Telestream Unveils Wirecast Pro and V4.0 Live Streaming Software at NAB Show
Industry’s first live, full-production TV studio software solution available to the masses for any desktop – at under $1,000
Las Vegas, Nevada(11 Apr 2010)
Telestream, a leading provider of digital media tools and workflow solutions, today announced a major release and a new product for its Wirecast video streaming production software. Wirecast is live webcasting software that allows anyone to easily create real-time or on-demand video broadcasts for the web. The new version, Wirecast 4.0, features high-quality Main Concept H.264 encoding and a new intuitive user interface, making it even easier to use. Wirecast Pro, the new product, builds upon the advanced video production capabilities currently available in Wirecast, adding more graphic content, including virtual 3D foregrounds, backgrounds, and scoreboards. Wirecast Pro also adds improved audio controls, new format support for On2 VP6, and support for more input devices such as wireless IP cameras, providing greater flexibility in professional broadcast, entertainment and sports usage.
According to Dan Rayburn, Principal Analyst at Frost & Sullivan, "Over the past year we've seen a large increase in the number of large scale live events on the web. Viewers continue to consume more video content, more often, at higher-quality and for live events, for longer periods of time. With this new trend in the market, many content owners are finally starting to think about the importance of live broadcasting over the web when it comes to their online video monetization strategy."
This trend is supported by Steve Auer, President of Cadence, Inc., who adds, “We first used Wirecast for the Ford keynote at the CES show. We evaluated several products and selected Telestream Wirecast for its reliable, multi-format live streaming, ease of use, and excellent support. The software provides unprecedented production capabilities at a fraction of the cost of hardware solutions. Upon installation, everything worked flawlessly. This is definitely the way to go for live webcasting.” See Auer’s Wirecast video testimonial.
Wirecast is a live video production and streaming tool that can be loaded on a laptop to broadcast live events and create professional webcasts from any location with only a computer and an Internet connection. Users can stream multiple live cameras while dynamically mixing in other media such as prerecorded video, images and sounds. Advanced production capabilities include 3D graphics, transitions and built-in titles which merge seamlessly with Wirecast's layering system, allowing users to easily create live and on-demand broadcasts for the web. When ready to go live, broadcasts can be streamed directly to live broadcasting websites using Flash, QuickTime or Windows Media.
In addition to Wirecast 4.0 capabilities, Wirecast Pro offers deeper integration with professional video capture devices, improved audio controls, more encoding formats and more sophisticated production tools. Wirecast Pro supports video capture from Black Magic, Matrox and Telestream Pipeline, includes support for On2 VP6 format, plus new audio inspector and audio latency controls which simplify user audio management and mixing. Advanced production capabilities include virtual 3D foregrounds and backgrounds, scoreboards, a news ticker and more titles for lower-thirds. Wirecast Pro also adds support for HDV and wireless IP camera feeds and MPEG-2 transport stream input. These advanced webcasting capabilities enhance live field production, providing a professional software package for a fraction of the cost of traditional hardware solutions.
“With the Wirecast additions, Telestream provides the industry’s first live, full-production TV studio software solution in a box for any desktop,” said Barbara DeHart, VP of Marketing at Telestream. “With Wirecast Pro and version 4.0 we’re continuing to change the game in live webcasting, adding even greater production value for our customers.”
Telestream partnerships with major live streaming providers – Akamai, Limelight, Livestream, Justin.tv, and Ustream – make it easy for users to quickly upload finished Wirecast productions directly to these services for live web broadcasting to global audiences. Telestream’s newest partnership with Wowza is changing the conventional streaming paradigm by enabling cost-efficient, multi-screen encoding and simultaneous media streaming to web, mobile and TV screens.
Wirecast at the NAB Show
Wirecast 4.0 and Wirecast Pro are being demonstrated at this week’s NAB Show in Las Vegas, Nevada at Telestream booth SL3614. Wirecast is being used to stream Post Live daily webcasts from the show via UStream.tv on www.postmagazine.com and www.filmmakingcentral.com. It is also being used by host Mitch Jacobson to stream a series of daily webcasts, NAB 2010 Special Reports via Livestream on
www.editorsguild.com.
Pricing and Availability
Wirecast 4.0 and Wirecast Pro are scheduled for release in June 2010. Wirecast 4.0 is priced at $449, while Wirecast Pro will sell for $995. Wirecast 4.0 is a free update for existing customers. Prior to the Wirecast Pro release an announcement will be made regarding special upgrade offers. Wirecast 3.5 software is currently available for a free trial and online purchase at www.telestream.net. Wirecast is also available for purchase through a network of Telestream resellers and affiliates.
Wirecast 4.0 and Wirecast Pro are being featured and demonstrated at Telestream NAB booth SL3614; Streaming Media East booth 313; webinars and roadshows; see www.telestream.net/events for details. More information is available at http://www.telestream.net.
About Telestream
Telestream provides world-class live and on-demand digital video tools and workflow solutions that allow consumers and businesses to transform video on the desktop and across the enterprise. Many of the world’s most demanding media and entertainment companies such as CBS, BBC, CNN, FOX, CBC, Comcast, Direct TV, Time Warner, MTV, Discovery, and Lifetime, as well as a growing number of users in a broad range of business environments, rely on Telestream products to streamline operations, reach broader audiences and generate more revenue from their media. These companies choose to work with Telestream as they know they will get a trusted and highly skilled technical partner.
Telestream products span the entire digital media lifecycle, including video capture and ingest; live and on-demand encoding and transcoding; playout, delivery, and live streaming; as well as management and automation of the entire workflow. The company also partners closely with the industry’s leading digital media companies across the entire digital media lifecycle, from consumer to enterprise. Telestream corporate headquarters are located in Nevada City, California. The company is privately held. For more information on Telestream and Wirecast, please visit www.telestream.net. For press images, logos, screen shots and corporate materials, visit www.telestream.net/presskit.