Limelight Networks Unveils High-Definition Content Delivery For The Internet
Tempe, AZ - Limelight Networks, the leading content delivery network (CDN) for digital media, recently introduced LimelightHD, a service for the delivery of high-definition (HD) media and digital content over the Internet. LimelightHD allows media and entertainment companies, global consumer brands, game publishers, and social media sites to deliver HD-quality movies, TV shows, video clips and games directly to their users' Internet-connected televisions, game consoles, and PCs. Leading Internet TV service Brightcove, and key media entities, including Fox Interactive Media, MSN Video and Rajshri.com, India's leading broadband video portal, are among those who announced they will offer HD content via the LimelightHD service. Media technology leaders supporting the LimelightHD initiative include Adobe Systems, Incorporated, Microsoft Corporation, Move Networks and Veoh Networks. LimelightHD will be available immediately on over 700 broadband access networks worldwide.
LimelightHD is designed to meet the rising demand for high-definition content delivered via the Internet, to television set-top boxes, media players, game consoles, and PCs. Consumers are broadly embracing HD-quality programming, with Forrester Research predicting that the majority of U.S. households will have an HD television by 2010.(1) A recent report by eMarketer noted that by 2011, there will be 200 million Internet users in the United States and 183 million online video viewers.(2) As broadcast HD becomes commonplace, consumer demand for Internet HD will grow rapidly, prompting leading media and online companies to expand their Internet programming strategies and begin introducing online HD offerings this year.
The LimelightHD service is specifically designed to provide end-users with a high-fidelity, high-definition media experience by bypassing the often-congested public Internet and delivering content directly to "last-mile" broadband access networks. At the heart of LimelightHD is Limelight's advanced global CDN architecture, consisting of thousands of high-performance content servers distributed worldwide, connected directly to leading broadband access networks, interconnected via a high-speed, dedicated optical network, and built to store and deliver entire content libraries. This global footprint reduces network latency and ensures that every title in every HD content library -- whether the most popular title or the least popular -- will be consistently available to every user, on demand.
LimelightHD will deliver video content of 720p and 1080p resolution supporting popular Internet formats and players including Adobe Flash Player software, Microsoft Windows Media, Microsoft Silverlight and Move Media Player.
"At Fox Interactive, the delivery of premium HD content on Fox on Demand is a critical element in accelerating the market," said Ron Berryman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Fox Interactive Media. "Limelight's approach to HD content delivery -- fast, reliable and scalable -- will ensure that consumers can enjoy the programming they want to see, on multiple devices and formats."
"With the introduction of Brightcove Show and the integration of LimelightHD, we give thousands of our Internet TV customers the ability to provide full-screen, broadcast-quality video experiences directly to consumers from their websites," said Jeremy Allaire, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Brightcove. "Limelight is an ideal partner for Brightcove as we extend our Internet TV platform and ad product solutions for media owners who want to deliver long-form, HD-quality video content on the open Internet."
"As India's #1 broadband video portal, serving a South Asian audience worldwide, it is our constant endeavor to offer entertainment-hungry consumers premium Indian programming of the highest quality," said Rajjat A. Barjatya, Managing Director, Rajshri.com. "By leveraging Limelight's rock-solid HD delivery network, we will soon be able to offer our audience an unmatched online experience: HD-quality streams and downloads of India's finest films, TV shows, music videos and original made-for-online video programming."
"Industry enthusiasm for HD content is evident with major TV broadcasters and leading content publishers supporting the standard," said Mark Randall, Chief Strategist of Dynamic Media for Adobe. "As a pioneer in the delivery of seamless Web video experiences, Adobe is dedicated to ensuring viewers can watch the highest quality content -- via Flash Player compatible video. We are pleased to collaborate with Limelight and provide the next wave of innovation with HD media and digital content over the Internet."
"Microsoft Silverlight was designed from the outset to deliver an unrivaled HD experience. The efficient and highly scalable delivery capability for Silverlight-based applications and content positions LimelightHD extremely well for the growth of HD," said Sean Alexander, Director of Microsoft Silverlight. "We're delighted to be working with LimelightHD to deliver ever richer user experiences."
"The Internet has had inherent limitations for companies trying to distribute the massive files associated with HD content, and content providers have struggled to find different ways to monetize their HD content on-line," said David Hatfield, SVP of Global Products, Marketing and Sales at Limelight Networks. "LimelightHD is optimized to address these issues and deliver extensive libraries of rich media -- from a newly discovered indie movie to the most popular hit TV show -- with better clarity and speed than consumers experience with their existing broadband Internet connections. With LimelightHD, high-quality programming on the Internet is possible today, and we're looking forward to working with our customers and partners to continue to transform the digital media experience."
SOURCE: Limelight Networks