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The business side of digital workflow
Nov 3, 2005 1:40 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
 SchduALL's ScheduLINK satellite and terrestrial network management system |
In manufacturing, every process is carefully monitored so that management can optimize the use of physical assets and personnel. As television moves from the craft paradigm to the content factory model, to increase efficiency and profitability, the broadcaster needs a management information system that is tailored to the special needs of the media business.
Such a system helps broadcasters run their businesses, and eliminates redundant operations. Workflow is an overused term in this industry, but it does sum up the script to screen content creation process. As the industry moves to a file-based production, media and digital asset management is replacing the tape libraries as a means of tracking content. However, the business side of workflow is often overlooked.
Broadcast operations can generate several questions:
- How long was the editing job?
- Was it ever aired?
- What was the total cost of production?
Today some of this information is readily available. Most stations use tight integration between playout and sales so revenue is closely monitored. It is program production that has traditionally lacked accurate monitoring of the true costs.
In a file-based system, it is easier to log information. What has been lacking is the means to collect, collate and reconcile activities in the workflow.
Another consequence of file-based production is that bandwidth management is replacing the traditional courier operations that move tapes around. Bandwidth is always limited, and traffic will expand to fill any unused bandwidth. The manual management of circuits by operators is expensive and will not necessarily achieve optimum utilization. The problems multiply for ad hoc circuits set up for special events like sports and election coverage. Bandwidth has to be prioritized for time-sensitive content but background operations should not suffer undue latency.
A key goal is to efficiently build a system that aggregates DAM, sales, playout, resource scheduling and rights management into a management information system. The advent of new software frameworks that use Web services to link third-party applications can make it easier to integrate systems that are both affordable and maintainable. Flexibility is key, so that systems can be easily customized to match the business processes.
For more information, visit www.scheduall.com
Masstech offers lead free conversion program
Nov 3, 2005 2:16 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Masstech has announced its Environmental Compliance Information Solutions, a family of service offerings designed to help customers comply with changing environmental regulations.
The first service offering is the Lead Free Conversion Program, designed exclusively to help OEMs prepare for and comply with the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Materials (RoHS) Directive, which requires that all products distributed in Europe be lead free by July 2006.
The service helps companies assess current products to identify leaded components and provides recommendations on available options for lead-free replacement parts and/or product redesign.
Once the assessment process is complete and the new lead-free components have been selected, Masstech can then partner with its customers to secure the new components through its supply chain and manufacture the lead-free product.
For more information, contact Karen Vincent at kvincent@masstech-ems.com or by calling 781-938-9393.
Pro-Bel buys Vistek
Nov 2, 2005 2:08 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Pro-Bel has purchased Vistek Electronics for an undisclosed sum.
Pro-Bel secured $15 million of structured finance in order to fund the acquisition.
The purchase adds HD/SD format conversion, multiplexing and signal processing products to the company's current portfolio of automation, media management, routing and signal distribution systems. The Vistek name will become a product brand.
For more information, visit www.pro-bel.com.
BBC Broadcast changes name
Nov 3, 2005 3:37 PM, HD Technology Update e-newsletter
BBC Broadcast has changed its name to Red Bee Media.
A MacQuarie consortium acquired the company in August 2005, following the BBC’s review of its commercial businesses.
Red Bee Media is owned by Creative Broadcast Services, a division of the Macquarie Capital Alliance Group and Macquarie Bank.
In addition to channel playout, Red Bee provides access services, branding and promotion production.
For more information, visit www.redbeemedia.com.
New Products
Avid unveils new Unity ISIS shared-storage system
Nov 3, 2005 3:44 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
 The Unity ISIS shared storage system from Avid. |
Avid has unveiled its new shared-storage solution in the Avid Unity family: the Avid Unity ISIS media network. The Avid Unity ISIS system introduces an Infinitely Scalable Intelligent Storage (ISIS) distributed architecture.
The Avid ISIS Engine comprises 16 storage blades per storage chassis.
Version 1.0 comes equipped with:
- Storage capacity of up to 64TB per system;
- Ability to link multiple Avid ISIS Engines to one another;
- Connectivity of up to 100 clients working in real-time over standard Gigabit Ethernet;
- Native compatibility with Ethernet switching technologies;
- The flexibility to hot-swap any storage component.
For more information, visit www.avid.com/unityISIS.
Rohde & Schwarz enhances data inserter for DVB-H
Nov 3, 2005 3:59 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Rohde & Schwarz now offers playout technology for transporting multimedia data for DVB-H with the DTV IP inserter and generator R&S DIP010.
