Haivision’s KulaByte, HyperStream Used to Stream SXSW

Haivision Network Video’s KulaByte Traveler live Internet encoder, supported by the company’s HyperStream cloud transcoding service, is powering multiscreen worldwide video delivery of performances from South by Southwest (SXSW).

The Haivision solution enables live streaming of National Public Radio’s “South by Southwest: Live From Austin” music showcase, including three days of music at Stubbs and the Parish, as well as Bruce Springsteen’s SXSW keynote. During SXSW, Haivision’s KulaByte technology also will power live concerts from the Fader Fort available at Fuse.tv, and music from Music Fog available at www.musicfog.com/live-broadcast. 

“SXSW has become a premier showcase for up-and-coming artists, creators, content producers, and entertainers,” said Peter Maag, Haivision’s chief marketing officer. “The uniquely powerful combination of our portable KulaByte Traveler encoder with our HyperStream cloud transcoding service provides NPR and other organizations with a cost-effective way to get live HD video from SXSW shows to audiences around the globe.”

The ruggedized KulaByte Traveler encoder is based on the highly efficient H.264 compression standard. It delivers the highest quality Adaptive HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) and Dynamic RTMP Flash, enabling multiscreen delivery to the largest global penetration of playback devices such as the iPhone and iPad, as well as set-top boxes such as the Roku streaming player.

For the NPR music showcase, Haivision’s KulaByte and HyperStream technology is transcoding each HD feed from the ground into two stream types at eight different stream bit rates. In creating the different bit rate streams, the HyperStream cloud-based transcoder allows video production teams to use each event venue’s limited Internet connectivity to stream at multiple bit rates to all viewer devices while maximizing video quality. This approach preserves the visual value of content while eliminating the cost and hassle associated with special Internet provisioning or bringing a satellite uplink truck on site.