In Broadcast - February 2013 - 42

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

WWW.INBROADCAST.COM | ISSUE 16 - FEBRUARY 2013

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InMEDIA

The Hidden Art Of Systems Integration
Part I of this article examines some of Systems Integrators, who are prized for their wealth of experience
in broadcasting and can offer sound guidance when it comes to making the best choices in technology
investment from OTT to OB and Ultra-HD…
By Adrian Pennington
Contributing Editor

S

42

y s te m i n te g r a to r s h e l p
broadcasters with knowledge
that straddles both linear reference
based television systems and nonlinear IT/IP based systems. While
single broadcasters, and even
groups or very large broadcast
n e t wo r k s c a n m a n a g e to
transition to new working methods
themselves there is very often
the need for external advice and
change agents during the process.
While IT based systems offer
access to COTS (Common
Off The Shelf) technology it is
often the people, processes
and organisational habits that
present the greatest challenges to
operational efficiency.
According to Tim Felstead,
Head of Sales & Marketing, ATG
Broadcast, external customer
service organisations, “allows
customers to focus on their own
difficult internal transitions while
leaning heavily on our technical and
practical experience in other very
large baseband to IP transitions.”
Historically, the traditional IT
infrastructure implemented across
other industries has not been
designed to take into account
the requirements of a broadcast
infrastructure. This is another area
where the SI can build the bridge.
Typically, other industries require
many small files to be rapidly
transported, but not necessarily
to a strict and exact timescale.

Broadcasters however need fewer
but larger files to be available
with frame accuracy to allow
deterministic switching.
“We find customers are now
asking for a high proportion of
advice related to the IT design
of current broadcast systems,
particularly for managing, not just
the regular transmission playout
of channels but, the multitude of
other media assets where much of
the broadcaster’s revenue is now
or will soon be generated,” says
David Phillips, Managing Director,
TSL. “With connected TVs and OTT
services, this is going to continue to
be a growth area with even greater
emphasis required on the initial
design. An experienced SI can assist
greatly, as a system will need to be
expanded without compromising
existing on-air operations and allow
expansion costs to be manageable
by the business.”
Having said that, the changing
landscape of content rights
ownership and the plethora of
delivery systems available to
owners “means that the old adage
that content is king is now truer
than ever,” says Felstead. “Hit new
content invariably drives higher
broadcast audience figures and
participation levels and this will be
the main focus for our customers
able to create such content.”
Those that rely on the purchase
of rights must ensure that audience

Racking at UEFA’s HQ in Nyon, Switzerland (Gearhouse)

engagement remains at the top of
their priority list, he says. “The use
of non-linear delivery systems in
parallel to traditional broadcast
routes can and will ensure that those
rights are consumed when or where
viewers prefer and that the important
customer relationship is maintained.”
Much of the SI work over the
past two to three years has
centred on the introduction of
new HD channels and systems.
Given that 1920 x 1080 is now
the ‘normal’ resolution of modern
domestic television receivers it
is no surprise that this is high on
many broadcasters purchase lists.
Equipment manufacturers are now
gearing to promote 4K as a logical
next phase in the development of
broadcast services and SI’s are
steadily building up its knowledge
base in this area.
Ultra-HD is several years away and
so the main challenge the majority
of broadcast customers face is
the same one they faced in 2012
and earlier: namely, how to remain
profitable and operationally efficient.
Yet consumer spending is down,

taxes and expenses are rising which
leaves broadcasters and everyone
else very cautious about investment
and seeking value for money. On the
other hand, it is vital for broadcasters
to invest in the implementation of
new technology to keep up with
consumer behaviour and demand.
“Long-established SIs have
tremendous experience in
broadcasting using tried and tested
techniques over many years and
can offer sound guidance when it
comes to making the best choices
in technology investment,” says
Phillips. “They also understand
the business of the broadcaster,
together with the strict operational
requirements, particularly for
large live events which attract
large audiences and may also be
subscription or pay-per-view based.”
So despite the difficult global
economic situation, there are plenty
of opportunities out there of which
SIs can take advantage, so the
outlook can best be described as
cautiously optimistic…
CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

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