Digital Rapids has unveiled version 2.0 of the award-winning Digital Rapids Transcode Manager enterprise-class, multi-screen media file transcoding software. Transcode Manager 2.0, built on the groundbreaking new Kayak application platform, combines outstanding quality, intelligent automation and exceptional performance for transforming high volumes of media between acquisition, production, archive and distribution formats. New features include powerful, logic-driven process automation; greater deployment flexibility; and seamless scalability beyond facilities into the cloud.

In addition to previews of Transcode Manager 2.0 in Digital Rapids' booth (SL6010) at the 2011 NAB Show, the new cloud transcoding capabilities running on the Windows Azure platform will be demonstrated by Digital Rapids in the partner demonstration area of Microsoft Corp.'s booth, SL3812.

Advanced logic-driven process automation

Transcode Manager 2.0 features sophisticated new process automation capabilities. The included Kayak Designer allows users to visually define sophisticated, decision-based media processing flows with rich metadata support. Processes from video and audio manipulations and compression to progress monitoring and publishing can be easily combined into simple or complex workflows with immediate visual feedback.

Transcode Manager 2.0 integrates its logic-driven automation inline within the transcoding process. Advanced logic branching allows different tasks or parameters to be applied based on the characteristics of the source media and previous processing results. Continuous analysis dynamically adapts processing to changing input attributes on a frame-by-frame basis, such as mixed 3:2 pulldown and 'natively' interlaced content within the same source file.

Into the Cloud

Transcode Manager 2.0 extends its superior scalability with seamless integration between on-premises and cloud-based media processing. Cloud transcoding support enables on-demand, elastic resource expansion without the capital expenditure and time-consuming effort of provisioning of additional local physical systems. Lightweight, self-deploying Kayak Cloud Engines can be instantiated as-needed using available software licenses. Running on the Windows Azure platform, Transcode Manager 2.0's cloud transcoding capabilities tightly integrate with on-premises Transcode Manager installations for seamless hybrid operations.

Flexible Deployments and Easy Transitions

Transcode Manager 2.0 will enable flexible new deployment models, with licenses 'checked out' from a central pool as needed by transcoding tasks rather than statically assigned to specific transcoding engines. Transcode Manager 2.0 will also provide a smooth transition path for existing Transcode Manager users. New Kayak-based transcoding engines can be integrated easily into existing Transcode Manager installations, appearing to operators as additional resources in the Transcode Manager interface alongside existing 'classic' Transcode Engines.

Developers wishing to deeply integrate their technologies or solutions with Transcode Manager 2.0 can develop directly on the Kayak application platform. Kayak provides a rich, multi-language, component-based foundation for developing, designing and managing applications deployable from the desktop to the cloud.

Transcode Manager 2.0 is slated for release in the second half of 2011.

The complete range of Digital Rapids solutions is being showcased in booth number SL6010 at the 2011 NAB Show, April 11-14 in Las Vegas.