New capabilities of MD16 enhance guest experience and enables service providers to differentiate video offering
ATX Networks, a global leader in digital access and media distribution solutions, introduced an enhancement to the MD16 bulk media distribution gateway that will enable service providers to offer hotels, hospitals, universities, apartments and other commercial customers streaming media capabilities. The new MD16 OTT streaming blade enables an over-the-top (OTT) video experience anywhere within the commercial enterprise facility on any device, including smartphones, tablets and PCs.
Streaming linear video in a private network presents multiple challenges. The ATX streaming media blade overcomes these challenges to allow guests and residents to view live, linear television programming on personal devices, such as smartphones, tablets and PCs, without the requirement to install multi-rack solutions with standalone encoders and Web servers. ATX’s integrated OTT streaming solution reduces power consumption, space and operational complexity.
“ATX continues to empower PayTV operators with the capabilities they require to reinvigorate their commercial and enterprise business strategies,” said Andrew Isherwood, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, Media Distribution at ATX. “Our market-leading MD16s equipped with the new streaming blade will allow hotels, universities, hospitals and MDUs to offer their clientele a broadcast TV experience on their mobile devices.”
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The MD16 OTT streaming blade enables universities, for example, to offer a campus-wide broadcast television experience to students on their mobile devices anywhere WiFi is available, including dorms, gyms and common areas. In hotel, apartment and hospital settings, the streaming blade allows guests, residence and patients to watch live TV on their own devices.
The new streaming media blade consumes a single slot in the MD16. A single blade is capable of streaming 24 HD channels to as many as 250 devices. Content streamed from the MD16 is viewable on Apple (HLS) and Android (MPEG-Dash) devices. The streaming media blade interfaces with the existing WiFi Internet-delivery infrastructure and includes an integrated HTML-5 Web server, enabling end users to make streaming content selections through a Web browser. Near real-time encoding capabilities reduce delays of nearly a minute that are typical of commercial OTT services. End users play the video in their Web browsers, eliminating the need to download or install a separate app.
The MD16 offers PayTV operators a path to greater profitability in commercial accounts by delivering a single-box, fully integrated solution that reduces power consumption, space and other operational expenses. The integrated streaming blade also reduces on-premises bandwidth requirements, as fewer residents and guests will need to connect to Internet-based streaming services using external servers.
“The addition of an integrated streaming blade makes an already compelling value proposition even better,” added Isherwood. “The MD16 makes it easy to deliver television programming to mobile devices wherever people congregate, including universities, offices and sporting events.”
The MD16 streaming blade will be generally available in calendar Q3, 2019.