European News

Virgin Media TV Outsources with Objectivity

philsandberg — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 07:04:13 +0000

Under a recent deal signed by Virgin Media Television the company will be handing over their mission-critical application development to UK-based Objectivity who operates a nearshore office in Poland.
Objectivity will be building a software application to improve the efficiency of Virgin Media Televisions internal operations across its Web platforms. The deciding factor for signing the agreement was the range of innovation and business benefits that Objectivity has consistently delivered to its clients. Virgin Media Television was particularly impressed by the work that Objectivity has carried out in helping IPC Media increase its market share in the TV Listings magazine market.
“We brought Objectivity on board to improve some of our business-critical software applications because they have a proven record of delivering robust, high-availability software solutions on time and on budget. We were impressed by their ISO 9001 certified quality procedures and almost 20 years experience of working with FTSE100 companies” said Mike Richardson, IT Program Manager for Virgin Media Television.
Objectivity specialises in the development and subsequent maintenance and support of bespoke software systems for some of the worlds largest organisations, including Shell, 3i, Primark Stores, IPC Media and a host of others. In November 2009 Objectivity was presented with the ICT Excellence Award for Best Improved Business.
Rob Helle, Marketing and sales director for Objectivity explained. “With nearshore outsourcing the complexity of risks is greatly reduced due to fewer language problems and cultural barriers as well as virtually no time zone differences. This means that the substantial cost savings that outsourcing offers can now be realised without any of the associated problems of offshoring.”
Visit www.objectivity.co.uk

Nash Dom TV Goes Live With Vectorbox

philsandberg — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:46:24 +0000

Vector 3, a pioneer in graphics and playout solutions, has announced that Nash Dom TV (Our House), a private broadcaster for the Penza Oblast region, has implemented multiple VectorBox automated playout systems to manage multi-channel ingest, broadcast graphics, and playout automation.
The new tapeless workflow supports 24/7 programming with a mix of live and pre-recorded shows broadcast over traditional and web channels.
“Vector offered Nash Dom a tapeless solution with extensive capabilities for managing ingest, broadcast graphics, and playout wrapped into one scalable system. This limited the complexity of building the new master control room without sacrificing reliability. It also reduced the overhead for purchasing and maintaining multiple products,” comments, Mr. Dmitry Dubina, Technical Director, Nash Dom TV. “We are incredibly pleased with the Vector system’s abilities and performance.”
The VectorBox workflow features two VectorBox DSX systems, a Harris Panacea Switcher, and a group of Matrox powered non-linear editing systems. One VectorBox system manages playout of the main channel, while the second system distributes content to the secondary channel as well as managing ingest from several wires. The Vector 3 technology also incorporates a redundant architecture, ensuring failsafe operations 24 hours a day.
VectorBox is the original all-in-one playout solution, with built-in automation, video server and Character Generator (CG). Like the all VectorBox models, the DSX system offers master control automation, giving operators the power to manage every transmission function in the channel; from ingest and playout of content from disk, live, VTR and satellite, to channel branding, file and redundancy management. File format conversions are fully automated, guaranteeing file-based workflows with any standard production and asset management system.
“VectorBox DSX is designed to provide a wide range of functions for the master control room. The entry-level system allows broadcasters to build an economical tapeless playout workflow with a clear path to upgrade as their programming grows. This is a sound approach for investing and providing a path for future options,” said Roman Ceano, general manager, Vector 3.
Visit www.vector3.tv.

