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BT Rich Media platform 2004
1. BT Rich Media
Sales Training
Platform & Broadband Manager – 10th September 2004
2. Agenda
• What is the BTRM Platform?
• Content Production
• Hosting & Delivery
• Content & Consumer Management
• Customer Requirements
3. What is it?
The BT Rich Media platform is a set off tools that our
customers may use to:
• prepare content for broadband or mobile usage
• deliver the content to the end user, directly or by 3rd party
• manage the usage of their content by the end user
• manage their end user base directly
• bill the end users for the use of their content
• host their web site
7. Jargon
• Acquisition = capturing content at source e.g. video or sound recording
• Contribution = getting content to BTRM e.g. on tape, via satellite or over internet
• Broadcast format = the format used for content to be transmitted across video / audio
networks and stored on tape e.g. PAL, ASI, SDI, AES
• IP VPN = the secure PRIVATE network connecting customers to us and our sites to
each other. It is not the internet.
• DSL (ADSL & SDSL) = a form of connecting to the internet or IP VPN using a standard
telephone line and is contended by upto 50:1 therefore no guarantee of bandwidth
– ADSL ranges from 512kBps to 2MBps down and 64kBps to 256kBps up
– SDSL ranges from 512kBps to 2MBps both up and down
• IP Clear = a form of connection to the IP VPN using a separate connection and has a
guaranteed bandwidth – 2Mbps to 1GBps
• Metadata = text information about a piece of content e.g. title, description, artist,
copyright owner, etc
8. Content acquisition & contribution
• Majority of content acquisition is done by the customer
– Exception: Conference League – we acquire it on-site directly from the
cameraman
• Content is contributed to the BTRM platform via:
– Video networks (satellite or terrestrial) via BT Tower to ICF @ Chiswick
[Specialist design skills from BTBS or TWIi required to use this method]
– On video or audio tape, DVD or CD: delivered to 203HH or soon, the
BTRM Tape Library @ Chiswick
• Tape formats: Digibeta & BetaSP (can handle VHS if required)
– On portable hard disk drives: delivered to 203HH
– Using ‘upload’ capability over the IP VPN connection
– Secure FTP upload over the Internet
9. Content metadata contribution
• Metadata associated with a piece of content can be
delivered to the BT Rich Media platform, together with the
content on all but the video network
• Metadata can be automatically ingested when provided in
the following formats:
– A simple text file
– A CSV (Comma Separated Value) file
– A XML (Extensible Markup Language) file
• Metadata can be provided in other formats but will need to
be manually captured by BT Rich Media staff
10. Typical uses
• Video networks: All this content requires Encoding
– Broadband TV e.g. Nevis: have live feeds captured off-air or direct from TV
sudios requiring encoding, editing and then distribution to 3rd parties or our
delivery platform for delivery to end consumers
– Sports events e.g. Wimbledon: have live feeds requiring encoding, editing
and then distribution to 3rd parties or our delivery platform for delivery to end
consumers
– Corporate events e.g. financial announcement: have live feeds being
streamed live but also require editing and distribution to enable viewing at
later stage
• Physical medium:
– All types of customers have content on tape, DVD or CD.
– All content on tape requires Encoding
11. Typical uses, continued
• Portable Hard Drives:
– Content on disk drives is already encoded into a digital format and may only require transcoding
and DRM. Only some formats can be edited using ICF
• Using ‘upload’ capability over IP VPN:
– Content being uploaded is already encoded into a digital format and may only require
transcoding and DRM. Only some formats can be edited using ICF
– Customers using ICF will be able to ‘drag & drop’ content and metadata into ICF for automatic
ingestion – using Upload or Hot Folders
– Customer using SDS will be able to ‘upload’ content and metadata from their local workstation
into the SDS Media Processor
• Using Secure FTP over Internet:
– Content being FTP’d is already encoded into a digital format and may only require transcoding
and DRM. Only some formats can be edited using ICF
– Customers not using an IP VPN may upload content and metadata using secure FTP into their
own ‘in box’ and this will be moved to the relevant location e.g. ICF hotfolder, SDS media
processor inbox or their own directory for streaming / download
14. This section covers:
• Content ingestion
• Content management, including
– Editing
– Workflow
– Metadata
– Categorisation
– Storage
• Content preparation, including
– Transcoding
– Digital Rights Management
• Content delivery and syndication
15. Jargon
• Ingestion = the process of inserting the content and metadata into the relevant applications (e.g.
