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April 2016
Playout future is
Balaji Telefilms picks Xstream , Diagnal to power its OTT service
Balaji Telefilms , an Indian TV and film production studio , has chosen the Xstream MediaMaker , a cloud-based video management system , to power ALT Balaji , an over-the-top ( OTT ) entertainment service . Diagnal is responsible for frontend design , development , big data solution and systems integration for ALT Balaji . Sunil Nair , COO , ALT Digital Media Entertainment , said : “ ALT Balaji wants it audience to enjoy compelling stories and does not want technology to be a stumbling block in their experience . We believe that technology is an enabler and if it ’ s invisible to the consumer , then we have done a great job .” The ALT Balaji solution by Xstream is fully cloud-based , using Amazon Web Services ( AWS ), which allows Xstream to deliver “ unparalleled performance and durability ” to ensure “ quality delivery ” to ALT Balaji subscribers .
Nevion IP Studio to manage next phase of LiveIP Project
The European Broadcasting Union ( EBU ) has announced the latest phase of the LiveIP Project , for which Nevion is providing the software-defined network ( SDN ) infrastructure and management . On March 1 this year , Belgian public broadcaster VRT , who is driving the LiveIP Project with the EBU , produced a live 45-minute multi-camera debate , using IP technology entirely . The debate , which was webcast live , featured Mick De Valck , CTO of VRT , Charlie Cope of BBC Sport , and Morten Brandstrup of TV2 Denmark who shared their user perspectives of the transition to live IP production in front of an audience comprising industry experts and commentators .
Next Month @ X-Platform TV Everywhere
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Mock Pak Lum
CTO StarHub
David Siah
Chairman Cloud Security Alliance Singapore in the cloud
With playout getting outsourced to dedicated production and playout facilities , it is not a far-fetched concept that cloud-based playout will be offered eventually and with many takers . But how will broadcasters benefit from this service ? Millette Manalo-Burgos reveals …
Investment-wise , how will cloud-based storage and playout benefit broadcasters ? Envivio , a developer of software-based video encoding tools , replied to APB through Ericsson , which recently completed the acquisition of Envivio . Sarah Paris-Mascicki , product marketing manager , Business Unit Support Solutions , for a provider of video processing and delivery solutions , points out some of the advantages .
She states : “ As the need for a greater variety of services grow , the clearer it becomes that not one configuration fits all .”
In addition to what services to offer , what regulations to apply and how to coordinate with their current solutions , Paris-Mascicki explains that operators are also considering whether to run their cDVR solution using a dedicated infrastructure , or leverage a virtualised cloud environment .
A cloud-based solution offers numerous benefits , she says , including : n Faster time-to-market : Running on the cloud means a faster time-to-market for new applications and services as the
Web streaming and audio
Last September , Minnetonka Audio joined the Telos Alliance through a merger with Linear Acoustic . Here , Jayson Tomlin , VP , business operations , Minnetonka Audio , shares with APB some insights into the key issues affecting audio during Web streaming .
How important is it to have the right audio processing tools during Web streaming ? What audio-related problem can go wrong ? Jayson Tomlin : Audio is at the heart of a very complex , video-centric ecosystem . Web streaming is all about scaling the quality of playback to the device receiving the signal . Video codecs are engineered to transcode from one format to the other in a very flexible way . Audio , by contrast , has to be carefully managed .
For example , you may or may not need Dolby encoding , loudness compliance , specific metadata , surround sound , or dynamic range control for each title . Any one of these audio-specific issues can interrupt or even ruin a consumer experience .
The most common issue is scaling the audio and losing the intent of the mix . Dialogue is hard to hear or is even out of
Ericsson offers its Video and Storage Processing Platform which integrates the storage and processing , providing performance gains and allowing operators to avoid many of the complexities and costs associated with launching new services .
customer does not have to purchase and manage the specific hardware and there is no need for certification process and licence fees for the specific
balance with the other elements . Thus , our AudioTools Server ( ATS ) is the right choice to address these types of audio problems .
As a solution for preparing file-based content for streaming , ATS can unwrap the audio from the playback video format container , process it according to user specifications while preserving the highestpossible audio quality , and wrap the audio back into the container with guaranteed playback compatibility . hardware . n Operational efficiency : This has to be regarded as a major benefit of moving to a virtualised solution . The
Does Minnetonka Audio have recent installations for these products in the Asia-Pacific region ? Tomlin : Minnetonka Audio has recent installations at StarHub Singapore , HBO Asia in Singapore and other major content creators in the region . All projects use AudioTools Server for high-quality loudness management in combination with Dolby Automation and other functionalities .
Minnetonka ’ s AudioTools Server ( ATS ) can be used for preparing file-based content for streaming , as ATS can unwrap the audio from the playback video format container , process it according to user specifications while preserving the highest-possible audio quality .