Safari Montage 4.0 Expands Support for File Formats, Whiteboards

• By David Nagel
• 06/18/09

Safari Montage has introduced version 4.0 of its video on demand and digital content system for schools, expanding integration with whiteboards and adding support for a wide range of file types.

Safari Montage is a WAN-based VOD and digital media management system designed specifically for schools. It includes four-, eight- and 10-bay server configurations, a core content package with pre-loaded titles from educational video producers (National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Disney Education, and others), tools for creating and adding content, and a WAN manager for districts delivering content to schools.

The new version will include a range of feature enhancements, including support for additional file formats, a new playlist organization system, and enhanced whiteboard integration. Some other new features include:

• The ability to access recorded Safari Montage Live videoconferencing sessions via the dashboard;
• Variable playback speed for video; and
• Support for Flash, Flash Video, Excel, MPEG-1, OpenOffice, PDF, plain text, PowerPoint, rich text, and Word files in CreationStation.

It also includes a Pathways SM Module to provide support for controlling the Classroom Media Controller (for streaming a variety of content to classroom projectors), Kiosk Controller (for managing digital video signage), and Calypso Source Controller (for enabling interoperability with serial devices).

Separately, Safari Montage also announced new integration with Smart Board interactive whiteboards, including:

• The ability to "to save, share and embed" Smart Notebook files on a central server;
• Support for adding Notebook files to playlists;
• The ability to freeze frame and annotate video; and
• Support for creating links to Safari Montage video clips from within Notebook.

Further information can be found here.