PlayBox Technology announces the completion of a new transmission playout and graphics management system at the London studios of Loveworld Television. The new installation forms the central element of a major technical modernisation programme, replacing earlier third-party equipment.
“Loveworld currently transmits in standard definition via satellite and online,” says Phillip Neighbour of PlayBox Technology. “The upgraded system is initially being used in SD but gives the channel the ability to start a 1080i high-definition service whenever it chooses to do so. At the core of this project are two 3U servers, each running PlayBox Technology AirBox playout and TitleBox integrated graphics.
“An automatic changeover switch brings the second server online if the primary server fails. This is much a more reliable procedure than human intervention. Other PlayBox Technology equipment in this project includes a high-definition CaptureBox, a 16 terabyte network-attached storage server running a SafeBox content replication module which manages content sharing across multiple devices.
“The new system includes two third-party digital routers (which replace Loveworld’s former analogue patch bays) plus a production monitor and related infrastructure, all housed in a single rack. The ingest router takes feeds from DVCAM and Digi-Beta video tape. The system is operated from Loveworld’s transmission control room which feeds direct to the Sky satellite multiplex and to the web. The system was assembled and fully tested at the Brookmans Park headquarters of PlayBox Technology UK. It was then installed at Loveworld followed by onsite training.
“A great advantage of AirBox over its competitors is the high degree of flexibility it provides in terms of codec compatibility. Another key advantage is the user interface which provides exactly the information needed on a task by task basis, including seamless integration of onscreen title editing and playout management.”
AirBox is a universal SD/HD content playout and streaming server designed for continuous unattended operation. Every clip in the playlist, except the one which is currently playing, can be trimmed, edited or repositioned. Playlist order can be changed on-the-fly using commands such as skip-to-next or jump. Changes are performed seamlessly without stopping current playout session. Live productions are facilitated by a Live Show clipboard which allows insertion and/or execution of various events or live streams. AirBox accepts MPEG1/2/H.264, HDV and DV streams from practically every known production platform providing AVI, MPEG, WMV, Quick Time or MXF content. Files from third-party servers such as Leitch or Seachange are natively supported.
TitleBox delivers on-air graphics which can be controlled interactively. Customs can preconfigure the templates to match their requirements, eliminating any need for subsequent manual interference. TitleBox provides total control during on-air session, including text selection, running speed and transitions.
For more information, visit loveworldtv.co.uk and www.playbox.tv.
