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Automation News
Discovery Networks Europe opens new tapeless playout center
Dec 1, 2005 8:00 AM, Automation Update e-newsletter
 Technical control position at Discovery Networks Europe |
Discovery Networks Europe wanted a purpose-built transmission facility located in its new European headquarters in west London. The network contracted Ascent Media to build and operate the facility, which opened last week.
From the new center, Discovery originates and uplinks 36 feeds to 104 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The system can be expanded to 60 channels. Existing channels are being moved from the old central London facility to the newer one.
By starting with a ground up design, Discovery has been able to take advantage of new technologies that will eliminate most of the tape handling that has made broadcasting so labor-intensive. It also will make the transition to HD transmission much simpler.
Master control designs follow two layouts: one is the single large control room, and the other is separate pods handling 8- to 10 channels each. Discovery has adopted the single large control layout. The focus of the operation is the large master control area that can be seen as visitors arrive in the foyer. The control desks are arranged in front of a huge curved wall that monitors all the channels.
The wall consists of Barco back-projection screens driven by Evertz MVP multi-display processors. Each channel is shown as a column, with the server outputs at the base, a switcher output and an off-air picture at the top. The operators can see at a glance where a problem lies if the off-air picture is lost.
The technical design uses Omneon servers, Omnibus automation, and a Storagetek data tape library. Programs are ingested from videotape, but the rest of the operation handles video and audio as streams and files. Ten ingest rooms are used to encode the tapes. These rooms are set up for quality control. Audio is handled embedded in video. Voice-overs arrive on minidisks and additional language tracks arrive on DAT or DTRS tapes. Audio is captured and encoded as WAV files using Protools. Discovery broadcasts in up to 22 languages, so videotapes only carry the primary language. The program tapes are checked in and out, and cycled though the ingest stations with Xytech tape library management.
Discovery uses two video bit-rates. Content is ingested and archived to LTO tapes as MPEG-2, I-frame only, at 50Mb/s. Program files are transcoded to 20Mb/s long-GOP MPEG-2 for the playout servers as required by the playout schedules. Front Porch Digital provided the transcoding from I-frame to long GOP MPEG. As well as broadcast-resolution video, content is converted to 430kb/s WM9, for proxy viewing using IPV encoders. For regulatory compliance, a low-resolution recording of each channel is stored for 90 days.
Masstech provides a low-maintenance tapeless solution, which is also used by staff for general viewing purposes. The StorageTek data tape library is based on the LTO format. With 8500 slots, the library can hold about 85,000 hours of video.
The transmission schedules are prepared with Pilat, and then loaded into the Omnibus automation system, which runs the master control. Programs are managed with Artesia digital asset management, and Front Porch Digital controls the tape archive.
The facility features Omneon ingest and playout servers. For ingest, a 10-port system with 10TB of storage holds work in progress before it is archived or aired. The playout server has 52 ports and is made of two linked servers. The server system is mirrored with a second 52-port system. A third group of servers are used for program quality control.
All video cabling and infrastructure can support HD so that Discovery can upgrade when ready. All audio is embedded, so cabling and infrastructure is SDI. The master control is switched using Miranda Imagestores with DVE. A 512x512 NVision video router provides video routing.
Files are moved over a Gigabit Ethernet network. A group of Cisco routers and switches form a 1024 port media network. Unlike most IT installs, Ascent used video-style patch panels for Ethernet rather than patching on the back of switches.
The move to a file-based playout will transform the workflows for Discovery, giving it a new flexibility to add channels and upgrade to HD, without the upheavals required with legacy methods.
Cisco to buy Scientific-Atlanta for $6.9 billion
Dec 1, 2005 8:00 AM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Cisco Systems has announced plans to acquire Scientific-Atlanta.
The combined entity creates an end-to-end triple play solution for carrier networks and the digital home.
Under the terms of the agreement, Cisco will pay $43 per share in cash in exchange for each share of Scientific-Atlanta, and assume outstanding options, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $6.9 billion, or approximately $5.3 billion net of Scientific-Atlanta's existing cash balance.
The acquisition is subject to various standard closing conditions, including regulatory approval and by the shareholders of Scientific-Atlanta.
Following the close of the transaction, Scientific-Atlanta will become a division of the Routing and Service Provider Technology Group under the leadership of Cisco Senior Vice President Mike Volpi.
For more information, visit www.cisco.com.
New Products
Harris announces Leitch ICON master control family
Dec 1, 2005 3:01 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Harris has announced its new Leitch ICON master control and branding family of SD/HD products: IconMaster, IconStation and IconLogo.
