Virtual Power Content Management is a key part of the broadcasting workflow and nowhere is this more apparent than in the operation of playout. Ensuring the right content is played out at the correct time and with accurate details is essential. Reliable, virtualised broadcast playout solutions are critical - and they're here.
One company that has been developing the software for such virtualisation is Cambridge based, Pixel Power. Originally known for its powerful graphics and branding solutions, the company had the foresight some years ago to appreciate how its technology could be used beyond the production of on-screen content.
The transition from the graphics side is about how we perceived an industry trend in terms of a need, explains Ciaran Doran, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing. Take promo production as an example. There is often a need to produce a large number of variants. Maybe up to fifty versions of the same promo. The old way would have seen post-production produce all the finished versions and then place them in a queue for playout. Using our technology, that operation is automated which allows the production of multiple versions of trailers and promos, with accuracy and high productivity.
The technology allows a broadcaster's team of graphics designers to concentrate on creative work, designing new campaigns and brand material rather than repetitive, manual end-board re-works.
This switch to the new way of working involves building a graphics template - that had been agreed by all departments - that contains all relevant elements. Those elements - visual content, voice over, time, day - can be pulled automatically from the relevant files and drawn into the template and the resultant file inserted into the playlist.
By using an agreed template, the material will appear in the right format, the right font, the right colour, the right position on the screen and so on. What's more, by retrieving the information from data in the EPG or schedule then you have actually pulled what is coming up next with its date, time and any relevant information. So, if what is coming up next' changes, then you are displaying the correct information at that right time. In effect, you have evolved from a post-production function to a just-in-time function.
Powerful hardware
So, how has this technology evolved?
When we first started doing graphics and branding software there wasn't the computer power available off the shelf. So, we built our own powerful hardware to drive the software applications. Now, with the huge expansion in the IT world, we've got COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) hardware that is powerful enough for us to simply buy-in and drive our software.
But, he adds, there is more to consider. If there's COTS hardware available, then software has to be developed that can run on anyone's server, and the server can be in the broadcaster's facility, in a remote office or it can be run in the public cloud.
Doran explains that by building the software from the ground up, functionality could be included that allows broadcasters freedom to use specific features or blocks of features as required with flexibility that was never possible before.
For example, it's the same software regardless of whether you have the machine sitting in the rack next to you or in the public cloud. It's the same licence. And we do not discriminate in any way between where you use that software and that licence.
If a broadcaster wants to start off with its own hardware, Pixel Power will charge the same for the licence even if later there is a move to COTS hardware or deployment in the public cloud, we will even help with the transition.
Doran continues, Replacing bespoke hardware with COTS and using a pure software platform offers very real benefits to before. New features can be more easily deployed over the lifetime of an installation as they are needed. As one example, we deployed the latest NDI codec within a short period at the end of 2017 for a customer who said we'd really like this facility. That's one benefit of our common platform - we don't have to worry about what hardware is being used - and, more importantly, neither does the customer.
Flexible facility
Another significant benefit of the Pixel Power technology is the provision to acquire or use specific features of the software as and when required.
Many users of traditional hardware only use about 60 per cent of the features for 40 percent of the time, states Doran. So why install a solution a permanent feature when it's either never used only just used occasionally? With a flexible software solution like ours a broadcaster can get access to a feature that is not needed all of the time, it can add on that facility for a determined length of time - whether that is by the quarter or by the hour. Our software is very granular and very flexible - indeed our pricing models include pay-as-you-go, pay-per-feature, OPEX or CAPEX.
One broadcaster that has seen the benefit of the Pixel Power developments is Virgin Media Television (formerly TV3) in Ireland.
In an increasingly competitive market, the broadcaster wanted to increase the vigour and prominence of its branding and promotions across all its portfolio including SD, HD and multi-platform outputs, says Doran. Recognising that this could best be accomplished through automated conforming and fulfilment of graphics, the company investigated our solution.
The result was the introduction of Pixel Power StreamMaster BRAND. The system, which comprises the latest software solution running on Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) hardware, manages content across multiple channels and formats and delivers the power of the graphics engines. Using a single workflow and schedule, the system enables the auto
