Five Steps to Connect: Distribution
In our last blog we looked at what it takes to acquire content using M2A CONNECT, but that begs the question: can a rights owner also use M2A CONNECT to distribute that same content? It’s a simple answer: yes. M2A CONNECT is an integrated product which can handle the process of both distributing and acquiring live video within the AWS Cloud. If you’re a rights owner working with multiple partners, here’s what you need to do to get your video distributed to takers across the globe.
Step 1. Have a think, let us know
Before embarking on any journey, you have to be sure of your destination, your itinerary, the number of travellers, who’s meeting you at the other end (didn’t they re-marry?), do you have their number, should you take a gift, what’s the weather going to be like…? What are you going to do, plan for every eventuality or gamble? With M2A CONNECT, you can let us know the range of your hopes and the extent of your concerns, and we’ll make sure that your licence gives you the necessary room to manoeuvre. M2A CONNECT is built to flex for broadcast workflows, so just let us know:
- What concurrency might you want to achieve? Don’t forget those tricky over-runs!
- What kind of incident do you want protection from? You know, what’s your weakest link, or what is still unproven?
- What availability SLA do you need? And do you need that for everything? Really?
- What territoires might this go to? What frame-rate are they expecting ?
- Do you want to give your takers space to play with different outputs, or serve them a set offering?
We can give you the ability to expand with M2A CONNECT and we can provide the controls to restrict.
Step 2. Establish CONNECT and get your takers on board
Once you’re set up, M2A CONNECT can be controlled using the intuitive M2A Console to automatically orchestrate the scheduling and operation of AWS Media Services. Or if you prefer, you can integrate our API with your systems to further streamline your operations. You’ll already have Sources ready for activation by schedule to receive your streams, and for Distribution you have cross-region Outputs loaded with delivery potential. Regardless of where they are in the world, you’ll then be able to onboard your takers or give them the permissions to do so directly. The takers can set up their own Destinations for the Outputs according to the rules you’ve put down. These rules might determine the split agreed for delivery costs, the number of streams allowed, or the protocol/method used to deliver. If your taker is unsure, we can work with you and your partners to get them set up and ready to receive content via the AWS Cloud and realise its benefits – such as the ability to take more content, improve monitoring and have further control over the services.
Utilising M2A CONNECT for distribution allows you to share valuable content more easily than ever before and with the added benefit of cloud scalability. Even better still, if you have last minute changes to rights packages you can set up new takers rapidly to correspond with the changes.
Step 3: Schedule. Schedule. Schedule.
M2A CONNECT is designed with rights owners and broadcasters in mind. From the schedule-focussed user interface through to the dark mode that is perfect for MCR environments, using M2A CONNECT makes broadcast distribution operations far easier. Take the Schedule feature specifically. Your teams now have the capability to set up distribution routes on-the-fly, as the situation demands, and can easily determine which of your takers are eligible to take the content. Utilising the Schedule feature automates AWS resources, meaning that your operations teams no longer need to to manually turn on and off the resources. The automation saves time and AWS costs, as resources are never used for longer than needed. Other core features within the M2A Console include:
- Routing: Switch your feeds between outputs with ease through a graphical and intuitive view of where your feeds are transiting to and from.
- Proxy View: Have reassurance in your feed’s stability and output by utilising the Proxy View to see and monitor it in real time.
- Media Sources: An easy birds-eye view of the channel feeds flowing through your M2A CONNECT instance as well as a method to view ingress/egress regions, stop/start and M2A CAPTURE status.
Step 4. Change your mind – no drama
Stuff happens, doesn’t it? Sales want to keep selling, customers want more, events change their nature and appeal for no end of reasons. M2A CONNECT has global reach with a toolkit that already answers the majority of changes (number, safety, content, type) enabling you to expand or contract from your starting position, but if you want something super specific, let us know.
Step 5. Do more with your content
M2A CONNECT has grown to encapsulate more of the media workflow since first launching. The product is now integrated with M2A CAPTURE, meaning that you can directly capture your streams to AWS S3 storage without degradation in the same user interface, and use the capture for quality control, archive, regulatory compliance or for use on your owned and operated OTT platform.
Or you can simplify processes for your international takers by offering our award-winning Cloud Frame Rate Converter feature. Utilising M2A CONNECT | Cloud Frame Rate Converter on an event basis reduces the need to deploy expensive hardware and allows you to distribute feeds in your takers’ native frame rate – without having to take the feed from cloud-to-ground-to-cloud, again reducing latency. This has the potential to improve your revenue per taker, as it reduces the need for them to convert the feed themselves, while making the experience better for all parties involved.
Distribution with M2A CONNECT brings together the best of AWS Media Services, helping rights owners to distribute content with ease and do more than ever before, while helping streamline operations. Get in touch to discuss how we can help create the best experience for you and your takers across the globe.
Learn more by downloading our Distribution product sheet here or M2A CONNECT brochure here.
