOL On was created in April, 2012, as an umbrella site for AOL's original and licensed videos.
“Our goal is to deliver our videos to consumers quickly and on the connected device of their choosing, which requires tremendous video processing power," says Chaskelevitch. "The Zencoder service gives us impressive time and cost savings throughout our transcoding, storage, and delivery workflow.”
Due to Zencoder's MPEG-2 TS packaging and its ability to perform transmux-only jobs, Brightcove says the move will lead to big savings in both storage and delivery costs. It adds that Zencoder uses a custom HLS solution that results in smaller files and that repackages MP4 files as HLS files. The result is that AOL On will be able to stream segmented HLS video without first reencoding the files.
Brightcove acquired Zencoder in July, 2012.
Update 10/22/13: This story has been updated with additional information from AOL. The original version of this story gave the impression that AOL On was moving all of its transcoding business from Encoding.com to Zencoder. The updated story corrects that and notes exactly how AOL On is dividing its transcoding business.
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