Firstlight Media and SSIMWAVE® are partnering to drive broader adoption of AI-powered solutions that measure, manage, and optimize video quality at multiple points in the delivery chain.

The two companies are teaming to enable OTT and pay-TV providers to seamlessly implement SSIMWAVE’s SSIMPLUS® system in conjunction with Firstlight Media’s modular, cloud-based streaming platform that is built on Gen 5 architecture and delivers step-changes in performance, flexibility, and scale. The partnership supports the optimization of encoding for VOD content, as well as live video monitoring from source to the device.

Based on the human visual system, SSIMPLUS uses software probes within the delivery chain and an objective scoring methodology to provide actionable insights into video quality from source to the device. SSIMPLUS enables video providers to fix processing and delivery issues; validate and manage HDR quality, and balance viewer experience and cost to support expense reduction and subscriber satisfaction goals.

“Research has shown that quality of video experiences or delivery costs are the primary concerns for more than 50% of video providers and that almost one-fourth of providers are unsure of how to measure QoE,” said Dr. Abdul Rehman, CEO, CTO, and co-founder of SSIMWAVE. “Firstlight Media’s platform expertise and ambitious growth strategies will help us broaden the adoption of SSIMWAVE solutions that can help providers optimize both bitrates and viewer experiences.”

“There are proven links between Quality of Experience and viewer loyalty,” said Andre Christensen, CEO, and co-founder of Firstlight Media. “SSIMWAVE’s advances in its Emmy-winning algorithm can uniquely provide value to our customers by helping them cost-effectively deliver the quality levels that build long-term subscriber value.”