information on features and facilities is virtually impossible from the manufacturers, and we find that our guys are, more often than not, having to figure out how a particular system should be configured or installed. Many manufacturers are short on in-house technical capability — usually there’s just one person who’s their expert — so the burden is placed on the SI to figure it all out. Osselaer: As a Systems
Integrator we are very reluctant to be involved with any vapourware. We strive to offer our customers turnkey solutions that are operational from day one and guarantee a long-term durability. But often it remains finding the right balance between innovation and perfection. Phillips: Acceptance of ‘Channel in the Box’ remains less than might have been anticipated and further design effort needs to happen here to give increased performance with the flexibility the customer needs for main channel use. Servers have scope for further development in terms of simpler expandability, as well as for their increasing power requirements. Other areas for improvement are multiviewers, to cope with the forthcoming 4K infrastructure and products that can deliver uncompressed HD (SMPTE 2022-5/6) along IP networks. Wainberg: There are many
requests for the streaming and professional contribution over IP environments. We are working with several manufacturers to provide all levels of solutions to attend these needs. Wallis: Not so much from
a product perspective, but high speed connectivity and movement of content around the globe is key. Connectivity costs in some regions make it difficult to take advantage of the cloud advancements.
Paul Wallis: “We will extend further … with cloud transcoding, platform as a service (PAAS), social interactivity and engagement services, and app development”
Werner Osselaer: “Integration is key. Our customers want a smoothly running media factory, not just a bunch of tools”
in association with
What future developments/innovations will there be from Systems Integrators?
Sebastian Wainberg:“We are expecting to see the impact of the new 4K/UHD developments to hit the markets – and there is some excitement about this area”
Baumanis: If we talk about solutions created by SIs then the next ‘big’ thing would be IP infrastructure and detached control surfaces. This would enable systems to be used where there are no distance limitations between an event location and production centre. It would also allow control of creative process/technology solutions remotely from anywhere. Cleaver:We are probably reliant on the manufacturers for major innovations, but having spent the last 25 years designing broadcast centres with every part of the chain, we expect to provide distributed solutions in the future, utilising cloud and easy access to fast connectivity. Instead of trying to get everything under one large roof, broadcasters will look to have (or access to) groups of smaller centres in remote and/or prime locations, giving them a dynamic resource that can be sized to meet the requirements of the time. Dusil: As the world’s video content moves online, Systems Integrators will be a major supplier to ensure the success of these projects. Support for future technologies such as 4K video, and the accompanying processing and networking demands that will follow, will require forward-thinking partners and thought leadership to help clients to keep with the rapid pace of technology. In turn, this will assist with subscribers’ demands to access the technology. Felstead: SIs are going to take on the skills of their IT industry equivalents and become a much greater blend of those two skill- sets. That is the only way forward. The difference is that we have additional skill-sets in baseband signal management and media processing that IT people simply don’t possess. The sooner SIs take on the procedures, processes and techniques of the IT community the better.
Flay:We feel our role as a systems integrator is to improve processes and lower operational expenditure for customers. Our challenges are to innovate and develop new smarter and cost- effective ways of delivering systems that fit into a broadcaster’s wider organisational needs. Hales: More interactive, joined up documentation, allowing the user to support and live better with a system post installation. This is done by combining the wire-level schematics with workflows and product manuals. Jaeger: The major innovation
for the coming period will come from the creation of sophisticated services and applications based on techniques invented during recent years rather than from new technical developments themselves. It will be important to have the right technologies integrated in the TV system capable of supporting these services. Integration of tablets and other personalised devices, and needed business models, will increasingly advance TV systems in the connected home environment. Moore: I think the leading SI companies are putting a lot more effort into the design process, and producing higher-quality documentation and design. We tend to have to follow the technology trends of the marketplace, but I think the best SI companies lead the client into the future, rather than following behind.Our mantra is that our business is to make the client’s business make money — if we do that, we’ll get the payback through repeat business. Osselaer: Integration is key. Our customers want a smoothly running media factory, not just a bunch of tools. Phillips: SIs – particularly those
who remain independent — should be valued for their close and consistent contact with the multitude of equipment suppliers.
The value of an SI is greatly enhanced by having access to the full range of suppliers, as this is from where innovative deigns can be produced. It’s also the regular exposure that an SI has to different customer’s workflows and integrating many new projects every year that gives added value. It is our job to drive new technology implementation as or before the broadcast landscape changes. This is achieved by encouraging and enabling our staff and technology partners to continuously evolve their expertise and develop their knowledge across cutting-edge technologies. We are a big believer of investing in people. Wainberg:We believe that asset
management and archiving will continue to expand to lower levels of production. Also, tapeless workflows are expanding more and more. We are expecting to see the impact of the new 4K/UHD developments to hit the markets — and there is some excitement about this area. Wallis: More and more we will