Colorfront Streaming Server now supports AWS Cloud Digital Interface networking, opening opportunities for collaborative, cloud-based content creation and review over the internet.
Autodesk Flame
Colorfront Streaming Server now supports AWS Cloud Digital Interface (AWS CDI) networking, opening opportunities for collaborative, cloud-based content creation. Via this connectivity system, digital artists operating applications that run on Amazon Web Services can conduct live remote sessions, or deliver work-in-progress materials to multiple stakeholders using reference-quality assets, over the public internet.
AWS developed the cloud digital interface for high-quality, highly reliable transport of uncompressed video up to 12-bit 4K UHD with audio, inside the AWS Cloud network with latency as low as 8 milliseconds. AWS CDI can be used to build live video workflows that connect AWS Media Services with products from AWS Partners and from Independent Software Vendors (ISVs).
The high performance and ultra-low latency of AWS CDI means that ISVs and AWS partners, such Colorfront and Autodesk Flame, can implement and deliver the best performance from their products on AWS. They can also be more confident about making reliable workflow services available for efficient content origination and post-production in the cloud.
During an almost ten-year collaboration with AWS, Colorfront has been deploying its services for cloud-based operations. This began with the launch of Colorfront Cloud Platform on AWS in 2013, and includes the subsequent implementations of its On-Set Dailies and Transkoder applications running in AWS. The availability of Colorfront Streaming Server on AWS compute instances with full AWS CDI support is their latest development.
Colorfront Streaming Server
As an example of what this collaboration makes possible, digital artists such as VFX and finishing artists working on Flame, plus editors and colourists working on applications that run on AWS, can output network video via NDI or AWS CDI to Colorfront Streaming Server. The sever will then convert it to reference-quality HEVC. Colorfront Advanced Streaming Gateway handles delivery to multiple destinations simultaneously over the internet, securely and reliably, using studio-level AES 256-bit encryption. Stakeholders can then view the material using Colorfront Streaming Player.
Remote clients using the player can be located anywhere around the world wherever there is broadband internet. The extra expense of high-bandwidth AWS Direct Connect or proprietary networks is not necessary to participate in live remote sessions, such as colour grading. Instead, the output from Colorfront’s Streaming Player receiver software is suitable for critical remote viewing, approval and QC purposes on a range of displays, from a smart phone to a 4K Dolby cinema screen.
Steve McNeill, Director of Flame Family Product Development at Autodesk, noted, “Because Flame is a finishing, VFX, and colour solution, artists expect high-quality, colour-accurate monitoring.” For conform, finishing and VFX effects creation, the integration of Colorfront Streaming Server and Flame on the Cloud via AWS CDI can maintain the performance and flexibility of a local installation, and is also convenient, efficient and cost-effective.
As well as facilitating collaboration with colleagues and clients working on Flame projects from almost anywhere, from any device, Colorfront Streaming Server makes Flame on the Cloud more practical, generating smooth, responsive remote video playback of projects even over residential or mobile networks. Users can also avoid the overhead of maintaining a local installation of Flame. colorfront.com