ICF, SDS, Customer website) so that it may be used.
• Essence = Content
• Bitrate = defines the best quality the content can be delivered at. The higher the bitrate, typically
the better the quality but also the larger the file size and the higher the bandwidth an end user
needs to view the content or download it in a reasonable time
• Encode = converting an broadcast signal (e.g. PAL TV feed) to a digital file (e.g. MPEG)
• Transcode = converting a digital file from one format (e.g. MPEG) to another (e.g. WM9) or
changing the quality (e.g. from Master [50MBps] to DVD [5MBps], High Broadband [1.5MBps], Med
Broadband [750kBps], Standard Broadband [340kBps] or Narrowband [45kBps] and anywhere in
between] or both
• Web browser based = is accessed using a web browser such as Microsoft’s IE6
• Web based = is accessed via a web browser or proprietary user interface over the internet
• HSM = hierarchical storage management and means the ability to move content to different storage
types based on rules e.g. value, time or space limitations
• Syndication = the process of delivering both content and metadata to multiple B2B customers
simultaneously
16. BT Interactive Content Factory
• The production and management platform for BT Rich Media.
• Delivered remotely via a standard BT IP VPN. No server or
software required at the customer site. Used through a simple
web browser.
• Provide unified user interface for :
– Content Management and
workflow management
– Digital File, Tape and Live Feed ingest
– Editing
– Productisation suite
– Digital Rights Management
– Syndication and distribution
• The World’s first IP based Remote Editing platform
18. Ingestion
• The ICF ingestion process covers the following activities:
– Identifies how the content and metadata is being delivered e.g. via video server,
hotfolder or upload
– The creation of a digital asset within the ICF database, of the correct type and with a
unique identifier
• Content delivered to the BT Rich Media ICF in broadcast format i.e.
over video network or from tape, is passed through the video servers
before ingestion
– Content is encoded into a Master format [MPEG2 50Mbps] and a Proxy format
[WM9] for editing purposes
– For customers only requiring an ‘encode’ into another format or quality [we call this
transcoding], the Master and Proxy will be deleted
• Once the content is ingested, it can be used by the content production
processes
19. Ingestion, continued
• Content and metadata can also be ingested into the
Content & Consumer Management Services platform
(SDS)
• Once content and metadata is uploaded to the SDS Media
Processor ‘InBox’, a new digital asset with associated
metadata is created in the SDS database, ready for use
• ICF / SDS Integration: When a customer is using both ICF
& SDS functionality, content and metadata produced in
ICF is ‘automatically ingested’ into SDS once it has been
approved for publication. This does not work the other way
around!
20. ICF main page
Metadata & Categorisation
Workflow management
Editing
Uploading content
Video Servers
21. Video Server
• Each video server is connected to a
source – either live feed, video tape
recorder (VTR), DVD player* or CD
player*
• The controls for the video servers
– act just the same as that of a VTR:
Record, play, pause, fast forward, rewind,
stop
– can control the attached VTR remotely
and synchronises the recording
• The operator either just starts
recording a live feed or starts the
source (VTR, DVD or CD) and then
starts recording
23. Remote Editing – NetEdit Live, continued
• The NetEdit Live application enables
– The capturing of clips from a live incoming source
– The ability to edit the clips or stored video files (limited to WM9)
– The creation of new clips based on a timeline
• The NetEdit Live applications works as follows:
– The user views and edits a frame accurate video Proxy (WM9)
– Once the new clip is complete, a process called ‘conform’ is undertaken
• It creates an Edit Decision List (a list of in/out points of video) of the clip
• It then goes to the original (preferably the Master) and copies the
relevant pieces
• And then ‘muxes’ them together to create a new clip directly from the
original (it is from this new original that the transcoding is done)
24. Remote Editing – NetEdit Live, continued
• The next release of the NetEdit Live application enables
– Ability to add or delete the audio tracks (used to create content with different
languages)
– Ability to add a voice over track (used to add commentary)
– Ability to enhance the transition between clips on a timeline e.g. fade in / fade out
– Ability to add text onto the content e.g. on screen titles, watermarks, etc
• The most prolific users of this function will be customers:
– Managing live TV content ingestion and creating new content e.g. Nevis
– Providing new content from live feeds or existing clips for resell e.g. sports rights
holders creating content packages for syndication
– Creating trailers or previews from film, documentaries or other video footage and
who do not have any in-house editing capability e.g. Bollywood Boulevard
26. Workflow
The Workflow application is central
to working with the ICF and is
designed to be used as the first
port of call when an ICF user wants
to know what work they have to do.