The R&S DIP-H option implements the characteristic parameters of the DVB-H standard including multiprotocol encapsulation, time slicing and additional Reed-Solomon error correction (MPE-FEC). The new option makes it possible to insert more than 100 multimedia services into DVB-H channels.
The R&S DIP010 data inserter provides a maximum of eight parallel time slicing structures (sub-channeling) due to the horizontal and vertical time slicing configuration. The accuracy of the time slicing settings is 1ms. The hardware implementation of the Reed-Solomon coder allows dynamic FEC frames with variable code rates and adaptive puncturing to be generated. The time required for generation is constant and does not depend on the number of multimedia services.
The R&S DIP010 can be operated in the MPEG-2 inserter or generator mode, which allows device cascading and ensures scalability of the playout systems. The ALC/FLUTE carousel on the R&S DIP010 in the WebCarousel platform enables playout of electronic program guides or other data structures.
For more information, visit www.rohde-schwarz.com.
ExaStore NAS version 2.2 offers higher performance
Nov 3, 2005 8:00 AM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Exanet's ExaStore version 2.2 is now available.
This new version has a wide range of heterogeneous hardware support. It includes a consolidated management console to support easy installation, management and upgrade.
Other improvements include an expanded list of certified hardware and a new user interface for the systems administrator application.
ExaStore is available in a wide range of configurations.
For more information, visit www.exanet.com.
Business Announcements
Germany begins HD broadcasting in Europe
Nov 3, 2005 8:00 AM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Bavarian Governor Edmund Stoiber has launched the new HDTV television service in Europe as part of the Medientage München media event in Munich.
In the opening ceremony, Stoiber pushed the red button for Sat.1 HD and ProSieben HD. The ProSiebenSat.1 Group is the first TV corporation in Europe to transmit the HD format, and its two channels will broadcast in HDTV alongside SD. Both HD stations will be available via the ASTRA satellite system.
Sat.1 HD and ProSieben HD will be distributed from ASTRA using the new DVB-S 2 modulation. Both stations will show HDTV content in 1080i/50 format using MPEG-4/AVC compression.
Sundance Digital to STAR in Hong Kong
Nov 3, 2005 5:05 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Sundance Digital has been selected by STAR, a media and entertainment company in Asia, to furnish a large-scale, multichannel automation system for its broadcast facility in Hong Kong. STAR is a subsidiary of News Corp.
Sundance will install expandable Titan automation systems at STAR's harbor front broadcast center in Kowloon and at a nearby disaster recovery site. The configuration will include TitanSync auto-failover redundancy, Intelli-Sat Record Manager, and Sundance Archive Manager in conjunction with a Masstech MassStore storage.
The Sundance automation system will control an Omneon Spectrum video server, Evertz branding devices, and Quartz routing/switching systems. The Titan automation will be phased-in to replace an obsolescent system.
For more information, visit www.SundanceDigital.com.
Ten Sports Dubai adopts Quartz master control
Nov 2, 2005 5:10 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
In a joint venture to produce sports programs for the growing ex-patriot market in the region, Ten Sports and ADD, a pay TV platform management company for the Middle East, have launched an English-language TV channel with the help of a Quartz QMC master control switcher.
Prime Sports covers major sporting events for English-speakers in the region, including the FIFA World Cup, English Premier League and UEFA Champions League football. The production of Prime Sports was contracted by ADD to Ten Sports who selected Quart, to provide a master control solution for packaging the new channel at its Dubai Media City production facility.
Prime Sport's single channel QMC is configured with four key layers and includes the internal logo store option. Each key layer is user-configurable and can be controlled independently under automation or manual control. The unit also offers bypass and emergency inputs and hot-swap boards.
For more information, visit www.quartzuk.com.
Discovery HD to launch in Japan and Canada
Nov 2, 2005 5:17 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Discovery HD will launch in Japan and Canada by the end of 2005.
Discovery HD, Discovery Network International's first 24-hour high-definition network in Asia, will launch on the J:COM digital platform Dec. 14 in Japan. The network will reach an initial subscriber base of 500,000 homes in the market.
In Canada, the CRTC recently approved a joint venture application between CTV Specialty Television and Discovery Communications for Discovery HD. The network is expected to launch as a 24-hour Category 2 Digital Specialty Service by the end of 2005.
Discovery Networks first launched Discovery HD internationally as a branded programming block in South Korea in February 2005. The launch of Discovery HD in Germany and Austria will take place this month, bringing the initial number of international markets Discovery HD will be distributed in to five.
For more information, visit www.discovery.com.
