I'm very excited about the upcoming Digital Rapids TouchStream Live Encoding Appliance.  Not only is this baby portable, easy to use and a complete stand alone encoder.  It has the same guts as the Digital Rapids StreamZ encoding hardware, so you know you're getting a quality piece of equipment.

I've had several conversations with the Digital Rapids product team about this device.  It's been "coming soon" for quite some time, but the company has show cased it at several conferences and it's already won several awards.  The product is generally available, but expect a short wait to get one.  The price ranges anywhere from $4000 to $10,000 depending on options.

What I like about this device is it's flexibility.  It has inputs for just about any video and audio source.  It can output all the major streaming formats like Windows Media, Silverlight, Flash, H.264, MP3, AAC, 3GPP, and even MPEG-2.  And some models will produce up to 1920x1080p resolution making it a true HD streaming monster!

What is really unique about this appliance is the built in touch screen.  The whole device can be configured via this touch screen removing the need to lug a laptop around as well.  It can be preconfigured, shipped to a remote location, and setup in a few minutes without much technical expertise on the remote end.  There's even some USB ports on it to support a keyboard and mouse for easier navigation and programming.

Some other thoughtful features about this device is the ability to adjust brightness, contrast, hue, saturation and other video settings right in the box, thus removing the need for other video correction devices.  Also, the screen tilts so it makes it easier to read at an angle.  Lastly, they have built in direct support for all the major content delivery networks (CDN) making it really easy to start pushing your live event right to your delivery network!

I'm very excited to get my hands on this device.  I am eagerly awaiting my unit.  The company tells me there has been such a great response to the device, they are already back-logged. Check back for updates as I will be giving my hands-on test-drive review shortly with screen shots and sample video output.

For the TouchStream brochure, click here

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