Telefonica AMPPs up Movistar Plus Playout with Grass Vall...

First 20 channels move to software-defined playout as TSA considers the requirements of almost 40 additional Movistar Plus linear services.

Telef nica Servicios Audiovisuales has deployed Grass Valley AMPP to transform playout for Movistar Plus , moving the first 20 linear channels from a hardware-based environment to a software-defined platform designed to support almost 60 services. The new system is now in production, giving TSA greater flexibility across playout while it considers the requirements of the remaining channels.

Replacing a playout infrastructure that had supported Movistar Plus for more than 20 years meant TSA needed to consider how almost 60 linear channels could transition to a more flexible software-defined environment without disrupting live services.

Movistar Plus is Telef nica's premium pay-TV and streaming platform in Spain, serving approximately 3.8 million subscribers across IPTV and OTT services. Its programming includes premium sports, movies, television series and original productions. TSA, part of the Telef nica Group, provides audiovisual services and systems integration for projects within the group and for external customers

This project represents a significant change in how we approach playout, moving from dedicated hardware that has served the platform for many years to a more flexible software-defined environment, said Jos Luis Garc a Cabrera, COO, TSA. The first 20 channels are now operating on the new platform, giving us practical experience of the new approach as we consider the best way forward for the remaining channels.

Moving Playout to AMPP

The new environment is based on Grass Valley Playout X running on AMPP servers, supported by Framelight X for media management. TSA has deployed 13 AMPP servers for playout, together with two dedicated Framelight X servers, with full redundancy providing main and backup operation across the channels.

The move changes the way playout resources are deployed. Rather than tying each channel to a dedicated physical chain, the AMPP architecture allows playout to operate as software services across shared infrastructure. This gives TSA greater flexibility to allocate resources and expand the platform as requirements develop.

The system uses SMPTE ST 2022-2 inputs and outputs, with Playout X handling channel playout and Framelight X supporting asset management. Operations, engineering and monitoring can be managed through the software-defined platform, reducing dependence on fixed, per-channel hardware.

Migrating Without Service Interruption

The deployment was completed within a short timeframe, with TSA managing the transition while Movistar Plus continued operating its existing channel services. Integration with third-party systems, traffic and graphics was managed by Movistar Plus as the new playout facility was brought into production.

With the first 20 channels running on the Grass Valley platform, TSA is already seeing greater flexibility across operations and monitoring, together with the ability to adapt the system as requirements change.

Moving an established playout operation of this scale onto a software-defined platform requires a clear migration path as well as confidence in the technology, said Carlos Ferreira, VP Sales Southern and Central Europe at Grass Valley. AMPP gives TSA the flexibility to introduce the new environment progressively, while Playout X and Framelight X provide the playout and media management capabilities needed as its requirements develop.

Following the successful deployment, TSA is now assessing the requirements of approximately 40 additional linear services, including channels with live sources. Telef nica is exploring cloud-based disaster recovery for the on-premises platform, while TSA sees further potential for AMPP in areas including third-party playout services and remote production.

LINK:	https://kitplus.com/news/telefonica-ampps-up-movistar-plus-playout-wit...
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