This new release includes new functionality and some breaking changes that you should be aware in order to recompile you app against this new SDK. The Media Services Documentation on MSDN will be fully updated by 11/27, but you don’t have to wait until then to migrate your app.

Nick Drouin published some code snippets here, which will help you get started with the new SDK. (BTW, I strongly recommend reading Nick’s blog for getting sample code and how-to articles around using various features of Media Services)

Windows Media Services SDK 2.0 Release Notes

Media Services General Issues

Media Services SDK for .NET Issues

Changes since June 2012 release

SDK Changes

The following changes require any code written against the June 2012 Preview release to be modified:

Assets

IAsset.Create(assetName) is the ONLY asset creation function.  IAsset.Create no longer uploads files as part of the method call.

The IAsset.Publish method and the AssetState.Publish enumeration value have been removed from the Services SDK.  Any code that relies on this value must be re-written.

FileInfo

This class has been removed and replaced by IAssetFile.  See below.

IAssetFiles

Replaces FileInfo and has a different behavior. To use it, instantiate the IAssetFiles object, followed by a file upload either using the Media Services SDK or the Windows Azure Storage SDK. The following IAssetFile.Upload overloads can be used:

• IAssetFile.Upload(filePath).  Synchronous method.  Blocks the thread and is recommended only when uploading a single file.
•  IAssetFile.UploadAsync(filePath, blobTransferClient, locator, cancellationToken).  Asynchronous method.  This is the preferred upload mechanism. Known bug: using the cancellationToken will indeed cancel the upload; however, the cancellation state of the tasks can be any of a number of states. You must properly catch and handle exceptions. 

Locators

The Origin-specific and Windows Azure CDN-specific versions have been removed. The SAS-specific context.Locators.CreateSasLocator(asset, accessPolicy) will be marked deprecated, or removed by GA. See the Locators section under New Functionality for updated behavior.

New Functionality

The following functionality is new in the November 2012 release.

Deleting entities

IAsset, IAssetFile, ILocator, IAccessPolicy, IContentKey objects are now deleted at the object level, i.e. IObject.Delete(), instead of requiring a delete in the Collection, that is cloudMediaContext.ObjCollection.Delete(objInstance).

Locators

Locators must now be created using the CreateLocator method and use the LocatorType.SAS or LocatorType.OnDemandOrigin enum values as an argument for the specific type of locator you want to create.  

New properties were added to Locators to make it easier to obtain usable URIs for your content. This redesign of Locators was meant to provide more flexibility for future third-party extensibility and increase ease-of-use for media client applications.

Asynchronous Method Support

Asynchronous support has been added to all methods. 

Enjoy the new SDK!

Blending our significant experience with both Microsoft Windows Azure and IIS Media Services, we have been working hard for the past 6+ months contributing Windows Azure Media-Services solutions for deltatre who has integrated them for the broadcasters. These solutions are described below (for a related post highlighting the use of Window Azure Media Services, see ScottGu’s write-up here).

Asset Replication and Management Console

Windows Azure is a cloud platform that exists across a global network of Microsoft-managed datacenters. Southworks created a tool that allows users to replicate video assets between data centers, providing redundancy in the unlikely event of data center down time.

We used the Windows Azure Media Services Client SDK to create a replication tool. The tool has a worker role that determines the difference between content in two data centers. Operators can use a web-based console to monitor the differences and initiate replication, either manually or automatically.

Partner Dashboard

Southworks created an online dashboard for creating, managing and monitoring live channels. The dashboard displays statistics about channels (including their health). Operations include the ability to create, start and stop channels, as well as archive assets.

The dashboard is a Windows Azure MVC application that makes use of the Windows Azure Media Services Live SDK. We used Silverlight, jQuery and Knockout.js to provide an intuitive and responsive user experience.

Microsoft Media Platform Video Editor (formerly Rough Cut Editor)

The Microsoft Media Platform Video Editor (MMP Video Editor) simplifies the editing and publishing process, enabling real-time, browser-based video editing, and providing the ability for publishers to improve collaboration, manage dynamic metadata and deliver exciting content to the Web. In support of deltatre, Southworks customized the Video Editor to integrate it with the deltatre CMS and support the asset publishing process.

The MMP Video Editor was created using Silverlight 5 and the Prism framework. It makes heavy use of IIS Media Services, IIS Smooth Streaming and composite manifests.

Azure Media Services Media Processors and Transcoding Workflows

In Windows Azure Media Services, a Media Processor is a component that handles a specific processing task, such as encoding, format conversion, encrypting, or decrypting media content. We created a set of Media Processors to:

• Translate a MMP Video Editor project to an EDL format compatible with Windows Azure Media Encoder in order to run a conform
• Publish an MP4 to be distributed to syndication networks

In addition, we implemented a variety of workflows to verify the correct functioning of the aforementioned Media Processors.

These components make use of the Windows Azure Media Services Platform SDK, the Windows Azure Media Services Client SDK, Windows Azure Media Encoder and the Media Platform Video Editor.

You can play with the new version at http://videoeditor.cloudapp.net/.

The downloadable packages of the new release are:

• MMP Video Editor 2.0 Source Code: Useful in case you want to know how the different features are implemented.
• MMP Video Editor 2.0 Binaries: If you don’t care about the source and just can’t wait to host it.
• MMP Video Editor 2.0 Documentation: Updated documentation, including the “New Features in the MMP Video Editor 2.0” that provides a brief overview of the brand new features.
• MMP Video Editor 2.0 Overlays & Rubberbanding Plugin Sample: Two plug-ins for the “Microsoft Media Platform Player Framework (formerly SMF)” were created to manage overlays and rubber-banding in CSMs (see new features document). The sample includes the source code for the plug-ins and a sample player that showcases the plug-ins’ capabilities.

