PANELLISTS
18
October 2018
Masstech integrates with x . news
Masstech is collaborating with x . news information technology to provide x . news users full visibility into both video and text sent by stations using Masstech media wires . Mike Palmer , Masstech CTO , said : “ Masstech users have long been able to send text and embedded video to internal and external users through a single newsroom computer system ( NRCS ) drag-and-drop operation . Our new integration with x . news now allows users to view this received content alongside other sources , such as social media , in an elegant user interface ( UI ) with sophisticated search .”
Friend MTS ties up with Intertrust ExpressPlay DRM for live sports
Intertrust , a provider of computing products and services , has integrated Friend MTS ’ ASiD OTT subscriberlevel watermarking with its ExpressPlay digital rights management ( DRM ) client software development kit ( SDK ) and multi-DRM service . Friend MTS ’ ASiD OTT managed security service incorporates global channel monitoring with fingerprint-based content recognition , and this integrates tightly with watermarking for subscriber identification . This highly automated , clientside service operates with live , pay-per-view and on-demand content , including 4K / Ultra HD ( UHD ) and high dynamic range ( HDR ). This monitoring can connect with subscriber management systems to stop content theft in minutes , said Friend MTS .
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Format Converters
PANELLISTS
Fintan Mc Kiernan
CEO Ideal Systems South-east Asia
Patrick So
Regional Manager Asia Pacific Magna Systems & Engineering
Craig Johnson
Managing Director - Media Nielsen
IP routing on the switch
As the transition to IP continues to gain pace , how will a key broadcast function such as routing evolve alongside ? Shawn Liew finds some answers …
For more than 30 years , UK-headquartered remote production company Telegenic has been delivering the highest standrds of quality , expertise and service to the world ’ s leading broadcasters .
Calling themselves “ pioneers in HD and world leaders in 3D and 4K / Ultra HD ( UHD )”, Telegenic ’ s goal is to continually embrace and develop the latest technologies to exceed client expectations .
In order to effectively keep T-Wiz , Telegenic ’ s outside broadcast ( OB ) vehicle , on the road for more than 34 weeks a year covering golf tour events , Telegenic needed an integrated and comprehensive signal transport , routing and processing solution . Having previously used a non-integrated solution made up of parts and pieces from multiple vendors , they realised that the only way to stay on schedule would be to invest in an infrastructure that could keep up with their demands .
Having looked at various IP and ‘ software-defined hardware ’ solutions from other vendors , Telegenic decided to choose Riedel , because the latter was able to demonstrate not only forwardthinking , network-based design , but also a proven track record for their hardware .
Telegenic ’ s MediorNet network consists of a MediorNet MetroN core router , 10 MicroN high-density media distribution network devices , and four MediorNet Compact Pro stagebox / mainframes to facilitate transport of HD video and a variety of audio and data signals .
At each golf course venue , the Medior Net components are all connected over a 10Gbps optical fibre network to form a decentralised routing matrix . WDM multiplexers within the system cut the number of fibre connections required for the Riedel Compact Pros from six single-mode cores down to just two . With MediorNet ’ s automatic signal re-routing capabilities , Telegenic teams are then able to create full optical redundancy over just four cores .
A decentralised Riedel MediorNet backbone allows Telegenic flexibility in signal routing and the ability to easily create redundancies via CWDM optical muxing , resulting in simplified cabling and faster set and strike times .
Andrew Wisniewski , US operations supervisor , Telegenic , says : “ MediorNet , controlled by VSM hardware and virtual panels , provides the technical and production crews with unprecedented flexibility .
“ The all-in-one approach , where we do not need to route signals in and out of various bits of equipment , drastically simplifies set-up . Riedel ’ s network-based design makes connecting the trucks and sharing resources much easier .”
The built-in redundancy of the Medior Net network would prove critical during one event . One of the Medior Net Compact frames had only seven out of nine links to start and , over the course of a live half-hour show , went down to only two links . The system did its job , switching from link to link , keeping the show on the air .
Integrated signal processing functions such as audio and video routing , audio embedding , de-embedding , and the distribution of sync are also of great value and eliminate the need for additional hardware . In addition , running on two of the MicroNs , the MediorNet multiviewer app provides multiviewing capabilities for up to 18 video signals that can be used to create up to four multiviewer screens . These can then be used locally or redistributed to any of the MediorNet nodes . Also included is Riedel ’ s RockNet real-time audio network that rides atop the MediorNet backbone to provide backup audio transport from several remote locations .
Simon Foster , deputy head of sound , Telegenic UK , adds : “ Multiple formats , low-latency SRC , and plenty of MADI support provide for a fully interoperable audio domain .
“ Integrating MediorNet and Rock-
Net together into the Telegenic project has been a simple and effective process .”
Today , Riedel ’ s MediorNet network continues to be used in aspects of Telegenic ’ s production — from fibre-based acquisition of video and audio signals from the host broadcaster ’ s trucks in the TV compound , through integration of various on-site locations , to the replacement of traditional broadcast routing and multiviewing hardware . And , thanks to the implementation of optical multiplexing within the system , Telegenic is able to reduce the number of fibres required for remote locations while taking full advantage of Medior- Net ’ s ability to automatically reroute signals in case of cable issues .
In 2013 , Paul Greene , director of networking product management , Imag ine Communications , wrote a white paper entitled : When will plants go 100 % IP routing ? Answering that question retrospectively , Greene tells APB : “ We are absolutely ready now . We have worked with OB trucks , production control rooms and studios on 100 % IP infrastructure , and we have proven systems out there in revenue-earning service .”
However , he is quick to point out : “ When we talk about 100 % IP today , what we are actually saying is that the infrastructure does not have an SDI core router .
“ We cannot yet move to an all-IP signal flow , because we believe in open , best-of-breed systems , and there are popular devices out there that are not IP-ready . Some third-party devices are SMPTE 2022-6 , some still SDI . So we can have 100 % core IP routing , with SDI gateways at the edges .”
Imagine Communications ’ Selenio Network Processor ( SNP ), for instance , provides the needed gateway func-