pvAuthor
The (affordable) tool for the discerning mobile professional encoder

A complete encoding tool for both pre-encoded and live camera feeds!

pvAuthor gives the professional encoder every possible encoding option for creating high quality mobile encoded video, compatible with pvServer.

Input a live camera feed, microphone feed, pre-stored video, audio and music.
Output MPEG-4 and H.263 video, GSM-AMR and EVRC audio, and AAC music.

Encode for GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, 1XRTT, EVDO, EVDV and WiFi networks.

Encode for Fujitsu, HP, HTC, Mitsubishi, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Samsung, Siemens, SonyEricsson, Toshiba and other device manufacturers.

• Proven 3GPP and 3GPP2 standard compatibility
• Full featured including video, audio and music outputs
• Compatible with pvServer, pvPlayer, 3GPP and 3GPP2 standard decoders.
• Versatile - creates content for both streaming and progressive download
• Enhances quality with pvNS' FrameTrack and FastTrack Download features.

• Multiple video file formats and inputs: any input from a DV Camera, Web Camera, PAL, NTSC camera device, MPEG-1, uncompressed and compressed AVI
• Multiple image file formats, microphone, and inputs: input from a DV Camera, camcorder, Web Camera, PAL, NTSC camera, JPG, uncompressed and compressed AVF and BMP files
• Many audio file formats and inputs: input from Direct-Show-compatible microphone, MP3, WAV, uncompressed and compressed AVI
• Video encode into standard MPEG-4 format using Base and Enhancement layers to support FrameTrack. One video clip can be used at different bit rates, to different devices for optimal video quality for each customer.
• Audio encode in GSM-AMR, AAC and EVRC (limited versions) with only one encode pass. This feature lowers costs by reducing memory needs, reducing bandwidth requirements between pvServer and pvAuthor, and eliminating the arduous task of cataloging and labeling many different encoded files for one video clip.
• Output into either the MP4 and 3GP file formats for full compatibility to standards
• pvNS' pvVoice-Over-Picture transmission that allows the streaming of an error free high quality image with high quality audio, even at low bandwidths.
• Data rates from 9.6 kbps to 1 Mbps, spanning multiple networks
• Multiple frame rates from less than 1 fps to 30 fps
• Encoding of live inputs up to 1 Mbps at 30 fps.
• Faster than real time encoding for many types of content, reducing the time to encode files
• The ability to encode at one constant rate or at a continuous range of rates, also known as scalability, to accommodate fluctuations in the bandwidth. This feature supports pvNS' FrameTrack feature.
• Encoding for pvNS' FastTrack Download, providing reliable video transmission with low upfront delay. Content can be encoded for only FastTrack Download or both streaming and download.
• Variable bit rate vs. constant bit rate encoding choice for FastTrack Download
• Enhanced user interface providing the ability to drag and drop files for encoding
• Context Help integrated throughout pvAuthor for easy reference
• English or Japanese language
• Meta Fields are provided for the capture of metadata: Title, Copyright, Author, Rating and Description. Any information desired can be entered into these fields.
• Profiles - default encoding profiles that make it easy for the user to encode. Allows the user to choose a different profile based on the type of content that is being encoded (e.g., sports, live cam, news, etc.) as well as the characteristics of different wireless networks. Users do not have to go through and set each parameter.
• Provides the ability to create, modify and change profiles. If the user prefers his own parameters, he can create his own profile and save it for future use.
• Ability to encode live content and store it to a local file
• The ability to add in random positioning capability or not. This capability works for off-line encoding and live encoding when saving to a file.
• The ability to set a maximum file size. This capability works for off-line encoding and live encoding when saving to a file.
• The ability to set a maximum file length in time. This capability works for off-line encoding and live encoding when saving to a file.
• The ability to allow video-only playback if the device cannot decode the audio.
• Stand-alone pvAuthor Logging - pvAuthor provides optional logging capabilities to help operators diagnose and debug problems with live streaming sessions. The following information is logged locally onto the pvAuthor hardware:
  • Version/build number information logged each time application is started up
  • RTSP Requests/Responses, data packet info/headers (At optional logging level)
  • Session establishment (assigning of session id, internal resources) and session teardown (ending a session, freeing up internal resources)
  • Stop and start requests
  • Change to encoding or operational parameters
  • Changes in state (i.e. from listening to encoding)
  • Problems encountered during encoding
  • Overall session statistics
  • Any detectable event that causes the code to crash or exit
  • Any input error, variable out of bounds, etc., even when system keeps running
• pvAuthor Improved Video Quality: pvNS added a significant improvement in video encoding quality by enhancing the rate control algorithm with rate-distortion based optimization techniques. This enhancement allows better use of bit allocation for maximal coding efficiency thus improving both subjective and objective quality of the video, while still maintaining full 3GPP standards compliance.
• pvAuthor H.263 Output: This feature adds the ability for pvAuthor to output H.263 encoded video tracks using MP4 file format. While not as good as MPEG-4 quality, some low-end players can only decode H.263. Specifically, pvAuthor provides standard H.263 Profile 0 level 10 video tracks according to 3GPP syntax for storing non-ISO codecs within the MP4 file format. It is available for video on demand only, not live streaming, but does work with both download and FastTrack Download. H.263 does not lend itself to scalability with FrameTrack.
• pvAuthor Image Width > Height Support: This feature extends pvAuthor's input capability by allowing the input file of an image to have a larger width than height. This feature will work across all input file formats: JPG uncompressed and compressed files, AVF and BMP files.
• Adjust the aspect ratio of the input using padding, cropping and automatic stretching within the pvAuthor.

• Ability, via the user interface to turn off fixed I Frame intervals. This can contribute to improved video quality.
• Option for putting I frames in at fixed intervals or only during scene changes.