IconMaster, based on Leitch's NEO modular platform, combines master control functions with multi-layer integrated branding. It combines with other applications, such as the NEO SuiteView multi-viewer series or the new NEO XHD up-, down-, cross- and M-Path converter series to create a flexible system all in the same frame.
IconStation (formerly Inscriber IncaStation) combines logo insertion with multiple real-time data crawls and a squeezeback DVE. It includes Inscriber's CG for title and graphics creation.
IconLogo (formerly LogoMotion II) is Leitch's modular branding solution based on the NEO platform. It includes support for crawls and EAS, as well as a new software GUI.
For more information, visit www.harris.com and www.leitch.com.
Eyeheight introduces multichannel source identifier
Nov 30, 2005 3:13 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
 Eyeheight SI-10 source identifier |
The SI-10 can be used with an Eyeheight playout system or to control a third-party crosspoint matrix. Channel names can be edited, saved and uploaded to an Eyeheight MW-3E mixer module, enabling the system to recall and display the correct sources whenever the panel acquires a different channel.
The SI-10 is housed in an Eyeheight TB-12 sub-chassis with an integral power supply for the control panel modules. Data connection to other Eyeheight equipment is then achieved via a two-wire I-Bus data connection.
For more information, visit www.eyeheight.com.
360 Systems compensates for time-zone differences
Dec 1, 2005 8:00 AM, Automation Update e-newsletter
360 Systems is now delivering the PAL version of its 2470 broadcast time delay for television.
Designed to compensate for time zone differences encountered in the delivery of video content, the 2470 can be programmed to any time interval required, from 20 seconds to more than 24 hours. It is well suited for use in the transmission of content to different time zones, as well as for local broadcasters who want to delay program feeds for broadcast at a specific local time.
The 2470’s advanced feature set includes embedded audio, AES/EBU and analog audio, SDI and composite video, and all VBI data. The 2470 is capable of maintaining single-frame accuracy over an infinite time period. Its multi-drive RAID array guards against program loss. The unit is able to restart itself in the event of power loss, without user intervention.
For more information, visit www.360systems.com.
Autodesk updates Cleaner
Dec 1, 2005 8:00 AM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Autodesk has announced updates to Cleaner 6.5 for Macintosh and Cleaner XL 1.5 for Windows.
Cleaner encodes and optimizes video content for delivery formats ranging from the Internet to DVDs to handheld mobile devices.
New to Autodesk Cleaner software is encoding support for DivX version 5.2 player for Cleaner XL 1.5, and DivX 6.0 player for Cleaner 6.5 for Macintosh. Also added is the Flix exporter from On2 Technologies that allows compressionists to publish video in Macromedia Flash video formats, FLV and SWF.
For more information, visit www.autodesk.com.
Business Announcements
Sundance automates three Indonesian stations
Dec 1, 2005 4:08 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Three stations in Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta have gone on-air with Sundance Digital FastBreak automation systems. All three systems are interfaced with Omneon video servers and Quartz master control switchers.
ANTV, a national network that selected FastBreak as part of a digital upgrade, and start-up local outlets JAK TV and O Channel, have all installed the Sundance automation solution to drive single channel operations.
Roscor supplied design and build services. In addition to controlling the Quartz master control switcher and playout from both VTR and server-based content, ANTV’s fully redundant system drives a SoftNI subtitling system for synchronous playout and live keying of text over digital video.
JAK TV and O Channel are equipped with a near identical configuration to ANTV. JAK TV also uses FastBreak to control a Pixel Power character generator for live graphics and subtitling. Its programming comes from the U.S., Europe and various Asian countries, with news contributing 10-15 percent of its daily lineup.
Due to a scarcity of suitable real estate, O Channel’s media ingest center is separated from its master control and transmission facility by 6mi, creating a technology challenge. Sundance Digital’s DataMover application provided the solution by enabling media at the remote ingest site to be moved via high-speed, point-to-point Ethernet connection and replicated to the Omneon server in master control at the main facility for playout.
For more information, visit www.SundanceDigital.com.
Front Porch Digital, Grass Valley expand joint marketing
Nov 30, 2005 4:19 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Front Porch Digital has expanded its relationship with Grass Valley to include joint marketing activities.
The focus of the new effort is the integration of Front Porch’s DIVArchive archive management application with the Grass Valley NewsBrowse Web-based browser/editor. The next evolution of this integration is represented by the addition of the new Grass Valley K2 media sever and media client systems.
