July 2018 MANAGEMENT 19
❝ I believe that in the coming years , we are going to witness an evolution of cloud playout functionalities and UIs that simplifies operations even more , as we have seen with the channel-in-a-box ( CiaB ) or integrated playouts , connected with master control room automation systems .❞
— Mariano L Monteverde , Managing Director , Asrun Media
the most recent IP protocols from the Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers ( SMPTE ), the major adoption of IP is happening for compressed streams at the transmission side . Latest on-premises playout systems provide hybrid SDI and IP I / O for MPEG-2 or realtime messaging protocol ( RTMP ), facilitating streaming to a content delivery network ( CDN ).”
Although the move to cloud offers several advantages , especially in terms of scalability and is a “ good option ” for turnaround channels , Monteverde quickly points out that existing cloud playout solutions for linear channels may present some constraints for broadcasters who require a variety of live content on the mix . He explains : “ Operational challenges are still difficult to overcome at present for a set-up rich in live content . Thematic channels , on paper , are suitable with current cloud applications , with the option for video-on-demand ( VoD ) for such types of content , hence giving further freedom to the audience .
“ For general broadcast channels , further elements that playout systems usually integrate into the baseband domain are required . Some operators may ask : Where did my mixer or router panel go , or where is my multiviewer ?
“ Thus , I believe that in the coming years , we are going to witness an evolution of cloud playout functionalities and UIs that simplifies operations even more , as we have seen with the channel-in-abox ( CiaB ) or integrated playouts , connected with master control room automation systems .”
Going forward , Monteverde is confident that cloud playout will be more accessible not solely for the reason of moving Capex to Opex , but also because it “ potentially reduces the overall associated costs in transmission , which is brought forth by the virtualisation of available resources ”. For early adopters of cloud playout , he recommends operators to invest in converting baseband feeds into IP Transport Streams ( IPTS ), and minimise the impact on the delay of processing these signals with Precision Time Protocol ( PTP ).
“ Furthermore , it is important to assure that cloud playout provides a strong channel branding , closed and open captions , a preview channel , loudness control , play while uploading , up / down / cross-conversion or any standard feature that is available in an onpremise CiaB ,” he concludes .
For SeaChange , the company has developed a new solutions portfolio , called cFlow , which equips video providers with a set of software capabilities that can be deployed in-house , in the cloud , or a hybrid of both . The SeaChange cFlow portfolio comprises four key solution families — namely cContent , cBridge , cAds and cView — that can be used together or individually to centralise and simplify the task of offering viewer experiences across multiple network and screen types .
Kurt Michel , vice-president
SeaChange ’ s cFlow portfolio of video management solutions provides a set of software capabilities that can be deployed in-house , in the cloud , or a hybrid of both . The four key solution families can be used individually , or combined to create a pipeline for advanced personalised viewer experiences . of marketing at Seachange , says : “ The term ‘ broadcast ’ will become increasingly blurry , as viewers continue to seek experiences that combine live and linear content experiences with on-demand content and targeted advertising . So from a viewer ’ s perspective , they are receiving a personalised , unicast experience . Broadcasters are using — and must use — the cloud to successfully make this shift .”
Stressing that cloud-based solutions are increasingly playing an important part of media companies ’ workflow and delivery infrastructures , Michel explains that cloud may be used to add scalability to their in-house solutions . Alternatively , media service providers may also implement entire workflows in the cloud . “ Flexibility and scalability are now critical for success ,” he concludes . “ In our experience , there are many different approaches to delivering content to all of these devices . Live and linear content must have a real-time workflow , with possibly 10 or more versions of the stream being created and packaged for both IPTV and OTT adaptive bitrate delivery .
“ VoD workflows can take a similar approach to linear , where a single high-quality asset is stored and the different versions are created on-the-fly , and in real time as needed .”
Lynx Technik adds new Testor app to greenMachine platform
Lynx Technik ’ s greenMachine titan platform is now equipped with 12G processing to support 4K / Ultra HD ( UHD ) productions worldwide .
