Oser Communications Group

Broadcasters Show Daily 2013 April 8

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24 Monday, April 8, 2013 SAN SOLUTIONS ARTISAN CE2000 SERVER ALLOWS FOR COLLABORATIVE EDITING SAN Solutions Inc., a leading manufacturer and integrator of high-performance storage and application solutions for media infrastructures, recently announced the introduction of the CE2000 to its line of ArtiSAN application platforms. The ArtiSAN CE2000 allows for multiple editing systems to share media content and work on the same project timeline. Editing systems supported include Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premier and Apple Final Cut Pro. This solution allows broadcast and post-production facilities to integrate editorial systems directly into file-based workflows built on open SAN or NAS architectures. Support for multiple workgroups with separate projects within a facility allows for centralized storage to be more efficiently used and dynamically allocated. Centralized archiving to LTO6 tape systems and on demand restoring with preserved security is also featured. The ArtiSAN CE2000 is a member of the ArtiSAN Application Platform, a family of products developed by SAN TURNING DOWN THE VOLUME: THE IMPACT OF CANADIAN AND U.S. GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS ON COMMERCIAL AUDIO LOUDNESS By Kirk George, Director of Marketing, IneoQuest Technologies In U.S. and Canadian homes, loud, blaring TV commercials were once the norm, beaming into homes often several decibels louder than the adjacent programming. After years of complaints, a pair of regulations―the FCC's "CALM Act" (Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation) and Canada's CRTC 2011-102―have mandated that TV commercials aren't allowed to be any louder on average than the shows that they accompany. The perceived loudness of television programming is dependent on a number of factors. These include the nature and content of programming, its peak volume and dynamic range, among other things. Both the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) have defined a target loudness level and methods to control volume―in theory providing a blueprint for staying in line with the law. Generally, the loudness of the programming equals the dial norm value―which is a data value transmitted with most U.S. broadcasts. This is used to adjust, automatically, how loudly the system plays back content. The loudness of commercial content must equal the dial norm value as well. That's all well and good, but broadcasters and pay-TV operators looking to comply with the regulations find themselves with a need to implement new technical strategies to fulfill the mandate. Namely, operators have a need for an automated monitoring and quality assur- PSIP PRO BY DTV INNOVATIONS: A SYSTEM YOU CAN DEPEND ON PSIP Pro is an easy to use, feature-rich, electronic program guide (EPG) software solution. It contains advanced capabilities and a friendly graphical user interface all at a cost effective, entry-level price. It meets all FCC requirements, and supports ATSC recommended practices. PSIP Pro is the system of choice by television networks, stations and cable broadcasters who are looking for a proven system at an affordable price. Program and System Information Protocol (PSIP) is a collection of tables designed to operate within the DTV transport stream. Its purpose is to describe the information at the system and event levels for all virtual channels carried in a particular transport stream and to allow program schedule information to be displayed on ATSC-compatible DTV receivers. PSIP Pro has a comprehensive and easy-to-use interface that allows generation, editing, navigation, and searching of DTV program schedules. It provides all FCC required PSIP tables, and supports ATSC A/65 specification and recommended practices. Advanced functions such as recurring events, default event, search event gaps, search event overlap and event over-run controls are provided to minimize user input and minimize errors. PSIP Pro has the ability to import information about the audio and video services directly from the encoding system and insert it automatically into PSIP tables. PSIP Pro outputs PSIP transport packets utilized in the multiplexer in either ASI or IP formats. Users have the flexibility to customize the output by setting the number of days of program schedules to be sent and cycle times for various PSIP tables. PSIP Pro also includes a password feature to protect virtual channel information from unauthorized modification. Central Casting of PSIP has become Broadcasters Show Daily Solutions that enable and optimize file-based workflows. SAN Solutions also offers comprehensive professional services to help operations incorporate their new ArtiSAN platform into their existing editorial environments. These services include data migration, integration of additional storage, storage sub-system performance optimization, hands-on training for end-users, and continued site support post-implementation. tion solutions for mission-critical media infrastructures. ArtiSAN ― the company's signature product line ― enables facilities to achieve complete, end-to-end, file-based media workflows. All of SAN Solutions' offerings are based on proven methodologies, leading technology, key partnerships, and innovative support services. The company is headquartered in Reno, Nev., and has regional sales offices in Europe and the Asia-Pacific. About SAN Solutions Founded in 1998, SAN Solutions, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and integrator of high-performance storage and applica- The SAN Solutions ArtiSAN CE2000 will be on display at the 2013 NAB Show at booth SU7814. More information is available at www.sansolutions.com. ance system to prevent issues before they arise, and to take automated and rapid correction if a problem occurs. "Real-time monitoring, and logging and alarming on all transmitted channels is a best practice in order to have a comprehensive quality assurance procedure," explained Jim Welch, IneoQuest's Director of Product Management. "Operators should characterize software packages that do this as a technician that never takes a break and can measure hundreds of feeds, across thousands of households, at the same time." Typically, loudness compliance can be wrapped into a broader video quality strategy that monitors closed captioning, audio quality and loudness, across hundreds of thousands of simultaneous channels. "There are hundreds of locations in a distribution system," Welch noted. "There are also many kinds of transmission: over the air, cable HFC, fiber and so on. Loudness procedures should be part of the overarching metrics that operators use to ensure quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE) for all subscribers." The stakes are high―noncompliance brings enforcement action and potentially large monetary penalties. PayTV providers must be prepared to demonstrate compliance, as well as perform spot checks to satisfy regulatory enquiries. TV operators should also look to implement longer term reports that show how well loudness goals are met historically – particularly helpful when answering an enforcement action. In addition to avoiding penalties, compliance helps operators maintain customer satisfaction, which affects churn rates and reduces service calls. It also bolsters advertiser satisfaction, which is a critical piece of the revenue pie. "It's not just about regulation. Most operators are up against a lot of competition, and you want to make sure that you're not giving subs a reason to switch," Welch said. "The risks are myriad." very popular with television networks and groups, so DTV Innovations created PSIP.Network. PSIP.Network is a management system that is designed for centralized PSIP management. It enables a network or broadcast group to provide PSIP to their affiliated stations through their existing distribution network utilizing either wide area network (WAN) from one location. The PSIP.Network Solution enables affiliate stations to receive network PSIP data while maintaining the ability to make last minute changes to the PSIP data at the local level. The data is processed to produce the final output containing the most complete and accurate EPG. Finally, PSIP Pro supports Mobile DTV Electronic Service Guide (ESG). ESG is the Mobile DTV equivalent to EPG. PSIP Pro has the ability to manage event information from a single user interface for both broadcasts. Simply add your Mobile DTV channels to the virtual channel list and configure the export to For more information, visit booth SU9402 at the NAB Show, go online to www.ineoquest.com, call 508-339-2497 or email info@ineoquest.com. the ESG generator and you're done. PSIP Pro re-formats the event data and delivers it to the Mobile DTV ESG generator for ingest, minimizing dual entry and potential for errors. In 2008, DTV Innovations partnered with Expway, the worldwide leader in mobile broadcast content, advertising and ESG delivery to ATSC mobile devices. DTV Innovations offers fully integrated Mobile DTV solutions. For more information, visit DTV Innovations at booth SU11002 or call (847) 919-3550. DTV Innovations is located at 1252 W. Northwest Highway, Palatine, Ill., 60067.

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