On show at NAB 2020 (Booth SU9910)

The new reality of cloud play-out

Globecast will be highlighting its latest global cloud playout technological and service model developments as the company continues to lead the way across the next phase of real-world deployments. Globecast has worked with a portfolio of clients over the past two years or more on a range of cloud services; not least using cloud playout for the launch, in the UK, of Virgin’s TV Ultra HD channel in the fall of 2018.

ATG Danmon announces the completion of a broadcast-quality production facility for the London headquarters of That Lot, one of Europe's leading providers of social media content production support. Core of this project is a multi-camera studio plus a fully equipped control room including lighting, vision and audio mixing, routing, recording, monitoring and archiving.

"Working with ATG Danmon, we have been able to create the most flexible possible system for use across our wide range of creative services," comments Ben Forder, Head of Video at That Lot. "The new studio and its control suite enable us to offer our clients versatile resources for creating broadcast-quality content for a wide range of media applications."

"A full-colour back-lit LED cyclorama, which we believe is the first of its kind in Europe, provides sharp chroma-key superimposition onto on any background. Lighting is from a ceiling-mounted rig which can be adjusted to get the exact style of illumination we need for live-streaming or recording sketches, scripted videos, interviews, podcasts, vodcasts and social media photoshoots. That includes 360 degree surround video and audio capture if specified."

Globecast, the global solutions provider for media, has further strengthened its management team in Asia with the appointment of Tan See Chai as Head of Sales – Distribution.

Beginning at the start of January 2020 and based in Singapore, See Chai will report to Shakunt Malhotra, Globecast Asia MD. See Chai is responsible for sales of Globecast’s permanent distribution services to broadcasters, cable operators, news agencies, corporations as well as other relevant organisations across Asia and Asia-Pacific. This will include identifying and pursuing new business as well as maintaining and growing relationships with existing customers.

Malhotra said, “We are pleased to welcome Tan to this important role. He has huge experience across the satellite industry, in particular, and this will come to the fore in this multifaceted position. As well as liaising with new and existing customers, he will also work closely with our Singapore-based operations and engineering group – where one of our three global Media Centers is located – as well as liaising with key personnel in other Global Business Units located around the world.”

See Chai has over 25 years’ experience in the industry and was most recently Director of Sales with Telesat, a position he held for the past 30 months. In that role he was responsible for major satellite capacity sales across the Asia-Pacific region. Prior to that, he held a range of positions with Globecast, the last as Senior Director of Sales – Head of Occasional Services for Asia, a job he held for five years. He has also worked for Verestar and Echostar International, among others.

See Chai said, “I’m genuinely excited to be appointed to this important position with my extensive experience across the industry being recognised as being invaluable to the role. I already have extensive experience with the company and I look forward to helping Globecast attain further growth across its distribution business.”

Channel 5, based in St. Petersburg, Russia, has dramatically rationalised its core technology by updating to a Platinum™IP3 router from Imagine Communications for its MCR and playout. The remarkable design of the Platinum IP3 incorporates much of the video and audio infrastructure, eliminating a large number of outboard devices from multiple vendors, simplifying cabling and reducing power consumption, as well as making workflows more coherent and transparent.

Channel 5 was already using an Imagine Platinum router, but continually increasing operational demands called for more inputs and outputs. Channel 5 took the opportunity to rationalise its infrastructure by bringing much more functionality into the new, expanded router, eliminating the need for external third-party devices.

“We knew that the newest models of Platinum router, like the IP3, can host a huge amount of functionality within the frame, making system architecture much more logical,” said Sergei Volhin, technical director of Channel 5. “It meant we could do away with a lot of other equipment, making the installation neater and easier to understand. The new Platinum IP3 reduces the cost and complexity, maximises on-air security, and gives us the capability to quickly set up workflows and expand the I/O as our needs develop.”

The new 28RU Platinum IP3 router was specified, configured and installed by Imagine’s channel partner, MediaProject. The IP3 is highly scalable, and in its initial implementation, it provides for 576 x 1024 video I/O in SD and HD, with fully redundant routing and both copper and fibre interfaces. The router also supports 64 TDM audio slots, each carrying up to 128 audio channels.

As well as the highly resilient switching, the Platinum IP3 also offers video and audio processing which in other systems would require large numbers of third-party devices — each consuming power, cooling and rack space. At Channel 5, all the multiviewer displays in the playout and master control area are driven by router-integrated Platinum SX Pro multiviewer cards — enabling a real saving in outboard processors and ensuring faster and more secure operation. The router also integrates audio embedding and de-embedding with full level control and channel shuffling and extensive video processing.

“Every broadcaster wants a core infrastructure that is going to be absolutely secure and resilient, but is also compact, convenient and clear,” said Mathias Eckert, SVP & GM EMEA/APAC, Playout & Networking, at Imagine Communications. “The fundamental design of the Platinum IP3 router allows us to configure very complex signal management, processing and monitoring in the same device, so a single command can fire multiple actions without the need to set each parameter. That makes for very secure operations, even in complex workflows.