Meyer Sound for Miles Davis Paris Exhibit

philsandberg — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:40:26 +0000

At We Want Miles: Jazz Face to Face With Its Legend, the first large-scale exhibition dedicated to jazz great Miles Davis, his music was the focus. Thousands of visitors flocked to Musée de la Musique in Paris to get a close-up look at his illustrious career and rediscover the music that has touched the lives of countless fans. Transporting enthusiastic visitors to the world of Davis’s sound was the responsibility of curator Vincent Bessière and sound designers Philippe Wojtowicz and Mathias Abherve, with compact Meyer Sound systems strategically distributed throughout two levels of the exhibit hall.
“Unlike other exhibitions, the audio here is not just ambient sound for the environment. The idea is to provide the audience with a true listening experience. Visitors stay for a long time at one place just to listen to Miles,” said Wojtowicz. “The team agreed early on that this exhibit would be created with respect for Miles Davis’s music. This was key, and dictated the choice of Meyer Sound systems.”
From Davis’s St. Louis, Missouri home to his last concert at La Villette in Paris in 1991, visitors followed the evolution of his music through Meyer Sound’s miniature MM-4 and UPM-1P loudspeakers in the listening rooms. A series of projection screens showing footage of live performances were complemented by UPM-1P loudspeakers and UMS-1P subwoofers. Using acoustical panels, carpeting, and the predictable coverage of Meyer Sound loudspeakers, the designers effectively provided crystalline sound clarity while minimising interference between the numerous audio sources. All of the Meyer Sound equipment was provided by Paris-based Dispatch.
“I have used the MM-4s many times before. They are lightweight, visually discreet, and most importantly, they sound fantastic,” said Wojtowicz. “Sound opens a new dimension for the visitors, gives context to open their imagination. Using a high-quality sound system allows me to help transmit a lot of emotions for the exhibit.”
The Paris debut of We Want Miles: Jazz Face to Face With Its Legend has received critical acclaim for its sight and sound from visitors from around the world, including The New York Times’ Yasmine Ryan, who reported that the exhibition “is infused with the spontaneous and elegant nature of the man and his music: cool and understated in all the right places.”
On April 30, 2010, We Want Miles will move to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in Canada, where a Meyer Sound MM-4XP and UPM-1P loudspeaker system configured by Philippe Wojtowicz will be used.
Visit www.meyersound.com

APTX licenses audio-over-IP solution to Microsoft

philsandberg — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:29:09 +0000

APTX has announced the successful integration, test and commissioning of a wideband, full-duplex (2-way) voice-over-network (VoN) system for Microsoft Game Studios.
APTX is a leading provider of high-performance audio coding solutions for Low-Latency (LL) Audio-over-IP and High-Definition (HD) Voice-over-IP for consumer, enterprise, and broadcast applications.
Engineered by APTX expressly for Microsoft Game Studios, this turnkey solution combines apt-X audio coding and special AoIP protocol software to enable high-quality, 2-way, voice telephony. The solution provided to Microsoft Game Studios is especially optimised for massively multi-player online games (MMOG) from Microsoft Game Studios in Redmond, Washington, USA.

APTX confirms that the apt-X codec and a new technology called stream-X are two of the major elements of this turnkey audio-streaming solution. The first element, apt-X , is a predictive audio coding engine offering significant bit rate efficient compression and delivering flawless, multiple-channel audio with imperceptible latency (delay); the second element, audio middleware code-named stream-X, is provisionally described as a packet-based data transport fabric for the retro-integration of high-performance HD-VoIP/LL-AoIP services in existing IP based Content Distribution Networks (CDN).

Originally developed for wireless digital networks and transport of HDTV Surround-Sound over AES pair, apt-X is one of several audio coding engines developed by APTX that can be integrated into stream-X. As a stand-alone codec, apt-X has been widely used in Broadcast, Cinema and Consumer products, specifically Stereo Bluetooth.

Making the announcement from APTX’s North American offices in Irvine, California, Mike Canevaro, VP Business Development: “Every games studio knows that live, 2-way, voice-chat is absolutely essential to the flow of massively multi-player online games. So, we’re absolutely thrilled to have delivered this key differentiating and compelling feature to Microsoft Game Studio.”

Canevaro continued: “The audio coding and transport technology that APTX has cemented into this particular infrastructure is unparalleled, both in its size and scope. And it has potential global reach. There’s no reason why the same solution to this common challenge could not be deployed in other massively multi-player online gaming networks.

