SnapStream

Typically, it takes SnapStream approximately 3-4 weeks to build, test, burn-in and ship a configured box to our customers.

SnapStream HD provides 4-10 RF coax cable inputs for capturing HDTV.

SnapStream HD records in an MPEG-2 transport stream, in a file with the extension .tp. After a recording has been made, SnapStream's ShowSqueeze technology allows you to re-compress your recordings into the Windows Media Video (WMV) or H.264 formats. The specific parameters for recordings ShowSqueezed to Windows Media or H.264, such as video resolution and bit-rate, are configurable by the administrator. 

The bitrate and resolution of ATSC and QAM recordings are fixed and cannot be changed. However, the WMV and H.264 profiles used for ShowSqueeze are highly configurable, from resolution and bit-rate to frame rate to audio frequency and bit-rate. 

Unfortunately, SnapStream HD is unable to support any HD video formats other than the specific type of MPEG-2 transport streams created by its tuning hardware.

SnapStream HD does not support recording SD content, but SnapStream does offer the SnapStream SD for recording SD channels.

No, unfortunately SnapStream HD capabilities requires you to know the frequencies of your QAM channels. SnapStream HD cannot scan for clear QAM channels on a cable feed. SnapStream cannot decrypt HD channels on a digital cable or satellite feed, nor can it capture HD content from a digital cable or satellite set-top box. For capturing HD channels from digital cable or satellite, we recommend using a set-top box with an S-video output with the Best MPEG-2 quality on our SnapStream SD, which will provide very high SD image quality. Another option, if you have an HD appliance, is to connect your set-top box to a recommended QAM modulator that then feeds into your SnapStream HD.

It depends on the bandwidth available on your network. Playback of HD content through Enterprise TV Link requires roughly 15 Mb/s of bandwidth, compared with 2-7 mb for SD content. For this reason we strongly recommend setting up SnapStream HD on a gigabit network. Also, each PC playing back live TV or recordings needs to have SnapStream Enterprise TV Link or the Web Player plug-in installed. SnapStream HD includes 20-50 Enterprise TV Link client licenses.

SnapStream HD with 9TB of storage space can store about 1,395 hours of HD content, while 15TB can store about 2,325 hours and 30TB can store about 4,650 hours.

HD video contains substantially more data than SD video, and therefore it requires more space and computing power for both capture and playback. An HD broadcast contains roughly twice as much data as SnapStream's Best (7Mb/s) SD MPEG-2 quality, or more than seven times as much data as the default SD quality, Fair (2 Mb/s). Playback of HD content also requires 3D Acceleration and is not compatible with software rendering. In addition, SnapStream HD has different system requirements for Link clients.

Yes, with SnapStream 5.x and above, you can configure multiple nodes to work together as if they were one.

Yes! When you purchase a particular configuration, it is possible to later add additional tuners. A four-tuner SnapStream, for example, can later be upgraded to make it a six-, eight- or 10-tuner SnapStream. Contact SnapStream for more details.

SnapStream HD is equipped with dual hot-swap power supplies that are both redundant, and load-balancing. The particular power requirements vary depending on the configuration. View our power and thermal document for more information.

SnapStream recommends that two independent battery backup units are used. View our power and thermal document for more information on best practices.

To view the thermal output of SnapStream HD, view our power and thermal document.

Yes, SnapStream has a built-in feature for e-mailing clips that will automatically ShowSqueeze the clip to a manageable size.

It's also possible to e-mail a URL to a colleague. This URL, when clicked on, will launch the SnapStream interface and load the designated video at the specified time. This method requires the recipient to have the SnapStream Link software installed.

With SnapStream 5.x and above, you can configure multiple nodes to work together as if they were one. By integrating multiple SnapStreams into a clustered installation, you can theoretically record an infinite number of TV channels simultaneously. Search meta data is retained across the system.