SYMKLOUD Series now features HEVC hardware-accelerated transcoding for MSOs, OTT vendors and broadcasters who seek cloud-based HD, UHD video infrastructure.
May 31, 2016
AUGSBURG, Germany -- Kontron, a leading global provider of embedded computing technology (ECT) and of cloud and carrier integrated infrastructure platforms,today helped usher in the era of HEVC-based transcoding for the highly efficient delivery of live HD, UHD, and 360 degree VR video content at the lowest cost per video stream.
The Kontron SYMKLOUD Series of converged infrastructure platforms now feature a hardware design that alleviates the “software-only” approach to processing the HEVC (high efficiency video coding or H.265) codec. SYMKLOUD leverages the new long-life, highly reliable Intel Xeon® E3-1578L v5 processor (codename Skylake H) that features a more robust graphics processor unit (Iris™ Pro Graphics P580) and Quick Sync Video that is now enhanced for real-time HEVC transcoding. The extreme popularity of consumer video consumption has generated a multitude of hardware solutions that promise to deliver media more efficiently and at scale. Consequently, the danger to service providers is in selecting appealingly low-cost yet flawed hardware designs, or silicon that favors performance over reliability. This will typically increase their CAPEX and operating costs instead of decreasing them when equipment fails and needs to be replaced more frequently.
Conversely, the success behind SYMKLOUD is based on supporting the exact video infrastructure needs of providers: long-life Intel processors, High Availability modular system designs that can easily handle higher temperature network or cloud environments, hot-swappable active field replaceable units (compute modular servers, dual 10GbE switches, PSUs) for pain-free serviceability, and ultra-high-density configurations that maximize the number of low-cost video streams per 2U platform.
“You really can’t beat the economics and performance of standard long-life Intel GPUs,” said Benoit Robert, Head of Strategy and Marketing, Kontron Communications BU. “The way we can package up to 18 independent Intel Xeon E3 processors into a single 2U Symkloud means our video transcoding ISV partners can provide their end customers with so much more scalable streaming performance at lower costs. It also means they can truly pave the way for new HEVC encoding and decoding solutions that ensure incredible TCO.”
To optimize the Intel Xeon E3-1578L v5 processor, transcoding ISVs can use the Intel Media Server Studio (SDK) to enable the Intel Graphics Technology as a dedicated resource for video workloads. This leaves the CPU available to manage additional functions, thereby increasing system efficiency and performance. For any ISV wishing to test and/or develop on the SYMKLOUD platform may sign up for the Kontron SYMLAB service for a safe remote test environment.
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