Latest News
June 2007: Abit’s automation systems have been upgraded to allow users
to take advantage of a Jog/Shuttle control device, designed to make control
easier and quicker when previewing clips and setting in and out points.
Originally developed for NRK, “the Jog/Shuttle
control interface now makes it easier for broadcasters to scan through digitised
media,” confirms Richard Thomas, software development director, Abit. “In this
way, tighter accuracy can be achieved, which is particularly useful when
previewing material.”
The Jog/Shuttle itself is a precision
optically encoded rotary wheel, manufactured by JL Cooper Electronics, which
allows quick and easy scanning, viewing or cuing of digitised media. The
operator will be able to control a device by assigning it to the Jog/Shuttle
interface easily in the workstation software. The device would be typically a
VTR or a transmission server
“The development of the Jog/Shuttle
functionality underlines Abit’s continued focus on providing flexible solutions
in response to the needs of our clients,” confirms Thomas. “A beta version of software is currently
available for customers to test the dynamics of the Jog/Shuttle control
functionality with the Abit system and this is already proving a popular
addition to our automation offering.”
June 2007: Abit, today announces that RTL and its production and service
organisation Cologne Broadcasting Center (part of the RTL Television) has
selected Abit to provide a new ingest solution to link up two of its facilities
in Cologne, Germany. The ingest
software solution will be loaded onto CBC’s existing Show-it platform and an
upgraded version of RTL’s existing Powerbox platform, both provided by Abit and
previously utilised for transmission purposes. Both systems will be configured to interface with peripheral
systems including an IBM storage solution to ingest more than 130,000 hours of
material for RTL Television, VOX and Super RTL.
“As a number of Abit automation systems were
already installed at both RTL and CBC’s premises, when the two organisations
decided to integrate operations more closely, utilising the existing Show-it
and upgrading the existing Powerbox was the logical choice for both,” confirms
Richard Thomas software development director, Abit. “Powerbox and Show-it offer high-quality, reliable software
and hardware options and are tailored to the precise needs of the customer, in
this case a dependable ingest solution for critical broadcast processes
combining maximum efficiency with minimum cost.”
Both the Abit systems at CBC and RTL will
ingest material independently for digital transfer to the IBM storage area
network (SAN) utilising IBM ADMIRA archive management software. The assets and metadata associated with
the digitised file will be automatically retrieved from the SMART asset
database by the ingest system.
Designed to automate all essential broadcast
processes to keep running costs low, Abit’s suite of products based on an
Industrial computer architecture running on a Real Time Operating system,
interoperate with a wide range of broadcast equipment. Resilience and reliability are
fundamental to the range proven over 15 years’ of experience. In addition, Abit is the only
automation company to supply source codes with all its products.
"Over the years we have provided both
RTL and CBC automation systems for de-centralised broadcast operations,”
confirmed Thomas. "Now with
the two organisations working more closely together we are delighted to
continue to be able to supply the high quality output and reliability that
these leading German broadcasters demand.”
June 2007: Abit’s next generation of automation workstation provides enhanced
operational features including scalable time lines and is now available to run
on the Linux operating system.
The workstation has been designed to allow
the user to configure both the control functions and display windows to meet
their existing or new workflow from a physical workstation level and on predefined
user privileges.
The workstation compliments the systems
strategy to merge the broadcast elements and file structures for easier
operation and simplify familiarisation of the user interface from both a
broadcast and IT perspective.
“Technically we are impressed with the
underlying design philosophy and reliability of Linux and with the uptake in
use by IT departments so porting the software was an easy decision to take,”
confirms Richard Thomas, software development director, Abit. “The operational
features included in the latest software release includes timeline operation,
intuitive drag & drop functionality and iconised material categorisation
while maintaining the wide range of existing broadcast orientated features”
such as Time Shift Functionality and Adaptive DVE control.
The combination of Present-it’s new user
interface and core processing unit re-design philosophy demonstrated at IBC
last year – represents a major step forward in Abit’s automation offering for
broadcasters,” confirms Thomas
The system now provides a future proofed solution designed for ease of
use which can be tailored to the needs of major broadcasters world wide.”
April 2007: Norwegian national broadcaster, NRK, has selected leading
automation provider, Abit, to supply a file based workflow and streaming
solution for NRK1 and NRK 2 in addition to its new channel NRK3 due for launch
this autumn. The bespoke software
will work with the existing Abit Present-it automation system installed at NRK
to control the distribution of all material including live events, ensuring
they are transcoded into the correct format and media for streaming to mobiles,
PDAs and the internet.
“The objective is for NRK to be able to
distribute all programmes to a wider audience through making its content
available in different formats - to hand held devices and over the net for
example,” confirms Richard Thomas software development director, Abit. “Abit’s Present-it automation
system already manages all the playout automation for NRK1 and NRK2 (and soon
NRK3) at the Oslo facility so Abit was a logical choice to administer all the
events for streaming.”
