ABS is a busy international broadcast service provider managing 32 channels from its site in London. Pharos Mediator and Playtime fully automate end to end content management with integrated playout.

The Challenge

ABS provide content management and playout services to multiple international clients. Material is supplied to ABS on tape which are stored until required for ingest and each customer provides the required schedules. The rest is down to ABS.

Managing up to 32 channels and delivering an efficient and error free service means that the operation has got to be both low maintenance and efficient. Operating costs are kept low while keeping the quality of service high. Minimal staffing at off peak times means that many processes have to be streamlined.

The Solution

Pharos Mediator and Playtime provide the right balance of functionality for this operation. Mediator offers greater operational efficiencies than traditional automation by providing desktop access to all the content from ingest onwards and, by managing the content life cycle from end to end. This allows multiple channels to be managed by relatively few staff. At present, the ratio is around 8 channels per operator; end to end.

From the moment a tape arrives in the building through ingest, archiving and subsequent re-use of all content, Mediator provides media and transfer management, automating and simplifying all processes and minimising errors.

Management of the tape library is the first step, with Mediator managing tape locations. Tapes are automatically requested for Ingest as the first step in the workflow when material is scheduled channel by channel. Once ingested, content is managed by Mediator, and following Spot Check it is transcoded to any required format and transferred securely to the Playtime playout system.

Mediator manages the transfers of material between ingest, the archive and transmission servers, automatically ensuring that files are delivered on time for transmission. A Sony Petasite dat tape archive is used to store transmitted material.

Archived material required for transmission repeat us automatically transferred to the right transmission server with a simple request. Mediator automatically manages storage, so there is always space for new material without manual intervention.

Playtime manages the playout according to the imported schedule for each channel and control of the playout servers and graphics is fully automated. The unique Playtime user interface presents an easy to read display and timeline for the TX operators with integrated counters and alarms.

Why Pharos?

"We have used the Pharos system successfully since 1998, expanding our channel capacity and workflow gradually in line with our increasing business. Pharos Mediator and Playtime now controls video servers, Sony Flexicart ingest system and Sony PetaSite near-line data tape store, without any manula intervention. "

"Pharos and Sony have provided an impressively high standard of post-sales support over the past eight years and we are particularly pleased now to have Sony as a client." Sass Jahani - ABS Managing Director

"We have expanded our investment in Pharos to a total of 32 channels from its original six. Mediator's inherent control flexibility allowed the additional channel to be installed, configured and commissioned without any interruption to our normal activity. The Pharos architecture controls and automates the whole process."
Rob Keith - ABS Operations Manager

phcs-3003.01

Business Benefits

• Integrated content managemnt (Mediator) and playout (Playtime)
• Repurposing content without re-ingesting.
• Add new channels whilst in service.
• Low maintenance cost.
• Minimum manual operational overhead.
• Easy to add new storage and servers whilst in service.

Key Functionality

• Tape Library management.
• Archive Management.
• Automated ingest.
• Multiple storage systems managed automatically.
• manages content lifecycle end to end.
• Browse available for all material.
• Management reporting from any stage of the process.