What’s New in AWS Media Services – August 2023
AWS Media Services is a family of cloud-based services designed for creating, processing, delivering, and monetizing video content. In this blog post, we’ll highlight the latest features and enhancements announced in August 2023.
AWS Elemental MediaConvert: Dolby Vision HDR Support
AWS Elemental MediaConvert, a file-based video transcoding service, allows you to convert your media content into various formats for broadcast and multiscreen delivery. It now supports Dolby Vision, a high dynamic range (HDR) technology known for its stunning picture quality and immersive audio.
In August 2023, MediaConvert introduced support for Dolby Vision Profile 8.4, a single-layer HDR format compatible with HLS or DASH. This means you can create Dolby Vision content that works seamlessly on devices like Apple TV 4K, iPhone 12 and newer, iPad Pro and newer, and select smart TVs.
To use this feature, enable Dolby Vision in your MediaConvert job’s output settings. You’ll also need a Dolby Vision metadata file, which contains color grading and tone mapping information, generated using Dolby Vision Professional Tools or the Dolby Vision Content Mapping Tool.
AWS Elemental MediaLive: CMAF Low-Latency Streaming Support
AWS Elemental MediaLive, a live video processing service, enables high-quality video streams for broadcast and online delivery. Live streaming often faces challenges related to latency, affecting user experience and engagement. Traditionally, HLS and DASH protocols have had 30-second or longer latency.
In August 2023, MediaLive introduced support for CMAF low-latency streaming, a new standard that achieves sub-second latency. CMAF (Common Media Application Format) serves as a container format for both HLS and DASH, using chunked transfer encoding (CTE) to send small video data chunks immediately. This reduces buffering time and enables near-real-time playback.
To use this feature, enable CMAF output in your MediaLive channel configuration. Ensure your player supports CMAF low-latency streaming, like AWS Elemental MediaPackage or AWS Elemental MediaTailor.
AWS Elemental MediaPackage: Server-Side Ad Insertion Support
AWS Elemental MediaPackage, a video origination and just-in-time packaging service, securely delivers live or on-demand video content to any device. It now supports server-side ad insertion (SSAI), allowing seamless ad insertion without affecting playback quality or user experience.
In August 2023, MediaPackage added SSAI support for VOD content, enabling monetization with dynamic ads. You can insert ads from any ad decision server (ADS) supporting VAST or SCTE-35 standards. Customize ad break duration, frequency, and placement according to your business needs.
To use this feature, enable SSAI in your MediaPackage channel configuration and provide an ADS URL containing ad insertion information. You can use third-party ADS or AWS Elemental MediaTailor, a cloud-based service offering personalized ad insertion and measurement.
AWS Media Services: Conclusion
The August 2023 updates to AWS Media Services bring significant enhancements to video processing, quality, and monetization, ensuring a more immersive and seamless experience for both content creators and viewers.
