What is Ext-X-Key IN HLS Playlists, Latest OTT News and OTTVerse Summit
OTTVerse Newsletter #43
Hi everyone, and welcome back to the OTTVerse newsletter.
This week, we present:
Latest OTT News
Latest News From the Streaming Tech Providers
What is Ext-X-Key in HlS Playlists?
OTTVerse Summit
And more!
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Latest OTT News
Pluto TV Broadens FAST Service with Fresh News Channels - Pluto TV, a Paramount Company, has announced the debut of a wide array of free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels across the globe. These channels will be dedicated to covering both global as well as local news across multiple international markets.
DirecTV Raises Prices Amid Ongoing Disney Blackout - The US pay-television operator DirecTV has announced that its subscription price will be raised anywhere between $2-10 across different tiers offered by the operator.
Pay-TV Subscriber Surge Slows Down in Portugal - With 4.6 million subscribers Portugal’s pay-TV market closed the second quarter of 2024, marking an increase of 86,000 subscribers, or 1.9%, compared to Q2 2023.
Warner Bros. Discovery Launches Experiences Division, Adds Theme Parks and Studio Tours - With the creation of a new division Warner Bros. Discovery is doubling down on live experiences focused on theme parks, studio tours, themed exhibitions, and retail.
AMC Networks and Charter Spectrum Sign Early Renewal Deal, Bundle AMC+ with Cable TV Service - Charter Spectrum on Wednesday announced a multiyear agreement with AMC Networks, the owner of channels like AMC, IFC, BBC America, We TV, and Sundance TV, along with streaming platforms such as AMC+, Acorn TV, Shudder, and ALLBLK.
YouTube Achieves Record TV Viewership in July - According to Nielsen monthly media distributor rankings for July, YouTube became the first streaming service to command more than 10% of all the TV viewership in the United States.
Weekly Free NFL Game Streaming Coming to DAZN in Specific Regions - DAZN has partnered with the NFL to bring the 2024 NFL season to fans worldwide. Through NFL Game Pass, viewers in over 200 markets can stream the games on DAZN’s platform, with additional access available on YouTube and Amazon in select regions.
DirecTV Loses Disney Channels, Including ABC and ESPN, Amidst Carriage Battle - Disney is again caught in a significant TV carriage dispute, leaving millions of households without access to its channels. This time, the conflict is with satellite TV provider DirecTV, resulting in channels like ABC and ESPN going dark for its customers.
ESPN and USTA Continue Partnership with New Agreement - ESPN and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) have strengthened their partnership by signing a new 12-year agreement as the 2024 US Open Main Draw kicks off in New York City. This deal ensures that the iconic tournament will continue to be broadcast on ESPN through 2037.
Latest From the Streaming Tech Providers
Amagi Expands Footprint in Latin America with Mexico Entry - Amagi has announced that it is entering the Mexican market. This move underlines Amagi’s commitment to worldwide growth and adds weight to its belief in the massive potential of the Latin American media and entertainment scene.
Amagi and Applicaster Partner to Deliver Unparalleled Viewing Experiences - Amagi and Applicaster have announced the next phase of their integrated solution to drive distribution, monetization, and customer engagement.
Amagi Enables ABS-CBN to Transition to Cost-Effective and Scalable IP-Based Delivery in APAC - Amagi announced the successful implementation of an IP-based delivery solution for ABS-CBN’s pay-TV channels to multiple affiliates across the APAC region.
VisualOn Collaborates with Intel to Optimize Live Video Streaming Efficiency and Quality - VisualOn has announced that they now support Intel Xeon CPUs and Intel Datacenter GPUs to improve live video streaming efficiency and quality.
VisualOn and QUANTEEC Partner to Advance SustainableStreaming Solutions - VisualOn has partnered with QUANTEEC, a French innovator in sustainable streaming technology. This collaboration aims to integrate QUANTEEC’s advanced technology into VisualOn’s media players, thereby enhancing the streaming experience while significantly reducing environmental impact.
Visionular and Ant Media Announce Strategic Collaboration to Revolutionize Live Streaming and Video Compression - Ant Media and Visionular Inc. have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at transforming the live streaming and video compression landscapes.
Gcore Appoints New Territory Manager for UK and Nordics - Gcore, has announced the appointment of Sean Hammond, to head up its fast-expanding UK and Nordics territory.
VisualOn & Norlys Celebrate 10 Years of Pioneering OTT Solutions, Achieving Milestone with Samsung Smart TV Integration - VisualOn commemorates a decade of successful collaboration with Norlys, a prominent player in the Over-The-Top (OTT) industry.
For more OTT news and updates, please go to OTTVerse.com
What is EXT-X-KEY in HLS Playlists?
The EXT-X-KEY tag in an HLS playlist specifies how media segments are decrypted by providing the encryption method, key location, and optional settings. If the tag is absent, it means the media segments are not encrypted. This tag is crucial for instructing the video player on how to retrieve the decryption key and unlock the content.
Key attributes include the METHOD, which specifies the encryption type (e.g., AES-128), and the URI, pointing to the location of the key file. The optional IV attribute defines the Initialization Vector, ensuring each segment is uniquely encrypted. If no IV is provided, the player defaults to using the media sequence number.
Krishna Rao Vijayanagar, Founder at OTTVerse shares helpful insight in this article.
Less than 3 weeks for the OTTVerse Summit!
OTTVerse Summit is happening in less than three weeks. This will be the biggest tech and business Streaming Conference in India.
20 leaders from India’s top OTT platforms will participate as speakers, panellists, and moderators.
Attendees from over 75 companies have already registered.
Leading sponsors will showcase cutting-edge technology.
The event will feature a full agenda packed with engaging and insightful sessions.
If you have not registered yet, you can still register and get the discounted price.
The End
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