Amagi launches cloud tech that bypasses transponders

If you have watched a movie or a song on the B4U bouquet, perhaps it would have been delivered through cloud and not through the conventional mode by a broadcaster. The technology launched under the brand name CLOUDPORT enables broadcasters to bypass or minimise the use of transponders and fibre networks, thereby slashing costs by about one-tenth.

This technology, which has already won two US patents and is awaiting two more, has been developed by the Bengaluru-based TV media company Amagi Media Labs.

“Cloud has emerged a strong and effective mode to store content. We are looking at cloud as a fast content distribution and management mechanism,” KA Srinivasan, co-founder of Amagi, told BusinessLine .

“The biggest benefit is that it helps an operator minimise use of a transponder, which is a considerable cost,” he said.

At present, the average rental of a transponder varies between $2,50,000-$1 million (depending on the satellite’s footprint) per year.

“Further, the technology enables broadcasters to hyper-localise content. Unlike in traditional TV networks, where an operator can broadcast a particular content, this technology enables operators to provide separate content to different locales simultaneously,” he added.

It also enables broadcasters to “geo target advertisements” (show advertisements that are relevant to a particular region).

The content, which is stored on the cloud, is delivered to specific locales over the Internet and then played out by CLOUDPORT servers as per schedule. The cable distributor, who gets the play-out from the server, delivers the content to the user’s home. In case of DTH operators, the play-out is provided directly from servers, which is re-relayed through a combination of satellites and cables infrastructure. This is a 24X7 service, which is not buffered, and hence there are no lags.

However, this does not work for live shows, such as a cricket match. With the content generally stored on the cloud before telecast, there is no method to show it live.

With this technology, Amagi is looking at tapping the $14-billion global market and expects to win “a number of clients” in the next quarter, Srinivasan added.