Next generation of Blackbird video codec

Posted: 23/01/2017

Forbidden Technologies plc (AIM: FBT), the AIM-quoted owner and developer of the market leading cloud video platform Forscene, is pleased to announce a new video codec, Blackbird 9 (the “Blackbird Codec”). The Blackbird Codec allows for the efficient compression and decompression of video for storage, transmission and editing. Forbidden has started the patent protection process for Blackbird 9.

Video compression lies at the heart of Forbidden’s ability to ingest video and edit in the cloud with no latency for editors at low bandwidths. The continuous improvement of the Company’s codecs has ensured Forbidden’s ability to handle increasing video quality demands over time such as the 4k requirement now vs. historic SD and HD requirements.

Early tests indicate that the first release of the new codec cuts video datarate by around 20 per cent. compared with Blackbird 8, while improving colour accuracy and improving picture quality through a better understanding of rotations and an improved motion search.

Compared to the older Blackbird 5 used by Forbidden’s professional clients, the improved compression in Blackbird 9 results in a datarate reduction, based on early tests, of approximately 75 per cent. compared with Blackbird 5.

Other improvements significantly speed up the handling of video in the Forscene cloud, increasing the number of users supported by the existing cloud infrastructure.

With Forbidden’s patented loss-free artificial intelligence (“AI”) compression engine at its core, Blackbird 9 is expected to improve the experience of professional users of the Forscene platform as they move towards editing higher resolution videos. With both faster playback and fewer internet accesses per video, Blackbird 9 also improves multicam performance, where multiple video streams are logged or edited concurrently.

Its efficient playback also allows Blackbird 9 to be used by the Forscene platform’s JavaScript projects, which currently use Blackbird 8.

Blackbird 9 playback is being rolled out across the platform’s Android and iOS apps, giving mobile users the ability to play back Blackbird 9 videos. Blackbird 9 recording is being tested on faster mobile devices, allowing them to capture, compress and upload live video to the Forscene cloud editor. Its efficient playback also allows Blackbird 9 to be used by the Forscene platform’s JavaScript projects, which currently use Blackbird 8.

Forbidden Technologies Head of R&D, Stephen Streater, said:

“Blackbird 9 is a major step in the evolution of Forbidden’s Forscene video platform. Its benefits will be felt across the whole cloud video platform, improving the user experience on the professional Forscene editor and reducing the cost of hosting and serving higher resolution videos.”

Enquiries:

Forbidden Technologies plc
Aziz Musa, CEO
Tel: +44 (0)20 8879 7245

Allenby Capital Limited (Nominated Adviser and Broker)
Nick Naylor, John Depasquale, Richard Short, Katrina Perez
Tel: +44 (0)20 3328 5656

Redleaf Communications (Financial PR)
Rebecca Sanders-Hewett, David Ison, Susie Hudson
Tel: +44 (0)20 7382 4730
Email: forbidden@redleafpr.com

About Forbidden Technologies plc

Forbidden Technologies plc (AIM: FBT, www.forbidden.co.uk) floated in February 2000.

The Company develops and markets a powerful cloud video platform with multiple applications which can be used by rights holders, broadcasters, sports and news video specialists, post-production houses, other mass market digital video channels, corporates and consumers. The platform applications help customers improve their time to market on time sensitive content, and efficiently exploit the full value of their content.

Websites
www.forbidden.co.uk
www.forscene.com
www.eva.co
www.captevate.com

Social media
www.facebook.com/FORscene
www.plus.google.com/+Forscenepro/posts
www.linkedin.com/company/forscene
www.twitter.com/forscenepro
www.youtube.com/user/ForsceneTraining