Step 1: Share a folder
Create a folder on the DRC-Stream transcoding system, and share it so it’s accessible to all the production workstations on your network. This folder should be where your editors will save files for automatic transcoding.
Step 2: Choose output codecs in StreamPro
Add and set the parameters of each codec you want your source files transcoded to in the Codec Profile tab in the StreamPro software. StreamPro includes a number of pre-defined profiles for common tasks, which you can modify to your preferred settings, or you can create new profiles from scratch. In this example, we’ll be encoding simultaneously to 720 x 480 MPEG-2 for DVD as well as two formats at 320 x 240 for web-based approval or viewing- Windows Media 9 and Flash 8 (with the optional On2 VP6 codec). Other formats supported by StreamPro include QuickTime, AVI, MPEG-4 and AVC/H.264 (for iPods, for example), MPEG-1 and more.
Step 3: Select you watch folder
Choose Watch Folder as your input type in the Input tab and select the shared folder you created in Step 1. Media files that are later saved or copied into this folder will be automatically transcoded and delivered.
Step 4: Apply video processing plug-ins
Apply and keyframe in the Plug-ins tab any plug-ins you want to use to modify the video during transcoding. Apply a graphic overlay, such as a logo bug, to all output files. This is one of the most common tasks.
Step 5: Choose output delivery for each codec
Specify delivery settings in the Output tab for each codec output. You can program delivery settings independently for each codec (you could have each encoded version delivered to a different destination). In this example, we’re setting our Windows Media output to be saved onto a local hard drive, publishing it to an HTML page and automatically transferring it by FTP to a content management server. You can use keyword shortcuts known as "tags" to automatically generate output filenames; the source video filename and current date are used here in this example to build the output filename.
Step 6: Start monitoring the watch folder
Click the Start button. StreamPro will begin monitoring the Watch Folder you specified in Step 2. Any media files that arrive in the folder will be transcoded to all specified formats and delivered to your chosen destination. A common approach is to output a finished AVI or QuickTime movie from a nonlinear editing system, such as Sony Vegas, and have StreamPro automatically create all required delivery formats.
Your Guide
TJ Kudalis
Senior Multimedia Engineer
Internet Broadcasting
TJ Kudalis manages video hardware and software and the streaming media production and delivery process at Internet Broadcasting, publisher of local news online. Kudalis joined Internet Broadcasting in 1999 as multimedia producer for the WCCO-TV Web site before joining the company’s national production team. He moved to the technology department in 2001.
TJ says keep in mind…
While most editing systems can export to at least a couple of distribution formats, it’s not efficient in high-volume production environments – it ties up the editing system while encoding is done to each format. DRC-Stream cards with StreamPro software transcode to multiple formats simultaneously, saving you lots of time. They also support a broad expandable range of encoding formats. The DRC-Stream cards come standard with Stream LE software, which is ideal for live streaming and encoding or manual transcoding operation. The optional StreamPro upgrade adds great automation features that make the workflow so powerful. Plus, an automated pipeline makes it easy for you to encode and deliver your content with minimal training.
Internet Broadcasting
www.ibsys.com
133 Northland Drive
Mendota Heights, MN 55120
ph. 651.365.4000
moreinfo@ibsys.com
Support Gear
Digital Rapids DRC-Stream 1500 hardware and StreamPro software, On2 VP6 codec plug-in (integrated with any NLE. We often use Sony Media Software’s Vegas.)