Broadcast Content Fragment Archiving for On-Demand Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for converting broadcast content into on-demand assets after a live event are inefficient, requiring re-encoding and resulting in a delay of 30 to 40 hours, making the content unavailable as a VOD asset for an extended period.
Innovation Solution
The technique involves capturing and archiving fragments of broadcast content as they are made available, generating an on-demand-style manifest, and making these fragments available for streaming or downloading without re-encoding, allowing for immediate availability as a Just After Broadcast (JAB) asset upon completion of the event.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If broadcast content is converted to on-demand assets using conventional re-encoding methods, then the content quality is maintained, but the conversion time is excessively long (30-40 hours)
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing and archiving video fragments in their original broadcast format as they are being streamed, before the broadcast event concludes. This pre-preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming re-encoding operations after the event, as the content is already processed and stored in a ready-to-deliver state.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of re-encoding the broadcast content, the system creates copies of the original video fragments in their existing format. These copies are stored in an archive and can be directly delivered to clients as on-demand content, bypassing the traditional re-encoding step entirely while maintaining content quality.
2Loss of time
If broadcast content is archived and made available as on-demand assets immediately after broadcast, then the availability time is reduced to minutes or seconds, but the conventional re-encoding process prevents immediate availability
Solution Approach 1:
The system copies the original broadcast video fragments and stores them in an archive without any re-encoding or format conversion. This copying approach enables immediate availability of on-demand assets as soon as the broadcast concludes, as no additional processing time is required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs all necessary content preparation actions during the broadcast itself by capturing and archiving fragments in real-time. This preliminary processing ensures that when the broadcast ends, the content is immediately ready for on-demand delivery without requiring post-broadcast conversion operations.
3Reliability
If the system archives all video fragments from broadcast streams, then complete content coverage is achieved, but storage requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the broadcast content into discrete video fragments that are individually captured and archived. Each fragment represents a manageable unit of content that can be independently stored, tracked, and delivered. This segmentation approach ensures complete content coverage while maintaining organized, scalable storage structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a nested architecture where video fragments are organized within broadcast events, which are in turn organized within content categories. This hierarchical nesting allows the system to manage large volumes of content efficiently by grouping related fragments together, reducing the perceived complexity through structured organization.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and apparatus are described for making broadcast content available as an on-demand asset soon after all of the video fragments of the broadcast content have been made available. As the video fragments of the broadcast content are made available, they are requested and archived. When all of the fragments for the duration of the broadcast content are available (e.g., a live event ends), a VOD-style manifest is generated and the archived fragments are made available for downloading or streaming using the VOD-style manifest.