Newtek and Wowza announce MediaDS distribution platform

MediaDS pictured

In a first for the industry, MediaDS enables multi-channel distribution delivered directly from venue to viewers.

Newtek and Wowza Media systems have teamed up to create MediaDS, a hardware-software platform for realtime encoding and a live streaming video delivery mechanism. First teased at IBC2016, MediaDS is touted as an industry first, enabling among other features the ability for content creators to launch multichannel distribution networks from their own production venues and then deliver directly to viewers.

The MediaDS system leverages Wowza's streaming technologies and server network to utilize the hardware as a media server and realtime encoder to stream to external sources including Facebook Live, Microsoft Azure, Wowza CDB, YouTube and Wowza Streaming cloud, as well as having the ability to create custom RTMP configurations. It optimizes content for user devices, ranging from smartphones to computer browsers (with the ability to embed a Wowza player in a web page).

The MediaDS device itself accepts up to four SDI inputs along with integrated NDI technology to support IP input and output. Multiple MediaDS devices can be combined via IP to enable additional inputs.

The system operator can monitor all four of those inputs with audio, full WFM and Vectorscope displays, and perform color correction and audio level correction that leverages Newtek's production technology.

What is even more impressive is the ability to stack multiple channels from the identical source and encode different renditions, enabling adaptive bitrate streaming.

The MediaDS is available immediately at $11,995 from Newtek resellers or co-marketed through Wowza.