Visit www.APTX.com

HD kicks off in Germany with Quantel

philsandberg — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:15:57 +0000

From the 13th February 2010, German broadcaster WDR in Cologne will begin broadcasting major sports programming in HDTV, spearheaded by the flagship ‘Sportsschau Bundesliga’ German premier league soccer coverage. The whole production process, from ingest to playout, will be handled in HD using Quantel Enterprise sQ server-based production technology.
WDR has been producing ‘Sportsschau Bundesliga’ for the whole ARD public broadcasting network in Germany since 2003 in SD using Quantel Enterprise sQ technology. The success of the system led WDR to look to Quantel to drive its new HDTV service.
A key requirement for WDR was that the well-liked production workflow of the original SD Quantel system was not to be compromised in any way in the upgrade to HD. As the system was converted to HD throughout the course of the summer of 2009, production of WDR’s normal standard definition programming continued uninterrupted. WDR continues to supply other ARD broadcasters with material from the sQ system in a variety of formats without a hitch. Now running fully HD, the production workflow for ‘Sportsschau Bundesliga’ has proved as agile and fast as its SD predecessor.
“Enterprise sQ provides an ideal platform to take WDR and everyone else into HD production,” said Thomas Birner, Quantel Director of Sales, Central Europe and Middle East. “It is well proven in terms of its ability to grow and adapt to future requirements - as the WDR installation shows - and its ability to serve all formats gives broadcasters complete flexibility in their operations.”

NTP 625-804 audio router for YLE television

philsandberg — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:10:00 +0000

NTP Technology, one of the world’s leading producers of digital audio routers and signal processors, has completed the first phase of a new routing system expansion at the Helsinki television production studios of Finland’s state broadcaster, Yleisradio (YLE).
“YLE has been using NTP digital audio equipment for eight years both in its television and radio operations,” comments NTP Sales Director Mikael Vest. “This latest installation centres on our new 625-804 router which was commissioned in time for coverage of the Vancouver Olympics. It is configured as a 2048 x 2048 matrix including MADI interconnections to third-party audio mixing consoles. The flexibility of NTP’s control software allows YLE to control external video routers and SDI audio embedding/extraction from the same GUI as the audio and MADI matrices. The new 625-804 is connected to an existing 625-803 router which is being used as a discrete routing node. Both are located in the main MCR equipment room. We are also working with YLE on new control applications for Dolby 5.1 surround sound monitoring.”
NTP’s 625-804 digital audio router is a four-TDM-bus modular system based on the 625-800 19 inch 5 U chassis. This houses up to 18 plug-in modules configured as 5 U high hot-swappable cards. Each chassis is scalable up to 2048 x 2048 crosspoints and can accommodate a redundant power supply and redundant frame controller. The supporting range of modules includes a sampling-rate converter, analogue I/O, AES/EBU I/O, microphone input, MADI interfaces, CPU/clock, QNX-based frame controller, optical interfaces and TDM interfaces. All I/O cards incorporate gain, filtering, summing, phase, delay, compressor/limiter, level detection and phase detection. NTP’s VMC660 software controls the router system in terms of crosspoints, scheduling and signal surveillance.
Finland’s national public service broadcasting company, YLE operates four national television channels and six radio channels and services complemented by 25 regional radio programmes. The company is 99.9 per cent state-owned and supervised by an Administrative Council appointed by the Finnish parliament.
Visit www.ntp.dk

