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Akamai seeks to bring HDTV to the web

Larry Dignan ZDNet.com

Published: 29 Sep 2009 14:49 BST

Akamai on Tuesday unveiled a network for high-definition video designed to deliver content via Adobe Flash and Microsoft Silverlight and Apple's iPhone. The goal is to deliver an HDTV experience online.

The company, which delivers video and applications via a 50,000 server network that moves content closer to internet users, said Akamai HD will support live and on-demand HD streaming with personalisation features.

Akamai's HD platform, which will be demonstrated on Tuesday, will be designed for what the company calls "the most popular runtime environments": Adobe Flash, Microsoft Silverlight and the iPhone.

The key features of Akamai HD are as follows:

Adaptive bit-rate streaming: the network adjusts its HD bitrates and monitors bandwidth levels for uninterrupted playback
Immediate response: viewers can interact with the video player and shift times instantly
HD video player: Akamai is offering an open standards player
Player authentication: ensures only authorised players can access content

In a statement, Paul Sagan, chief executive of Akamai, said that the internet is moving quickly to HD-quality video and needs to hit broadcast-size audiences quickly.

Credit: Akamai aims to bring HDTV to the Web from ZDNet.com