Snapstream is finally making its TV search capabilities available to Mac users, with a Web-based video player and Mac client that will let its customers search, view and clip live and recorded TV feeds. That could increase its potential customer base, while making its existing base happier.
Snapstream offers a TV monitoring service that helps various news services, government agencies and educational clients keep tabs on subjects discussed on TV, clip them and save them for later. Or, if you’re a customer like The Daily Show, you’re using those clips as part of your own broadcasts.
Sounds great, except for one thing. Prior to today, Snapstream was only available for Windows machines. That’s changed, as the company is moving to a web-based model that will enable Mac-centric organizations to also take advantage of its TV monitoring without having to run virtualization software. Since lots of video professionals are already using Macs and Final Cut Pro, that could greatly improve workflow for current customers and win over potential new customers.
The new Snapstream Mac Web player includes a downloadable plugin that plays back MPEG-2 TV recordings. For now the service can be used on Mozilla Firefox 8 and above, on Mac OSX Snow Leopard and above. Once installed, the Mac Web player will have all the same functionality as the company’s Windows player. That includes the ability to search TV recordings, clips relevant video segments, transcode those recordings to a Web-friendly format and set up alerts for when certain subjects are discussed on TV.
Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.
- Connected Consumer 2012: A year of consolidation and integration
- Why the Mac is infiltrating the enterprise
- Connected Consumer Q3: Netflix fumbles; Kindle Fire shines