“The result is that — as Channel 5 identified — the Platinum IP3 is a complete solution, and one which reduces cost while enhancing resilience,” Eckert added. “And, when the time comes, it can be expanded to encompass IP switching alongside SDI and digital audio, providing long-term security.”

The router project was installed and commissioned by MediaProject during summer 2019.

For more information about Imagine Communications’ products and solutions, please visit https://www.imaginecommunications.com.

ATG Danmon announces the completion of a full broadcast-quality news studio facility for Cardiff University's School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies. The project coincides with a relocation to new city-centre premises situated next to BBC facilities. Cardiff University will use the facility to train the next generation of television, radio, online and printed-media journalists. Herefordshire based CJP Broadcast Service Solutionsprovided the installation services for the project.

"We were invited to propose a turnkey solution based on an outline specification provided by the university," explains ATG Danmon Managing Director Russell Peirson-Hagger. "The project comprised a large TV studio and dedicated gallery, a smaller TV studio with its associated gallery, plus a broadcast newsroom. Both galleries connect via SDI to Vizrt media, graphics and automation. Avid iNEWS is also integrated."

"The system links to a news presentation suite where a remotely controlled camera and two-way video feed allow the newsreader to talk to a newsroom reporter. The systems simulate the functionality and processes of a real broadcast environment, the output being used for academic review."

"We worked in partnership with CJP and Cardiff University staff to design and integrate a complete solution that kept within the budget and provided the specified level of functionality that is required by the teaching staff. This was successfully achieved before students returned after the summer recess.

Blackmagic Design today announced that Teleclub, Switzerland’s leading Pay TV network, has implemented an UltraHD video playout system, built around a Blackmagic Design 12G infrastructure, to support an increased volume of linear and pay per view (PPV) live sports channels.

The network recently expanded its output to offer more than 83 channels, including eight in Ultra HD, broadcasting in German, French and Italian, and covering a wide range of sports including top flight European and national football leagues, ice hockey and others via its IPTV platform.

“We needed to double Teleclub’s capacity to feed additional HD and UHD PPV channels, studio production facilities, as well as additional commentary and graphics elements,” explains Remo Val, system and software engineer, Teleclub. “When we considered our UltraHD requirements, it was clear that a single link 12G-SDI network would ensure we had enough capacity in our server rooms and keep cabling and signal distribution hubs as streamlined as possible.”

18 ATEM 4 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K have been installed, with each one serving two of the HD or UltraHD channels, with a separate M/E attributed to each channel. Each switcher is paired with a video/CG server, developed inhouse at Teleclub using DeckLink Quad 2 capture cards and Caspar CG, for live video playout.

Cinegy, the global leader for broadcast playout software on premise, hybrid and in the cloud, will demonstrate its award-winning Cinegy Air PRO, Cinegy Capture PRO , Cinegy Multiviewer, as well as Cinegy Desktop and Cinegy Newsroom on the Bavarian Pavilion at NATEXPO in November.

Cinegy products can process mixed SD, HD, 4K/UHD and 8K formats - as well as handle HDR - for capture, playout, monitoring, news, editing, or MAM. All technology being shown at NATEXPO is available immediately.

In addition, Cinegy has now optimised its entire product line to be 8K-ready and deployed in the cloud. One of the early adopters of the open source SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) protocol, Cinegy has SRT baked into all technology, including the license, which removes any concerns about whether users have the legal right, proper subscription, or adequate bandwidth to deploy the software.

Cinegy, the global leader for broadcast playout software in the cloud, has announced that it will showcase its full range of recording, capture, archive, and encoding capabilities during Broadcast India, taking place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, from 17-19 October.

Underlining the importance of its solutions business, Pixel Power has added two new product specialists to the team. Tanya Schurawel and Toria Farrell both come direct from broadcasters, and will use their unique insights to help customers develop optimised solutions for automated production, graphics and playout.

Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that it has partnered with Aveco to simplify the deployment of hybrid on-premises and cloud workflows for playout applications. Thanks to the partnership, operators can now use a single interface to control hybrid on-premises and cloud playout workflows for more efficient delivery of broadcast and OTT channels, including live streaming.

Imagine Communications has been selected by NPC Media Pty Ltd, a venture formed between Australia’s largest commercial broadcasters, Seven (ASX:SWM) and Nine (ASX:NEC), to provide an extensive infrastructure upgrade of the National Playout Centre (NPC) in Sydney, Australia.

Pixel Power has today announced it will be adding uncompressed IP playout capability, based on the SMPTE ST 2110 family of standards, to its already well established StreamMaster playout technology. The development comes as a natural progression of incorporating new standards within its software defined technology platforms: StreamMaster Media Processing and Gallium Workflow Orchestration. Like all StreamMaster and Gallium functionality, SMTPE ST 2110 will be supported as software solutions whether on-premise or virtualized in a data centre.

Imagine Communications is building a completely updated master control and playout platform for the newly formed Egyptian National Media Authority (ENMA), previously Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU), the national broadcaster in Egypt. The phased upgrade of this facility is designed to deliver a high level of operational resilience and integrates seamlessly with the broadcaster’s existing infrastructure, ensuring a simple and secure transition to IP when the broadcaster is ready to migrate its operations.