Nilesat expands its broadcast playout facility with 40 PlayBox Neo Channel in a Box servers

PlayBox Neo announces the completion of a large broadcast playout system for Nilesat at its headquarters in Cairo. One of the largest telecommunication networks in the Middle East, Nilesat provides a wide range of satellite-based facilities including transmission of over 700 television channels, 600 of which are free-to-air.
The new system was provided by PlayBox Neo channel partner Modern Broadcast Center (MBC) which is based on the west bank of the Nile directly across from downtown Cairo.

"We required a solution which would integrate easily with our existing infrastructure," says Nilesat Broadcast Manager Mohamed Samir. "The primary requirements were a robust operating platform, user-friendly control, easy expandability and good technical support. PlayBox Neo's Channel In a Box was the logical choice given its proven success at many leading broadcast networks and playout service-providers around the world."

"The system we have supplied includes 40 AirBox Neo Playout servers in one-plus-one configuration," adds MBC's CEO Sabri Arafa. "A great strength of AirBox Neo is its modularity which allows us to specify the exact capabilities needed to accomplish each project. The elements selected for the Nilesat project comprise AirBox Neo playout, CaptureBox Neo ingest, Titlebox Neo graphics preparation and titling, SafeBox Neo content and playout transfer, Multi Playout Manager monitoring and control and Multi-Backup Manager."

"Installed in the apparatus room, the servers are currently being used for HD and SD channel playout and can be operated in UHD if required in the future. Playout is supervised from the facility's presentation control suite which is among the largest of its kind in the Middle East."

"We are very pleased to have been chosen as a technology partner for this high-profile project," comments PlayBox Neo CEO Pavlin Rahnev. "Nilesat is one of the world's largest satellite service providers and a very welcome addition to the PlayBox Neo user base. My thanks to the Nilesat and Modern Broadcast Center teams who have worked closely with us at every stage from initial design right through to system commissioning and post-completion training."

Designed for 24/7 unattended operation, AirBox Neo can also be operated manually – including the ability to handle live-to-air throughput. It is supported by a wide range of optional modules. Neo Channel in a Box and its SaaS-based equivalent, Cloud2TV, can deliver output in baseband SD, HD or UHD SDI, in DVB/ATSC-compliant IP streams and in web-based formats such as RTMP. Simulcasting of SDI and single or multiple IP streams is also possible.

Established in 1996, Nilesat (www.nilesat.com.eg) operates satellite earth stations at its headquarters in 6th of October City and Alexandria. These control multiple geosynchronous communications satellites, all of which are stationed at 7 degrees west. Nilesat offers a wide range of broadcast playout services including fully automated workflow from ingest to playout, advanced on-air graphics, quality control, full remote access to channel monitoring and control, multi-format support for ingest and playback plus the ability to contribute to different platforms.

MBC (www.mbcegypt.com) specialises in system integration for broadcast projects of any kind and scale. MBC has built news, entertainment, green-screen, shopping channel, single-camera studios and multi-camera studios for production companies and broadcasters around the world. MBC also designs and builds technical furniture for studios, production galleries, edit suites, control rooms and playout suites.

PlayBox Neo (www.playboxneo.com), building on nearly 20 years of successful innovation, pioneered the development of high-efficiency server-based and cloud-based playout to support every scale and type of one-to-many communication. PlayBox Neo AirBox and cloud-based solutions today power over 18,000 TV and branding channels in more than 120 countries. Users include national and international broadcasters, start-up TV channels, webcasters, interactive TV and music channels, film channels, remote TV channels, corporate information channels and disaster recovery channels.

Based in Sofia (PlayBox Neo Commercial HQ), PlayBox Neo has offices in Singapore (PlayBox Neo Asia Pacific), New Delhi (PlayBox Neo India), and West Palm Beach (PlayBox Neo USA).

www.playboxneo.com