Digital Rapids announces powerful new enhancements to the Digital Rapids Stream software for the company's StreamZ, StreamZHD and Flux encoding solutions. The same new capabilities are also available as applicable in the StreamZ Live family of live streaming encoders and the Digital Rapids Transcode Manager automated, high-volume file transcoding software. Recently-released or soon-to-ship new features include enhanced Closed Caption support for adaptive bit rate streaming and support for automated advertising insertion when streaming live with Adobe Flash technologies.

Recently released new software updates add support for Closed Captions with Microsoft IIS Smooth Streaming technology and with HTTP Live Streaming through the optional iPhone/iPad encoding module. Existing Closed Captions from live and file-based sources are preserved and reformatted as necessary for delivery in the chosen output format. These expanded Closed Caption preservation capabilities enable greater accessibility to online content for hearing impaired viewers, while allowing content providers to comply with new regulatory requirements -- such as the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act in the United States -- that mandate Closed Caption support in online video.

Expanded support for the use of cueing messages with Adobe Flash technologies enhances content owners' ability to monetize their media across multiple screens in fully automated workflows. Cueing messages in live input sources, commonly used in broadcast operations, can be detected to automate the insertion of cue points into outputs targeting Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR applications. These cue points can be used to subsequently trigger downstream events including regional or personalized advertising insertion or replacement -- such as workflows with ad serving via Adobe Auditude as part of Adobe's recently announced Project Primetime initiative. Digital Rapids encoders support Adobe streaming technologies including RTMP streaming and HTTP Dynamic Streaming through the Flash Media Server software.

Additional new features in the latest software updates include DFXP timed text file creation from live and file-based sources; expanded advanced configuration options for streaming to Apple devices; expanded video processing plug-in support for 23.976p to 59.94p frame rate conversion; and a variety of minor additions and refinements. Encoder models based on Digital Rapids' Flux hardware technology also now offer triggering based on VITC time code in the source input vertical blanking interval, complementing the existing ability to trigger based on VITC in ancillary data.

The complete range of Digital Rapids solutions will be showcased in booth number SL5624 at the 2012 NAB Show, April 16-19 in Las Vegas.