University of Texas embraces ViewCast encoders and streaming technology

University
of Texas fans are
enjoying a new way to watch and replay their favorite Longhorns sporting event via
the Internet. The innovative university has embraced streaming technology from Viewcast to
further advance its collegiate athletic programs and broaden its reach to a much
larger audience.

The
University
of Texas has implemented
ViewCast Niagara encoding systems and Niagara GoStream portable streaming
encoders to capture and stream live video from any location with Internet
access, as well as enable archived video for later video-on-demand (VOD)
viewing. The program has expanded its coverage to 20 different intercollegiate
teams, including football, baseball, soccer, women’s volleyball, and many more.
To catch a Longhorns sporting event via the Internet or watch replay of
captured events, viewers visit the university’s online athletics media
center at www.texassports.tv.

ViewCast streaming equipment has enabled University of Texas
athletics to evolve its video content delivery model from a subscription-only
service to free streaming content for live sporting events, as well as an
extensive sports video archive, all funded by sponsorships. Jim Sigmon, manager
of media production for
University
of Texas Intercollegiate Athletics,
said, “Since we switched to ViewCast, the quality of our streaming video
offerings has increased considerably and so has the audience- which has
enabled the program to become self-funded.”

With such an expansion of interest and activity, the
university’s production team needed multiple units to be available at multiple
locations, often simultaneously. Rack-mounted ViewCast Niagara encoders housed
in the university’s mobile broadcasting vehicles enable the production crew to
stream audiovisual content from up to three live events simultaneously. The
portable Niagara GoStream encoders allow them to capture high-quality, live
action sporting events on location from a variety of venues.

Since the university began employing ViewCast equipment, its
streaming uptime reliability, customer satisfaction, and user experience have
dramatically increased. “With our old configuration of streaming
equipment, our failure rate was 40 percent or greater, and it was not unusual
for us to lose audio or video during an athletic event,” said Sigmon.
“Now, the
Niagara and GoStream encoders
give us well over 90 percent reliability at a truly competitive price
point.”

ViewCast streaming encoders provide a wide range of video
and audio inputs, as well as flexibility by including multiple bit rate and
format (codec) settings. This broad array of capabilities ensures that the
production crews can capture the rapid-paced action of a game and deliver a
high-quality viewing experience to the fans, regardless of the Internet
connection speed or viewing format they choose.

“These systems provide plug-and-play encoding
functionality that gives us everything we need to begin encoding right out of
the box,” said Sigmon. “We don’t have to be experts in that area to
make this work. Our production crews simply plug their cameras into the
ViewCast encoders, connect to the Internet, push a button, and start streaming.
The most novice user can stream if they’ve got this user-friendly
technology.”

“The
University
of Texas is a great
example of an organization that has been able to leverage our streaming
technology to maximum benefit by providing a rich array of live and archived
video content to sports fans,” said Gary J. Klembara, senior vice
president of sales at ViewCast. “The university listened to its fans and
responded with the high-quality, on-demand content they were asking for, and
Niagara GoStream provided a cost-effective and reliable solution.”