In the Workflow application you can
view and manipulate the status of
pieces of content as they pass
along the stages of a workflow.
Some workflows will only support
one type of content, e.g. video,
while other workflows might support
numerous types of content. When a
piece of content passes through a
workflow it is represented as a row
in the Workflow application, and
this is called a job.
27. Workflow, continued
• ICF has a number of configured ‘actions’ or ‘modules’ that
can be used in a workflow:
– e.g. conform video, update metadata, categorise, deliver, etc
– new ones can be developed on request
• BT Rich Media have configured a standard set of
workflows for all supported content types
– Standard process is manual – requires manual input
– Automated workflows can be configured but require customer specific input
• Customised workflows can be created for specific
customer
28. Metadata
• Metadata is the list of descriptors that define the content
• Metadata ranges from the title, description, artist, copyright owner to
more content specific such as filename, file location, file type, etc
• There are many metadata standards – the ICF does not conform to
any specific one BUT
– Metadata provided in XML / CSV files can be translated to match the ICF
– New metadata fields can easily be added (unfortunately they are global)
• The metadata delivered with the content to a customer’s web
application can be configured to match any standard e.g. CableLabs,
TVAnytime, Dublin Core, etc, as long as the metadata is captured
29. Metadata, continued
The Metadata Editor displays
all the properties of the
content and allows these to
be edited.
There are various different
item types, and over time the
types in use may change.
Each item type has its own
properties – different items
often have very similar
properties, but they can be
entirely different if required
30. Copyright management
• The Copyright application manages the copyright details for items
with a timeline, for example video or audio assets
• Copyright defines who owns the content, who has the rights to use
it, and any restrictions placed on it
• The Copyright details are stored as metadata and are passed on
with the content in the metadata file
• Copyright details are not enforceable
31. Content Categorisation
Recipients [the BTRM delivery
platform or other 3rd party
platforms] of content delivered
from ICF subscribe to ICF-
defined categories.
In order for the subscriber to
receive content, such as video
or audio items, the item must
be added to the categories to
which the recipients are
subscribed.
Categories are the link between
the content and the subscriber.
32. ICF Storage
• ICF uses a high quality disk storage system to allow fast read / write
capability for encoding and editing purposes
• This storage is usually only used to store ‘work in progress’ and the
Master / Proxy files – high quality, large files
• The current storage capacity is being increased to 8TB
• The cost of using this storage is high and hence not suitable for
archive purposes
• BT Rich Media & TWIi are designing a suitable HSM solution that will
allow ‘cheap’ online and nearline storage options to be integrated and
allow content to be moved to the most appropriate location
34. Transcoding
• There are four video & audio transcoding applications integrated with
ICF:
– Telestream Flip Factory
– Real Helix Mobile Producer 10
– Real Helix Producer 10
– Windows Media 9 Producer
• Most video & audio content formats ingested can be transcoded into
other formats (see the table provided)
• Notable exception – we cannot transcode from or to Flash
• BT Rich Media has a number of standard profiles set up but new ones
can be done on a customer by customer basis
36. DRM packaging
• The DMDSecure packager application (soon to be
released supporting Real Helix DRM) is integrated into
ICF
• If content is to be encrypted, this can be done by simply
selecting the DRM option in the syndication configuration
screens and setting the parameters
– This is done through XML not a user interface
– Typically content will be encrypted without rules and these get set by the
storefront or BT Rich Media rules engine
• When this content leaves the ICF platform it is encrypted
and can only be accessed with a valid licence
37. Delivery & Syndication
• Delivery & Syndication mean similar things within ICF
– Syndication means the creation of accounts, with specific rules, to which to
deliver content and metadata to
– Delivery means the process through content and metadata is moved from
ICF to either the BT Rich Media delivery platform or a 3rd party platform
• Currently, delivery to 3rd party platforms is done via
Bletchley until a secure internet based solution is applied
to ICF
• Each syndication account can have different rules
associated with transcoding & DRM, methods of delivery
and format of metadata
39. Facts & Figures
BT Rich Media currently has the following capability on ICF:
• Ability to allow 5 concurrent remote editors plus two local
or upto 20 concurrent remote standard users
• Ability to handle upto 3 concurrent video ingests [3 video
servers]
• Ability to transcode across 13 media processor servers
[volume depends on transcoder being used]
