MediaConvert Features

AWS Elemental MediaConvert is a file-based video processing service that allows video providers with any size content library to easily and reliably transcode on-demand content for broadcast and multiscreen delivery. Used as a standalone service or integrated with other Amazon Media Services, AWS Elemental MediaConvert lets you build flexible file-based video workflows with full control over video quality and predictable pay-as-you-go billing.

Key features

Broadcast Capabilities for Video-on-Demand Content

Configure a broadcast-grade video-on-demand experience

Built with technology from AWS Elemental that has been proven over many years by leading broadcast and internet video providers, AWS Elemental MediaConvert gives you a comprehensive set of features to create engaging viewing experiences, including graphic overlays, content protection, multi-language audio, closed captioning support, and professional broadcast formats.

Comprehensive Input and Output Support

Create streams using standard video formats

AWS Elemental MediaConvert supports a broad range of video input and output formats, including those for broadcast as well as formats for delivery over the internet. The service supports the AVC, HEVC, AV1, Apple ProRes, and MPEG-2 compression standards, including support for advanced color sampling (10-bit 4:2:2). It supports a broad range of adaptive bitrate packaging formats including CMAF, Apple HLS, DASH ISO, and Microsoft Smooth Streaming. AWS Elemental MediaConvert also supports processing and conversion of 4K and 8K resolution sources, and high dynamic range (HDR) video content including Dolby Vision.

Automated Resource Provisioning

Automate the work of creating and managing video infrastructure

AWS Elemental MediaConvert eliminates the burden of managing video processing infrastructure by automating the key aspects of workload provisioning and management. Simply use the Amazon Web Services Management Console or the API to launch video processing workloads configured to your specifications; AWS Elemental MediaConvert handles resource provisioning and optimization, service orchestration, scaling, healing, resiliency failover, monitoring, and reporting. AWS Elemental MediaConvert supports a broad range of video input and output formats, including those for broadcast as well as formats for delivery over the internet.

Built-in Reliability

Redundancy and automatic scalability for video-on-demand workflows

Each job you create with AWS Elemental MediaConvert runs on redundant infrastructure distributed across physically separated Availability Zones. The service monitors resources for health and automatically replaces any degraded components without disrupting your jobs. AWS Elemental MediaConvert scales elastically to handle peak workloads without reducing turnaround time or performance, automatically provisioning the right compute resources in step with demand for your video content. Incorporating features like error handling is straightforward, allowing you to monitor the entire media workflow and take actions, such as issuing notifications, in real-time.

FAQs

What is AWS Elemental MediaConvert?

AWS Elemental MediaConvert is a file-based video processing service that formats and compresses offline content for delivery to televisions or connected devices. With high-quality video transcoding from AWS Elemental MediaConvert, you can create on-demand video assets for playback on virtually any device. The service combines advanced video and audio capabilities with a simple web services interface and pay-as-you-go pricing. With AWS Elemental MediaConvert, you can focus on delivering compelling media experiences without having to worry about the complexity of building and operating your own video processing infrastructure.
What is file-based video processing?

In a video processing workflow, a file-based video transcoding solution processes video files, creating compressed versions of the original content to reduce its size, change its format, or increase playback device compatibility. A file-based video transcoding solution can convert any video input source, ranging from high-quality studio masters to videos captured on a mobile device, and produce content ready for distribution to viewers. File-based transcoding processes media as fast as the underlying infrastructure allows, which may be faster or slower than real-time depending on the input type, output format(s), and transcoder settings. File-based transcoding solutions are also expected to handle packaging and of content by preparing assets for on-demand delivery to multiple device types.
Who can use AWS Elemental MediaConvert?

AWS Elemental MediaConvert is designed to meet the needs of all types of video providers. Video is increasingly important to companies from small businesses to global enterprises, as well as government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and schools, all of which can use AWS Elemental MediaConvert to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their video operations. Companies in the media and entertainment industry, including film and TV studios, broadcast networks, pay TV channels and system operators, programming distributors, internet service providers, online video platforms, and professional sports leagues and teams, can all benefit from AWS Elemental MediaConvert as part of their broadcast, streaming, and over-the-top video offerings.
Why should I choose AWS Elemental MediaConvert over an on-premises file-based encoding solution?

On-premises solutions have long lead times to become production-ready, have limited agility, and lack the scale to meet demand as workloads change over time. These solutions require customers to own, host, and manage all of the required infrastructure, which equates to significant capital investment up front, and may require interfacing with multiple vendors for billing and support, which is prohibitive for individuals and small companies. Long term, the total cost of ownership only increases when factoring in ongoing expense to update, patch, and maintain on-premises systems. AWS Elemental MediaConvert, on the other hand, is a pay-as-you-go service with predictable costs that offers a high degree of availability, reliability, and scalability without the burden of infrastructure management. Because AWS Elemental MediaConvert is an Amazon Web Services service, it’s simple for video providers to build end-to-end workflows using other Amazon Web Services services, and benefit from integrated billing, monitoring, and support.
Why should I choose AWS Elemental MediaConvert over other file-based cloud encoding services?

AWS Elemental MediaConvert gives you access to a full broadcast-grade feature set. Other cloud-based video processing services often do not provide the premium capabilities that content owners and distributors require. With AWS Elemental MediaConvert you can take advantage of features to create broadcast-quality video including static graphic overlays, audio loudness normalization, ad insertion via SCTE-35 support, manifest decoration, and broadcast and OTT closed captioning. AWS Elemental MediaConvert leverages video processing technology built from the ground up by AWS Elemental and used by video providers of all kinds today. It includes ingest and output support for the highest quality codecs (MPEG-2, AVC, AV1, and HEVC including support for 10-bit 4:2:2 color sampling), extensive adaptive bitrate packaging formats (CMAF, HLS, DASH, and MSS), and processing and conversion of HDR content (Dolby Vision, HDR 10, and HLG BT.2020). With AWS Elemental MediaConvert, you can get started with simple jobs while gaining access to a deep set of configurable parameters to precisely control video output quality as required. AWS Elemental MediaConvert charges jobs based on the duration and the characteristics of the outputs generated, which means that you always only pay for what you use. Finally, AWS Elemental MediaConvert scales elastically with the rate of incoming jobs so you benefit from short turnaround times even when your incoming load varies.
Can I use AWS Elemental MediaConvert for live video?

AWS Elemental MediaConvert is a file-based transcoding service and does not support live video.