A four-channel hardware platform , titan provides 12G processing , as well as the ability to convert between single-link 4K / UHD video ( 12G ) and quad-link 4K / UHD video ( 4x3G ). For the signal processing functionality required for 4K / UHD productions , green- Machine users now have additional apps to support a 4K / UHD workflow . These include frame synchronisation , embedding / de-embedding , as well as up / down / cross-conversion .
Sebastian Schaffrath , chief technology innovation officer ( CTIO ) of Lynx Technik , explained : “ Lynx Technik presented greenMachine titan at Broadcast Asia2018 as this four-channel processing platform , with downloadable apps for functionality , [ matches ] Asian market demands for 4K / UHD , flexible conversion , and future-proof infrastructures . We see very good market development in Asia with customers building highly sophisticated solutions and as green Machine is appdriven , this solution truly redefines the way signal processing is handled .
“ greenMachine [ can ] accommodate multiple functions for existing applications such as audio embedding and processing , colour correction , frame synchronisation , and more , as well as for new applications such as high dynamic range ( HDR )/ standard dynamic range ( SDR ) or test signal generation .”
Lynx Technik has also released the new Testor app for its greenMachine platform . The app is a trouble-shooting tool designed for technicians and engineers working in the field , post production , as well as a variety of other video source and cable testing .
Besides including multi-format test signal generator functionality , the Testor app also features logos and text insertion , including custom and userdefined graphics , static and dynamic test signals and patterns ; advanced editor for logo and text layout design ; and 16-channel audio test generator with adjustable level and frequency .
The Testor app is compatible with the greenMachine titan platform , and supports 12G , 3G , HD , and SD-SDI formats . When operating in 4K / UHD mode , the app is able to provide a single-channel test generator . For 3G video formats , the app offers four independent test generators with individual logo and text insertions .
Standard static and dynamic video test signals and patterns are also included with the Testor app , while user-defined signal patterns can be uploaded into the app .
Win-Asia Software ’ s winning formula for content creation & management
At last month ’ s BroadcastAsia2018 , Win-Asia Software demonstrated WinMedia , a radio and TV automation software that unifies the content chain by managing all aspects of media from acquisition and production through to distribution , marketing , planning and dissemination . By incorporating various intuitive and integrated modules , this “ complete solution ” allows users to ingest and produce content for radio , TV , Web and mobile in a single system .
The company also showcased WinMAM version 2.0 , an integrated newsroom computer system ( NRCS ) solution , which allows users to manage library , logger , voice track or playlist functions via the Internet . Directly connected to the central database , WinMAM provides journalists with the tools needed to create live newscasts . This Web 2.0 platform extends newsroom functionalities to the field while fostering collaboration .
Alongside WinMAM , Win-Asia Software also presented WinSales , a Web-based customer relationship management ( CRM ) software . Integrated with WinMedia , WinSales simplifies booking and billing operations by providing real-time online CRM , and a wide range of planning , management , billing and reporting options .
Completing Win-Asia Software ’ s Broadcast Asia2018 showcase was WinLogger , the company ’ s monitoring and logging solution . WinLogger offers a set of features to ingest and monitor content from various sources and formats , thus supporting broadcasters ’ and media networks ’ monitoring workflows .
Besides providing monitoring support , Win- Logger is able to facilitate content re-purposing with its advanced features , such as automatic segmentation and clip creation to maximise the use and value of media assets . WinLogger allows users to navigate within a timeline , search relevant content , add bookmarks and metadata , create and export clips for internal and external sharing , and finally re-purpose content in a timely manner .
Stephane Tesoriere , CEO of Win-Asia Software , said : “ Monitoring content is never easy for broadcast authorities ; this is the why we developed the WinLogger software solution . Users can now record and monitor any sources — such as audio , video , AM / FM , DVB-T and DVB-S — as well as edit , extract , archive their media from one or multiple sites . With our state-of-the-art finger-printing technology , users can do recognition of content , rebuild playlist , and transform speech to text .”
Win-Asia Software ’ s WinMAM is an integrated NRCS solution , which enables broadcasters to produce more news for a variety of platforms by managing end-toend TV , radio and digital news production within a single system .