automation & asset management feature
versioned material and add that every broadcaster is unique? In events on one playout server,
transitions, effects and other graphical the current economic climate, surely eliminating the need to create
enhancements. All this media can anything that uses less power, is workflows to edit and transfer files to
reside in complex shared storage simpler and more flexible would be a multiple pieces of equipment. The
systems, with automated nearline and boon. But what if the solutions don’t
archive processes, and then be come from one of the big five
So the
servers are multiple file format
capable so you can receive files from
directly shared with the playout suppliers, is it too much of a risk?
message is
a variety of sources without worrying
platforms and the planning and Bigger is not always better - just ask clear: about transcoding. You can use an
scheduling tools that use them. the banks, or the motor manufacturers,
continue to
asset multiple times without having to
In a lot of cases ‘workflow and then ask the public which
study,
create new versions in post-
management tools’ and transcoding businesses they thought could never
enter the process. So after a file is go bust. If the biggest broadcast
simplify and
production by setting trim points. You
can have integrated graphics overlays
taken from a camera, a new file is manufacturers genuinely took up the
standardise
using the file information created
made for the editing system. mantle of promoting standardisation your much earlier in the process, have real
Sometimes customers want to use then surely we would end up with
workflow,
time subtitling and automatic aspect
more than one editing system, and more common formats sooner rather
because with
ratio conversion and finally ‘edit event
therefore a new file is often made to than later. Unfortunately, whereas in
accommodate the exchange between the past manufacturers locked in
some
while you play’ functionality.
editing platforms. Then a new file is customers with proprietary hardware,
systems you
Whilst asset management systems
do a great job in tracking media and
made for every language, with every now they are trying to do so with
really can get
metadata, broadcasters using this
version of sub-titles, with graphics for subtly different file formats. to files, model often only need a simple file
‘coming next’ announcements, with Despite this, I am encouraged by the
rather than
management system to move the
different formats for different playout increasing use of MXF within broadcast
files, files,
files directly to the playout machines
centres, moving between disparate companies, that files are now much
storage systems, requiring media more readily interchangeable between
files.
when they are wanted, and
automatically remove them when
tracking, and other such convolutions. systems, and that XML is becoming a they are not. The use of multi-purpose
Then add in the automation standardised glue between broadcast storage systems that integrate editing
systems. In a traditional automation operations enabling much more open and playout are becoming more
system a different piece of equipment interfaces. However, I do not see common, and with manufacturers
is required for each process, and that wholesale moves to genuinely move using standardised interfaces,
requires the movement of files to to a full IT-based workflow in its partnerships and specialisation are still
multiple pieces of equipment, and simplest form. possible and desirable.
then a complex process to trigger the Forward-thinking companies like Overall I think we can get pretty
devices to make them come together OASYS are addressing this by close to the ideal workflow as far as
again to provide the end output. focussing on the development of linear playout is concerned, and
Surely there must be a simpler way highly featured playout applications. therefore by extension for both on-
of doing things? Well of course there For instance, we have created a demand and mobile. So the message
is, but why would we want to do that combined automation and playout is clear: continue to study, simplify
when we can go on purchasing device which is a PC with a Matrox and standardise your workflow,
expensive pieces of specialised A/V board, really a ‘super video because with some systems you
equipment, convincing ourselves that server’. It allows the broadcaster to really can get to files, rather than files,
‘broadcasters have special needs’ and combine all primary and secondary files, files.
www.ibeweb.com l january/february 2010 l ibe l 29
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