Video server

In TV broadcast industries, a server is a device used to store broadcast quality images and allows several users to edit stories using the images they contain simultaneously.

Video servers usually offer some type of control interface allowing them to be driven by broadcast automation systems that incorporate sophisticated broadcast programming applications.

They can optionally allow direct to disk recording using the same codec that is used in various post-production video editing software packages to prevent any wasted time in transcoding.

Because an IP Video server uses IP protocols, it can stream video over any IP-compatible network, including via a modem for access over a phone or ISDN connection.

Video servers are used to give existing analog systems network connectivity.

Front and back views of a small IP video server with audio and composite video inputs (Sensoray 2453S)
A video replay server, commonly used to provide instant replay in broadcasts of sporting events (EVS XT2)
Large online providers of video on-demand employ clusters of servers such as this to simultaneously output multiple streams (Emulab)