Kulabyte offers up new HD encoding system

A new high-definition (HD) video encoding system that enables faster HD encoding with significantly higher quality levels is being tauted by Kulabyte. Kulabyte’s TimeSlice technology, incorporated into the popular On2 VP6 for Adobe Flash Player content , will enable the growing numbers of HD producers – including daily newscasters, satellite entertainment companies, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) programmers, and streaming video services – to more efficiently complete production of HD files for delivery over a variety of networks while maintaining near source quality levels.

The announcement marks a significant advancement in the efficiency of HD encoding for Flash Player video content. The announcement is the latest in a series of licensing deals that Kulabyte has made with On2 Technologies, Inc., (AMEX:ONT), the leading provider of video compression software and solutions , including the licensing of On2 VP6 to Kulabyte for professional server-based encoding and a Kulabyte-enhanced personal and professional grade desktop encoding and publishing solutions that are marketed toward consumer and user-generated content producers. The Kulabyte Professional VP6 Encoder will begin shipping to customers in June.

“The HD production market is growing, as demand for higher-quality visual content is growing, and Kulabyte TimeSlice technology for Flash Player-ready encoding addresses the largest potential video market segment at a time when networks are bandwidth-constrained,” said Gerry Kaufhold, principal analyst with In-Stat. “A cost-effective solution that enables faster HD encoding while maintaining native quality is well-timed, particularly as the U.S. digital television market prepares for a full-scale transition to all-digital broadcasts.”

At last months’ National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in Las Vegas, Kulabyte demonstrated professional Flash1080 progressive encoding on a single server that was performed at 42.2 frames per second (fps), which is significantly faster than real-time.

Kulabyte’s patent-pending multi-core encoding technology achieves significantly faster encoding speeds and higher quality video than standard encoding allows. The advantages of faster encoding derived from Kulabyte’s technology are particularly desirable for time-sensitive content such as news, sports and live broadcasting.

“While On2’s TrueMotion compression schemes, including On2 VP6 for Flash Player harness the quality of the original source material while achieving high compression rates, faster encoding times is always a desired goal – particularly as high definition video becomes more pervasive,” said Bill Joll, president and CEO of On2. “With KulaByte’s Timeslice technology, faster than real time HD encoding puts that discussion to bed. On2 and KulaByte together deliver wins along all three vectors that matter – quality, time and cost.”

Kulabyte’s TimeSlice technology delivers faster than real-time encoding, noticeably improved picture quality and significant bandwidth savings. Digital media creators can encode, and distribute digital content at speeds more than 12 times faster than standard industry platforms at comparable prices. The suite of Kulabyte-enabled consumer desktop VP6 products scheduled to be released in the 3rd quarter of this year.

“Our HD customers – whether broadcast news organizations, cable programmers, or satellite services – are desperately seeking solutions that address their constrained resources. We can provide the quality levels that they seek without compromising their operational efficiencies,” said Chris Gottschalk, chief technology officer of Kulabyte. “Together with On2, we are breaking new ground in the delivery of a solution for the widest possible segment of HD producers.”

On2 VP6 for Flash is becoming the dominant format for Internet video, licensed by Adobe for Adobe Flash Player 8 and 9. On2 provides the broadest range of encoding and publishing tools of any format within its Flix-branded products, increasingly aiding the adoption of VP6 based Flash Player video.

“In today’s online video production environment, a rapid encoding process is critical for time-to-market, and Kulabyte addresses this need for a wide cross-section of our customer set,” said Chris Hock, group product manager, Flash Media Server, for Dynamic Media at Adobe. “By accelerating the encoding process for creating FLV files, the Kulabyte Professional Encoding Suite enables a faster workflow for customers.”