SSIMWAVE and Firstlight team up for AI-powered OTT monitoring

OTT cloud AI technology outfit Firstlight Media and streaming video quality specialist SSIMWAVE have teamed up to drive broader adoption of AI-powered solutions that measure, manage and optimise video quality at multiple points in the delivery chain, according to the pair. 

The two companies are teaming to enable OTT and pay TV providers to implement SSIMWAVE’s SSIMPLUS system in conjunction with Firstlight Media’s cloud-based streaming platform. The partnership supports optimisation of encoding for VOD content, as well as live video monitoring from source to device, the pair said.

SSIMPLUS uses software probes within the delivery chain and an objective scoring methodology to provide insights into video quality from source to device. According to the company, SSIMPLUS enables video providers to: fix processing and delivery issues; validate and manage HDR quality; and balance viewer experience and cost to support expense reduction and subscriber satisfaction goals.

“Research has shown that quality of video experiences or delivery costs are the primary concerns for more than 50% of video providers, and that almost one-fourth of providers are unsure of how to measure QoE. Firstlight Media’s platform expertise and ambitious growth strategies will help us broaden adoption of SSIMWAVE solutions that can help providers optimize both bitrates and viewer experiences,” said Dr. Abdul Rehman, CEO, CTO and co-founder of SSIMWAVE.

“There are proven links between Quality of Experience and viewer loyalty. SSIMWAVE’s advances on its Emmy-winning algorithm can uniquely provide value to our customers by helping them cost-effectively deliver the quality levels that build long-term subscriber value,” said Andre Christensen, CEO and co-founder of Firstlight Media.