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For information on current and previous versions of Avalon, please see the Releases page on Github.

Upcoming 6.x Releases

• Enhanced structural metadata editing—edit structure for a section visually (core)
• Import of structure within media files (such as WAV cue points) upon ingest (depending on amount of effort, core or IU)
• Performance improvements for objects and playlists with large numbers of items (investigate to decide whether core or IU)
• IIIF Manifest generation from media objects (IU)

Release 7

Our goal with Avalon 7.0 is to offer a full-featured media streaming application based on the modern Samvera stack. To this end, Avalon 7 will be built using Hyrax as a base, offering developers an environment they know and understand, and offering administrators the flexibility to run stand-alone streaming solutions or integrate scalable streaming into existing Hyrax-based applications. As we work toward full-feature parity with Avalon 6, we will continue development and support. Each dot release milestone is estimated to be an 8-week work cycle.

0.1 (Github Milestone) - Using the Avalon Media Player Within Hyrax and IIIF 3.0 Generation and Consumption

The Avalon player will be embedded in a Hyrax app and be initialized with a IIIF manifest generated dynamically from item metadata. In addition, the Hyrax generic work type will be extended minimally to allow for a work to contain necessary technical metadata.

• Core media types (audio and video) can be ingested, transcoded, and attached to a Generic Work.

• IIIF Manifest generated for consumption by player

  • IIIF gem used in Hyrax updated to generate IIIF Presentation API 3.0 manifests (possible collaboration with community)

  • Necessary technical metadata added to Generic work for IIIF manifest (upstream)

• Media player consumes IIIF manifest generated by the application from the work's metadata

• Player streams media (basic http streaming or from specific streaming server)
  

• Development, testing and infrastructure needs for Avalon 7 development defined and in place
  

0.2 (Github Milestone)

This preview will further refine the IIIF Player, auto-generate IIIF manifests based on an Avalonish -work type metadata, and begin discussion and sketches for a branded hyrax-based Avalon solution bundle. Structural metadata will be ported over as is for use in a IIIF manifest.

• A Media Work type in Hyrax is created to store descriptive metadata and technical metadata. Metadataists work on descriptive metadata for the Avalon work type
  • Order of masterfiles is necessary metadata
  • Order of multi-valued pieces of metadata will wait until later
• Player consumes IIIF manifest generated by the application (media work type)
  • Time can be navigated via structural metadata
  • Port Structural metadata (structure within) as current XML 
• Dynamically generated IIIF compliant manifest generated from Media Work type
  • We intend for the manifest to be a central point of interoperability
  • The manifest will be based on the current IIIF-AV 3.0 standard
  • Manifests will be generated based on technical and descriptive metadata
  • Manifests  should ideally use the same endpoints as Hyku (possibly the same generation tool)
  • The manifest contains the structural information, The display should exercise the manifest. 
  • Structural metadata will be stored in XML and crosswalked to the manifest
  • Metadata experts talk through what metadata (descriptive or any other kind) to include. There is already an issue for the recommended descriptive metadata. Need to take a deeper look for technical metadata. (https://github.com/avalonmediasystem/avalon/issues/1772)(https://gist.github.com/jlhardes/1e3adada7410591f46b170e65dce20af)
• Investigate Matterhorn alternatives
  • Matterhorn gives us the nice interface for monitoring
  • Hyrax may suggest a monitoring interface for job queues
  • Exploring how from a collection manager/depositor perspective: if there are issues, how does that get resolved?

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The goal of this cycle is to continue refinement of our media work type while developing our streaming/derivative generation pipeline. UI/UX work will begin, and we will deliver initial mockups. Work on the standalone player will continue. 6.4.3 will be cut as a bug fix.

Descriptive Metadata

• Continued refinement of descriptive metadata and the Audiovisual work type
• Descriptive Metadata continues / Version .2 of spec is implemented in WorkType

Ingest/Streaming Pipline

• Discuss matterhorn replacement (sidekiq + ffmpeg?)
  • Derivative parameters can be set by administrators (ex: ffmpeg flags)
  • Derivatives files pushed to streaming location and stream URL info saved in record
  • Basic job information on status of processing relayed to user
• Masterfile management configurable in Avalon (move, delete etc.)
• Files uploaded into Avalon have streaming derivatives created in local and cloud environments (AWS)
• Player can stream using cloudfront or wowza

Structural Metadata Editor (for r6)

• Get sign off from stakeholders
• Refine mockups
• Implement structural editor in code, based on mockups and any other design/requirements documents
  

Player Work/ IIIF Manifest work

• Store caption files and display them on the player
  • Deciding how this information will be stored in the manifest—reference to a captions file (inline comes later)
• Storing structural metadata XML and generating that as part of the IIIF manifest
• Finalizing how that structure is represented in the manifest

6.4.3

• Cut bug fix from current 6.x branch

0.4

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• Re-evaluating IIIF 3 manifest generation as the spec nears completion
• Expanded streaming server support

Batch Ingest

• Possible Hyrax import gem (or generic base with per-app modifications)
• Developing in collaboration with WGBH/AVP using Donut work
• Ensure batch ingest spreadsheet and documentation are updated

UI/UX work - mockups / Initial design work

• Create designs for Home/list/item and playlist pages
• Structural metadata rendering
• Avalon look and feel defined, with mockups for evaluation
• Start of style guide
• Wireframes generated
• Hi-fidelity (HTML) mockups?

Critical Feature work

• Playlist Endpoint (No UI)Can create a playlist
  • Can create an item in playlist with a stop / start
  • Can read a playlist and playlist items
• Playlists have an endpoint that returns IIIF manifest(s)
• Standalone player can play playlist manifest (basic functionality)
• Avalon needs

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Avalon 7.8 (Summer 2024)

Features and Changes

• Search within transcripts on the item page
• Improved searching in the application—see which specific fields in the record are matched by search

Avalon 8.0

• Fedora 6 support with ActiveFedora
• Improved internationalization options