Currently, the Abit system transmits all
NRK1 and NRK2 programmes with an optional “Record Feed” function on the
Workstation. As part of the
ongoing digitisation plan at NRK the new set-up will allow live events to be
recorded and looped back into the new Omneon Media Server which will act as a
databank for all broadcast material for re-distribution and streaming. OmniBus has been selected to provide
the media asset management system and TSL is managing the system integration on
the project.
"As the leading Norwegian broadcaster
NRK requires partners that can provide reliable, efficient solutions to help
realise its ambitious plans for the future,” confirms Thomas. “We are delighted that NRK has chosen
to work with Abit yet again develop the software needed to create its vision of
a completely digital broadcast environment for Norway.”
CBC Cologne Broadcasting
Center Selects Abit to Launch New Pay TV Channel
March 2007, CBC Cologne Broadcasting Center has selected its Powerbox
automation system to a launch a new pay TV channel service to be broadcast from
its facility in Cologne, Germany. The Powerbox system now controls all the
essential transmission processes for the special interest channels, which have
been launched at the end of 2006.
“CBC already uses Abit’s automation to
playout schedules many of its multi-national broadcasts at its facilities in
Munich, Cologne and most recently in Hanover,” explains Richard Thomas,
software development director, Abit. For the new channel CBC needed a system
that was flexible enough to adapt and develop as its facility expands. Powerbox
was the perfect choice for adding channels as it delivers the same fundamental
reliability of our larger systems yet it can be more scalable to match the
needs of a growing broadcaster.”
The system provides the capacity to
automatically control 4 channels (three transmission and one spare) fully
integrated with the CBC scheduling and audit systems. Dual playout is provided
using main and backup servers with in-line branding utilising Miranda Intuition
devices under full automation control. Media flow between the buffer storage
and designated transmission servers is carried out automatically.
Abit’s products are designed to interoperate
with all necessary broadcast equipment frame accurately and have been
configured for maximum resilience and reliability. The systems automate all essential broadcast processes and
are developed to keep operational running cost effective.
"In today’s increasingly competitive
marketplace, broadcasters require flexible, reliable solutions that can adapt
as the organisation grows, business patterns change and operational workflows
are refined,” continues Thomas.
“Our systems are specifically developed to adapt to the dynamic nature
of the broadcast environment and critically this allows our clients to take
advantage of new revenue streams as they present themselves, such as new
channel additions for example.”
Abit to Demonstrate New Integration of DVE Effects at IBC 2006
30 June 2006
Playout automation specialist, Abit Ltd.,
today announced it plans to demonstrate the next generation of integrated DVE
workflow functionality, at this year's IBC in addition to revealing the latest
version of its Present-it hardware platform at the show.
"Leading European broadcasters, rely on automation systems to provide
adaptable workflow control and monitoring,” confirms Richard Thomas, software
development director, Abit. By recognising the importance of updated business
patterns and changes in departmental interaction and workflow our systems can
ensure that these key elements are accommodated flexibly.
The integration of DVE functionality that will be at IBC adopts this flexible,
approach. It represents the next generation of software functionality while
maintaining the key elements of broadcast automation such as frame accuracy,
minimisation of operational activity and quality playout essential to the every
day working of major broadcast facilities,” confirms Thomas.
By providing a complex DVE control algorithm, network management of a file
based DVE storage system and flexible operational functions, the Abit system
enables the operator to configure branding specific to the viewing demographics
on a channel basis easily. In addition, it enables a flexible advertising
strategy up to the point of transmission and the display/routing of multiple
sources.
The software now allows the operator to create DVE effects within a QOS
framework and span them across any number of fixed and live events in addition
to incorporating multiple sources. The DVE effect span duration is dynamically
controlled to ensure changes to the scheduled commercials and vignettes appear
transparent from a viewer's perspective in a multi-channel environment.
A further development that will be shown at IBC for the first time is the
facility for commercial placement during a live broadcast. This allows the
operator to cut back to either the original live event or a new live event as
quickly and smoothly as possible at the end of the current advertising clip.
The channel branding is maintained so that the change appears transparent to
the audience. The channel licence regulations are adhered to and the remaining
commercial clips are automatically queued for playout at a convenient point
later in the live transmission maintaining revenue.
In addition to the new DVE integration and commercial placement technology,
Abit will be demonstrating the new version of its automation platform:
Present-it. Present-it has been redesigned to provide easier scalability,
future proofing of the processor architecture and smaller physical size while
the system still retains the use of industrial processor cards based on VME bus
architecture and uses the industry proven OS-9 operating system providing multi
channel operation in one box reducing installation time and easing
support/maintenance costs, confirms Thomas.
To achieve the greatest operational efficiency, broadcasters need flexible and
adaptable systems to control their playout environments. The developments we
will be demonstrating at IBC represent the very latest thinking in this area,
concludes Thomas.
Abit Ltd. will be appearing on stand 8.529.