Torque Video Systems has released a scalable mass transcoding platform – the Torque Pelican.

Torque Video Systems-1

Pelican: Features  an overlay for superimposing custom graphics, text or RSS feeds onto live content

The Pelican transcode platform features a multi-channel overlay that facilitates superimposing custom graphics, text or RSS feeds onto live content.  This is done in the compressed domain, leading to significant cost savings compared to traditional baseband graphics generators according to the company, known for its disaster recovery playout, broadcast monitoring and management systems. 

Torque Pelican provides mass decode-encode functionality for H.264/AVC and H.265/HEVC for live IP transcode (UDP/RTP/HTTP) and file-based transcode workflows.  By deploying Pelican at sporting events, concerts or other live production venues, the company claims the high cost of contribution links can be lowered by encoding with high-quality HEVC before sending to the studio. 

Danny Wilson, founder and CEO of Torque Video Systems, said: “The explosive growth in online media has resulted in an increasing demand for video transcoding to a wide range of formats and output resolutions.  In order to support numerous devices and resolutions, a single content requires a dedicated encoder assigned to each output resolution.  With many resolutions combined with a multitude of streams, the number of encoders can rapidly multiply out of control.  Using the Pelican allows operators with FFmpeg-based workflows to immediately benefit from the increase in encoding density, while dramatically scaling back the number of servers needed.” 

Pelican is available in two models: a 1RU platform for cost-sensitive applications that provides up to eight HD encoders, while the slot-based model provides user-expandability for up to 64 HD encoders, also in a 1RU space.  The system offers a web-based GUI for direct control, along with a straightforward REST API for integration into other control systems.  Both models leverage NetInt Codensity hardware codec technology, which offloads intensive operations to highly parallel VLSI compute elements.