Next generation M-Link News Gathering Solutions revolutionised by RazorLink technology offering Aggregation, File Transfer Acceleration and Traffic Prioritisation

Amsterdam (04 Sep 2015)

Maximising the encoding quality of live news and sports footage and reducing file delivery times are top of the agenda on stand C27, Hall 2, where Livewire Digital is showcasing its latest enhanced versions of M-Link Live X for live video transmission and M-Link NewsCaster for the professional delivery of HD and SD store and forward video. Both solutions now come with new RazorLink technology offering network bonding of IP networks, accelerated file transfer and traffic prioritisation for remote video contribution.

RazorLink Technolgy

Designed to solve the problems that journalists and camera crews experience when using public IP networks for news and sports transmissions, RazorLink technology makes the process faster and more reliable in 3 ways:

• Acceleration: RazorLink maximises data efficiency over  a range of network connections improving file transfer throughput dramatically - up to 3 times faster over 4G;
• Aggregation: By bonding together the multiple connections available - Ethernet, wireless and USB connections to cable, DSL, Wi-Fi, 4G, 3G, Ka-band, VSAT, BGAN, Thuraya, Iridium, etc – RazorLink increases bandwidth, improves the quality of live video, facilitates faster uploads and provides resilience to outages on any of the connections;
• Prioritisation: RazorLink also allows users to prioritise deadline-critical content over  background communications

RazorLink Acceleration is available as a free upgrade for M-Link Live X and M-Link NewsCaster customers with existing support agreements. For an upgrade path for Aggregation and Prioritisation please contact Livewire Digital. To take advantage of the  RazorLink technology existing M-Link Exchange servers will need to be updated.

M-Link Live X and NewsCaster

Ideal for reporters on the move, M-Link Live X and NewsCaster, complete with fully integrated BGAN HDR Control, maximise the quality of the video delivered regardless of the link conditions. Live X uses the RazorLink link statistics to manage the Adaptive Bit Rate encoder, ensuring the highest quality at the lowest latency.

M-Link Live-X and NewsCaster work equally well over Ka band satellite technology, VSAT, BGAN, 4G, 3G, DSL, and other broadband connections. 

Reporters using M-Link NewsCaster, the professional solution for the delivery of HD and SD store and forward video, can make use of advanced features such as automated background encoding, automatic transmission, MXF encoding, aspect ratio and orientation correction, and choice of transmission protocols. The NewsCaster Mobile iOS app, available in the iTunes App Store, integrates with existing M-Link™ workflow to add options for all iPhone-equipped staff to contribute video from the field.

M-Link Exchange

M-Link Exchange is the receiver for all M-Link live and store-and-forward transmissions and the latest generation incorporating RazorLink technology. A quarter of the size of its predecessor, the M-Link Exchange Server is designed to operate on the Windows Server platform, and occupies just one unit of rack space, helping broadcasters better utilise space, power and cooling within their server rooms. With considerably more processing power, the new 1U Exchange server will provide the backbone of future M-Link receiver systems utilising HEVC encoding and handling multiple live calls.  It also allows users to simultaneously ingest live video streams and to play out files on the same piece of equipment.

Commenting on the significance of Livewire Digital’s new enhanced product portfolio, Tristan Wood, Managing Director, Livewire Digital, said, “The latest release dramatically improves performance and workflows for our broadcast and other news gathering customers, and ensures that the M-Link product suite cements Livewire Digital’s position as a market leader in mobile news gathering solutions.”

About Livewire Digital:

Livewire Digital is a global provider of cost-effective broadcast solutions for news, sport, entertainment and corporate media. Livewire’s  high quality live and store-and-forward video solutions for Mac and Windows platforms optimise the bandwidth available to deliver high quality footage and audio every time via a variety of connections including satellite, WiFi and 3G/4G.