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View Full Version : SnapStream, Verizon Quantum and iNG (Internet News Gathering)




tangent4ronpaul
05-06-2015, 01:13 PM
We had a thread awhile back about or at least including discussion about how shows like The Daily Show and Colbert used SnapStream systems products to record a TON of news broadcasts at the same time and then search closed captioning data for keywords/phrases that mapped to HD offsets for where that started. VERY COOL! IIRC, the OP of that thread had found someplace - Internet Archive? - that would allow the same type of searching for free. The problem here is how long it takes before going online. :( Does anyone know where that thread is?

These systems are massively expensive, but SnapStream just came out with a smaller, cheaper box for $500 with the very nice interface and close caption2disk offset feature. Problems: Only supports 2 channels and there is a $100 month service fee :(

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/04/snapstreams-massive-dvrs-used-by-colbert-and-the-like-are-getting-smaller/

Here is their article on the uber expensive 30 channel recording device:

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/09/with-30-tuners-and-30-tb-of-storage-snapstream-make-tivos-look-like-toys/

Now along comes Verizon Quantum who clearly want to leave their competition in the dust. They have at least 5 test markets, but are unleashing a uber DVR that will record 12 programs at the same time ... and can simultaneously deliver live or pre-recorded video to up to 10 TV's in a house. Different channels. Cost? $20 a month to rent. They state that your cable bill will either go down or remain about the same, depending on configuration. 200 hours recording time, 2TB disk. Unecript, and toss signal to other boxes. Supports video cards, many inputs, streaming to smart phones or web, etc. They leave you to believe that you will have to fast forward through shows, etc. Like your current DVR. Umm Hmmm... (they may have crippled the software for control) seems it's slightly more powerful than that. Like on the fly transcoding (converting audio and video formats) and there seems to be tons of possibilities for diverting data to areas where it can be searched, massaged and re-used. Lots of input possibilities including sat, cell, Internet, etc. Output also!

So where did this come from? Seems to be from iNG (Internet News Gathering). Replacing a news sat truck with a backpack - though there is a solution now with something the size of a modern sat phone - about the size of a cops belt worn radio. You break a broadcast signal up between 4-6 3G/4G cell calls and re-assemble them on the back end. YouTube quality obviously requires much less bandwidth. On the handbag size, they have hot swapable batteries and the 2 batteries last 6 hours.

Where did this come from? Well, the iNG (Internet News Gathering) fad. These uber video collectors and distributors are part of this. Vislink LiveGear Airstream (NOT THE RV CO!) Cellular iNG Transmitter feeds these things!

Vislink LiveGear Airstream Cellular iNG Transmitter
http://www.streamingmedia.com/Producer/Articles/Editorial/Featured-Articles/Tutorial-Vislink-LiveGear-Airstream-Cellular-iNG-Transmitter-86612.aspx
ftp://ftp.vislink.com/MRC%20Products/Airstream/AirStream_RD000663_Product%20Manual%20RevC.pdf
http://www.engadget.com/products/digeo/vms-1100/
http://manual-raid.com/view/11445/

-t