Category: Distribution & Delivery

BCE automates RTL TVI trailer generation

Posted on by contentntek in Distribution & Delivery, Event, News, Production & Post Production

As the technical provider of RTL TVI, BCE is responsible for broadcasting RTL TVI, CLUB RTL and PLUG TV channels from Luxembourg. Providing many services for the company, BCE was looking for a solution to automate the production process of the customer’s trailers.

BCE turned to the Automate-IT solution developed by the publisher Embrace, which went into production in early summer 2019.

Embrace-Panel RTL TVI_Coming Next_Preview

Automate-IT automates the process of packaging, generating and delivering trailers by aggregating data and media. As a result, the users can avoid any non-creative tasks, produce more for broadcast or social networks and always in perfect compliance with the graphical chart of their company.

“With an increasing volume of trailers, it was critical for BCE to find an intuitive solution, allowing the automation of the production workflow. The Automate-IT solution perfectly meets this need and integrates particularly well into our private cloud hosted in Luxembourg” explains Frédéric Fievez, Projects Development Director at BCE.

Embrace-Panel RTL TVI_RDV_1

The Automate-IT platform is focused on three features:

  • A simple creative process for the production and validation of trailers through HTML panels accessible from any PC at BCE, including for the most sophisticated channel branding.
  • API-controlled Adobe® After Effects and Media Encoder solutions that are used daily by the on-air promo team.
  • A workflow engine that integrates and adapts easily to BCE’s editorial and technical contexts. In addition, the platform allows a secured connection with the business information and management systems.

Embrace-Panel RTL Plug

These points fostered the integration of the solution into BCE’s production workflow and its adoption by the operational teams. At the launch of the service, BCE automatically produces more than 200 trailers per week for RTL TVI and about 25 per week for PLUG TV already.

“We are particularly proud to have had the opportunity to participate in a project with BCE whose DNA, for almost a century, has been marked by technological innovation and operational excellence”. Concludes Julien Gachot, CEO at Embrace.

Embrace-Panel RTL TVI_RDV_Preview

For more information on the Automate-IT solution and the project with RTL TVI, meet us at the IBC on BCE booth (Hall 7, Stand 7.C37) and Embrace booth (Hall 6, Stand 6.C26).

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Nevion-led consortium receives 2 million euro EU funding for 5G broadcast remote production project

Posted on by contentntek in Distribution & Delivery, News, Production & Post Production, Satellite & Transmissions

Nevion, award-winning provider of virtualized media production solutions, announced today that a mobile-5G remote production project by a consortium it is leading has received a grant of €2 million from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program ‘Fast Track to Innovation’. Project “VIRTUOSA” was selected as the best proposal of a highly competitive call with 225 applications.

The winning consortium comprises four international leading industry players with complementary competences and a common goal to bring 5G (the Fifth Generation of Cellular Network Technology) Broadcast Remote Production solutions to market: Nevion AS (Norway), Mellanox Technologies LTD (Israel), LOGIC media solutions GmbH (Germany) and IRT – Institute for Broadcasting Technology (Germany).

The purpose of the EU project VIRTUOSA is to explore “Scalable Software Defined Network Architectures for Cooperative Live Media Production exploiting Virtualized Production Resources and 5G Wireless Acquisition”. In practical terms, this means demonstrating through real-life examples how 5G can be combined with virtualization concepts to enable broadcasters to produce live content (such as sports or music coverage) more efficiently and cost-effectively across locations, to meet growing consumer demand.

VIRTUOSA Project Coordinator Thomas Heinzer, EVP Strategic Projects, Nevion, commented: “We at Nevion are honored by the European Commission’s acknowledgement of our VIRTUOSA EU project. After being at the forefront of the professional media industry’s move to IP for more than a decade, we look forward to working together with our consortium partners to take our proven SDN technology to the next level by leveraging the capabilities of 5G for live production.”

Nevion’s SDN technology provides the means to control media networks more effectively in order to achieve the defined and predictable reliability and performance required for the transport of video, audio and associated data used in live broadcast production.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 866656.

Encompass Digital Media Singapore optimizes its operations with DataMiner

Posted on by contentntek in Distribution & Delivery, News

The company announces that Encompass, a global technology services company that delivers end-to-end video solutions to television networks, broadcasters, sports leagues and OTT service providers, has selected DataMiner to unify its operations and service assurance.

“We are extremely proud of the deployment of DataMiner at Encompass. It’s an honor to power its operations in Asia,” commented Jonathan Triboulet, Director APAC Operations at Skyline Communications. “With our local presence in Singapore, we are in a very good position to fully support Encompass’ operations.”

The project at Encompass comprises an end-to-end DataMiner system that is designed to unify operations across the entire multi-vendor infrastructure. The Singapore business unit also benefits from the DataMiner expertise of Encompass Buenos Aires. Those teams already have long-standing and vast experience in the administration and operation of the DataMiner platform, and built the system without any involvement from Skyline. Rather than deploying siloed EMS systems to manage the new infrastructure elements, DataMiner now also monitors Encompass’ new satellite infrastructure and provides full earth station uplink and downlink management.

