Nimble Streamer: Cost-Efficient Streaming Software
Furtree Systems, a leading provider of live streaming media server software, has recently shared insights from a Streaming Media magazine survey on live streaming trends. Their award-winning Softvelum Nimble Streamer comes in three versions, each designed to meet various user needs.
Essential Features of Nimble Streamer
The basic Nimble Streamer server offers two highly demanded features according to the survey respondents: live streaming/transmuxing and video-on-demand (VOD). This base package starts at $70 (USD) and includes a single server instance along with access to WMSPanel, a management platform for overseeing multiple Nimble Streamer instances.
Nimble Streamer’s built-in transmuxing capability allows users to repackage streaming content from one protocol to another without altering the underlying content. This enables customers to ingest content in one protocol and output streams in another, minimizing processing overhead. For those needing to scale, additional server licenses cost $50 per month each, providing flexibility for expanding streaming demands.
Advanced Licensing Options
Two additional licenses, each priced at $50 per server per month, enhance Nimble Streamer’s functionality. The Transcoding license offers real-time transcoding between various codecs, while the Addenda license includes digital rights management (DRM), server-side ad insertion (SSAI), advanced SRT functionality, and more.
Nimble Streamer supports various deployment options, whether on cloud-based services like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Azure, or on-premise bare metal servers. The Transcoding license also supports hardware transcoding acceleration with Intel Quick Sync Video and Nvidia GPU.
Performance and Scalability
Nimble Streamer is designed for high-load delivery, capable of serving a large number of viewers from cloud-based instances or bare metal servers. The software is optimized to use minimal resources for stream preparation and delivery, often running out of bandwidth before reaching hardware or software limitations.
Comprehensive Protocol Support
The 2023 Livestreaming Technology Trends survey highlighted the importance of supporting various acquisition and delivery protocols. Nimble Streamer covers both legacy and emerging protocols, including RTMP, RTSP, DASH, HLS, MPEG-2 TS, SRT, NDI, and WebRTC WHIP ingest.
With support for newer protocols like NDI and DANTE, Nimble Streamer integrates seamlessly into professional live-production workflows. This flexibility ensures compatibility with both traditional and cutting-edge streaming technologies.
Powerful Transcoding Capabilities
Nimble Streamer’s Transcoding license can convert between numerous video and audio codecs, optimizing for resource usage and performance. The software supports various codecs, including H.264, H.265, MPEG-2, VP8, VP9, and the emerging AV1 codec. For audio, it handles AAC, G.711, MP3, MP2, Opus, and Speex, converting them to AAC or MP3 for delivery.
Using the WMSPanel interface, users can create customized transcoding scenarios with a drag-and-drop workflow. The Transcoder’s built-in logic ensures efficient processing, performing decoding and re-encoding just once per frame, which enhances performance.
Advanced Ad Insertion and Content Protection
Nimble Streamer supports advanced server-side ad insertion (SSAI) for implementing business logic based on various criteria, such as time of day or geolocation. The Addenda license enables additional features like SCTE35 marker recognition for ad insertion.
For content protection, Nimble Streamer includes basic functionality like geofencing, geoblocking, IP filtering, AES-128 encryption for HLS, and SSL protection for DASH and HLS. The Addenda license allows integration with third-party DRM solutions.
Built-In VOD and DVR Options
While Nimble Streamer is primarily used for live streaming, it also offers robust video-on-demand (VOD) and digital video recorder (DVR) functionalities. These features allow viewers to catch up on live streams and perform instant replays, enhancing user experience.
Softvelum Mobile Broadcast Tools
Softvelum also offers the Larix Broadcaster app for iOS and Android, turning mobile devices into full-scale cameras with advanced connectivity for reliable remote contributions.
Conclusion
Nimble Streamer stands out as a cost-effective, efficient streaming solution suitable for both small startups and large broadcasters. Its scalable licensing model, robust protocol support, and advanced functionalities provide flexibility to grow with user needs. Visit softvelum.com/nimble for more information about Nimble Streamer and other Softvelum solutions.