• Delivery upto 10MBps of content to the delivery platform
• Store upto 8TB of Master / Proxy content
42. This section covers:
• Hosting & Delivery details
• Things to remember
• Facts & Figures
43. Jargon
• Load balanced = requests for service are spread across a
number of servers to ensure no one server is over-loaded
and if one server fails, the other just take over the workload
• Resilience = for every server installed, there is a back up
server, and the total load is managed such that if one fails,
the others can handle the full load
• CDN = content delivery network, provides large geographic
coverage, higher bandwidth capabilities and higher
probabilities of ‘guaranteed’ delivery
44. BT Rich Media hosting & delivery platform
• The hosting & delivery platform at Bletchley has the
following capabilities:
– Can host and support customer web sites (Java based only)
– Can host and support* customer applications e.g. eLearning software
– All Microsoft based web sites are hosted by a partner – BT Global Hosting
– Can stream video & audio content in many formats but predominantly in
Windows Media 9 and Real 9/10
– Can download all content types
– Can store upto 10.5TB of content
• All the equipment is load balanced and resilient
• All the equipment is secure behind managed firewalls
45. Things to remember
• When BT Rich Media ‘hosts’ a customers web site or
software, we only provide them space on a server, some
storage and internet access
• We do not:
– Provide them access to our databases (chargeable)
– Install* and support their software
• We do not ‘guarantee’ the delivery of content (streamed or
downloaded) unless a customer purchases the necessary
dedicated bandwidth
• For customers requiring volumes exceeding the BTRM
capacity or geographic reach, BTRM has the option to use
its CDN partners – RBN & Akamai
46. Facts & Figures
The BT Rich Media platform can support:
• Upto xxx page hits per day [based on 7 web servers] or
• Upto 3000 concurrent broadband streams [based on 9 streaming
servers] or
(Theoretically limit based on servers is 7700 broadband streams but
limited by bandwidth)
• Upto 7.3M downloads [5 min music track @ 192kBps] per day [based
on 2 download servers]
As all the above actions share the same bandwidth, only a combination
can be achieved
The only limitation the platform has for scalability is a current 1GBps
throughput limit on the firewalls
48. This section covers:
• SDS Usage
– Using API
– Using Customer Administration Interface
• Content ingestion
• Content management, including
– Content Owner
– Channel Owner
• Plan Management, including
– Subscriptions, Rentals & Pay-per-view / download
– Price sheets
• Customer Care
– Self Care
– Customer Care Agents
• Billing and Payments
49. Jargon
• API = application programming interface, a well defined
data structure and sub-routine call
50. What is the Service Delivery Suite (SDS)?
• SDS supports the delivery of rich, secure, premium media
based content experiences.
• Specifically, SDS facilitates:
– The acquisition, transformation, and delivery of premium media
– The creation and support of customer accounts
– The creation and support of service plans and offerings
– The creation and support of content offerings and products
– The billing and payment process
– Performance of the business through reporting & analytics
– Performance of the media delivery system through monitoring
51. The two sides to SDS
The SDS is used in two distinct ways:
• via a Customers web site or storefront
– The web site makes ‘calls’ to SDS using a published API
– End user and transaction information is transferred between SDS and the
web site using these API calls and displayed accordingly
– Details of products (consists of content within a specific channel) can be
displayed, together with the price, on the web site
– Access to the content is managed by the authority the web site gives
• via the Customer admin interface on the SDS
– The Customer can administer their end user information database
– The Customer can manage the pricing models and plans for content
– The Customer can obtain reports
52. Service Delivery Suite
Agg App
Streaming
Agg App WebLogic
Server
Server
Media Management
System
Download
Server
Network
Attached
Database Storage
Via Internet
Via Internet
Content Content
Subscriber Owner
(end user) Media
Processor
53. Content ingestion
• The platform provides automated facilities to ingest content. This can
include
– Retrieval of content and meta-data from external servers
– Transcoding of the content to other formats (e.g. Real 10, WM9) at various qualities
(e.g. a low bit-rate preview stream and a high bit-rate download)
– Protection with DRM
– Automation can allow the content to appear directly on the web-site if required
• The ingest works for various content types such as news articles and
media files
• Both the content and metadata can be ingested using the Media
Processor InBox (This is how content is ‘ingested’ from ICF)
56. Content Management, continued
Management is split between content owners and channel owners
• The Content Manager provides the ability to view and manipulate
content metadata for content that has been registered by the content
ingestion process. Content can be manually added to or deleted from
the system as well.
