Sun Microsystems is introducing a new platform for streaming on-demand video over IP networks that promises to deliver 160,000 TV channels to your home.

Sun Streaming, with a suite of Sun software to manage the system, delivers 160,000 video streams, or 40,000 high-definition TV streams, simultaneously at 2M bps (bits per second). Fifteen of these systems, at about 5,000 titles per system, theoretically could stream the entire library, all at once, of 75,000 DVD titles from Netflix Inc., which distributes DVD rentals by mail.

“The most natural way for people to enjoy video is to download it from a server,” said Andy Bechtolsheim, co-founder of Sun and designer of the Sun Streaming System.

The Sun Streaming system uses four Sun Fire x4100 servers, one x4500 storage/server and a new product, the Sun Fire x4950 streaming server, based on server technology developed by Kealia Inc., which Sun acquired in 2004.

Bjork is calling on fans to make the video for her new song ‘Innocence.’A post on Bjork’s official website is calling upon the help of any budding video makers:

The idea is to make the video. The video to Innocence, a song of yet to be released Volta record. Who is to make the video? Another idea is born: It is to be you, my dear!

Those interested are directed to the contest page where you can get all the necessary details, including the song lyrics and photographs.

All entries are to be submitted by early July, when the best ones will be judged for inclusion.

Middio is a new site, currently in beta, that�s indexing music videos from YouTube and tagging them with the artist and song name. The site plans to offer improved searching and browsing for music videos and better filtering of irrelevant content. The site plans to also offer an option for saving videos in iPod-compatible format.

Here’s the description from their site:

Middio is a simple website that organizes music videos uploaded by the public to YouTube. In other words, Middio goes through the trouble of finding and properly tagging music videos already floating around the web so that you don’t have to. No bothersome ads are shown on any page or before any videos begin — Middio gives you only what you ask for.

It’s the latest site to piggyback on YouTube’s popularity. One has to wonder, though, about the viability of a site that is dependent on YouTube usability flaws. YouTube could improve their search relevency and make Middio redundant.

You also have to wonder about building a business that depends on another businesses’ ability to use a third-party’s content. Earlier in the year, Viacom sued Google/YouTube for $1.6

via TechCrunch

NAB: Apple has introduced Final Cut Server, a powerful new server application that works seamlessly with Final Cut Studio 2 to provide media asset management and workflow automation for post production and broadcast professionals.

A scaleable server application that supports workgroups of any size, Final Cut Server includes a cross-platform client that enables content browsing, review and approval from within a studio or over the Internet. Final Cut Server automatically catalogs large collections of assets and enables searching across multiple volumes via an intuitive user interface. Final Cut Server is designed to manage the flow of work, as assets and projects move from producer to editor to artist through the entire production process.

�Final Cut Server�s powerful media asset management capabilities simplify managing the thousands of assets that make up a typical edit,� said Rob Schoeben, Apple�s vice president of Applications Product Marketing. �And Final Cut Server�s sophisticated workflow automation tools ensure projects flow smoothly through an organization, enabling everyone to be more productive.� (more…)

Apple today unveiled Final Cut Studio 2, a video editing suite which features:

• Final Cut Pro 6, which introduces Apple�s ProRes 422 format for uncompressed HD quality at SD file sizes and support for mixed video formats and frame rates in a single Timeline;
• Motion 3 featuring an intuitive 3D environment, paint and new behaviors;
• Soundtrack Pro 2 with dozens of innovative tools for multitrack editing, surround mixing and conforming sound to picture;
• Compressor 3 delivering powerful batch encoding for multiple formats with a single click; and
• DVD Studio Pro 4.2 for SD and HD DVD authoring.
• Final Cut Studio 2 also introduces �Color,� a professional color grading and finishing application for ensuring consistent color and creating signature looks.

�Final Cut Studio 2 was specifically designed to enable the rapidly growing community of over 800,000 Final Cut editors worldwide to animate, mix, grade and deliver their work as a natural extension of the editorial process,� said Rob Schoeben, Apple�s vice president of Applications Product Marketing. �Final Cut Studio 2 is the most powerful production suite on the planet.� (more…)