IBM Cloud Video facts for kids
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Type of site
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Video streaming |
|---|---|
| Available in | English, German, Hungarian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish and Korean |
| Owner | IBM |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Optional |
| Launched | March 2007 |
| Current status | Active |
| Native client(s) on | iOS, Android |
IBM Watson Media is a company that helps people and businesses share live videos online. It used to be called Ustream and then IBM Cloud Video. This company is now part of IBM, a very large technology company.
Before IBM bought it, Ustream had over 180 employees. These employees worked in offices in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Budapest. The company also received money from investors to help it grow and create new products.
In 2016, IBM bought Ustream. After the purchase, in 2018, Ustream changed its name to IBM Cloud Video. Soon after, it changed its name again to IBM Watson Media. This new name shows that it uses IBM's special AI technology called Watson.
Contents
How IBM Watson Media Started
Ustream began because its founders, John Ham, Brad Hunstable, and Gyula Fehér, wanted to help. They had friends serving in the Iraq War overseas. They wanted a way for these soldiers to talk to their families back home.
A service like Ustream allowed soldiers to connect with many relatives at once. This was very helpful when they had limited free time in the war zone. So, Ustream was created to make these important video calls possible.
Becoming Part of IBM
Early on, Ustream received investments from companies like DCM Ventures and Softbank. Softbank invested $20 million in 2010 to help the company grow even more.
On January 21, 2016, IBM bought Ustream. The purchase price was up to $150 million. Ustream then joined other companies like Aspera and Clearleap. Together, they formed IBM's Cloud Video unit, which is now IBM Watson Media. IBM wanted to use this technology to offer video services to large businesses.
Who Uses IBM Watson Media?
Many different people and groups have used IBM Cloud Video (now IBM Watson Media). This includes important people like politicians such as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Video game streamers and famous artists also used it. Musicians like Kanye West, Linkin Park, and Deadmau5 have streamed events.
Even "lifecasters" like iJustine used the platform to share their daily lives. Many well-known companies and universities also rely on it. For example, Salesforce, the University of Pennsylvania Wharton, and Mazda have used it. Sports events like the US Open and Fox Sports (United States) World Cup also used the service. Even Sony used it for the PlayStation 4 launch.
Different Plans for Using the Service
IBM Watson Media offers different plans for its users. These plans are called Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Silver is the most basic, and Platinum offers the most features.
You can try IBM Cloud Video for free for 30 days. This free trial includes all the features of the Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans. It also gives you phone and chat support.
All plans include HD video quality and support. They also allow you to control where your videos can be shared. You can set passwords for your videos and create registration forms. Features like chat, Q&A (questions and answers), and polls are also available. The service can automatically create closed captions using AI. You can also create playlists and stream pre-recorded videos as if they were live.
| Silver | Gold | Platinum |
|---|---|---|
| 100 viewer hours | 2000 viewer hours | 5000 viewer hours |
| 5 channels | 10 channels | 20 channels |
| 1 TB storage | 2 TB storage | 3 TB storage |
How Content is Protected
IBM Watson Media uses a service to help protect copyrighted content. This service is provided by a company called Vobile. It uses a special system called "digital video fingerprinting." This system automatically finds and blocks videos that might be using copyrighted material without permission.
Sometimes, this system can make mistakes. These mistakes are called "false positives." This means it might block content that is actually allowed. For example, it might block videos that use small parts of copyrighted material under "fair use" rules. Or it might block content that the streamer has permission to use.
One time, in 2012, the live broadcast of the Hugo Award ceremony was stopped. This happened because it showed short clips from nominated TV shows and movies. Even though these clips were allowed, the system blocked the stream. Ustream later apologized for this. They temporarily turned off the automatic blocking. They worked to make the system better so it could balance the needs of broadcasters, viewers, and copyright holders.
See also
In Spanish: IBM Cloud Video para niños
