The Arrival of OTT Live Video
视频点播流媒体系统彻底改变了视频内容的货币化方式, 交付, 和消费. OTT (Over-the-top)分发平台已经完全改变了用户对内容的期望, 推动了对更高质量体验的更大需求，而这种对质量的需求现在正在影响广播电视长期以来的支柱:现场直播.
根据 《百家乐软件》2017年，流媒体电视服务的消费者增长巨大，2018年的增长将会更大. 今年, eMarketer 估计.500万美元.S. 消费者每月将至少使用一次联网电视，相当于超过55%的美国消费者使用联网电视.S. population—and by 2021, that number will expand to 194.4 million, which is almost 58% of the population.
今天, 各大电视媒体都在推出或推进直接面向消费者的视频点播流媒体服务. Consumers now have more control and choice than ever, 在追求高质量内容以留住观众的过程中，这个行业的竞争正变得越来越激烈. 根据 Parks Associates, there are over 200奥特服务 在美国.S. market, and that number is increasing rapidly.
Setting the Stage for Live OTT Streaming
视频点播(VOD)系统消除了内容传输的障碍，为几乎无限的服务选择铺平了道路. It is now possible to distribute a wide range of content for different devices, such as SD and HD in various resolutions. As broadcasters and program providers work to upgrade and improve their systems, OTT和直接面向客户的流媒体的下一个前沿将是提供高质量的直播内容.
随着快速的创新和新功能和服务进入市场的加速, the advancement and acceptance of cloud-based 生活 流媒体将在创纪录的时间内从前沿应用转变为大众消费，体验质量将成为消费者和提供商的差异化因素.
While early adopters of 生活 streaming accepted convenience over quality, 现在，想要获得市场份额，就需要满足普通有线电视消费者对直播内容的质量期望. Ranging from interface performance and convenience, 定价, 视频和音频质量, the total quality of experience is foremost in mind with consumers. 客户正在寻找能够提供他们所要求的便利性和质量的供应商. Quality compromise is no longer an option.
Tools for Assuring a High QoE
早期的流媒体提供商迅速推出直播服务，以建立市场份额并测试客户的接受程度. Owing to that development approach, even now some providers only have basic data that “something is going out.” Except for setting up a local Roku box, 在发生重大事件之前，这些提供商对内容质量没有任何可见性. It's like waiting until your car breaks down before addressing issues; there are no tools in place to proactively monitor the content or quickly perform diagnostics and troubleshooting. Within an environment that's become all about the quality of experience, this is not a good go-to-market strategy.
Live cloud streaming networks and workflows are very complex. 运营商正在快速向市场推出新服务，并以更快的速度创新新功能和更新. 在一个仍然成熟的平台上，这种复杂性和快速发展的结合自然会导致流问题.最近, 例如, a large provider had a major issue during a 生活 prime-time game, and it took more than an hour to find and fix the issue. Many customers dropped off and went somewhere else.
In the VOD and 生活 streaming market, a provider's brand is defined in terms of the quality of the content 交付. The key to success here is proper monitoring. Providers must leverage a system that detects, alerts and reports on critical customer-impacting issues.目标是为负责质量的部门提供监控资产和网络性能的单一工具, 无论分销和交付网络是线性还是多剖面流.
One solution is to utilize software-based architecture, 它允许在何处以及如何访问信息方面具有高度的灵活性. It also makes it possible to customize what is reported and when it is 交付.
Customization can be invaluable for providers. In any buildout for monitoring, 关键是找到一种方法来接收汇总数据和分析，同时提供一个全面的网络概述. 确定一组通用且一致的测量方法以简化诊断并减少修复复杂问题的时间，对于向用户提供高质量的内容至关重要.
简单地说, 必须为工程人员提供一系列深入的测量和分析，以简化对报告问题的故障诊断. 这使得管理人员和技术人员能够在最终客户发现问题之前迅速做出反应, allowing businesses to avoid costly impacts of viewer dissatisfaction.
Low Barrier to Entry, High Cost of Failure
Millions of consumers have a VOD service like Netflix now, and the quality is very similar to what we would consider broadcast quality. 在这种曝光的推动下，人们对直播质量的期望发生了变化.
In the early days of 生活 streaming, 远离广播的用户很高兴能够在智能手机上远程观看和跟踪游戏或现场活动, 移动PC, 或者其他设备. 消费者接受了这样一个事实，即基于云的互联网广播远程活动可能会有问题. 但现在的期望是更高的可靠性和相当于广播电视的质量水平.
For providers to de生活r on this promise, 拥有能够在客户发现问题之前检测到问题的前瞻性工具是至关重要的. 今天, quality is both a differentiator and a detriment. 它不再是一种商品. 客户很容易利用免费试用来测试各种提供商，看看他们最喜欢哪个. 客户也很容易在供应商之间切换，以寻求更好的体验.
Of course, streaming providers can tell that they’re sending 信息 out. The switches and network can verify that millions of packets went out, but they can't see the content. Even if you know that data is moving, that doesn't mean it looks good. 供应商们意识到他们需要仪器来保证主动流的质量和可靠性. There's an incredible level of competition—and it's only going to increase.
Developers and providers are moving as quickly as possible, 添加内容, 服务, 特性, 和能力. But they need to take time to analyze and monitor their streams, to quickly troubleshoot issues when they arise, and to stay a step ahead of their competitors with a great quality of experience.
If something goes wrong, the provider's brand will suffer. Compared to the cost of the content and the talent, 广告, 在市场营销方面，与在成千上万的客户放弃或转向竞争服务之前不知道存在问题的成本相比，进行适当的直播分析和检测影响客户的问题将使提供商能够赢得OTT云流媒体的下一个大机会:高质量的直播活动.
For more on quality assurance for 生活 video, see 这个演讲 来自流媒体东部.
[This is a vendor-submitted article from 美国泰克. 流媒体 accepts vendor bylines based solely on their value to our readers.]
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