IdeaNova introduced the Intouch Nearcast this May, enabling viewers of streaming video content to share screens and videos in areas with little or no Internet connection. Initially developed for in-flight entertainment (IFE) applications, Intouch Nearcast leverages IdeaNova’s streamlined screen and video sharing platform for local video plays where only local Wi-Fi is available.
“We believe that Intouch Nearcast is a great fit for companies that are facing infrastructure or security driven constraints with limited or no access to the Internet,” said Juraj Siska, CEO of IdeaNova. “With Intouch Nearcast, any hardware with local area network can become a collaboration platform, enabling the organization to provide a better, more predictable experience to their viewers.”
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IdeaNova created Intouch Nearcast as a new way to use WebRTC technology to customize multicamera and secure recording features around the world, much as its proprietary web conferencing product, Intouch, does. IdeaNova has developed Intouch Nearcast to meet the unique requirements of the aviation industry to screen share and video share content with passengers. Screen sharing, which usually consists of static content only, must leverage a different protocol than video sharing. Significant attention had to be paid to optimal utilization of bandwidth to ensure smooth and uninterrupted presentations to viewers. The platform is delivered on a scalable and portable docker configuration, suitable for quick installation on any hardware.
While the initial deployment is with the aviation industry, other industries are likely to take advantage of this product. Event venues or government/military organizations that either do not have access or limited Internet access can benefit from Intouch Nearcast. Live music, sports, or corporate presentations can benefit from crowded bandwidth issues.
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“Our team worked hard to combine powerful features for Intouch Nearcast, such as combining multiple video sources and high-quality video sharing, with an easy-to-use browser UI. The web UI can easily be integrated onto an existing web application or site,” said Janne Pelkonen, CTO of IdeaNova. “On the server side, the system scales down to even low-end Arm-based servers. We use optimal video codecs for efficient bandwidth usage and can adapt to even the strictest firewall configurations.”