• The Channel Editor creates Channels of digital assets. Assets are
multimedia files such as RealVideo and MP3. Channels themselves
are merely pointers to Content Volumes. Administrators determine
what assets are available to a particular Channel and subsequently to
Subscribers.
Examples:
– An organisation could use different channels for different territories (thereby
controlling the release of content across territories)
– Channel owners could create free, standard and premium channels
• A party can be both a content owner and a channel owner
60. Plan Management
• The Plan Administrator provides the interface for customizing end
user offerings, including customer product packages, pricing rules,
billing rules as well as Subscriber Plan Rules
• The SDS supports one-off payments (pay-per-view or download) and
subscriptions and payments can be taken for
– Individual items (e.g. buy a track or album)
– Channels (e.g. access to the premium channel)
– Or a combination of both
• This can apply to streamed or downloaded content
• Plans can be made available to particular audiences
• The system supports various discount models and free trial periods
• Can support try-before-you-buy, e.g. a 30 second preview
• Full automation of email notifications
62. Customer Care
• Customer Care provides the interface for managing end
user accounts.
• Common tasks for a Customer Care Agent:
– Assist with or perform customer registration and content purchases both
through the storefront and through Customer Care in SDS
– Update or edit customer-billing data
– Enter notes on account activity
– Update, change, add or delete (cancel & refund) a purchase
– View the purchase history of an account
64. Consumer Self Service
SDS provides an API to allow customers to build the ability for end
users to manage their own accounts online:
• Captures user information and enables editing
– Creates account
– Login name, password
– Name, address, city/town, county, country, postal code, day & evening telephone, fax
• Captures user billing information and enables editing
– Encrypts to VISA specifications
– Payment type, card number, expiry date,etc
• Select or cancel payment plans
• View billing and transaction history
65. Consumer Self Service - Example
• Allows customers to
manage their account
information
• Reduces costs
associated with direct
end-user customer
support
66. Billing and Payment Processing
• The SDS is fully integrated with Worldpay & Bibit to process requests initiated
from the customer’s storefront/portal website
– Work has started to integrate with BT Click & Buy
• SDS batches monthly subscription recurring billing on anniversary bill date of
member (adjustable)
• PPV / D billing is done in real-time or batch processing (adjustable)
• Back-end transaction requires approval or denial and confirmation &
verification before authorising the purchase (protects against double billing
due to latency or broken communications)
• Support for Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners, American Express, Electronic
Checks, ACH and cash cards (dependent on Merchant Bank account)
• Local currency and sales & value added tax is supported (dependant on
Merchant Bank account)
• Logs transaction data in database for customer service, direct marketing and
authentication services
67. Reporting
• Reporting interface to track all major activities of
the SDS system using reporting tool:
– Site Usage (to controlled pages only)
– Content Usage
• Streams
• Downloads
– Customer Care and related Subscription Management
reports available (including graphs)
• Management Reports:
– Subscriber acquisition
– Conversion statistics
– Subscriber retention
– Billing
69. Data Security
• All access controlled via Secure ID tokens, username and
password
• All billing and sensitive information is secured using VIS
specifications
• All API and billing transactions are authenticated with
security keys
• The Customer Administration supports roles with
delegated authority
71. DRM Web HTML
services
External Portal or player
conditions
License
Live and DMDlicenser
pre-recorded
media HW & SW Internal conditions
License request
encoders
Packaged media
Delivery
Mechanism
(streaming server,
DMDpackagers IP Broadcast
network Packaged media
DSL Network,
email, FTP, CD)
Rights creation Rights management and delivery Rights enforcement
73. What do our customers need to do?
• Get their content onto the BT Rich Media platform
• Define how their content should be produced
• Manage their content through production
• Decide how the content is to be delivered
• Build their own web site or store front
• Integrate their web site or store front into SDS (if required)
• Integrate their web site or storefront into a billing solution (either SDS
or BT Click & Buy)
• Manage their customer base
• Manage the way their content is to be used (DRM)
