SHOWTV shows off with PlayBox Technology
SHOWTV, has been on-air for nearly two years with very demanding workflow solutions from PlayBox Technology
SHOWTV started broadcasting in 1994 with a tape based workflow from their Master Control Room using Sony LMS robotic VTR systems and in 2004 started a detailed research for an alternative modern IT based solution for their expanding broadcasting needs.
PlayBox Technology solutions were chosen after a long and detailed evaluation of many IT based automation systems available. The main criteria in making the important decision in favour of PlayBox Technology was that the solutions offered were reliable, affordable, easily operated, supporting non proprietary open formats, open to third party integration and offered highly skilled local support.
The switching to IT based workflow was planned well in advance and included extensive testing and full integration of the different components to perfectly build the ideal workflow solution to meet the expanding broadcasting needs of SHOWTV.
PlayBox Technology solutions were thoroughly tested and commissioned and after detailed testing and comprehensive training were fully integrated into a streamlined fully redundant workflow solution and used to playout two of the new SHOW TV channels
The fully integrated workflow includes 16 AirBox Servers and 10 CaptureBox Servers all connected to 200TB on-line archive storage. Also included in the workflow are 18 NLE suites that include Avid media Composer, Avid Chrome, DPS Velocity, Canopus Edius SP-SDI, numerous Edius desktop editing systems and Graphics are RTX based from the MCR.
The system is all connected with the Nortel Enterprise level gigabit network infrastructure with 10Gbit backbone to the servers and the EKSEN Archive software suite is connecting all components together. The video files are played by AirBox directly from the archive storage and a special utility of the EKSEN suite called Traffic Manager ensures there is always adequate bandwidth for the AirBox Systems by throttling the remaining network traffic where necessary
The workflow begins with either VTR ingest or ingest from the 26 Sony XDCAM tapeless camera systems via CaptureBox or Digital Rapids and the parts of the files that are archive-worthy are cut out directly on the CaptureBox systems with MPEG editing software and transferred to archive together with metadata via the EKSEN Archive clients installed on each CaptureBox
Operators are able to search and browse for videos and play and trim the files and upload the final clips for playout. Most materials are ingested in MPEG2 and any files in other formats are automatically converted to MPEG when marked for broadcast
Schedulers design and approve the playlists and prepare them for broadcast. The playout Operators then load playlists assigned to them, from the EKSEN On-Air Client installed on each AirBox and go on air.
PlayBox Technology is currently providing complete redundant 24/7 playout solutions for four SHOW TV Channels using PlayBox solutions that are deployed in 4 separate Master Control Rooms in master and redundant backup configuration to assure the best on-air reliability and on-air presentation for these channels. AirBox servers are deployed in redundant pairs so there is always a backup AirBox that is listening to, and following everything the master AirBox does.