IVT enhances live, on-demand presentations

Interactive Video Technologies (IVT) this week announced the availability of the latest version of its flagship product MediaPlatform 3.0, a suite of tools for creating and managing live or on-demand presentations that can combine audio, video and slides in a browser window.

Version 3.0 extends the number of ways a presenter can create and deliver a presentation in addition to enhancements to the presentation archiving, asset management and options for use interaction. With the latest release, there are two methods for presenters to create their presentations: MediaPlatform SlideCaster and MediaPlatform TeleCaster.

SlideCaster acts similar to what one would see with WebEx, where the audio is handled over an existing phone bridge and the slides are delivered via a Web browser. The presenter has complete control over the pace of the slide flipping. With TeleCaster, IVT is partnering with service provider Akamai to convert audio into streaming media. The presenter dials a telephone number and Akamai’s encoders convert and deliver the audio across the Internet. MediaPlatform then synchronizes the slides with the streamed audio.

“The only costs are streaming over the network and not the [more expensive] use of an audio bridge,” says Mark Lieberman, CEO of IVT. 

Presenters can also create complete presentations from their desk without using the phone. MediaPlatform Studio is a browser-accessible application that captures audio and video (via a standard USB camera) and synchronizes them with PowerPoint slides. The slides are converted to JPEG images for delivery, but all text is parsed and stored in MediaPlatform’s search engine. New in 3.0 is the ability to add polling and surveys to increase viewer interactivity and participation. For both the presenter using Studio and the viewer, there is not proprietary software needed, other than Real or Windows Media Player for viewing and/or listening to the streaming media.

IVT sells MediaPlatform as an ASP offering or as a premise-based solution. For those installing locally, administrators can build presentation templates to provide a consistent look and feel as well as set locations for where media should be stored and archived. The audio and video can be served locally or from the third-party service provider such as an Akamai or Speedera.

For those looking to install the software on premise, pricing starts at $100,000 for five user accounts (presenters). Those wishing to use MediaPlatform on an ASP basis, a five-user license starts at $90,000 per year.