Over the past three years, Front Porch has deployed DIVArchive in more than 20 broadcast facilities using Grass Valley Profile video servers. The Grass Valley integration team has included DIVArchive in 10 other digital workflow solutions throughout Europe, Asia Pacific, Russia and North America.
Front Porch is also working with Grass Valley to deploy K2 servers in two new customer facilities. Grass Valley is marketing Front Porch’s DIVAworks archive in a box product linked to NewsBrowse for low-cost news solutions.
For more information, visit www.fpdigital.com
United Kingdom university automates with On-Air
Nov 30, 2005 4:38 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
The University of Lincoln has purchased a single-channel television playout system based on the K Series automation solution from On-Air. The university will install the equipment in its new purpose-built media center when it is completed in March 2006. In the meantime, it will be used in the university’s television studios.
The system will comprise On-Air playKast, a multi-format playout server with feature-sets for live news production control, scheduling, graphics generation, media management, playout redundancy, logging and archiving. On-Air playKast will be networked with On-Air Kapture, a software module for automated program capture.
The University of Lincoln already produces a range of educational programs using its on-site production facilities. These programs will be captured as media files direct from Pinnacle and Avid editing systems using On-Air Kapture.
For more information, visit www.on-air-systems.com.
Réseau Info-Sports selects Ross OverDrive control system
Nov 30, 2005 5:12 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
 Ross OverDrive production control system |
RIS is sister station to RDS, a Bell Globemedia company which owns the rights to broadcast all major sporting events to the Quebec market. RIS broadcasts two headline, 30-minute loops in three blocks and runs 10 hours a day live. OverDrive is controlling the DigiCart, two VDCP interfaces, and the Yamaha audio mixer.
For more information, visit www.rossvideo.com.
FOX selects Pixelmetrix Preventive Monitoring
Dec 1, 2005 8:00 AM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Pixelmetrix announced the recent installation and commissioning of its DVStation ATSC/digital television monitoring platform for the 35 FOX owned-and-operated television stations throughout the United States.
Each station received a DVStation system configured for both off air RF/8-VSB and SMPTE310/MPEG-2 transport stream analysis and monitoring. Stations in duopoly markets received four-port DVStations, so both markets/stations could be monitored simultaneously.
The DVStation family of products is used for test and measurement as well as real-time monitoring. DVStation can monitor a signal path from encoding to multiplexing to modulation. Hundreds of configurations are possible using various line interface modules such as 8-VSB, QAM, QPSK, DC-II, ATM/OC-3, ASI, SMPTE-310 and IP.
The DVStation family is available as a portable POD module, a four-module DVStation-Remote, and the DVS-210 DVStation with a built-in touch screen LCD.
For more information, visit www.pixelmetrix.com.
Quartz brings ITV4 to air
Dec 1, 2005 5:45 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
Quartz, now an Evertz brand, has supplied United Kingdom broadcaster ITV with the master control and routing infrastructure for playout of its new channel, ITV4. ITV4 complements the programming on sister channels ITV1, 2 and 3.
Selected for its functionality and ease of integration into ITV's automation system, a Quartz QMC master control switcher will carry full key and logo options to support the on-screen look of the ITV brand and provide the entire presentation output.
The QMC is managed by a specially extended Quartz SC-1000 system controller — configured in the same way as the SC-1000 that already handles the Quartz routing infrastructure for the ITV regions.
Two Quartz Xenon routers, configured 128x64, with redundant power supplies and redundant controllers act as the main and backup router for the new channel. Xenon was chosen for its multi-format capabilities and passive rear connectors that allow for easy maintenance without disruption.
For more information, visit www.quartzuk.com.
vsn installs systems in India, Siberia, Egypt and London
Nov 30, 2005 6:18 PM, Automation Update e-newsletter
JustEdit has been chosen to install a complete turnkey master control room system for an English sales channel, Treasures TV, at the Arqiva transmission center close to London.
The system features programmed line feed ingest; master control room playout with backup; the new titler vsncg+ with video resizing capability; multi-layer in realtime; a network editing system; and legal copier vsnlegalrec. Treasures TV also chose JustEdit to control and monitor remotely the preview signal from its corporate headquarters. JustEdit have also announced its first contract for a complete digital news system, asset management and master control room in New Dehli at Sudarshan TV.
ORTV in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, has a installed a digital news system, vsnnews, and a master control room operating on vsnmatic. The system, installed by Russian systems integrator D&K, uses vsn software with Canopus Edius NX realtime editing stations.
Media City in Cairo is the first site in Egypt to hold a vsn master control room system, now on air for Alshababiya TV.
For more information, visit www.vsn-tv.com.