Heroes Tim Kring Wins/Keynotes At MIPTV 2010

philsandberg — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:56:35 +0000

Tim Kring, the creator and executive producer of the worldwide phenomenon Heroes, is set to receive the 2010 Pioneer Prize at the International Digital Emmy Awards, which take place on Monday, April 12, during MIPTV.
Heroes’ multiplatform experience Heroes Evolutions, extended the show’s storylines through mobile participation, games and graphic novels. In addition to receiving the Pioneer Prize, Kring will make a keynote address to conference delegates on the opening day of MIPTV, the world’s entertainment content market
“Tim Kring is a masterful storyteller and the Heroes Evolutions digital experience is the ultimate showcase for successfully integrating technology and content,” said International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences President & CEO, Bruce Paisner. “We look forward to honouring him for his innovative contributions to the field of digital entertainment with our Pioneer Prize.”
“The audience has now become collaborators throughout the many ways they connect to a story and to each other. I am honoured to be part of this global evolution in storytelling and even more honored to be recognised by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences,” said Tim Kring.
After 20 years as a writer/producer of hit television shows such as Chicago Hope, Crossing Jordan and Providence, Tim Kring is pushing the boundaries of multiplatform entertainment. Current digital entertainment projects include the development of a new form of multiplatform narrative with Nokia and a new web series for NBC.com Nowhere Man.
Nominees for the 3 International Digital Emmy Awards program categories: Digital Program: Children & Young People; Digital Program: Fiction and Digital Program: Non-Fiction will be announced in March.
As in previous years, the International Digital Emmy Awards will bring together over 200 professionals across the entertainment, mobile and Internet industries at the invitation-only ceremony, on the opening night of MIPTV 2010.
Visit www.iemmys.tv or www.reedmidem.com

Pact Rejects Proposal To Give STV Indie Status

philsandberg — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:46:53 +0000

Pact, the trade body for independent producers, has rejected the call by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to reclassify Scotland’s STV to gain independent production company status, saying it would not only damage the Scottish independent sector but result in negligible benefit for the broadcaster.
In its submission to the DCMS consultation on the potential reclassification of production companies owned by Channel 3 licence holders, Pact shows that STV has already got a number of competitive advantages over Scottish independents and granting STV independent status would displace commissions from other, typically smaller Scottish independents while making little different to STV’s business.
Chief executive for Pact John McVay said: “STV have argued that without indie status they are restricted from winning network programme commissions, yet they are already winning commissions from the full range of broadcasters, including all the PSB broadcasters. Our research shows that STV has considerable potential for growth without gaining independent status, and the damage to struggling Scottish indies far outweighs the minimal benefits it looks to achieve.”
McVAy said that the DCMS’s impact assessment for the review estimated that a change in status would enable STV to generate just an additional £400,000 in network commissions.
“This negligible gain would be at the much greater expense of smaller Scottish indies. Not only would STV be unfairly competing for commissions with those indies, they will be competing in one of the region’s key genres, factual, a core STV genre and one which makes up over 80% of Scottish indies’ commissions. Changing the status will bring nothing to the region but will damage an already fragile industry.”
Visit www.pact.co.uk

Record 2009 for Virgin Media’s on demand TV

philsandberg — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:04:09 +0000

Virgin Media saw a record breaking 2009 with over 750 million on demand views, an increase of 50% on the previous 12 months. With hugely popular catch up content from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Virgin1 and LIVING, outstanding music success and blockbuster films, more people than ever are watching on demand. Over 59 per cent of Virgin Media’s 3.7 million TV customers are now regularly using the service, an increase of over a quarter of a million homes in a year.
Cindy Rose, executive director, digital entertainment, at Virgin Media, said: “Virgin Media was the first company to bring true TV on demand to the UK and in doing so, we’ve helped redefine the viewing habits of millions of people by freeing them from the TV schedule.”
With 76 million views in December alone, up 6% on the previous month, 2010 looks like being another record breaking success for Virgin Media.
Since BBC iPlayer launched on Virgin Media in May 2008, its first TV platform, it has received almost 300 million views1. Viewing has accelerated from 10.5 million views in June 2008 to a record 20 million views in December 2009. ITV Player enjoyed an outstanding end of year performance with 25 million views over the last three months, thanks to The X Factor, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and the enduring popularity of Coronation Street.
Over 11 million movies were watched on demand throughout 2009. December saw a 29% increase on November, driven by family favourites including Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince, shown on demand on the same day as the DVD release, and Monsters Vs Aliens as well as hit films Public Enemies, Moon, Bruno and The Hangover.
With a 17% increase in views in December, music on demand’s popularity continues to grow. Lady Gaga returned to the top of the charts with her Bad Romance video alongside new releases from N-Dubz, Cheryl Cole, Chipmunk and Rihanna.
Virgin Media also offers a range of kids’ TV, with Disney content, such as High School Musical, Camp Rock and Hannah Montana, series of Angelina Ballerina, Ben 10 and Dora the Explorer and programmes including Charlie and Lola and Postman Pat available as catch up TV. Kids programming generated almost 22 million views in 2009.
On demand TV enables viewers to watch what they want, when they want, at the touch of a button. Virgin Media offers a vast library of thousands of hours of TV shows, movies, music and kids programming, all of which can be watched on your television.
The most popular catch up shows in December included Gavin and Stacey, Eastenders, Coronation Street, The X Factor, The Royle Family and Doctor Who, with Gavin and Stacey alone attracting over one million views in December.
Visit http://www.virginmedia.com/

