Digital Video for the Next Millennium


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Section Four: Digital Video Client/Servers
Asset Management

Asset management includes both digital video files and users. User file management is provided for authentication, usage monitoring and accounting, particularly for "pay-per-view" applications. Basic file management, particularly for assets distributed across servers, involves loading, replicating, distributing and deleting files. File management should be available remotely via a standard Web browser. Several features of asset management, beyond basic file control, include:

  • Management of title copies in different formats and bandwidths.
    • This management should include streaming by the server to the client of the selected asset copy based on factors such as bandwidth at the client, bandwidth availability on the network and best available copy availability.
  • Security. Security should include support for authorization by password, IP address or other scheme. File security should support encryption.
  • Video indexing is a developing area and can include structured metadata indexing, keyword and natural language searching, relational table indexes, storyboard creation and indexing and visual object recognition.

The capabilities of each vendor are:

CyberStorage Systems' Media Server provides an SQL database to define users and access to content. The Media Server will not automatically identify duplicate assets transcoded to different formats or bandwidths but does support storing, cataloging and separating duplicates so users can only retrieve the appropriate asset for their system. Tracking and billing functionality is provided for "pay-per-view" applications. Tracking is accomplished by requiring login to the CPV server before any assets can be requested and streamed. Assets may be categorized through customizable catalog fields.

3CX supports Windows NT role-based security and the secure socket layer (SSL) for data integrity over the Web. Advanced file management and indexing are provided with the Network Video Explorer, a multimedia applications product that includes Microsoft's Jet database engine and a relational database for storing metadata that "follows closely" the IMS Meta-Data standard. Network Video Finder is a web-based video context search tool that includes a category builder for three-tier information retrieval. The administrator can design a custom information structure and complete the entry form to create searchable context for each video asset. A built-in video search engine indexes the context database and retrieves video assets from search queries.

IBM's VideoCharger VOD server and Digital Library management system support the transcoding of digital video titles into multiple formats and bandwidths but do not support automatic streaming of different formats/bandwidths based on established parameters. Instead, all instances of a title would be grouped into a title folder, which could be discovered through a parametric search, and the appropriate copy selected by the user for streaming. VideoCharger includes a kerberos ticket for each video asset as part of the metadata cataloging to set playback limits on each video asset. Digital Library supports a variety of digital objects, including still images, video, audio and text. Digital Library provides a variety of indexing schemes, including Dublin Core or a user-designed database model. Z39.50 can be employed for searching and sharing assets across institutions. QBIC (Query by Image Content) is provided for object component recognition (shape, color, texture, etc.) within still images. A similar object recognition product for video is in development. IBM's digital watermarking technology for images is also provided Digital Library can manage other streaming servers with an API to develop hooks into the file structure. IBM has prepared an API for RealServer support.

Panasonic provides management for media, categories and users. The user database provides the system security features through its logon function. No information was provided on cataloging and indexing capabilities.

Starlight's Management product, StarCenter, relies on Windows NT security but is extensible to other security mechanisms. StarCenter manages multiple encoding instances of a title according to three factors: client capability, administrative policies at the server and current resource availability. Based on these factors, the best available copy is streamed to the requester. StarCenter is interoperable with third party indexing systems and plans to develop a tight integration with a third party indexing product as a future development. StarCenter supports streaming servers from Starlight (StarWorks), Microsoft and Real Networks. StarCenter provides usage tracking, file replication, authoring assistance and media clip management.

SGI's WebFORCE MediaBase supports security and authentication for URLs and provides an API (AAA) for enhancing security. MediaBase is sold with an Informix database, which stores metadata, including user-defined keywords and comments about each asset. The asset itself is stored in a real-time file system, separate from the relational database providing query and retrieval. Oracle can be substituted for Informix. Database set-up and management is hidden for Informix but would be necessary for Oracle implementation. Multiple formats of the same title are stored as a composite title. MediaBase uses a feature called Client Capability Based Streaming to query the MediaBase client, determine its bandwidth capability and stream the appropriate format. StudioCentral, a bundled third-party asset management environment, can create a complete media repository, including customized data types, metadata formats and storage mechanisms. StudioCentral is database independent; the StudioCentral Developer's Kit provides database keys and extended type facilities for Oracle 8 and Informix Dynamic Server.

CISCO IP/TV's Content Manager offers password protection, encryption and file management through a built-in database, including keyword indexing. Keyword queries can be made through the IP/TV client to identify media assets. CISCO's StreamWatch provides viewer and asset information for up to five simultaneous streams. Viewer information includes identification of the viewer (physical location, network address, email address, etc.) and time viewer joined and left a given program. StreamWatch provides quality information about the data stream itself, including jitter, number of packets received and lost, and amount of bandwidth utilized. StreamWatch can trigger bill-back accounting and can be reported into a database for spreadsheet and report generation.

Advanced Modular Solutions/Digital Bitcasting supports player-based or user-based authentication, using http security protocols. The Virage VideoLogger is bundled with the Real Networks G2 server and client for asset management. Virage VideoLogger uses advanced image analysis to create content-based segments based on scene changes, camera changes, etc. Distinct keyframes are extracted to create a digital storyboard for visual content indexing. The index thus developed can be output to a variety of formats, including a flat file or database management system.

InfoValue's QuickVideo Archive (QVAR) organizes media assets into databases for interactive browsing and playback. InfoValue states that it seamlessly supports all third-party applications, including security, indexing and retrieval systems.

Concurrent's MediaHawk server requires administrators of the system to log in and provide a username and password for access to video assets but would also support any UNIX-aware security mechanism, such as kerberos. Currently the following index fields are supported for each asset: title, length (minutes and seconds), number of frames, frame rate per second, and asset file size.