Skyline-Encompass

“With over 160 channels of premium video content being managed 24×7 in APAC alone, we need to deliver superior quality of service to our clients at all times,” said Mark Wardle, VP Engineering & Operations at Encompass Singapore. “DataMiner offers a comprehensive solution that provides a “single-pane-of-glass” view of our entire complex and diverse infrastructure.”

Skyline Communications is indeed deeply rooted in the APAC region. Its office in Singapore opened in 2017, with the purpose to support its continued growth in the APAC region. Expanding its local presence across all regions demonstrates Skyline’s long-term commitment to its current and future customers, which is all about increasing the quality of service and reducing the operational costs.

“We take that commitment seriously. It’s not just about delivering a solution that’s tailored to the needs of Encompass in terms of the look and feel and automated workflows,” adds Jonathan Triboulet. “We also make sure the operations and engineering teams are fully capable and independent through our various activities around the Singapore region. Organizing training that enables our customers to take advantage of all DataMiner aspects and scheduling webinars to share our knowledge is equally important to us. Skyline’s unique expertise plays a huge role in our global success story and facilitates operations teams to manage their entire operations in an intuitive and proactive manner.”

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IABM Future Trends Theatre to Host Two Talks Featuring TVU Networks on Sunday

Posted on by contentntek in Distribution & Delivery, Event, Multimedia, News

TVU Networks has  announced participation in two presentations this Sunday at the IABM Future Trends Theatre during the IBC (International Broadcasting Convention) held in the RAI Convention Center. TVU Networks’ CEO Paul Shen, along with co-presenter Paul Ferguson, Manager of News Technology Integration for CNN Newsource will lead “Breaking Down Walls: Creating a Global Infrastructure of Shareable Video Using AI Over IP.” David Jorba, Executive Vice President/Managing Director Europe, TVU Networks will discuss “Audience Participation, the Top Tech Trends that Drive Online Fan Engagement.”

On Sunday, September 15th, from 11:40-noon, Shen and Ferguson will lead “Breaking Down Walls: Creating a Global Infrastructure of Shareable Video Using AI Over IP” at the IABM’s Future Trends Theatre (Hall 8, Stand F40). Ferguson and Shen will outline what’s becoming possible with a cloud-based production model that exploits both the power of Artificial Intelligence and the cost-effective accessibility of video-over-IP. They’ll speak to how combining the metadata generation possible with AI with the accessibility of an IP network enhances the ability to automate video content identification and deliver to a variety of platforms. Ferguson and Shen will expand on how such a system can be implemented, its centralized sharing and search capabilities, as well as the significant cost savings users can expect.

On Sunday, September 15th, from 3:10-3:30, Jorba will present “Audience Participation, the Top Tech Trends that Drive Online Fan Engagement.” He will discuss what broadcasters should keep in mind as they explore the top tech trends promising increased fan engagement. And he’ll profile recent success stories of how sports organizations, shows and fan sites have dramatically increased their viewership. As one example, the UK-based Football Social program reached more than 17 million online views for the 2018/2019 Premier League season using a cloud-based software that provided bi-directional remote audience participation.

TVU Networks will exhibit in Hall 2, Stand B28 during the show.

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Anevia Partners with NVIDIA to Achieve Highly Cost-Efficient 4K UHD HDR Encoding

Posted on by contentntek in Distribution & Delivery, News, OTT & Streaming media

“This new development secures Genova as one of the most powerful ranges of video encoders in the OTT business – not just for SD and HD channels, but for the rapidly expanding world of UHD HDR,” says Jerome Blanc, EVP of Compression Products at Anevia. “We have been working with NVIDIA to integrate its latest-generation T4 which is one of the most recent graphics processing units on the market. 4K needs huge computing resources which T4 acceleration now makes more affordable.”

“The improvements we have achieved compared to the NVIDIA P4 card are nothing short of astounding, with video quality gains of over 30 per cent, and still enabling nine multi-rate 4K UHD HDR channels to be delivered from a single server. This level of performance brings 4K UHD HDR well within the compass of internet-based content delivery networking.”

“Television display standards have advanced dramatically since the days of 525-line and 625-line standard definition,” adds Anevia CEO Laurent Lafarge. “Each evolutionary stage represents a major challenge for terrestrial, satellite and OTT network operators alike. Our role is to turn these challenges into opportunities so that our customers can deliver the increased video quality their viewers appreciate as they invest in ever higher-quality display devices. This latest progression in the performance of the Genova encoders reflects very well on the skill and experience of both our technical development team and solutions partners such as NVIDIA.”

