StreamGuys has introduced advanced metadata management capabilities to its StreamGuys Contribution Network service. The updates include support for midroll ad insertions and enhanced content localization, catering to a broader range of media and entertainment companies.
New Midroll Ad Insertion Features
The latest enhancements allow the continuation of ID3 metadata downstream, facilitating server-side midroll ad insertions. This feature simplifies workflows for TV broadcasters creating audio-only feeds from live programming, eliminating manual conversion stages and auxiliary hardware.
Eduardo Martinez, Vice President of Technology at StreamGuys, explains that these improvements raise the service's value proposition by extending proven midroll insertion capabilities typically used in radio broadcasting to a wider audience. This includes TV and OTT broadcasters, sports networks, and publishing businesses.
Improved Content Localization
The Contribution Network now offers stronger content localization features, including geo-targeting and geo-location services. These tools are part of StreamGuys’ SGcontrol solution, which offloads complex stream management and access control functions from broadcasters.
Timothy Labelle, Broadcast Streaming Specialist at StreamGuys, highlights that the new capabilities provide customers with a reliable way to standardize ad triggers across diverse metadata scenarios. Organizations broadcasting both audio and video content can achieve greater consistency and reliability in identifying SCTE-35 and ID3 metadata markers without needing separate encoders.
The geo-targeting applications allow users to deliver appropriate regionalized stream variants based on audience location, while geo-restriction services prevent access from outside defined regions. These features are particularly valuable as media companies increasingly require robust access control mechanisms.