Bitmovin and Accedo power TV New Zealand sports streaming

Bitmovin and Accedo partner to power Television New Zealand’s sports streaming hub

VIENNA — Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming infrastructure, announces it has partnered with Accedo, a global video solutions provider, to help Television New Zealand (TVNZ) bring sports content to viewers across New Zealand using state-of-the-art video streaming technology. TVNZ is using Accedo’s end-to-end streaming solution integrated with the Bitmovin Player for its newly launched sports streaming hub, which includes the broadcasting rights to domestic coverage of the New Zealand cricket team.

Accedo is a market leader in New Zealand for end-to-end video streaming solutions and chose to integrate the Bitmovin Player to support the launch of TVNZ’s sports streaming hub. It selected the Bitmovin Player because of its proven ability to deliver high-quality streams accompanied by Digital Rights Management content protection to most devices, including smart TVs. The combined power of Accedo and Bitmovin’s solution means TVNZ can deliver highly sought-after sports content to viewers across New Zealand seamlessly and securely.

“We needed to launch a comprehensive streaming platform in a short time frame after securing a selection of premium sports rights. Partnering with Bitmovin and Accedo ensured we were able to put in place a high-quality video streaming solution with the appropriate content protections. Importantly, our viewers were able to watch their favourite sports uninterrupted and with ease from day one. The feedback we’ve received has been fantastic and we’re looking forward to a big summer of cricket ahead of us” said Kym Niblock, TVNZ’s Chief Product and Information Officer.

Sustainability will also be central to the collaboration. Currently, video processing and streaming generate 306 million tons of CO2, 20% of digital technology’s total GHG emissions and nearly 1% of worldwide GHG emissions. As a result, Accedo will integrate the Bitmovin Player, accompanied by ECO Mode, a newly released feature that helps the player deliver more sustainable video streams.

“Sustainability is a top business priority for us, and it encompasses everything from our own solutions to the partners we work with so we can deliver a positive impact to our customers and the world,” said Michael Lantz, CEO at Accedo. “Bitmovin perfectly aligns with our ethos of building sustainable next-generation video services, which is why we chose to partner with them on this project. We will also feature them on our soon to be launched Sustainable Marketplace – where media companies will be provided guidance on sustainable vendors, technologies and initiatives.”

Eco Mode, its new sustainable-led feature for the Bitmovin Player to reduce streaming bandwidth for HTTP Adaptive Streaming (HAS) customers. ECO Mode delivers a selectable ecologically beneficial mode in the Bitmovin Player that optimizes video quality to reduce the number of transmitted bits, thereby reducing the resulting CO2 emissions. Bitmovin’s ECO Mode helps media companies of every size reduce their carbon footprint generated by video streaming by restricting the streamed resolution to a given max, e.g., 720p, which will still display well on mobile displays without a corresponding loss in quality. Streaming in 720p instead of Ultra HD saves about ten times the data volume surged.

“ECO Mode is a brand-new feature for the Bitmovin Player that supports sustainable video streaming experiences without negatively impacting the viewing experience. It’s been fantastic to work with Accedo because they match our energy and motivation for making the media technology industry more sustainable,” concluded Stefan Lederer, CEO and co-founder at Bitmovin.