UK broadcaster Channel 4 has chosen Pharos Mediator as an extension to an existing Pharos MPEG-1 browsing system. It adds all the facilities the channel needed for file-based ingest and playout in a single architecture based on MXF 50i as the generic file format, with the ability to extend to HD content.
Mediator controls the ingest server, content store, archive server, Sony PetaSite tape robotics and transfer management. The system provides enough storage to archive up to 18 months of MXF 50i programs.
Incoming programs and interstitials are ingested at full 50Mb/s I-frame MPEG-2 resolution to a 36TB Isilon server storage cluster. An MPEG-1 browse copy is made simultaneously. Content is held on an Isilon disk cluster before being automatically transcoded to 15Mb/s long GOP MPEG-2 for playout via the existing Pinnacle server system.
For more information, visit www.pharos-comms.com.
