SnapStream Blog

[re-posted from over at the SnapStream Enterprise Blog]

Today, we’re taking pre-orders for a new TV search product from SnapStream — the SnapStream Mini.

There are many organizations that don’t need all of the power of a SnapStream Server, but still stand to gain alot from being able to monitor TV with our TV search technology. And that’s why we created SnapStream Mini.

So like the SnapStream Server, SnapStream Mini gives you all the same power to search inside traditional TV shows for mentions of whatever it is you might be looking for. With SnapStream Mini you can:

• Record traditional TV from regular cable, digital cable, or satellite (SnapStream Mini includes a learning IR blaster)
• Schedule recordings using our simple program guide
• Search by keyword within recordings
• Get e-mail alerts notifying you of mentions of keywords on TV
• Easily create TV clips and then download them or e-mail them
• Burn DVDs of full recordings or clips

But here’s how SnapStream Mini is different from SnapStream Server:

• SnapStream Mini costs $2,000 (vs. SnapStream Servers which start at $8,000).

• SnapStream Mini can record 2 channels of TV simultaneously (SnapStream Servers can record as many as 10 channels simultaneously)

• SnapStream Mini can record and search over 1 terabyte of TV recordings, equal to about 1,100 hour (vs. SnapStream Servers have a default capacity of 2 terabytes space, about 2,300 hours, and can be purchased with up to 8 terabytes of usable space, about 10,000 hours.

• SnapStream Mini’s hardware doesn’t have any redundancy (vs. all SnapStream Servers have redundant power supplies and redundant storage arrays in RAID-5 configuration).

(this comparison table goes into a little more detail on SnapStream Mini vs. SnapStream Server)

So, SnapStream Mini is a $2,000 TV search appliance geared towards individuals and smaller organizations that want monitor television for whatever it is they are interested in.

We’re taking pre-orders now (place your pre-order here) and we expect to ship the first batch of SnapStream Minis on or before December 15th. And all orders include free U.S. ground shipping.

Here are some recent new posts from the SnapStream Enterprise Blog*:

• Using SnapStream to study children’s television (November 27, 2008): an update from the front lines journalism research, Dr. Nancy Jennings checks in to share her experiences with SnapStream’s TV search appliance
• Automatic TV searches with SnapStream email alerts (November 26, 2008): learn how you can track the latest relevant TV mentions of things you’re interested in.
• Looking back on one year in ‘TV search’ (November 20, 2008): it’s been about a year since we shipped our first version of SnapStream Enterprise. A look back at what we’ve accomplished.
• SnapStream TV Search in the World of Politics (October 31, 2008): learn about how the Hillary Clinton Campaign for President and The Jed Report benefited from SnapStream Servers during the 2008 presidential campaign season.

* If you’re wondering what SnapStream Enterprise is, it’s our TV search technology. Like Beyond TV, it lets you record television. But unlike Beyond TV, SnapStream Enterprise also allows you to search inside those TV shows to locate mentions of whatever you might be looking for on television… a celebrity, a political candidate, a topic you’re writing about, your government, a country, a person, etc. And it’s delivered on turn-key pre-configured hardware (the SnapStream Mini and the SnapStream Server).

Several us from the SnapStream team are here in Las Vegas at the National Association of Broadcasters tradeshow. Stop by and see us — we’re in the Las Vegas Convention Center in the South Upper Hall towards the back… come in the South Upper Hall entrance and follow the wall on the left back to booth SU13310. We’re showing off some new stuff that’s part of our developing enterprise division. Here’s a photo of our booth:

As an added bonus, we have this spacious rest area right next to and across from our booth with four park benches where you can have a seat and rest your feet. And we’re offering up a free high-strength wi-fi connection from our booth. There’s even a restroom half an aisle away! So stop by, see our stuff and take a break.