Path 1 Teams Up With bitmovin to Enhance Video Streaming Quality

New PiXiE Player Decoder From Path 1 Is Now Integrated With bitmovin's bitdash(TM) Suite of MPEG-DASH Clients

SAN DIEGO, USA(28 Apr 2015)

Path 1, a leading global provider of IP content delivery, today announced that it has teamed up with bitmovin, an industry leading provider of over-the-top (OTT) streaming solutions and cloud transcoding systems, to optimize playback of video content delivered over the Internet. Under the partnership, Path 1's new PiXiE Player, a professional, software-based MPEG-DASH decoder, is now integrated with bitmovin's bitdash(TM) suite of highly optimized MPEG-DASH clients for various platforms and devices. This enables operators in the corporate, enterprise, and house of worship markets to deliver an optimal streaming performance and user experience, particularly in adverse network conditions. Path 1 showcased the new, integrated PiXiE Player at the recently concluded 2015 NAB Show.

"Technology partnerships are ultimately created to benefit end customers, and that's precisely what this announcement is all about," said Bart Schade, president and CTO of Path 1. "By partnering with bitmovin, we are able to include critical Web technology in the new PiXiE Player decoder, guaranteeing superior quality of experience for end users. Path 1 and bitmovin share a passion for quality and reliability when it comes to video distribution over the Internet, making this collaboration a natural next step for both companies."

The bitdash software suite from bitmovin complements Path 1's PiXiE Player decoder by providing smooth Web browser playback of video content generated by the PIXiE-E1 encoder. Through advanced adaptive bitrate (ABR) algorithms and a simple, yet powerful API, bitdash ensures a significantly higher quality of experience compared with other ABR streaming technologies and clients on the market.

bitdash MPEG-DASH streaming clients do not require any specific plug-ins. They are available as JavaScript(TM)-based implementation for HTML5 platforms using the Media Source Extensions, as well as Adobe(R) Flash(R) Player-based clients for usage within Web browsers that do not support adaptive streaming for HTML5 (e.g. Firefox), providing operators with increased flexibility. Leveraging the versatility of bitdash, operators can support mobile platforms like Android(TM) and iOS(R) without needing third-party apps. The platform-agnostic streaming clients automatically use HLS as fallback on platforms without MPEG-DASH support for maximum coverage.

By providing operators with an end-to-end, MPEG-DASH-based solution for delivering high-quality live and on-demand video content over the Internet, Path 1's PiXiE-E1 encoder and the PiXiE Player decoder optimize operational efficiencies and cost savings. Under Path 1's MPEG-DASH-based delivery approach, operators only need to encode content once before simultaneously delivering it via SDI, HDMI, and Web workflows. This increases cost savings for operators while providing end users with a faster, higher-quality streaming experience. The PiXiE Player's intuitive Web user interface ensures a seamless integration into any professional video operation.

"Teaming up with Path 1 brings a multitude of benefits to professional video operators," said Christian Timmerer, CIO, bitmovin. "Aside from the cost savings and operational efficiencies realized through MPEG-DASH, our integrated solution allows operators to deliver a smooth streaming experience without buffering, satisfying the growing demand for high-quality video content on any device."

More information about the PiXiE Player and the company's other products is available at www.path1.com.

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About Path 1 (www.path1.com)
A division of IP Video Networks, Inc., Path 1 is the leading IP video gateway provider for broadcasters and service providers. In 2001, Path 1 successfully pioneered one of the first documented SDI-over-IP backhauls across the United States, and in 2002, introduced the 1410MX product to the cable/MSO market, becoming an industry leader in video-on-demand IP multiplexing. Since then, Path 1's network processor-based platform has been the subject of an Intel(R) case study and the basis for several successful video-on-demand and broadcast-quality MPEG/IP gateways. Utilizing Path 1 gateways, broadcasters and service providers around the world are able to transmit professional television content on the most demanding networks. More information is available at www.path1.com.

About bitmovin (www.bitmovin.net)
bitmovin -- ranked by Streamingmedia.com in 2014 as the youngest company within the Top 100 companies that matter most in online media -- is specialized in adaptive streaming solutions based on MPEG-DASH and Apple HLS that can be used to offer live as well as on-demand content in highest quality (HD, UHD/4K) without stalls and startup delays. bitmovin offers its cloud-based transcoding and streaming platform, www.bitcodin.com, to generate the content for adaptive streaming via the Internet as well as its bitdash MPEG-DASH players at www.dash-player.com to consume this content in the best quality, up to 100-percent-higher media throughput compared with other solutions. By using bitmovin's products it's possible to have one technology and solution for multiple platforms (Web, TV, smartphone, etc.) and to use cost-effective HTTP delivery infrastructure, both of which help to reduce costs. bitmovin also actively participates in standardization bodies, including ISO/IEC MPEG, DASH Industry Forum, IETF, and IEEE.

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Image Link: www.202comms.com/Path1/Path1-PiXiE_Player.jpg
Image Caption: Path 1 PiXiE Player