Using low latency solutions solves some problems related to good Multiview experiences, but it doesn’t solve all sync related issues because it misses some key parameters especially when it comes to distribution latency. The distribution methods used by linear TV - Terrestrial, Satellite, Cable etc - all have different levels of latency and it is difficult to guess which distribution method is being used by each viewer. Additionally, different hardware used to watch television could add different levels of latency despite being in the same household and using the same distribution network.
The most commonly available solutions deliver no sync at all or use manual time alignment management to achieve some sort of sync - or require modification of content that disrupts workflows. They oblige broadcasters to adopt proprietary CDN’s and media players, all of which limits scalability or increases the effort and cost involved in managing the system once a certain number of users has been reached. This is one of the primary reasons for the limited success of these solutions.
At NativeWaves, we believe that using audio sync measurements to automatically detect the position of the broadcast signal on the main device is the ideal way to sync multiple video, audio and data streams on multiple devices. We also believe that the process should run automatically, should be easy to use for the end consumer and should not require the broadcaster to make any additional integration into the main playback. As this solution uses audio from the main device as a reference, it accounts for all latencies at every stage and delivers a truly synced experience.
Latency and sync are major issues that the industry has been facing for years and it is still looking for a solution that is easy to implement, non-intrusive and uses automated synchronisation to deliver a Multiview experience adjusted to milli-seconds. The solution also shouldn’t require marking or making changes to the content or changes to existing workflows, and it should be CDN agnostic, work across all mobile platforms and use native players on the devices to deliver a synced multi-screen experience.
The Multiview platform – the broadcast solution proposed by NativeWaves - meets all the requirements that the industry has been asking for and is sufficiently flexible and agile that it can be tailored to fit into a broadcaster’s existing workflow without needing any major changes.
This solution enables broadcasters to engage their audiences by delivering all the extra content that is being captured so that nothing goes to waste. It also allows customers to enjoy a truly personalised viewing experience. Multiview also delivers savings by driving synergy between broadcast and streaming service production workflows, thus allowing broadcasters to explore new revenue streams with targeted advertising on additional screens. But most importantly it delivers complete viewer satisfaction, which drives viewership and revenue.
As issues relating to latency and sync are starting to take the centre stage, the perfect solution is now available for broadcasters to use.
|