Imagine Communications Rolls Out TV Everywhere Platform

Imagine Communications, the video processing and software unit of what used to be known as Harris Broadcasting, has introduced a TV Everywhere product portfolio comprised of its SelenioNext adaptive bit rate transcoding platform and SelenioEdge content delivery network software.

Imagine Communications will pitch the product pair to service providers as they continue to develop and deploy multiscreen TV Everywhere services, including products that are optimized for live video streaming.

Imagine said its CDN software can support a variety of smartphones, tablets and set-top boxes using formats such as Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming and Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH), and stream out live channels at throughput of up to 20 Gbps – enough to serve tens of thousands of users simultaneously. Its SelenioNext ABR transcoder is integrated with a video packager and origin server. CableLabs, by the way, recently introduced interoperability specifications (subscription required) designed to help operators break out those transcoding and packaging functions and expand their mix of suppliers.

The product launch comes almost four months after Harris Broadcasting announced its acquisition of San Diego-based digital video specialist Imagine Communications.

On Thursday, Imagine Communications also introduced MediaCentral, a software- and IP-based framework to migrate media and playout capabilities to the cloud, alongside modules that support addressable/targeted multiscreen advertising.

The company also launched MultiService SDN, a software-defined networking framework outfitted with a software control layer that provides a hybrid approach that enables service providers to continue to use legacy baseband video processing alongside an on-ramp to a baseband-over-IP platform.

Last Monday (March 17), the company shed its Harris Broadcasting name as it split into two companies – Imagine Communications and GatesAir, a unit that is focused on over-the-air technology for broadcasters and wireless media distribution providers. Charlie Vogt remains CEO of both companies.