The cable TV industry has received a boost with announcement of new guidelines for interoperability between the latest DOCSIS 3.1 specification for advanced broadband services and the MoCA 2.0 (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) standards for data transmission over coaxial home networks.
So you think you want to virtualise your playout? Good, there are many benefits to be gained from deploying a channel in the cloud. For centralcast hubs, service providers, MCOs (Multiple Channel Operators), sports broadcasters, and corporates, virtualised playout can deliver an affordable option to deploy or contract IP-based channels instantly without the burden of racks of complicated hardware, and weeks or months of setup and provisioning.
After more than two years of technology development, subcommittee discussions and field tests, on February 23rd the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) recommended that North American broadcasters choosing to migrate to the next-generation ATSC 3.0 specification use the Dolby AC-4 codec for OTA transmission. The Dolby system was up against a group of companies that have developed a competing system known as MPEG-H Audio
The Super Bowl isn’t just a Sunday afternoon world championship game. It’s a week-long event with massive TV coverage. Cameras and TV crews from around the globe congregated on this year’s Super Bowl city, Houston, TX, where the game was played in the NRG Stadium.
The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) has called on broadcasters and their technology suppliers to work together over cyber security and adopt best practices already available or evolving in the IT world. The organization representing broadcasters across Europe and in many neighboring countries has just staged its first Media Cybersecurity Seminar at its headquarters in Geneva, where delegates were urged to adopt best practices built around existing security standards.
Quality control (QC) is an important process consideration at many points in file-based workflows, and one that can have a tangible impact on the business if neglected or improperly implemented. Defects that can be seen or heard by the end viewer such as missed or faulty commercial spots can result in lost advertising revenue, and poor or spotty picture quality can affect the brand and ultimately lead to subscriber loss. Quality or delivery compliance issues that occur prior to broadcast can add costs if the program material must be rejected and sent back to the content provider for costly rework.
Every year the NFL Super Bowl creates a level of excitement uncommon for most sporting events and this year’s event was no exception. The broadcast provided viewers with a dazzling Lady Gaga half-time show and the stunning and record-breaking, come from behind 34 – 28 win by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The acronym “FUD” stands for “fear, uncertainty, and doubt”. FUD neatly describes the unsettled attitude of many Directors of Engineering (DOEs) towards the approaching double-whammy of the FCC’s Spectrum Repack, and the advent of ATSC 3.0 Over-the-Air (OTA) broadcasting.