TVU Networks, the market and technology leader in cloud and IP-based live video solutions, today announced the introduction of an infrastructure-free, 24/7 channel solution – TVU Channel. Initially designed for one of the world’s largest broadcasters, TVU Channel, enables the user to schedule live and VOD programming from a simple web browser. The cloud-based solution can be used for playout via a traditional television channel, to an OTT channel, a pop-up channel or distribution directly to social media – all at the same time and all without any added infrastructure.
The platform provides extensive support for ad insertion, including scheduled breaks, manual breaks and full SCTE passthrough. “This is a game changer,” said Paul Shen, CEO, TVU Networks. “Channel enables you to launch and manage live, 24/7 content channels from your browser. With a 24/7 fully ad insertable channel, all your content can be monitored and monetized. We even made sure TVU Channel provides an as-run log, which is crucial to advertisers.” Direct support from CDN, social media and online video platforms (OVP) is available. TVU Channel also interfaces with BFX, Wide Orbit, and most third-party ad scheduling platforms.
Because it’s cloud native, TVU Channel can be quickly deployed without complicated configuration. There’s no extensive training necessary to get started. Building and managing channels is as easy to learn as a calendar. The browser-based interface can be accessed through any laptop or smart device from anywhere in the world with Internet access. Users don’t need to be located at a physical studio. In fact, TVU Channel can serve as a backup Master Control in the event a physical studio cannot be accessed due to forces beyond your control like weather and viruses.
“This is the first in our product line designed for continual programming and not individual events, like live sports or live news coverage,” said Shen. “TVU Channel is ideal for any organization or individual looking to create their own channel or even back up their existing commercial channel. It isn’t just for TV. Radio stations, newspapers, magazines, churches, college and universities, amateur sports leagues, law enforcement and government agencies, and many other organizations could use TVU Channel to produce a specialized channel for their audience.”
The pricing structure of TVU Channel is pay as you go, so users not only avoid capital expenditures but wasted operating expenditures as well. The end result is that as many channels as needed can be deployed easily, reliably, and in a far more cost-effective manner than traditional playout.
TVU Channel integrates easily within the TVU Networks ecosystem: TVU Producer for multi-camera live video production and graphic overlays, TVU Search for AI-powered content search, TVU Transcriber for real-time closed captioning, TVU Grid for point to multi-point video distribution over the Internet, and the TVU One mobile transmitter and TVU Anywhere mobile broadcast app for live video sources.
Video can be captured on a mobile phone, fed into TVU Producer on a laptop, graphic overlays created in TVU Producer, ads of any length inserted, and then pushed out to the channel for distribution to any playout platform. It also works with other edge devices for the ingest of live content via SDI/SMPTE 2110/NDI, as well as output for traditional linear channels.
Additional Features include:
– Templated program presets
– Program interrupt for instant changes – live or prerecorded
– Automated record function
– Scheduled or on the fly inserted graphic overlays
– Clip editing
– Output of Electronic Program Guides to CDN and OVP sources
– Variable program storage option
– Ticker/Crawl abilities