TSR chooses VEDA playout automation system

philsandberg — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 04:55:42 +0000

SGT, a leading global software vendor in the broadcast and media industry, in co-operation with BFE, announced that the Swiss TV network TSR (Télévision Suisse Romande) has chosen the VEDA platform for its new playout automation system. The project called “CDD2010” will be set up by BFE with the objective to overhaul TSR´s broadcast centre (Centre De Diffusion) in Geneva. The playout automation system will be installed for the two Premium channels, TSR1 and TSR2, and as of 2011 for thematic IP channels. The final system is expected to be on air during the second half of 2010.
The requirements for the new playout system were as follows:
• Completely digitised system, enabling an interaction with the existing media management system GICO
• Ensure a strong interaction with the traffic system STRADA developed in-house by TSR
• Support HD playout formats and multi-channel sound
• Enable content sharing and availability
• Ensure high-security playout
• Increase flexibility and reactivity of the system
“The modernisation of our broadcast centre represents a strategic challenge that requires powerful and robust tools to accompany TSR in its future development,” said Blaise Guignard, Project manager at TSR. “After an in-depth market study, we have selected the VEDA solution from SGT, and BFE as our systems integration partner. The innovative features, the quality of the graphical interface, but also the adaptability of the system made the difference compared to other vendors.”
“TSR is a highly strategic project for SGT. It will allow us to demonstrate the advanced features of our VEDA offering. In addition, it will help us to accelerate our international growth and to develop new partnerships,” said François Chiche, Vice President Sales and Marketing at SGT. “The combination of our powerful VEDA suite and the professionalism of our integration partner BFE are key ingredients for the success of the solution.”
A reliable, secure and user-friendly solution
In order to ensure maximum systems availability, SGT and BFE will build a playout solution based on an active/active security cluster. The two VEDA Automation servers broadcast the same playlist and are synchronised. The VEDA Automation client complements the flexible and powerful VEDA platform to manage workflows and impresses with its ergonomics and its overall presentation – a key point for TSR in the final choice of the VEDA solution. The application can be organised to meet specific client needs and allows the workspace to be tailored through a graphical tool.
Integration in TSR´s existing IT-broadcast environment
VEDA will integrate seamlessly into the IT broadcast environment at TSR, interfacing with all existing and to-be-deployed systems, and thus guaranteeing high flexibility and continuous operation. Through BXF services for example, VEDA will interface with the STRADA traffic system that programs the Premium channels. VEDA will also communicate with the existing media management system GICO that takes over the digitalisation and archiving.
Furthermore, TSR puts a special emphasis on high-quality audio and dynamic branding: in an environment that – among other equipment – will be composed of the Nexio playout server from Harris, the Imagestore IS750 Master Control Switcher from Miranda, the Nexus audio router from Stagetec and the C8000 series audio processing components from Jünger, VEDA Automation allows working audio live from the source to respond to TSR´s requirements in terms of high-quality sound in 5.1 Discrete, Dolby E and stereo PCM. In addition, dynamic branding equipment is needed. In the case of the TSR implementation, SGT´s solution will integrate with Iconstation from Harris to ensure an excellent dynamic branding.
Visit www.sgt.eu and www.tsr.ch