Spin Digital Releases a New Version of Live Video Encoder for 8K Streaming and Broadcasting

Berlin, April 14, 2022 – Spin Digital announced today the availability of a new version of its 8K HEVC live encoder (Spin Enc Live v1.2). In this version, the HEVC encoder has been optimized to enable low-latency 8K streaming over the Internet with very high quality. The main new features include:

• Perceptual video encoding
• Integrated low-latency live streaming protocols
• 8K-to-8K live transcoding
• Optimized for latest-generation Intel Xeon Scalable CPUs

Spin Enc Live is an HEVC encoding solution designed for live broadcasting and streaming of Ultra HD video including 4K, 8K, and beyond. As a complete encoding solution, Spin Enc Live includes essential features for live applications such as SDI input capture, broadcast streaming over IP (RTP/UDP), HTTP streaming, and Cloud-based delivery.

With all the enhancements together, the new encoder is capable of live encoding and streaming 8K video at 60 fps in 10-bit HDR, with perceptual encoding enabled, integrated low-latency streaming, and all using a standard dual-socket server platform that it is easier to deploy and scale.

Perception-optimized Encoding

Spin Digital has developed a novel perceptual quality optimization mode designed to increase the visual quality of compressed video at low bitrates. It is based on a robust and computationally efficient model of the human visual system. It is optimized for live applications being able to operate in real-time for 8K 60 fps video, and supports the latest video technologies including HDR, wide color gamut, and UHD resolutions.

Low-latency Reliable Streaming over the Internet

Live video streaming in 8K over the open Internet requires advanced transport protocols that can guarantee high quality of service and, at the same time, low end-to-end latency. State-of-the-art protocols including SRT, RIST, and Zixi have been integrated into Spin Enc Live. Capture, encode and streaming can be performed from a single server, allowing for more compact and simple 8K encoding  and streaming systems.

8K-to-8K Live Transcoding

In addition to uncompressed video over SDI, Spin Enc Live now also supports HEVC streams as input to the encoder. In this way, the live encoder, combined with Spin Digital’s optimized HEVC decoder, can receive an 8Kp60 HEVC contribution stream (e.g. in SRT) and transcode it into an 8Kp60 HEVC distribution format (e.g. in HLS). 48 Mbps with perceptual encoding enabled is recommended to guarantee high-quality video delivery.

Optimized for Intel Xeon Scalable Ice Lake Processors

The encoder has been extensively optimized for the 3rd Generation of Intel Xeon Scalable Processors (known as Xeon Ice Lake). Consequently, 8Kp60 10-bit HDR with perceptually optimized encoding enabled and integrated streaming protocols can be performed in real-time using a standard dual-socket server with 2×38 CPU cores.

Spin Digital’s HEVC real-time encoder produces higher quality than other real-time software and hardware-accelerated (e.g. based on GPUs) encoders.

Quality analysis performed by Spin Digital using several 8K videos showed that Spin Digital’s HEVC real-time encoder produces similar quality to offline encoders at significantly higher encoding speed, and higher quality than real-time software and hardware-accelerated (e.g. based on GPUs) encoders.

Availability

Spin Enc Live 1.2 is available now for licensing. A demo version or a quote can be requested online.

For more information visit the Spin Enc Live webpage.

Trademarks

Spin Digital and Spin Enc Live are trademarks of Spin Digital Video Technologies GmbH.

Other trademarks remain the property of their owners, and are used here for descriptive purposes.