 

“The NVIDIA T4 GPU, which is ideal for UHD signal processing, has achieved great results with Anevia’s Genova encoders,” says Serge Palaric, Vice President of Alliances, OEMs and Embedded at NVIDIA. “The T4’s breakthrough video capabilities are enabling new AI-based experiences, products and services.”

Anevia’s Genova range of Linux-based high-definition video encoders can be deployed across both private and public IP networks. Supporting a range of encoding modes, they allow operators to choose whether to prioritise quality or speed.

Based on the NVIDIA Turing™ architecture and packaged in an energy-efficient 70-watt, small PCIe form factor, the NVIDIA T4 GPU accelerates diverse cloud workloads, including high performance computing, deep learning training and inference, machine learning, data science and analytics, and virtual graphics.

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Digital Nirvana Adds Cloud Storage and Processing, AI to MonitorIQ Compliance Logger

Posted on by contentntek in Distribution & Delivery, News, Production & Post Production

It is the first compliance logger to combine cloud services and cloud storage with on-premises compliance recording and the first to run in on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.

DigitalNirvana-MonitorIQCaptionGeneration

“MonitorIQ 6.1 lets today’s broadcasters do more than they ever could before. For example, they can now use cloud-based, AI-driven microservices to add transcription to video assets automatically. They can also search stored video using face detection, logo recognition, and on-screen text detection,” said Russell Wise, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Digital Nirvana. “The integration of MonitorIQ and Media Services Portal opens up a whole new world of AI-enhanced possibilities for broadcasters to record, store, and repurpose content. Through intelligent and immediate logging and feedback of content quality and compliance, broadcasters are better-positioned to meet regulatory, compliance, and licensing requirements for closed captioning, decency, and advertising monitoring.”

DigitalNirvana-MonitorIQLoudnessMonitoring

The new capabilities in MonitorIQ 6.1 are:

  • A reliable, scalable, and expandable architecture that enables on-premises, cloud, or hybrid implementation. MonitorIQ was designed to run locally as a full turnkey solution or in a virtual environment, using local customer hardware or residing in the cloud or in a hybrid configuration. MonitorIQ also provides an extensible list of open APIs for easy integration into broadcast workflows or third-party systems.
  • Seamless integration to AI-based cloud microservices that can be spun up very quickly as needed and run on top of the compliance system. Microservices include:
    – Automated speech to text for closed-caption generation and transcription.
    – Closed-caption/teletext conformance and correction to meet streaming services’ standards (Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, etc.).
    – Powerful text and video-intelligence functions for detecting faces, logos, images, and on-screen text.
    – Detection of ads in competitive programming and identification of the category of the ad and advertisers.

DigitalNirvana-MonitorIQRatings

MonitorIQ 6.1 provides tight integration with Digital Nirvana’s Media Services Portal, a suite of smart self-service tools, which empowers broadcasters to apply AI capabilities to broadcast workflows. These microservices include speech-to-text for automated closed-caption generation, quality assessment for postproduction closed captioning, and transcription of recorded assets. A video intelligence engine provides logo, face, and object recognition.

DigitalNirvana-MonitorIQTraffic

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NEP UK Deploys Embrionix emFUSION-6 SDI-IP Gateways

Posted on by contentntek in Distribution & Delivery, News, Production & Post Production

The emFUSION-6 enables NEP UK to provide remote monitoring for multiple channels with multiple languages, special POV cameras, and remote sports commentary while maintaining remote control on every site during each event.

“The Embrionix emFUSION-6 has supported the host feed, live commentary, and special points of view for major sporting events since last February, and the miniaturized gateway delivered during the 12 world championship events covered already in the season, performing flawlessly with 100% signal availability at all times,” said Donald Begg, director of technology, NEP Major Events. “The talented and dedicated team at Embrionix worked with our own team of talented engineers in the U.K. and Australia, allowing us to successfully roll out this high-visibility media-over-IP project using state-of-the-art solutions. I have plans to use the Embrionix IP kit, including the new emVIRTU solution, on a number of high-profile projects on the horizon.”

The compact emFUSION gateway deployed by NEP is a versatile, stand-alone gateway designed for remote control applications. As an SDI-to/from-IP and IP-to-HDMI gateway with support for SD, HD, 3G, and HDMI, the software-defined gateway is ideal for remote broadcast production, interconnecting SDI signals to a SMPTE ST 2110 or SMPTE ST 2022 IP infrastructure via a single 25GE aggregation link or via dual links for (SMPTE ST 2022-7) hitless redundancy. Enabling a local network connection per site, embedded on 25GE links, the emFUSION-6 also helps NEP to minimize cabling. The Embrionix gateway supports up to eight channels of encapsulation/de-encapsulation. Black burst can be extracted from the PTP to synchronize cameras, and a local network connection can be dropped at any location.

“Embrionix is proud to supply NEP UK with the highest-quality IP solutions,” said Renaud Lavoie, president, Embrionix. “We’re excited to see innovators like NEP pushing the IP remote production envelope in a distributed manner.”

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