In Broadcast - April 2015 - 58


58

www.inbroadcast.com | Vol: 5 - Issue 4 | April 2015

InStudio

Channel-In-A-Box Alters
The Playout Landscape

cont'd...

and end-of-clip actions. The server can
be operated from multiple locations
via its own remote application and
includes GPI/VDCP/MOS control.

Integrated playout systems like Pebble
Beach's Dolphin allow more niche and
event-based channels

Interestingly, Pebble Beach Systems
offers both CIAB and automation based
solutions for all channel types, and
Gittins said that in conversations with
broadcast customers, "we often ﬁnd
that what starts as a perceived CIAB
requirement quickly becomes more
complex."
Gittins said that allowing multiple
formats to be played back-to-back on
the same output enables customers
to migrate to new formats while their
legacy media remains compliant,
without having to change workﬂows
and
include
new
transcoding
processes.
This ability to exchange ﬁles together
with associated metadata (DPP, for
example) can bring real beneﬁts,
especially where production of content
is separated from playout. In addition,
open system APIs that allow play out
operators to be aware of upstream
media preparation through close
integration with a MAM system bring
many advantages.

Multiple Channels
Another CIAB vendor, PlayBox
Technology, markets its AirBox
playout server line, with the latest
being ProductionAirBox, in which
four
independent
players
are
accommodated in a single server with
built-in aspect ratio and resolution
conversion as well as support of a
wide variety of compression formats.
Content can thus be played without
transcoding. A dedicated multiviewer
is also incorporated.
"We have experienced success
[with these CIAB systems] on a very
large scale," said Don Ash, Managing
Partner and Director, Sales at PlayBox
Technology. "That success derives
not just from adopting generic IT
platforms but also by keeping careful
control both of software and hardware.
Being software centric has helped to
keep our prices low. Having so many
clients with different requirements has
enabled us to have a standard product
with many features that other clients
ﬁnd desirable for their channels."
ProductionAirBox provides 2K/4K
SDI output, enhanced playlist handling

Playbox Technology systems' AirBox can be used both in SD and HD and seamlessly
supports third-party devices

Flexible Core
ICE is Snell's version of a CIAB
product,
which
includes
the
functionality of a playout server and
supports much of the playout chain
as well. At its core, ICE leverages
Flexicore technology to allow the
broadcast chain's functions to be
re-ordered and applied in the way
broadcasters
and
multichannel
operators need them to be. ICE also
includes Snell's Morpheus enterprise
class automation system, which
is capable of scaling from one to
hundreds of channels controlling ICE
and/or third party devices - all using
the same user interfaces.

the transmission of media over wide
area networks."
"We deﬁnitely expect our customers
to demand more functionality in their
integrated playout system, in order to
further simplify their channel chains
and their operation," said Grass
Valley's Gourvil. "We also think our
customers will expect more ﬂexibility
in how they run their channels -
whether it be in the formats of signals
they can process (IP, UHK/4K) or
how they deploy them (locally vs.
centrally, on dedicated platform vs. in
a virtualised environment, on premise
vs. in the cloud, etc.)."
The advent of cloud technology has
also spawned an interesting debate
in the playout space, as stakeholders
try to deﬁne what element of playout
can be abstracted into the cloud.
Pebble Beach's Gittins said that while

Snell's ICE includes the company's Morpheus enterprise class automation system,
which scales from one to hundreds of channels

"The use of [CIAB] technology is
dramatically increasing in mainstream
playout," said Karl Mehring, Head of
Product Architecture - TV Everywhere,
at Snell. "We have certainly seen
this trend with customers willing to
put billions of dollars of commercial
revenue through ICE systems. The use
of this technology is growing rapidly
because of the ever-increasing number
of services. With revenues spread ever
more thinly between them, the cost
of more traditional infrastructure just
doesn't add up anymore.
As the industry continues its
migration to IP delivery and remote
(cloud-based)
signal
processing,
server vendors say they are up to the
challenge.
"We see a lot of demand for IP
streaming and software only/cloud
based playout," Mehring said. "This
is driven by a desire to use COTS
hardware or private or leased data
centres rather than purchasing
hardware outright. Additionally the
move to IP minimises infrastructure
costs of wiring and so on, streamlining

computer and storage clouds promise
to supplement and ultimately replace
today's playout facilities, for these
implementations to be truly beneﬁcial,
the solutions they deploy must be
designed and built for the virtual
environment.
"It is of course possible to virtualise
hardware in the cloud, but the real
questions with regards to playout
from the cloud relate more to
infrastructure performance, QoS,
rights
management,
distribution
networks and so on," said Gittins.
"Many of these questions apply
equally to any media service that could
be hosted in the cloud, but playout
automation ampliﬁes these risks and
concerns because it is so close to air,
and service failures are often instantly
felt.
"For the broadcaster it is important
to start building systems that can be
virtualised (in the cloud or otherwise)
and that offer the appropriate levels
of abstractions to allow operations to
scale and adapt to the ever changing
business challenges."
http://www.inbroadcast.com http://www.pebble.tv/products/dolphin/ http://www.snellgroup.com/products/channel-in-a-box/ice-family/ice-overview/ https://playbox.tv/products/tv-automation/airbox
In Broadcast - April 2015

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