If you'll be encoding with SVT-AV1 or VVC, in this article you'll learn a bit about how to optimize your encodes, particularly the trade-offs that presets deliver, and how many logical processors to use. With SVT-AV1, I also explore the quality and playback efficiency of the fast decode option, although I didn't find much to show for it. You can also peruse the FFmpeg command strings used for all encodes.
08 May 2025
After a 12-year hiatus, Streaming Media is bringing back the Streaming Media All-Stars for 2025 to pay tribute to a select group of key technology innovators who are driving and disrupting the streaming industry.
31 Mar 2025
Can generative AI (gen AI) rip things apart and then try to glue it all back together with more insight, more intelligence, more efficiency, and more value? It really depends on what the application is. Within the video workflow, some tasks are good matches for using gen AI, and others aren't.
28 Mar 2025
Old Hollywood got Wall Street's memo: "Do whatever it takes to do what Netflix is doing." And finally, the studios have begun making money from streaming. With the exception of NBCUniversal, the biggest legacy media companies all reported a profit from their direct-to-consumer (DTC) businesses in Q3 2024. They got there by variously writing down or shedding cable assets, slashing jobs, hiking prices, policing password-sharing, improving bundled offerings, and putting the full focus of their business strategy into online.
28 Mar 2025
With nearly a half-century of streaming industry observations, experience, and expertise between them BuyDRM CEO Christopher Levy and Help Me Stream Research Foundation Founder Timothy Fore-Siglin gathered at Streaming Media Connect 2025 for a richly detailed, insightful, and wide-ranging interview on the state of content protection technology and strategy. The discussion covered various aspects of digital rights management (DRM) and its role in combating streaming piracy.
26 Mar 2025
A mobile device with the right software is now a tool that can replace some of the traditional live production equipment such as low- and mid-tier cameras and encoders. This reduces both upfront capital expenses, like equipment purchases, and operational costs for live content creators.
26 Mar 2025
The RF02 offers multi-channel encoding/decoding, recording, routing, and mixing in one platform via freely combined card modules, simplifying workflows and improving efficiency. It minimizes the need for separate systems, delivering a complete broadcasting solution.
26 Mar 2025
Magewell's USB Capture family has long been the gold standard for professional video capture devices, earning a reputation for being the easiest and most reliable way to bring video and audio signals into software for live streaming, video conferencing, medical imaging, and more. Thenew USB Capture HDMI 4K Pro continues this tradition while adding the ability to capture video sources up to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second.
18 Nov 2024
Recent news, like the shuttering of Edgio, signals to many the imminent death of traditional content delivery networks (CDNs). But does it really?
24 Jan 2025
The shared experience of enjoying a program that's happening at (or very near) the same time as reality is gone. YouTube, Facebook, et al. are typically 20 or more seconds behind when the event happened. Streaming services and apps can have their own pathways and delays. Add more viewers or more processing, and it can get longer.
24 Jan 2025
Not every new customer has the bank to buy all new gear. It's typical to buy used gear, get it running, and then upgrade only as the need and cash flow dictate. But a challenge comes with using older NDI gear.
27 Sep 2024
When it comes to electronics, it's easy to look at advertised features and believe that tech will provide everything you need. But no matter how powerful and integrated it is—perhaps even because of how integrated and powerful it is—you need professionals to run it to ensure you look your best. Streaming may seem easy, but as with any business role, only expertise will make it look easy, even when it's not.
29 Jul 2024