Stretch Inc. Introduces Intelligent Encoder SDK

  • Aug 20, 2007

Stretch Inc. recently announced its Intelligent Encoder Software Development Kit (SDK) -- a video surveillance encoder with built-in intelligence. Optimized for the Stretch S6000 family of software configurable processors, the Intelligent Encoder SDK makes possible IP cameras and DVRs that can adapt their consumption of bandwidth and disk space based on either observed actions or changes in network and storage capacity.

Available for use in IP network cameras or DVRs, the SDK consists of a variable resolution, variable frame rate, multi-standard video encoder supporting MJPEG and H.264 along with integrated video analytics.

The explosion of the number of video surveillance cameras has brought with it issues in monitoring the number of video feeds, network congestion, rapid disk space consumption and degraded levels of image quality. Stretch's Intelligent Encoder attempts to solve those problems by combining situational awareness with flexible encoding.

The major factors that determine the amount of bandwidth IP cameras consume or the disk space consumption of DVRs -- commonly referred to as bit rate -- are the resolution of the image frame, the number of frames per second (fps) encoded, the encoding standard used, and the quality of the encoding. Stretch's Intelligent Encoder SDK supports variable resolutions from QCIF up to multi-megapixel frames, varying frame rates from 3 to 60 fps, and MJPEG and H.264 (also called MPEG4 AVC) video encoding with a variety of quality settings. Coupling this incredible flexibility with video analytics allows IP cameras and DVRs to actively manage bandwidth and disk space consumption based on the situations of a scene.

This ensures minimal consumption of resources during slow or uninteresting scenes, but can automatically increase quality, resolution, frames per second and even change encoding standards on-the-fly if the integrated video analytics or the network signals a change in conditions. The encoder can also be configured for a constant bit rate for those situations in which the consumption of resource needs to be predictable.

The encoder integrates advanced video analytics, including region of interest, motion detection, scene change detection, and blind detection. When any of these changes occur, the encoder can not only send an alarm, it can also adapt its encoding to increase frames per second, resolution, and the quality of the encoding by using a set of rules configured by the video surveillance vendor. This allows manufacturers of IP cameras and DVRs to significantly differentiate end products.

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