Questions and answers.
What engineers and buyers ask us most, about the units, the formats and how to try them.
Buying and trying
What does Framecastic make?
Broadcast encoders and decoders for SDI, ST 2110 and HDMI, a portable and a compact SDI codec for contribution, and the IPTV and OTT side: an IPTV server, set-top boxes and an ABR HLS transcoder. Our own design and our own code, on standard hardware.
Can we try a unit before we buy?
Yes. First we give your engineers remote access to a running unit, so they can look at the interface, the settings and the output. Then a unit goes on your own signals for a couple of weeks, with a written report you keep either way.
Do you sell hardware or software?
Both. Finished, pre-validated units ready to run; the same software on servers you already own; or white labelled under your own name.
Is the licence a subscription?
No. Software licences are perpetual: you buy once. An optional annual SLA covers support and updates.
What warranty do the units carry?
Two years on the hardware and one year of software updates, included.
How much does it cost?
Prices are on request, because they depend on the unit, the channel count and whether you buy hardware or software. Write to presales@framecastic.com.
Where are you based?
Framecastic d.o.o. is in Zagreb, Croatia, in the European Union, and works with customers internationally.
Formats and transport
Which transports do the units speak?
MPEG-TS over UDP and RTP on managed networks, and SRT and RIST over the open internet, with either end as caller or listener. Every unit speaks MPEG-TS, so any encoder feeds any decoder, headend or operator.
Do you support HEVC 4:2:2 10-bit?
Yes, encode and decode in hardware on the Portable Codec and the Compact SDI Codec, alongside HEVC 4:2:0 and H.264.
Do you support 4K?
The HDMI Encoder takes up to two 4K30 sources, and the set-top box has two 4K HDMI outputs. The SDI and ST 2110 encoders and decoders are HD, up to 1920 × 1080.
Do you support ST 2022-7?
Yes, on the ST 2110 Encoder and the ST 2110 Decoder, with hardware PTP.
How many channels fit in one rack unit?
Sixteen 1080p50 channels on the SDI Encoder, in a half-depth 1 RU box, and sixteen 1080p channels on the ST 2110 Encoder. The ABR HLS Transcoder carries 72 channels per 1 RU server, each as a 4-resolution H.264 ladder from 1080i50; capacity depends on the ladder.
What is the latency?
It depends on the codec, the format and the buffering profile, so we do not publish a single figure. Each decoder has a selectable low-latency or normal-quality profile, and we measure on your own configuration during an evaluation.
Running the units
How are the units managed?
The same web UI and REST API on every unit: status, control and configuration, scriptable end to end. A site with ten units is managed like one.
How are the units secured?
HTTPS login and hashed passwords on every unit.
Can you support a unit without us opening a port?
Yes. Units dial home over WireGuard, so we can help without anyone opening a port, including behind someone else's NAT at a venue.
How much power does the Portable Codec draw?
About 10 W at the wall, measured while encoding and decoding at the same time.
Something we did not answer?
Write to presales@framecastic.com, or book a demo and ask the engineers who built it.