Information

The MainConcept Reference SDK is built upon the MainConcept Codec SDK library and contains a powerful transcoding engine that enables developers to create their own transcoding applications for converting video files into other formats for delivery of compliant video/audio streams for Blu-ray Disc, Sony PSP, Apple iPod, DVD, HD DVD, the whole Sony XDCAM portfolio, Adobe Flash, Panasonic P2AVC-Intra and DVCPRO, etc...

You can even create and edit XML based transcoding presets and use them in your own applications. The MainConcept Reference SDK offers import via DirectShow, QuickTime, GStreamer as well as MPEG and H.264/AVC. Powerful features, such as watermarking, watch folder and batch list transcoding allow you to create versatile conversion tools yourself that are similar to the renowned MainConcept Reference application or related transcoding software.

This particular SDK is aimed at developers who want to release their own transcoding applications in a portable and extensible fashion, built on top of MainConcept's Low Level SDKs. Key advantages:

• Comes with a well documented API (Application Programming Interface - in C programming language) allowing you to easily create your own transcoding software with a GUI (Graphical User Interface).
• Fast development of conversion tools that can be controlled via command line or act as a server side transcoding application.
• On Windows it additionally includes DirectShow filters for decoding.

Developers have the opportunity to easily add the transcoding engine's functionalities to their own application design. Moreover, it enables them to integrate the MainConcept Reference engine into custom workflows and optimize their transcoding environment.

The MainConcept Reference SDK works as an additional layer above the popular MainConcept Codec SDK , so developers do not need to take care of the numerous codec settings and parameters. Due to its easy-to-use API on top of the Codec SDK, there is no need to set all conversion parameters by hand. Developers can set the encoders by using predefined profiles, and the transcoding engine takes care of the rest. This flexible API works as simple as that: Input Source -> Transcoding Preset -> Output File.

There is still the opportunity – if required – to control every aspect of the conversion process by the Reference SDK, including source/target destinations, export presets, transcoding and filter parameters, etc.

It is even possible to use the Reference SDK as is on a server using the numerous tutorials included for direct content creation. They already offer ready-to-use presets focusing on both quality and performance.

Features

What’s new in Reference SDK 2.1:

• Create suitable encoder settings with Reference that can also be used in the renowned MainConcept Codec SDK – a cost effective approach to define ready-to-use presets in your own solutions
• New Apple iPad and HTML5 presets
• Time-saving smart rendering and remuxing support for various codecs and multiplexers.
• Add user data to your streams, e.g. for Closed Captions support.
• Subtitle rendering support for *.srt and *.sub files.
• Many powerful video and audio filters for different production environments and occasions.
• Panasonic P2 AVC-Intra Class 50 and 100 transcoding presets, including MXF support.
• JPEG2000 Encoder allows creation of DCP compliant frames, so they can be processed without any additional modification.
• DVCPRO formats now come with MXF support as well.
• New advanced Video/Audio Encoder and Multiplexer Settings dialogs with many useful options for optimizing your footage.
• 10-bit Support in H.264/AVC High 4:2:2 Profile.
• Numerous ready-to-use transcoding presets, including many new and improved ones.
• Blu-ray compliance for MPEG2, H.264/AVC and VC-1 streams.
• Powerful command-line interface allows preset based transcoding jobs in a convenient way, e.g. on a server (including capturing support).

Core API consists of the following items:

• Transcoding process control
• Management of processing modules
• Utility functions
• Built-in processing modules

Supports the following video and audio codecs as well as file formats. You may also check MainConcept Reference and its corresponding codec Plug-In pages for further details on the power of the transcoding engine.

Tech Specs

• Windows XP or Vista, Windows 7 32-/64-bit, SSE2 and higher
• Apple Mac OS X 10.5 or higher (Mac/Intel), 32-/64-bit
• Linux 32-/64-bit - Ubuntu 7.0.4 (libstdc6), Centos 4.6, openSUSE 11.2
  (Please contact your local sales representative if the SDK is also available for your Linux distribution)

Licensing