What Is the Streaming Video Technology Alliance?
The Streaming Video Technology Alliance is a group of companies spanning the streaming video value chain. These companies are dedicated to solving the critical challenges facing online video to improve consumer adoption.Like other industry forums, the SVTA has established Working Groups targeting key problems. Whether it’s Open Caching or Measurement/Quality of Experience (QoE), the SVTA’s member companies come together in quarterly face-to-face meetings and regular phone calls to produce documentation. This documentation we produce includes best practices, specifications, and requirements. The SVTA also develops open-source software, such as the Common Media Library.But the SVTA, at the current time, is not a standards body. To stay nimble and agile in an ever-changing industry, the SVTA has opted to work with existing industry organizations (like the CTA). Using the output from our Working Groups (and the combined expertise of our member base), we can influence the creation of online video standards.
Explore More About The Streaming Video Technology Alliance And The Trends Driving Its Work
The video industry is at an inflection point. More cable and satellite customers are dumping their monthly subscriptions in favor of streaming services like Hulu, Disney+, Netflix, CBS All Access, and others. But this trend isn’t being ignored by incumbent providers. Large MSOs like Verizon, Comcast, Charter, and others are embracing OTT as well, leveraging their investment in IP technologies to deliver content wherever their customers are, on whatever device. And content owners are following suit too. From Disney to NBCUniversal to AT&T, direct-to-consumer appears to be the way of the future.
The problem is that despite consumer demand for streaming access to their favorite video content, the scalability, delivery consistency, and reliability of OTT services is nothing like video delivered into the home via a set-top-box. Still, streaming video providers are trying to solve the technical challenges of providing HD or 4K to viewers across a variety of networks on a plethora of devices in a multitude of geographies.
This trend, of transitioning from broadcast to streaming, is what drives the SVTA members to work together. Because streaming is not governed by Federal regulations (such as the FCC, in the United States), there is no “approved” way to build a streaming workflow or a streaming technology stack. That environment, where there are many different ways to delivery streaming video, undermines interoperability and makes it difficult for streaming operators to ensure everything works together well, and for vendors to build technology which will work with every provider.
About the Streaming Video Technology Alliance In a Timeline of T-Shirts
Hey, not everything is so serious here! We like to have fun too as you can see in many of the photo galleries posted in our meeting pages. But one thing we have a tradition of is producing t-shirts once a year for our annual meeting. In most cases, they reflect the popular TV shows or movies that people turn to in their streaming platforms.
The Foundation of the SVTA
The Alliance is founded on six pillars. We execute on these pillars through a variety of programs and activities.
-
Learning
Educating the streaming industry about key topics, challenges, and being a “record of truth” for such things as definitions and best practices.
-
Sustainability
Developing and promoting best practices about the longevity of streaming platforms as well as how platform operators can become more environmental sustainable.
-
Diversity
Promoting the diversity of ideas and thoughts, the types of companies, and the inclusion of under-represented groups in the streaming industry.
-
Collaboration
Enabling a variety of companies to come together in a neutral location to discuss ideas and solutions to technical challenges.
-
Solutions
Defining and publishing solutions to technical challenges that the industry can use to provide a better viewing experience.
-
Innovation
Seeking ways to improve the video streaming technology stack by developing innovative solutions to critical technical challenges.
Why Did We Change Our Name?
Most of the streaming video industry knows of our organization as the Streaming Video Alliance. But, in early 2022, the then Streaming Video Alliance board felt that adding the word “technology” to our name would better capture our focus on just the technical challenges of streaming high-quality video at scale. You can read more about the decision in this blog post.
Media Assets
Below you will find links to the SVTA’s media assets. If you need something else specific, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Get Notified!
Want to get notified when we publish a new blog post, technical document, webinar, or other piece of content? Just enter your email address below. Don’t worry, we won’t share your email with anyone and will only use it to notify you of new content.
Resources
Legal
Other Sites
Making Streaming Video Better
The Streaming Video Technology Alliance is committed to bringing video streaming companies together to help build a better viewer experience at scale.
X-twitter
Vimeo
Linkedin