Streaming Technology News: Encoding, CDN, OTT, AI Video and Ad Tech

MainConcept has released Codec SDK 17.0, which extends its Easy Video API (EVA) to support end-to-end transcoding pipelines on NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs for Linux Arm and NETINT Quadra VPUs for Linux x86. This update aims to unify hardware-accelerated workflows under a single API to reduce integration costs and maintenance for developers.

Boris FX has released Vegas Pro 2027, an update to its video editing platform that introduces GPU-accelerated encoding for NVIDIA and Intel hardware, a rebuilt color management pipeline, and new AI-driven masking and transcription tools. The release also includes expanded support for professional color spaces and high-resolution audio exports.

In the 2026 State of Video Encoding Survey report, you'll discover where encoding professionals are placing their bets and where they're holding. You'll learn how the GPU monoculture is cracking, why cost and quality are no longer a tradeoff, which codec has a planned implementation growth rate of 231%, why TCO is a blind spot for 30% of the market, and more.

Bridge Technologies has joined the Media eXchange Layer (MXL) initiative, enabling its monitoring tools to operate as containerized applications within Grass Valley’s AMPP cloud-native platform. This integration facilitates hardware-independent, low-latency audio and video monitoring for software-defined production environments.

Akamai Accelerated Compute instances, powered by NETINT Quadra Video Processing Units (VPUs), provide specialized, high-density cloud transcoding for AV1, HEVC, and H.264 up to 8Kp60. These instances offer 15–30x better encoding performance than traditional CPUs, with pricing starting at $0.42/hr for 32 live HD channels.

Comcast has launched RealTime4K and smart-boost WiFi features on its Xfinity X1 platform to reduce latency for live NBA broadcasts. Additionally, Peacock is deploying a new content delivery architecture developed in partnership with Fastly to optimize streaming performance for high-demand live events.

Conviva has launched Streaming Experience Insights (SEI), an analytics product that provides a unified, real-time timeline of video, ad, and app performance for individual viewer sessions. The tool is designed to help engineering and ad operations teams identify technical issues such as app crashes and ad-load failures that contribute to viewer churn.

BlendVision AI watches your content so your team doesn't have to. It auto-tags scenes by topic and motion, creates highlight clips, generates shorts for every social ratio, transcribes in multiple languages, and even dubs audio, all in real time. The result: your content team shifts from manual post-production to creative strategy. Semantic search makes your entire media library instantly queryable, and AI-powered recommendations keep audiences engaged longer. Production costs go down. Content output goes up.

A YouTube-commissioned survey of 694 video creators indicates that 72% are currently utilizing generative AI tools in their production workflows. The report highlights creator interest in AI-driven identity and likeness features, despite ongoing industry concerns regarding unauthorized training and content quality.

Wonder Studios and Foundation Distribution have partnered to distribute AI-produced longform content to connected TV platforms including Roku and Samsung TV. The initiative aims to integrate generative AI tools into professional production workflows for independent filmmakers.

Live production is hitting an AI bottleneck: too many pixels, too many proxies, too much delay. Learn how VC-6 and smart multicast networks help live streaming platforms and broadcasters feed models only what they need, cutting bandwidth, latency, and cost while turning every frame into real-time intelligence.

FOR-A has integrated control for Canon PTZ cameras directly into its software-defined MixBoard production switcher. This integration allows operators to manage camera presets, movement, and tallies within a single interface, reducing the need for additional hardware in live production environments.

Kokusai Denki Electric America is showcasing its new SK-UHD7000 4K camera system, DK-H700 box camera, and VF-EL20HP viewfinder at NAB Show New York. The hardware lineup is designed to support IP-based control and remote production workflows for broadcast and live streaming environments.

With the NETINT Quadra Mini Server, you can bypass expensive cloud transcoding services and deliver directly from the stadium to the origin. This compact powerhouse sips power while encoding 20 live HD AV1, HEVC, and H.264 streams, or 5 live 4K streams. Drawing just 138 watts, the Quadra Mini Server is perfect for live sports streaming services looking to reduce latency and cut OPEX.

Comcast reported a 3.5% increase in net income to $3.45 billion, driven by Peacock's second consecutive profitable quarter and strong advertising growth. The company is currently moving forward with the planned separation of its NBCUniversal and Sky divisions, which includes restructuring its global streaming technology operations.

Elon Musk is reportedly investing $1 billion into Skydance, with potential for a total stake of up to $10 billion via a SpaceX-centric deal. This investment could grant Musk significant influence over major media assets and provide a content pipeline for the X platform.

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Seven Media Group has launched Seven iD, a unified first-party data identity platform, and announced the development of the Phoenix Exchange trading ecosystem. These initiatives aim to integrate audience targeting and cross-platform ad buying across the group's broadcast, radio, and digital assets.

High demand for NBA advertising inventory across streaming platforms like Amazon and Peacock has led to sellouts, forcing marketers to shift budgets toward creator-led strategies and social media. Streaming ad spend for the NBA reached $874 million last season, reflecting a broader industry trend of advertisers targeting younger, digitally inclined audiences through non-traditional channels.

In Bitmovin's 10th annual Video Developer Report, you'll discover why 98% of teams now report at least one AI/ML use case in production, and why 46% of developers use AI coding tools daily while only 4% don't use them at all. You'll learn what's replaced "cost" as the top complaint about AI tools, and more.

Pearl TV has announced progress toward developing affordable $60 NextGen TV converter boxes to support the transition from ATSC 1.0 to ATSC 3.0 by 2030. However, the announcement lacked specific manufacturer commitments or firm timelines for the hardware's release.

The Bloc Québécois is introducing a motion in the Canadian House of Commons to force the government to disburse $600 million in promised cultural funding and enforce CRTC-mandated streaming royalties. The party argues that the government has failed to implement regulatory commitments to protect domestic culture from foreign tech giants.

Tier‑1 OTT services that once paid $100K in H.264 content royalties may now pay up to $4.5M per year, while advanced codecs are covered by multiple licensing programs and active patent enforcement campaigns. For leaders seeking an accurate and repeatable decision-making process, the guide outlines a modeling framework for codec selection that treats adoption as an intentional capital investment.