Hybrid dual layered approach to captioning brings greater flexibility and speed for users
Canadian developer Profuz Digital, the technological and business counterpart of European manufacturer PBT EU, has unleashed a brand new timed-text platform that fuses the captioning/subtitling software SubtitleNEXT with its business processing system LAPIS. Following industry feedback that freelancers are increasingly constrained within closed proprietary platforms, the Profuz Digital team was driven to find a viable solution. Their exclusive hybrid approach has been designed to give users greater freedom of choice in how they work with desktop or cloud applications.

Hybrid dual layered approach to captioning brings greater flexibility and speed for users
Canadian developer Profuz Digital, the technological and business counterpart of European manufacturer PBT EU, has unleashed a brand new timed-text platform that fuses the captioning/subtitling software SubtitleNEXT with its business processing system LAPIS. Following industry feedback that freelancers are increasingly constrained within closed proprietary platforms, the Profuz Digital team was driven to find a viable solution. Their exclusive hybrid approach has been designed to give users greater freedom of choice in how they work with desktop or cloud applications.

There is also the flexibility to use the two platforms, SubtitleNEXT and LAPIS separately. Both layers/platforms can be owned by individuals, companies, or organisations by purchasing corresponding licenses, and can be leased for a period of time or used on a SaaS (Software as a Service) basis.

SubtitleNEXT is a flexible platform for the creation of timed text for all recorded, streamed, and live media. Compatible with every major subtitle format, including closed-caption, exports for digital cinema projection and DVD, as well as burning in subtitles to video files up to 16K resolution, it performs all text-related tasks such as translating, spotting, transcoding, and QC. SubtitleNEXT may work directly with different storage schemes, securities, and protections, to satisfy all possible current and future requirements. Cloud systems only offer one scheme with material in a shared space which is something some clients don’t necessarily want or allow. (https://profuzdigital.com/subtitlenext/)

LAPIS is a central hub that brings control of the disparate data services that media companies use under one roof. It manages complex processes, tasks, video, audio, text, user access, security, and safeguards confidential material. It has the ability to access and search data across many providers such as YouTube, Vimeo, stock image libraries, internal media asset storage systems and customer relationship data bases. LAPIS increases an organisation’s efficiency by speeding up access to a wide range of data, linking this data and helping to reduce duplicated or misplaced data. (https://profuzdigital.com/lapis-features/)

A Unique Hybrid Service – Connecting SubtitleNEXT with LAPIS provides a uniquely powerful and flexible hybrid service. Cloud-like in terms of easy web access, security, and remote control of timed-text generation, yet Desktop-like in terms of local security and access to local files and hardware. LAPIS connects a myriad of data and media sources to SubtitleNEXT, allowing the creation of highly streamlined and automated timed text services. Users can reap the benefits of having these two advanced platforms combined to form an elegant hybrid software solution operating in two dynamic layers at tremendous speed. These layers work together as one hybrid system that merges with the Cloud and desktop applications. This versatile innovative “hybrid layers approach” from Profuz Digital is designed to empower users by providing them with the flexibility and independence to switch to a single application for various formats, content, and workflow management systems whenever they want to. It also extends the user system with already available tools not present in cloud tech.

CTO of PBT EU Kamen Ferdinandov further outlines some of the many advantages, “Our hybrid solution provides exactly the same workflow and functionality as that provided by cloud systems with the only difference being that your data, while still in the cloud, is processed by a desktop app instead of a web app. You have the power of the desktop app, freedom to use other online and desktop tools to extend your desktop app, which is something not possible with web apps that use only what is provided by their server. Additional devices not supported well or at all in web apps, such as multi monitors and special input devices, as well as language specific additions, are already available for specific non-widespread languages not normally available in cloud systems, but are available for desktop users, for example.”

Adding further, “Our hybrid is a win-win solution for all parties involved – companies have the level of security and manageability within a regular cloud platform but can also offer a “working” environment to their freelancers. Ultimately, the power and functionality that this solution delivers, is of benefit to everyone, compared to the restrictions that working with separate cloud and desktop solutions can cause.”

Alexander Stoyanov, Sales Director at PBT EU, attending NAB concludes, “We’re here to provide options at all stages in the process chain to operate in the best environment. With this hybrid solution, you have the best of both worlds. It doesn’t abolish the familiar desktop environment which people are comfortable with, yet it still has the virtual cloud outreach and interoperability of web-based platforms. We look forward to catching up with professionals at NAB to see how we can help make their workflows more efficient using this hybrid concept.” 

Author: Vladimir Stanic, Source: PBTEU.com