Video-on-demand and pay-per-view provider iN DEMAND has chosen software platform Clearleap to help it move to an all IP terrestrial distribution network for multi-screen delivery. Under the deal, Clearleap will handle 4,000 hours of HD and SD movies per month that iN DEMAND distributes to its cable operator affiliates for their transactional, subscription and free VOD offerings.

Clearleap's CEO Braxton Jarratt told me  that iN DEMAND will be able to now limit its use of satellite delivery mainly for live events. Clearleap's management platform is layered on top of iN DEMAND's IP infrastructure, giving the company a single user interface to manage all of its content for quick delivery in multiple formats to cable operators. This is critical to support VOD viewing by subscribers on TVs and other connected devices.

Braxton noted one example of how Clearleap is acting as a bridge between prior and new systems. iN DEMAND had recently installed a bank of its own transcoders which Clearleap is able to leverage as part of a hybrid cloud strategy allocating these in-house resources with those in the cloud provided by Clearleap itself. Another key benefit Braxton called out was the ease and speed of integrating Clearleap into iN DEMAND's workflow.

Braxton said iN DEMAND is an important win for the company in demonstrating trust in its software to manage high-value content. Since iN DEMAND is owned by some of the largest cable operators including Comcast, Time Warner-Advance/Newhouse and Cox, it also gives Clearleap stronger exposure to those companies, all of which are pursuing their own multiscreen, TV Everywhere rollouts.

Update: iN DEMAND's CTO John Vartanian added that the company will continue to use satellite distribution for linear and pay-per-view in addition to sports. By moving to terrestrial distribution, in DEMAND has been able to drop 1 of its 5 satellite transponders. To support devices, iN DEMAND will create 7 different adjustable bitrate encodes for use on the desktop, iOS and Android devices initially. in DEMAND will also implement Clearleap's content management system beginning in Q1.

(Note: Clearleap is a VideoNuze sponsor)