New Features

The full list of new features included in this version are:

• Silverlight 5 based
• Out-of-Browser capabilities
• Floating Windows
• Playback Model: CSM Based
• Multiple Sequences
• Sub-clip Tool
  • Asset Preview
  • Multiple Video Cameras selection
  • Multiple Audio Tracks selection
  • Metadata Support
• Multiple clips selection and locking
• Enhanced Overlays Support
• Markers and Ads Browser
• Rubber banding and multiple audio tracks
• Keyboard Layout Configuration
• Jog wheel support

I recommend you to go over the new features document before you start editing clips, as there are a lot changes in most of the major features of the application.

If you have comments, questions, suggestions or any issue, please visit the MMP Video Editor community site.

We hope enjoy this new version and have a lot of fun editing!!!

This version includes all the new features and bug fixes that were included in SP1, an important fix for an issue that occurs when playing live smooth streaming videos and a minor fix in the Composite Stream Manifest generator.

Full descriptions of the issues are provided below in case you have run into them.

Issues Description

Live Smooth Streaming Videos without text tracks fails on playback

When playing a live smooth streaming video without any text tracks, a message is shown explaining that the video can’t be played.
The log has the following related entry: “Exception: Failed to parse manifest: Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection.”

First chunk duration are not generated sometimes

In some scenarios, the duration of the first chunk of the video and audio streams is not generated.

The error message when playing the generated CSM is the following: “Caught exception trying to parse main manifest: First audio chunk in clip 1 [start time = X, duration = Y] does not contain clip start position Z]“, where X, Y and Z are values that depend on your clips. For more information on common issues when generating and using CSMs, please check this blog post.

Hopefully, you will find this new release useful.

If you have comments, questions, suggestions or any issue, please visit the MMP Video Editor community site.

The Microsoft NAB booth was impressive as always, and as an IIS  Media Services Partner, our logo was listed on their partner wall. We’ve been fortunate to contribute software to support live and on-demand streaming of events such as the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Sunday Night Football, and last Fall’s PDC, with more to come.

Over at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Microsoft introduced the umbrella brand Microsoft Media Platform. This umbrella encompasses many of the technologies Microsoft offers to support the encoding, editing, delivering and watching of media. In his session, Jason Suess gave a brief overview of the Microsoft Media Platform Video Editor (formerly known as the Rough Cut Editor or RCE), and mentioned that we are now working together on the next version, with updates that will support the London Summer Olympics.

We frequently deliver software for large, public events, where our clients’ put their reputations on the line and in plain sight. But we are there to support them in their efforts, as you can see Johnny and Diego looking after things at a customer booth. Together with Dario, they helped create an amazing Silverlight dashboard app that hosts graphical widgets that consume OData services for business intelligence.

At MIX Steven Woodward demoed the Microsoft Media Platform Content Manager, a SharePoint-based application we helped create that supports live and on-demand scheduling, control of encoders, transcoding for VOD, management of metadata, video editing and ad insertion. The source code will be available soon on CodePlex, and will make it much easier for small enterprises to manage live events and video content.

At conferences things are pretty dynamic, with each day bringing something new, and schedules frequently adjusted. But it’s great to be able to connect with people and spend time together, even in unexpected places. Here we see EZ brainstorming with Owen Allen about the next phase of development for an Online Video Platform customer. The view from the 58th floor of the Wynn is, well, spectacular.

It’s common for presenters to be nervous during demos, and many of us have experienced the wrath of technology gremlins getting in the way of our plans. Imagine the increased pressure when presenting during a keynote speech, showing off just-released bits.

Phil Haack’s recent post describes some of the measures that Microsoft takes to mock dependencies for big events, but who can be really sure that nothing unexpected will happen? Our friend Drew Robbins had nothing to worry about during the MIX keynote, as he did a great job presenting work we did with him for the creation of the Amazon WebMatrix Helpers.

In parallel with the event, we had many people working to help deliver great samples and guidance materials to be released with the announcement of ACS 2, many of them inspired, lead, driven and summarized by Vittorio.

Long days, intense moments, adrenaline-filled customers, and an ever increasing email backlog piling up. But it’s all worth when we hear, as one customer shared with me, "Thank you for making my job so easy."

And it never hurts to take the team out for some fine Vegas food, either. With that, roll the credits. We’ll see you next year!

We’ve been working closely with Microsoft’s media technology for some time and it’s something well worth a look, as you seek to improve communications amongst a potentially distributed work force (or customer set).

While listening to the radio during this holiday season, I couldn’t help but think of a new take on a classic Christmas carol line…

I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my streams

D’oh! While you spent a few days thinking about whether to attend PDC 10  or not, the decision was made for you: it quickly sold out. Will you have to wait until your colleagues return or the content is made available for download for you to experience the event? No – you can watch it live, online, in HD.

Using technology such as Smooth Streaming, Silverlight, IIS Transform Manager, Azure CDN, and SharePoint, a whole host of partners came together to deliver an awesome experience for viewers.

Whether you are delivering large events, or simple video training materials for your staff, check out the platform tools Microsoft is creating to support delivery of digital content. Our developers love working with them, and we suspect you will too.

For NAB 2010, Xytech demonstrated a Silverlight proof of concept version of MediaPulse, their comprehensive and feature-rich resource, work order, and asset management solution for broadcasters, media services companies and transmission service providers.

The Silverlight application connects to Xytech’s asset management backend services to provide searching, browsing, video playback, and metadata management. Additionally users can launch the Silverlight Rough Cut Editor to edit video assets within the backend system.